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Maude remembered the last time they traveled to Veter: she had felt as if she was breathing water because of the humidity in the Lamenting Woods. An invisible barrier had been crossed between the dry desert air and the humid jungle, coating her skin and her lungs with moisture.

Being on a longship when they crossed that territory line felt no different this time, except the air was saltier than before.

The humidity was starting to make her hair more unruly as the ocean air settled into it, thickening the already hefty waves.

A frustrated shriek escaped her lips as she tried to wrangle the denser locks of hair into a tight braid.

It wasn't until Bryn came to help her, smothering a grin, that she was finally able to wrestle her hair into a braid that her sister pinned behind her head.

They had sailed from Hlidestad the night before and had already made it to the eastern seas that border Veter.

Hakon explained that there was a way for them to sneak into the palace in time to warn their parents— they only needed to sneak across a forgotten northern bridge.

The pathway had slipped into history over the years as fewer and fewer people ventured to the north.

Maude was just relieved to see the Heir of Rivers with a purpose for once— he had not touched a drink since Midsommar's Eve.

Instead, he had thrown himself into helping Herrick sail to their home in time to save it.

She knew that Herrick was grateful that his brother had been more focused than before.

Bryn seemed more distracted the further she got from Liv, her eyes always glancing back over her shoulder like she hoped someone would come up behind her.

That first night, when they sailed into the early morning hours, Maude had taken a break from reading her mother's journals to ask what had been going on between the two women.

"Nothing," Bryn started to mumble, but when she shot her sister a I'm Not Stupid look, she sighed and relented. "You know I still haven't recovered from losing Revna. Sometimes it feels like I never will."

Maude nodded slowly but remained quiet, allowing her sister to choose how much she wanted to reveal.

"I found a letter from Revna in my chambers the day we rescued Herrick," her sister confessed. "I still haven't read it. On our first night in Hilgafell, Liv told me that if I wasn't ready to say goodbye, then it wasn't time. Except, I do feel as though it is time."

"Did you tell Liv that?" Maude asked as they rocked back and forth on the choppy ocean. Bryn was so lost in her story that she didn't even notice her seasickness.

"We were already in a hurry to leave for Veter by the time I realized it, so I couldn't," she whispered.

"I was too much of a coward to tell her.

The truth is that while I still mourn Revna, and probably always will, I am furious that she died the way she did.

All Revna tried to do was help people. She helped me, and I couldn't protect her. "

Maude stiffened. "What happened to her was not your fault, Brynna."

"Ulf killed her because of who she was to me! How is that not my fault?"

"Because Ulf was as sadistic as our father could be," Maude said quickly. "It's not your fault what happened to her, and I think if you read her letter, you would know that."

When her sister didn't respond, Maude looked over and saw a single tear escape the corner of her eye and drop onto the hardwood beneath them. Realization dawned on her.

"But you know that already. You just want to hold on to this guilt so you can't move on and be happy with Liv," she bit out.

Still, Bryn remained silent.

Maude leaned over and shoved Bryn to the side until she fell over. Her sister sat up and scrambled to her feet just as Maude stood and faced her .

"You are acting like a fool, and you'll end up losing Liv if you keep pushing her away when we all see how you two seem to orbit around each other," Maude scolded as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Take it from me, it's not worth the heartache if you keep denying yourself like this."

"It's different for you! You said so yourself," Bryn shouted.

"Our circumstances were different, but the result will be the same," she replied through her teeth. "Read the damn letter Bryn, or I swear to the Allfather that I'll make you."

Maude lurched forward and started searching for where Bryn had hidden the letter. She knew her sister well enough to know she would carry it with her always. For a moment, they struggled against each other.

"A-ha!" Maude exclaimed as she found the bloodied envelope tucked into Bryn's thigh sheath where her axe hung.

"Give it back ," Bryn said as she jumped to try and grab it from where Maude was holding it over her head.

Bryn tugged her splayed hand back into a fist, the force of a wind gust she was controlling nearly tearing the letter from Maude's fingers.

Prepared for her sister's use of her air galder , she was able to grip the worn envelope tighter before it slipped away.

She pulled on her shadows, the darkness slithering through her blood in a blanket of warmth that wrapped around her hands and hid the letter from her sister.

Refusing to give up, Bryn raised her fists to hover in front of her face, the soft orange and copper of her flames dancing harmlessly around her skin. Her fire reflected in her hazel eyes as she jabbed out, catching Maude in the chin.

Her head snapped backward, tears forming in her eyes from the sharp bite of her sister's flames.

"Asshole," Maude growled through her teeth.

Suspending the letter above her head in the ball of shadow that Bryn was unable to break through with her control over the wind no matter how hard she tried, Maude lifted her palms from her waist in one swoop, pulling dark green vines through the cracks in the wood beneath them until they wrapped around Bryn's ankles.

In a silent whisper, the greenery wound its way up her body until it reached her elbows.

With great effort, Maude snapped the vines tight until they constricted around her sister, immobilizing her.

" Bitch ," Bryn shouted, her rage becoming palpable in the thick, salty air.

Almost there , Maude thought to herself with a smile. Just one more push .

With a flick of her fingers, Maude dispelled the shadows around the letter that still hung over them.

Maude willed the envelope to move until it hovered right before Bryn's paralyzed form.

Sparks rose until the glowing embers started to dance around the edges of the dry paper. Corners began to smoke.

"Stop," Bryn bit out.

"You won't read it; perhaps I should just get rid of it then," she replied, the effort to hide the smile in her voice almost breaking her concentration.

The strain of wielding multiple forms of galder was starting to wear her down way too quickly. Her father's words echoed in her memory from when they had been killing time before the ritual to remove Herrick's iron band.

You've spent your life mastering your control over galder with the understanding that you had limited resources— your emotional influence and the limits of your strength and imagination.

Now that you have access to all the elements, you'll feel inclined to fall back on the strength of your back and the power of your emotions.

But you need to remember: you are half Elven, and the galder in your blood recognizes that.

Pull on the resources around you as well.

In her distraction, Bryn was able to wrangle one of her arms free to pull the letter out of the line of direct fire that Maude had flamed to life. She snatched the letter before Bryn could reach it and released her from the vines that had held her in place.

"What are you two doing?" Dahlia asked from the entrance to the lower deck, her brows knit together even if she looked amused.

"I'm trying to force Bryn to stop being a coward," Maude replied before shoving the letter in her hand. "Read the damn letter, Brynna. When Dahlia and I have finished our lesson, I'm going to come check on you. "

She paused before taking a step closer to her sister and gently putting a hand on her shoulder.

"It's time to say goodbye; Revna would have wanted that for you. It's the only way to start living again instead of just existing. Don't let the memory of her death be the last thing you have to hold on to."

With that, Maude walked away, leaving Bryn alone to sort out her next steps.

Bryn clutched the letter from her raven in her hands until she was sure the paper would rip.

She couldn't do this, couldn't read what Revna had to say. She already knew, in a way, that Revna would tell her to be happy, to move on and find love. But that didn't mean she dared to read it.

With shaking fingers, Bryn broke the seal on the letter and withdrew the last words Revna left for her.

Brynna,

By the time you read this, I will already have joined the gods in Valhalla. I suspect your sister will have to force you even to read this letter to begin with.

You always were incredibly stubborn.

I'm not going to say the usual things like "I want you to be happy" and "Don't grieve me forever" because I know you already know this.

It wasn't your fault. I made a choice—maybe it was the wrong one— but it was mine to make. It was my time, Bryn, and I wasn't going to drag you to your death out of selfishness.

So instead, I'll say that it's okay to miss me, but don't let that stop you from loving again.

There is someone out there whose fate is meant to entwine with yours— you will know when you meet her.

You were the greatest part of my story, but I was only a chapter in yours.

Know that leaving you that day was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but it was worth every moment if it meant you would be free of your father.

The people of Logi need you more than I do.

The people of Ahland need you more than I do.