Page 7

Chapter

Seven

I make it all the way to the weapon shed before Harek reaches me.

He leans against the structure and catches his breath. “What are… you doing?”

“I told you, I have to get out of the settlement.”

“You aren’t even going to stay the night?”

“No. I can’t risk it. Gunnar’s too dangerous.” I open the shed and feel around, hoping for a weapon.

“And the fae in the woods aren’t?”

“Of course they are.” My fingers wrap around the handle of a sword and I pull it out. It’s nearly as long as my arm, and exactly what I need. “Will you and your parents be okay without this?”

“I have something better than that.”

“Don’t say a crossbow. I nearly took out a priest the last time you tried to teach me how to use one. I’m better off with nothing than one of those.”

“How could I forget? No, I have something specifically for you.”

That catches my attention. “What do you mean by specifically for me ?”

He releases a long, slow breath. “You aren’t the only one who has been keeping a secret.”

I’m both curious and annoyed. “Are you serious?”

“Follow me.”

“You’re ignoring my question.”

Harek marches on ahead back toward the house, continuing to ignore me.

I catch up to him. “This better be good.”

“It is.”

“I’m not going back inside. You can’t convince me.”

“Noted.” He kneels at the base of the house just outside his bedroom and pulls at a board.

“What are you doing?”

“Shh. My parents are sleeping.”

I should’ve known the light snoring inside wasn’t Harek. I’d have been better off waiting for his boar-like noises.

He reaches under the house and pulls out a smaller sword than the one I found in the shed.

“What’s that?”

“A sword.”

“You don’t say.”

Harek replaces the board and stands, holding it out to me. “For you.”

“Thanks, I think.” I don’t reach for it. “The other one would be more useful, though. It’s longer and the blade looks sharper, admittedly not by much.”

“Your mother gave this to me.”

My knees turn to rubber. “Excuse me?”

He looks away for a moment. “It was around the time she got sick, but before she was bedridden. She said that if anything happened to her, to make sure you got this.”

Now I’m intrigued.

“This apparently belonged to your father. She stole it from him before coming here, believing it would help you some day. That’s all she would tell me but said you’d understand.”

I try to reach for it, but my arms won’t budge. “That’s my father’s?”

“Yeah. I guess she wanted you to have something that belonged to one of your parents. I’m sure she knew Gunnar wouldn’t give you anything of hers once she was gone. I don’t know why she wouldn’t give you one of her heirlooms instead. That would mean more than something from a guy who never bothered to meet you. Right?”

Without a word, I take the sword from him and step into the moonlight. It’s heavy, solid, and has intricate carvings on the handle. When I pull the protective sheath from the blade, I see similar etchings on the shiny metal.

More surprisingly, I feel my father’s presence as I hold the weapon up to the light. Not only that, but I see a strange, bright street as if it’s right in front of me. Conversation sounds around me—almost like I’m at the marketplace, but this is different. I can’t comprehend it.

“Eira?” Harek’s voice brings me back to reality. “Are you okay?”

“Did my mother say anything else about this sword? Other than it belonging to my father?”

“She said you’d figure out the rest. But what just happened? It was like you were in a trance.”

“I just…” I struggle to find the words. “I feel connected to it. I know it doesn’t make sense.”

Or it connected me to my father. Was the vision showing me what he’s seeing right now? Or perhaps what he saw the last time he held this sword? If my mother knew it would connect me to him, why didn’t she give it to me sooner? Unless she’d meant to give it to me when I was older.

I’ll never know. She’s gone, and now all I have is this sword.

It’s the only thing connecting me to both of my parents.

“Don’t lose that thing,” Harek says. “It looks like it’s worth a fortune.”

“I think it’s worth a lot more than money.” I slide the sheath back over the blade and tuck it inside my coat. “Thank you for giving this to me. It means more than you could imagine.”

“You still won’t tell me your secret?”

“After I learn more about it.”

“Don’t you think I’ll stay quiet? I won’t tell anyone. You know me.”

“I’ll send word after I get everything figured out.”

Harek frowns. “You make it sound like I’m not going with you.”

“You can’t.”

“Of course I can, and I will. I’m not letting you go through those woods alone.”

“Your parents need you.”

He folds his arms. “They don’t. We already agreed I should go with you.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“I have to do this alone.”

“Why?” Harek stares me down.

“Because it’s up to me to find my father, and this could be dangerous. You’re their only son. I can’t risk anything happening to you.”

“And you’re on your own. I can’t risk anything happening to you .”

I try to come up with a good reason that he should stay, but I can’t find one. I’d definitely be safer with someone by my side, and who better than my best friend? After having lost my mother and siblings, it would be comforting to have him around. Then I wouldn’t have lost everyone I care about.

“Okay,” I relent.

“But you need a—Wait. You agree?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Maybe I should change my mind.”

“No!” He holds out a hand. “Just let me grab my things. It’ll only take a minute.”

“You want me to wait while you pack? I need to get going before it gets light out there.”

“I already filled my bags. I only have to get them and then we can leave. Don’t move.” He races into the house.

I’m tempted to split. While it would be to my benefit having him travel with me, he’d be a lot safer staying here. The last thing I want is to put him in any kind of danger. And moving through a forest filled with creatures banished from the fae cities will certainly put us in harm’s way.

Just as I’m about to take off, Harek reappears. It’s just as well. Honestly, I don’t know that my heart could take another loss today.

He gives me a crooked smile. “You ready?”

“Yeah, but are you sure your parents are okay with this?”

“Was I speaking another language before? They want me to make sure you’re taken care of, no matter how long it takes. They’ll be fine, and we all want the best for you.”

A few pieces of my shattered heart come back together. “I appreciate it.” My voice cracks as that lump in my throat grows slightly larger.

He wraps his arms around me and squeezes. It’s an awkward hug with both of us carrying our packs and now my father’s sword in my jacket, but I definitely appreciate the gesture.

“You ready?” He steps back. “We don’t have a lot of darkness left. The sun still rises pretty early this time of year. Do you only want to travel at night?”

“I don’t know. You’re the one who knows the woods. Unfortunately, I only know the farm. Gunnar made sure I didn’t get any other life experience.”

“Forget about him. He’s in your past now.”

“It isn’t that easy. As much as I’d love to never think about him again, the man raised me.”

“Once you have new memories, it’ll be easy to put him out of your mind.”

“I hope I don’t forget my mother.”

“You won’t. She’s always been on your side. That isn’t something you’ll easily forget.”

I swallow the lump in my throat and blink back tears. Though I’m ready to search for my father, it’s going to be hard to leave the only place I’ve ever lived. Aside from a few brief times, I’ve never stepped outside the gates of this settlement. Every night of my life I’ve slept in my bed within the safety of the farmhouse.

Now I’m about to step into the unknown, leaving everything behind except my best friend and the two bags on my back.

I meet Harek’s gaze. “Let’s do this.”

The journey starts. With my father’s sword on me, I feel like I have my mother’s blessing.

Hopefully it’ll be enough.