Kaja grabbed the ink pot and followed Inari to each of the priests. She held out their hands as he scrawled a rune on their palms, tucking them back under the sheets once done. When Inari had marked the final priest, he turned back to Oda.
“This is as much as I can do here. Now we need the rest of the map.”
“High Priest,” Oda said, “if you would be so kind as to lead us back to the victim’s body.”
“Of course.” Silas inclined his head. “Follow me.”
Silas guided them back through the Temple to the hexagonal room Brighde was being kept in. Seeing her hit Aloisia anew. Nausea swilled in her stomach and she bit her lip, her focus shifting to the pain of it. Inari began working on his notes. Oda and the other two guards kept to the walls, and Kaja appeared just as troubled.
Aloisia drifted to Inari, taking the opportunity to speak with him whilst everyone else held back. “Do you know where this map will lead?”
“Not precisely,” he said. “I can give a loose ‘translation’ from the runes, though it is technically not a language. Combined with the images, we should be able to make our way to where it says to go.”
“And what of the marking on her hand?” she asked, her voice hushed. Instinctively, her fingers brushed across her own palm where its twin lay. “What does it mean? Do I need to do something?”
“The map starts there. I am not sure if it means it starts with you. My guess would be when you touched her, it was activated.”
Aloisia frowned. “But why?”
“I cannot say. When we find the one behind this, you should ask them.”
“Do you think the map will lead to them?”
“It’s my best guess. Either that, or it will lead to something which can stop this. I don’t know why else it would be there.”
“Hmm.” She scratched her head. “We’ll find out soon enough.”
Inari did not need long to note down the rest of the map. Aloisia noticed he kept it all in his own language. After all, if he was the only one who could translate it, then he would be needed to lead them. Otherwise, the guards could take the notes along with his chance at freedom.
Once done, the guards pulled Inari back through the Temple and shoved him into the cart. As they rode along the streets of Littlewatch, heading towards the southbound road on Inari’s instruction, Aloisia’s eyelids grew heavier. It was long past midday now. Her ribs ached with a dull throb. Kaja passed her some water and dried meat, her brow furrowing with concern.
“Are you sure you’re well enough to do this?” Kaja murmured.
“I have to be,” Aloisia replied around a bite.
Kaja squeezed her shoulder, pressing the issue no further.
They passed through the farmlands surrounding Littlewatch, following the main road to Hawkton rather than the one heading westwards to Ravencross.
Inari shifted closer to the bars of the cart door.
“The map is marked by significant places – landmarks, perhaps,” the shaman said, his face pressed to the bars. “They are all a little strange to me, but they may mean something to you. The first is ‘The Hawk’s Resting Place’. Do you know of such a place?”
Aloisia and Kaja exchanged a glance.
“Are you sure it’s translated correctly?” Aloisia asked.
Inari frowned at the pages. “I had thought so…”
“What about ‘The Great Hawk’s Perch’?” Kaja suggested. “It’s a shrine at one entrance to the Great Hawk Forest, ruins from the clans who came before us.”
Aloisia nodded. “That’s what I was thinking.”
“It could match,” Inari said. “It sounds close enough to my translation. The next bit makes more sense if it is a shrine…”
“Then we go there first.” Aloisia looked to Oda. “It should only be ten minutes down this road. There’s a giant arch with a hawk atop it, you cannot miss it.”
Oda clicked her tongue. “I’ve heard of the Great Hawk’s Perch before, Huntress. Most people in Littlewatch would have.”
