“Might I ask a question of my own?” The shaman said after a long, drawn-out moment.
“Sure.” Aloisia shrugged.
“What is your fascination with these creatures? How did you encounter them?”
“My sister-in-law was killed. We saw those shadow monsters, the Forgotten Gods, moments before it happened. The wisps, too.”
Inari’s expression changed, his harsh features softening. “I am sorry for your loss.”
Aloisia turned from him, unable to bear the pity in his hazel eyes.
“Thank you for answering our questions,” Tristan said.
The shaman inclined his head. “And thank you both for helping with my wrist.”
Aloisia strode for the door, grief wrapping around her throat like icy fingers, digging in sharp claws. She marched out into the moonlit forest, Tristan trailing behind and muttering a goodbye on behalf of them both. Though she’d received her answers, and knew more of these beings, she still felt a weight upon her chest. More questions blossomed in the wake of those answered. At the fore was why?
Why had these gods awoken?
Why had they searched for bloodshed?
Why Brighde?
Why?
TWELVE
AloisiaandTristantraipsedbackthroughtheDeadWoods,makingtheirwaybacktotheHuntingGuild.NeitherthewispsnortheForgottenGodsshowedtheirfacesastheytravelledinsilence.Sheunsheathedabladeandmarkedatreeeverysooften,leavingatrailincasetheyeverneededtoreturntoInari’sdwelling.
Numbness spread within Aloisia as she turned over the information in her mind. Only the steady scraping of her dagger against bark tethered her to the present.
Who had brought forth these gods? For what reason? What did they hope to gain by unleashing them on Teneria? And why were they in Littlewatch, of all places?
For all the answers she’d received, more questions flooded forth. And she feared only one person could answer them – the one who had set it all in motion. How she would find them, she had no clue. But one thing was certain, crystallising like a stone in her heart; whoever had called upon the Forgotten Gods was responsible for Brighde’s death, whether intentional or otherwise.
They reached the door of her home and Tristan unlocked it, leading her inside.
“All of that can’t have been easy to hear,” he said, closing the door behind them.
Aloisia said nothing. She strode to her side table, collected a tankard and poured herself an ale.
“At least we know more. It’s a starting point. It may aid in our research now we have a name for those things. Though, I suppose, we should take his word with a pinch of salt. Perhaps he has no reason to lie, but even so.”
She sank down on a bench, gathering the furs around her shoulders.
Tristan lowered himself onto the bench opposite, across the unlit fire. “Lis? Say something.”
“What are we supposed to do? How do we fight gods?”
“There is someone behind this. They were called upon, for whatever reason, by a person. We find them.”
“How?”
Tristan shrugged. “I don’t exactly know. We’ll figure it out.”
“Thirteen more days. That’s how long we have to figure it out.”
“And we will.” He moved to sit beside her, taking her hand in his. “I promise.”
