So she leaned in for another, just before a whip cracked in the distance.
The moment broke.
‘More soldiers,’ Styerra said as she peered across the woods. A whole troupe of them, nomages marching north. ‘In the village, they say people are disappearing. They tell terrible stories of monsters in the night.’
He spun to face her. ‘You promised not to go to town.’
‘I only needed flour for bread,’ Styerra said. ‘I was careful. No one spoke to me.’
He sighed and pulled her to him. ‘The only monsters out there are men, Styerra. The ones who would give good coin to bring you in. I just want you safehere. With me. Promise me you won’t leave this place again.’
‘Okay,’ Styerra whispered.
This time when Ervos held her, the happiness had left her eyes.
Another memory unfolded behind the next door.
There were muffled voices as Ervos and Styerra argued.
They didn’t want to wake Ezer, who slept soundly in her small basket at the foot of the bed.
‘Where did you get it?’ Ervos was saying. ‘Is this why you keep going into town?’
He pointed to the table, where a worn black book sat.
Small. Insignificant.
But powerful enough to reshape someone’s entire mind.
Styerra shook her head. ‘I wasn’t even searching for the Tome, Ervos … but there it was in the village, almost calling my name. The merchant gave it to me, free of charge. And this time, the pages weren’t empty.’
‘What do you mean?’ Ervos asked, carefully reined fury in his voice.
‘I mean Erath was right,’ she breathed. ‘This whole time, he was right about the Shadow Tome. I’m such a fool for not seeing it before, but … I’m taking Ezer with me. We’re going north, to find freedom beyond the Sawteeth.’
Ervos looked horrified. ‘What?’
‘Come with us,’ Styerra said. ‘We’ll go together, discover a new way of living, a new god to?—’
Ervos stood so fast his chair tipped over. The baby Ezer flinched but settled, still fast asleep. ‘You’ll get her killed, Styerra. The wolves are out, hungry for blood.’
‘I have faith now,’ Styerra said. ‘We’ll make it there alive.’
‘Faith?’ He let out a bitter chuckle. ‘I’ve done all I could to keep you safe. To keephersafe. I’ve given you all of me. And still … I am not enough. Your heart always goes back to him. Even in the grave.’
A tear slid down his cheek as he looked at the ring she still wore on her finger.
And he turned and walked towards the cottage door.
‘Where are you going?’ Styerra asked. ‘Don’t walk away from us again.’
He left the cottage without looking back.
The memory shifted. Now it was dark.
She was outside in the wind, in the snow.
And something was not right.
