Behind him, Imka gave a small shake of her head, silently trying to convey to Silke that something was wrong and not to enter. Silke pretended not to see the warning. It was imperative that she examine Raik. Just looking at him, hearing the way he spoke to his wife, andseeing the evidence of his foul behavior was alarming to her. It was all so out of character.
Silke stepped through the door. She had to pass close to Raik, as he didn’t move that far from her. Instantly she scented…demon. The energy the invader gave off was low, but it was there. As she smiled sweetly up at Raik, she held out the box of scones and Fenja’s card, keeping them close so he would have to step toward her. At the same time, she ran her gaze over the man, seeing with more than normal vision.
Silke was a healer, trained by Fenja. Fenja was considered awitte wievenand held great status in their community. The historical title meant she was believed to be a wise medicinal healer, steeped in the knowledge of herbs and plants. She was also a seer, one who could see into the future. Some believed that awitte wievenremained as a spirit after death. They became elven or living spirits. They were always honored and held in such high regard they were consulted about anything important, and when they passed, ceremonies were held at gravesites to honor them.
Many in the village believed that Silke also waswitte wieven.She had been given to Fenja to raise. Fenja was a single woman, and yet everyone knew the baby should go to her. Even at a young age, Silke had proven over and over her extraordinary capabilities to see and cure hidden diseases. She was excellent with medicinal plants. And she had an affinity for the forest and the mythical creatures they all believed inhabited the forest.
Looking Raik over, she could easily see he was holding his left arm carefully away from his body. His hand looked swollen, and although he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, he had rolled his sleeve up, revealing a swollen, reddened forearm. As a healer, or a suspectedwitte wieven, it wouldn’t seem out of the ordinary for her to notice his arm.
Instantly she frowned, moving closer. “Raik, you’re injured. Imka, you should have called Fenja or me to come help him. This is infected.We can’t let any infection go no matter how strong you are, Raik. Especially if you were injured at sea.”
Her guess was a solid one. She had sealed the ground beneath the village and throughout the forest. Tora had created a barrier around the forest as well as woven safeguards above both forest and village. There was no way to protect against every monster Lilith sent their way from the sea. The men had to earn a living. They were accustomed to the myths of the sea creatures. But facing one or even recognizing a little-known one would be difficult.
She took charge immediately, not allowing the demon in him time to protest or realize she was more than the village healer.
Imka tried to defend herself, stammering a protest that she’d tried to get Raik to go to the doctor or Fenja. Silke flicked her a quick glance and shook her head. Imka pressed her lips together to keep from objecting further.
“I’ll need hot water, Imka,” she said with great authority as she pulled out her phone and texted Fenja she would be later than she thought.
Tora. The sun has set. Come to the Bootsma home now. I believe Raik was bitten by a sea monster and injected with a small demon. It’s growing in him.
Tora answered immediately.On my way. What do you intend to do? What do you need me to do?
I’ll need your help to contain Raik once I begin to extract the demon. He’ll use Raik to protect himself. At the moment, Raik is cooperating with me because he’s seeing me in the role of a healer, so the demon does, too.
Raik glowered at her. “I don’t think it’s necessary for you to look at my arm.” He sounded gruff, even belligerent.
Silke laughed, using her voice shamelessly. “Of course you don’t. You’ve always been one of the strongest men in the community. I remember the famous story of you breaking your arm in three places and still insisting on helping to build Milan and Gesina Laninga’s homeafter they married. You wouldn’t stop or even acknowledge you were hurt. The doctor nearly lost his mind over that.”
She laughed again and this time, Raik laughed with her. He seemed more relaxed as she deliberately went into the cozy sitting room where the family spent most evenings together or entertaining their friends. She’d been there often with Fenja and knew her way around the house.
She indicated Raik’s favorite chair. “This shouldn’t take long. If I think you’ll need more than the herb dressings I can supply, I’ll let the doc know.” His face darkened and once again he tensed. She gave him another easy smile. “But I’m fairly confident I can take care of this without fuss.”
Tora, please bring me several of my plants.She gave a list.That is your excuse for coming. You’re bringing me the things I need to stop the infection.
Silke had brought everything she needed for calling demons to her and destroying them. Her kit was in her backpack. She took it everywhere with her, and no matter what the function was or how she was dressed, the villagers were used to seeing that “fashion accessory.” No one would ever wonder or think anything about her showing up with a backpack. It was standard wear for her. Raik’s suspicions weren’t raised at all.
Raik reacted to her assurance with visible relief. “Don’t like that doc fussing over me like I’m a broken hen.”
Silke laughed as she rolled Raik’s sleeve higher to better see how far the infection had spread and what it looked like. When looking beyond the bright red, hot-to-the-touch rash, she could see the faintest dark purple line running under the skin up his arm, growing wider as it did so.
“Raik.” She whispered his name as if she were in awe. She was. Her respect for him grew. This man had fought off the effects of the demon, struggling for some time before he began to succumb to the monster’s influence. “You’ve been bitten by something. How long ago?”
Raik glanced toward the door where Imka had gone. He lowered his booming voice. “A month ago. Almost. Maybe just under. I was fishing when the thing came up out of the water and struck at my arm.” He pointed to the center of his forearm where two teeth marks, much like a snake bite, were present. There was bruising around the marks, as well as a violent shade of red and purple. The skin looked mottled.
“Why didn’t you tell someone?”
“Imka fears for me when I go out. Many of us fishermen are lost at sea. We talk too much about sea monsters. We try to make it seem like folklore, myths, just nonsense from our past, but all of us who live on the sea know they are very real.” He lowered his voice even more, casting another quick glance at the door leading to the kitchen. “She wanted me to stop going out when we started to have problems a few months ago. She asked me several times, but the sea is what I know. What I love. I provide for her, although she has her business and the gardens people come to see.I’mthe provider.” He said the last with great pride.
Silke loved that he was so insistent on taking care of his family, but there was that one tiny bit of information.She wanted me to stop going out when we started to have problems a few months ago.“You started having problems? What kinds of problems, Raik?”
I know you’re close, Tora. Give me a minute. If you come to the door, he’ll stop talking.She could sense Tora on the porch, and she wanted Raik to continue sharing with her. He clearly didn’t want to talk in front of his family. She doubted he would continue if Tora was present.
Give me the go-ahead when you’re ready for me.
“When we would take the boats out, the sea would turn rough, even when it should have been calm. The waters around and under us would grow dark with the shadows of monsters. That went on for several weeks and then something large smashed into Lucas Herrema’s hull. That really started the attacks. We dismissed the first time as an accident, but several times my boat and Finn’s were both rammed. Weknew those attacks were deliberate. I began taking the young Dykstra boy as my lookout. He’s nineteen and expressed interest in the sea.”
Silke knew Jesse Dykstra. He was younger than she was by only a few years. She wondered if Raik referred to her as a young girl. Jesse’s parents, Mila and Nelis, ran the local hardware shop. Jesse helped them, but he’d always wanted to go to sea.
