‘When I was a child and my mother sent me to be trained, I was weak, scared. I’d no idea what future I faced as I stepped across the threshold of the training house.’ Her head drooped, a grin on her thin lips. ‘Little did I know, Evella would intervene in my life once more. Gifting me the greatest love imaginable. That the girl with the shining black braids and the biggest, brownest eyes I’d ever seen, was the missing piece of my heart.
‘Each and every one of us here was blessed by Evella simply because we knew her.’ Glesni faltered, her voice breaking.
Matthias, who now held the flaming torch, placed his other hand on Glesni’s trembling arm. She nodded, took a deep breath and raised her chin once more.
‘There’s a saying, isn’t there? My better half…Keya truly was my better half. My whole life, she was my wife, my heart and soul. The guiding light within an ever-growing dark.’
Glesni tilted her head, her dark eyes shining as the silver moonlight danced across her withered face.
‘I-I don’t understand how the universe keeps going. Does the moon not know she’s gone? Does she not understand what we’ve lost?’
I swallowed down the lump in my throat, wishing I still had Matthias and his steadying hand to cling to. Glesni cleared her throat, taking the torch from him.
‘Perhaps she knows Keya’s kindness made this world a better place. Perhaps the moon hopes each and every one of us here will carry a little part of Keya within us and, every day, we’ll strive to make this a world to be proud of. Farewell, my heart. I don’t know how I’ll face the morn without you. When I find your embrace on the other side, I’ll never let go.’
My fists clenched as threads, some violet, some lavender,twined around my soul. As Glesni lit the pyre and stepped back, keeping her eyes on her beloved for the final time, I fought them back with each frantic beat of my heart.
Even with every fibre of my being holding back the damned darkness, Keya’s eyes flickered open, before the flames consumed her and they finally stilled.
As the blaze stuttered and I shivered against the chill of the night, my head pounding and a trickle of blood seeping down my top lip, Glesni turned from the ashes, setting her cool gaze on me.
‘You and I need to have some harsh words, girl.’
I said nothing, but gave my mentor a weak nod.
I received a fierce glare from Glesni when I offered to help her make the tea.
‘I’ve watched Keya’ – she winced as she said her wife’s name aloud – ‘make several brews a day.’
Her face screwed up as she hoisted the large copper kettle over the hearth, and she groaned, rubbing her hip. ‘Bet she’s up there laughing at how badly I’m fucking this up.’
‘At least let me get the mugs.’
‘No,’ she said, patting Pablo before grabbing some stale bread from the board and tossing it to him. ‘I need to be busy. Keep going.’
I glanced around the room. It already seemed cooler, emptier. The wilting plants still lay scattered across every surface. Keya’s pestle and mortar remained on the table. I peered at Glesni’s features as she passed me a mug, settling opposite me.
I inhaled the strange scent and eyed her over the top of the steaming mug, one eyebrow raised. It made it impossible to see, but I’m certain the old woman grinned. Taking a tentative sip of the sourest concoction ever, my mouth almost decreased half in size.
She chuckled as I blinked away the tears.
‘Lemon?’ I asked weakly.
‘Hmm,’ she said, ‘plus a few other bits and bobs.’
I placed the cup on the table, my eyes watering. Glesni made a face and placed her mug next to mine.
‘It’s awful, isn’t it?’ she said.
‘Tea making is not your gift.’
She shook her head, her eyes glazing over for a moment. ‘I should have learned. Should have listened when I had the chance.’
We sat in silence as I sought the smallest sliver of sympathy to make this less painful for her. Eventually, she set her gaze on me and I took a deep breath, digging my nails into my palms.
‘Did Matthias tell you about the night he brought you home?’ she said, the candlelight setting her face in a grotesque shadow.
I wanted to argue this wasn’t my home, but it was increasingly obvious my heart disagreed. I shook my head.
