Page 129 of North Is the Night
The creature hisses, growing in size as if it means to intimidate the death god. But Tuoni holds his ground. I can only watch, broken and naked in the snow, as Tuoni battles, swinging that sword to hack the creature at shoulder and neck. It lets out a squeal as the fire burns through its smoky flesh.
“Get your monster under control,” Tuoni shouts.
Out of the corner of my eye, someone sweeps through the darkness. A choking, noxious smell sinks into my nose, burning away all the fine hairs. Oh gods, I’d know that stench anywhere. The monster’s stench is but an echo of hers. The goddess of decay stands behind the shadow. Reaching out her claw-like hand, Kalma grabs the creature, her fingers constricting around the back of its neck. Like a dog snagged by the scruff, the shadow whimpers. In moments, it shrinks down to the size of a man.
“Bury it,” Tuoni calls over to her. “We must remake the bonds.” He drops to his knees in the snow at my side, his flaming sword and shield vanishing from his hands. “Aina, look at me,” he urges, touching my face.
I hiss, trying to pull away from the heat of his hands. I’m in so much pain. I can’t move anything below my neck.
“Stay with me.” Tuoni puts his hands on my shattered shoulder.
“You—promised,” I pant.
“What?”
“Kill me,” I beg, fluttering my eyes open. “You promised—”
“No,” he growls. “I can fix this. Don’t move.”
I gasp, unable to draw a proper breath as a new kind of fire sinks through my skin. Tuoni has both hands on me, his lips moving as he chants. He sings the words low, his body swaying. His dark eye goes white, glowing an almost blueish color. It matches his cloudy eye. He sings his song over me, the pressure of his hands making me want to faint.
“Ahhh—” I cry out as the bones of my shoulder snap back into place. Taking another gasping breath, I fill my lungs with air. I feel the muscles of my shoulder sewing themselves back together beneath my skin. My hands rise up out of the snow as I clutch at the god, clinging to him. He keeps singing his mournful song until the pressure eases, and I feel whole again.
Tuoni lifts his shaking hands away from me. He blinks twice, the blue-white light fading from his dark eye.
“Wha-what was that?” I say through chattering teeth. Now that my body isn’t broken, I feel the cold of the snow.
“A healing song,” he replies. “You’re not yet dead,” he adds with a soft smile. “No need to fulfill any oaths.”
But I was as good as dead. I could feel the life fading from me. And yet, I am healed. The god of death healed me. “How d-did you learn to heal l-like that?” I cover my breasts with my snow-dusted arms, too cold to blush at my nakedness.
“Väinämöinen taught me,” the god replies, helping me sit up. He undoes the clasp of his cloak, removing it and wrapping it around my shoulders. He pulls up the hood, covering my wet hair. I gasp as he pulls me into his lap. In one movement, he’s standing, my naked, trembling body cradled in his arms.
“Lovi-atar,” I pant.
“She’s fine,” he replies. “See for yourself.”
He turns so I can peek around the edge of my hood. Loviatar is on the far side of the clearing being helped to her feet by Kukka. Just beyond the witch, Kalma still clings to the scruff of the shadow. At her side, the great wolf Surma growls, its glistening teeth bared.
“I’m taking Aina back,” Tuoni calls to the others. “Prepare the grave. We must seal it with all haste.” Not waiting for a response, he takes off through the darkness with me bundled in his arms.
Tuoni sets me down in a chair by the fire in the south tower.
“Thank you,” I murmur, settling myself against the soft cushions.
He waves his hand, and the fire roars twice as high. The god drops to one knee at my side, frost dusting the fringe of his night-dark beard. He cups my cheek with a trembling hand. “You’re freezing.”
“I’m f-fine.” I reach for his hand, but he’s already moving away. He returns with a thick fur, which he drapes over my lap.
“Will you allow me to look at your shoulder?”
I nod, and help him undo the clasp at my neck, unwrapping his cloak enough to peel the thick wool away from my shoulder. His warm fingers move over my icy, pale skin. “No pain?”
I lean into the warmth of his touch. “No pain.”
He pulls away so quickly it nearly topples me over. “I must go.”
“Wait,” I cry. “What was that, my lord?”
