Page 21 of North Is the Night
Jaako tips his head, letting his black eye spy my hand, and clicks his beak in assent.
I smile again. “Cheater. If we’re to be friends, you have to behave. Have you picked which loaf we’ll share?”
He hops forward, tapping a loaf with his beak.
“Good choice,” I say, reaching for it. That I’m talking to this raven, and that he seems to understand me, is a problem I’ll solve on another day. For now, I’m just desperate for the company. “I hope you don’t think me rude, but I’m going to take the first bite.” The raven watches as I take the largest bite I can fit in my mouth. I stifle my groan, savoring the taste as I let the aroma of the barley fill my senses. I chew and swallow, setting the bread between us on the table. “The rest is for you.”
He cocks his head at me and clicks his beak.
“I don’t mind, really. Take as much as you’d like. I can’t eat any more.”
Jaako hops forward and taps the loaf with his beak, trying to nudge it closer to me.
“No, I can’t,” I say again. “I can only take one bite.”
He stills, glancing up at me with his good eye, a question written on his impish face.
“I think it’s cursed,” I admit. “The first bite tastes like...” I close my eyes and breathe in deeply, conjuring the taste in my mind. “It tastes like the first barley ever milled by the great Sampo. It tastes like sun and earth and water. It tastes like... life itself.” I open my eyes, blinking back tears, my smile falling. “But every bite after tastes like death. The bread crumbles like rot in my mouth. It spoils and makes me sick.”
The raven clicks his beak, clearly agitated, then hops forward and lets out a soft caw.
“It’s all right.” Reaching out a hand, I stroke his silky head. “It’s not your fault. I have three loaves a day. That’s three bites to fill my belly. And it leaves me enough to share with you,” I add, giving him a weak smile. He nudges my hand, and I stroke him again, letting my fingers trail down his strong back. I lower my face closer to him, focusing on his good eye. “Where am I, Jaako? What is this dark place? Am I in danger?”
He gives me a pitying look, and I know the truth. I’ve known it from the moment I woke in this strange place.
Yes, he says without words.You are in danger.
I swallow my fear, leaning back in my chair, still stroking his feathered back. “You’re a clever bird, Jaako. Clever even for a raven. You understand me, don’t you?”
He bobs his head. In any other situation, I might find it charming. But some dark magic is keeping me trapped in this room. Magic is starving me slowly. And now magic has gifted me this raven. I glance down at the handsome bird. “I think my mother may be right,” I whisper, letting my hand drop away from him.
He cocks his head at me, watching me, a question in his eyes.
“I think you may be a bad omen.”
Jaako casts me an indignant glare.
I lower my face to his, one elbow on the table. “If you’re not... prove it. Help me, Jaako. Whatever magic is here in this place, use it to help me escape.”
8
Siiri
Supper with my familyis a painfully quiet affair. Father won’t look at me, and the boys take his lead. Even Liisa seems to know better than to break this determined silence. I choose to embrace it. If I’m quiet, I won’t give myself away... or land myself in more trouble. I sop up the gravy at the bottom of my bowl with a chunk of bread, nodding to Mummi as she refills my cup with more reindeer milk.
“Is the sauna ready?” Aksel mutters through a mouth full of stew.
Mummi nods.
“We’ll all go after supper,” Father replies, taking a deep gulp of beer.
“I’d like to stay here,” I say, breaking my silence.
All eyes turn my way. My brothers glance warily between me and our father.
Father glares at me from down the table. “Why?”
I shrug. “My courses have come early. But if you’d rather I join you—”
