Page 34 of North Is the Night
“Because you’re stubborn... and he likes stubborn.”
I rub my brow with a tired hand. “Can you not just give me a straight answer?”
She turns away from the reindeer, her icy blue eyes locked on me. “Follow the bear, for he is the key. He will unlock the door to Väinämöinen.”
“Follow the—wait, which bear? The one from that pit? But that was two days south of here. Are you saying I should turn around—”
“No, you must continue north.”
I growl in annoyance. “You’re not making any sense.”
She lets out another little laugh, flicking her long sheet of black hair off her shoulder. “Continue north, Siiri. When the bear is ready to reveal himself, I believe he will. Then you must follow him to Väinämöinen.”
“Continue north but find the bear I left in the south? That’s all you can give me?”
“That... and this.” The goddess flicks her hand, and Halla grunts. My eyes widen as I take in how much heavier her packs have suddenly become. Now the poles of a tent emerge from the back of her harness. “Supplies for your journey,” the goddess explains. “Autumn will fade quickly, Siiri. The winter snows will be harsh. Do not tarry. Do not slacken your pace. Keep walking north. And, try very hard not to die. This will all be for nothing if you die.”
I search her ageless face. “Who are you? Are you Mielikki?”
“The Queen of the Forest has golden hair.”
“Kuutar then, goddess of the moon? No—Akka. Are you Akka?”
Her smile falls. “Stop guessing, Siiri.” She slips Halla’s lead off the branch of the tree and offers it to me. “You have less than an hour of daylight left. Start walking. And don’t die.”
I take the lead from her hand, and she steps back, leaving my way clear. I glance through the thick trees, then back to her kind face. She’s cryptic and irritating, but it’s been nice to have her company. She makes me miss the easy familiarity of walking with Aina always at my side. I’m not ready to say goodbye. “Will you not walk with me awhile? I promise I won’t try to guess your name again.”
I can see from the set of her shoulders she’s going to say no.
“This is your journey, Siiri. Whatever comes, you must stay the course and stay alive. When you begin to doubt, remember that Aina waits for you. We all do. You must not fail us.” Slowly, she raises her hand and points due north. “Siiri, go.”
Turning away from the goddess, I click at the reindeer with my tongue, and we continue north. I don’t look back over my shoulder. I don’t need to. I know the goddess is gone.
13
Aina
The Witch Queen ofTuonela smiles at me, her cracked, blackened teeth filling me with dread.
“You are Tuonetar,” I gasp, dropping my trembling hand to my side.
“Clever girl,” she sneers, tucking her willow wand back into her robes. She gestures magnanimously at the dark hall, adorned with the skulls of the dead. “Welcome to Tuonela.”
Several of the girls shiver, and poor Satu lets out a panicked sob. From beyond the walls come faint screaming and wailing. It sends a chill through me. I turn my attention to the monster seated at the left hand of her mother. “And you are Kalma,” I say, my voice little more than a whisper. “You took me from my home and brought me here. I remember everything.”
The black eyes of the goddess don’t blink. She tears the leg off a roasted fowl crawling with maggots. As we watch, she takes a bite, crunching the maggots along with the spoiled meat. Some of the maggots drop to her empty plate and squirm. To either side of me, Helmi and Satu make pitiful retching sounds, which makes the other goddesses laugh.
“Sit, child,” Tuonetar orders me.
But I can’t move. I can hardly breathe. My mind still spins with the memories of running from Kalma through the woods—Siiri’s strong hand on my arm, her daring fight, the look in her eyes as I was pulled into darkness—
“I saidsit,” the Witch Queen shrieks. Pulling out her willow wand, she gives it a flick.
Invisible hands jerk me forward, smacking my shins into the hard wood of the bench. I cry out, tears filling my eyes, as I am forced down onto the bench, Helmi and Satu making room for me. I’m shoved into a sitting position, back straight, hands clasped tight in my lap, head bowed so low my chin digs into my chest.
“Good girl,” Tuonetar says with a wicked smile, pocketing the wand again.
The other girls shift nervously down the bench. Next to me, Helmi copies my posture, tears slipping silently down her pink cheeks.
