Page 37 of Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings
“If you’re looking for a plush bed, you’re not going to find one,” I said, my words coming out too sharp from fatigue.
“No, it’s just… I thought we’d find somewhere with more coverage.” Kari glanced at the fallen log, then out into the hazy wooded distance.
“It’s best to stay clear of the grooves and crevices within the tree. They’ve already been claimed.”
“Right. Monsters. How could I forget,” she said. “Um, listen…” she trailed off, her hand finding her stomach.
Before she could say anything, I created two meals. Instead of giving her a bowl of barley porridge, I created two of what I was craving: nettle soup, a couple of pieces of flatbread, and a large portion of berries to finish with something sweet. The bowls sat upon the log for us, and as we approached, Kari licked her lips hungrily. She walked slowly toward it, as if she may scare it off if she approached it too desperately.
When she finally stood above it, she stared at me, asking for silent permission. I dismounted Apple, summoning a bucket of water and a stack of hay as I patted her on the rear. She snuffed and snorted, and I placed an apple on top of the hay with a small smile. She more than deserved a treat for the work she put in today. Apple wasn’t used to having anyone other than me on herback, and the fact that she hadn’t thrown Kari off earlier was a testament of her trust in me.
“It’s not an accident, and I’m not going to take it away from you,” I said. Her eyes lit up, and she descended upon the bowl of soup as if she’d been starved for weeks. Guilt flickered through me as I watched the way she slurped it down with little worry for its temperature. As satisfying as depriving her of variety in her food had been at the beginning of the week, I’d begun to wonder if what I was doing was the right move. I did want her to enjoy my company eventually, and all we’d done was sour the blood between us.
I took a seat upon the log next to her, and my back slumped, my elbows resting on my knees. As she shoved a piece of flatbread into her mouth, her eyes met mine, and she moaned a “thank you”. I chuckled in response and said nothing as I popped a berry into my mouth.
When the two of us were finished with our meals, Kari leaned back on the log, stretching out her belly. She glanced at me nervously under thick auburn lashes and said, “I don’t want to push my good fortune with you…but I would love some tea. Do you mind?—”
“What kind, seeress?” I said, cutting her off.
She bit her lip and put some thought into my question. A smile lifted the corner of her lips, and she finally uttered, “Lavender chamomile?”
My fingers tingled, and two cups appeared, one in each hand. I offered her one of them, and she took it gratefully.
“Hopefully, this will help us both sleep. It’s been a long day.” I glanced around at the log and the fallen leaves surrounding it, wondering where the best spot to retire for the night was.
Kari simply nodded as she took a sip. Tove trotted over from the other end of the log and found a nice, warm spot in Kari’s lap.She mindlessly stroked him as she enjoyed her tea and stared off into the lavender sky.
“How come the sun hasn’t set yet?” she asked.
“There’s no sun here, no moon,” I admitted. “There’s nothing to rise or set, but the sky will turn a deeper purple as the tree goes to sleep and its energy dims.”
“Once it dims, will we be able to have a fire to keep us warm while we sleep? Or do we need to worry about what the flames might attract?”
“We’ll have a fire tonight, but as we get closer to the next gate, we’ll have to go without.”
“Why’s that?”
“Well, we’re on the right side of Yggdrasil.”
“Dammit. Why didn’t I think about that?” she murmured. “I suppose as we get closer to Muspelheim, it’s best if we don’t lure demons and fire giants from their realm.”
I offered her a weak grin. “We’ll still need to worry about one fire giant in particular, but let’s get past Midgard and its serpent before we start stressing over the creatures who guard the gates of the other realms.”
“Deal.”
“Speaking of…” I trailed off. My eyes focused on the ground in front of me for a moment before I glanced back up at her.
“Speaking of what? Deals?” she asked, and I slowly nodded as I assessed her. “You want to make one with me?”
“I do.”
“I don’t have much to offer,” she said, glancing down at her borrowed clothes and the pack resting against the side of her calf.
“I don’t think that’s true, seeress,” I said in a low, drawn out tone. Her eyes trailed over me, squinting as her fading guard, the one I’d chipped at all day, solidified once more.
“What do you want?” she asked, her tone sharpening.
“I will get you to Helheim alive and advocate for you once we arrive. I imagine you’ve been thinking about what it is you want as an outcome?”
