Page 60 of Warrior of the Wild
Iric slams the trapdoor on his way out.
Soren sighs. “That wasn’t good.”
“Is he always so argumentative?” I ask.
“Areyou?”
“Hey, now. I’m in the right. You know I’m in the right. You know the goddess’s will.”
Soren hands the spit over to me. “You may know what is best for you, but you have no right to say what is best for someone else. Iric has his own beliefs. Don’t try to take those away from him. You would not appreciate someone trying to dissuade you from believing in Rexasena and her teachings.”
And with that, Soren follows his friend down the trapdoor.
I scowl at the closed door long after Soren climbs down the tree.
I don’t know why I thought Soren would take my side. He’s known Iric far longer, and no one ever bothered listening to me inside my village. I shouldn’t have thought things would be different outside of it.
I may have been groomed for leadership, but I am clearly terrible at it. I can’t make others follow my example. I can’t get them to listen to me. I never could garner respect.
And why should Soren and Iric respect me? I may have saved Soren’s life, but because of that life debt, he’s followed me into danger more than once. I also helped when Iric fell to the bottom of the hyggja’s lake, but since then I’ve done nothing but argue with him and belittle his beliefs. It may not be entirely one-sided; Iric has done plenty of arguing and belittling of his own—but I have entered his home, have upset his way of life. I am the newcomer, and Iric has been kind enough to welcome me, in his own way.
There are only two other people living in the wild, and I’ve managed to upset both of them.
Well done, Rasmira. Well done.
I need to fix this.
Regardless of his belief in the goddess, Iric wants to return home. He wants to see Aros again. Soren wants to see Iric safe and happy. The way for everyone to achieve what they want is for everyone to complete their mattugrs.
I have learned much of the wild and its dangers, but the thing that has become the clearest is this: Survival is more likely if we stick together.
The two times I faced the god, Soren was there to help. When the gunda came after us, Iric helped us defeat it. When Iric came close to drowning, it was Soren and I who saved him together. We can do impossible things if we work together, I’m sure of it.
And I need their help. I can’t go into the god’s lair while wearing my armor, yet I can’t risk another encounter with the god without protection. Soren said Iric is a talented smithy—perhaps he would have an idea? But I’m not about to ask without offering something in return. I can teach Iric to swim. Hell, I’ll jump in the lake with him again to defeat the hyggja, if that’s what it takes.
Both boys are angry with me. I need to make things right with them, and then,somehow, I need to convince them that we can accomplish our quests. We can go home and make everything right.
It may take time, but I have nothing better to do while I heal.
CHAPTER
12
When the trapdoor opens later that evening, I pretend to be asleep. It’s not the right time to broach the topic of our quests. I should let them both sleep off the argument.
I hear boots discarded on the floor, clothing rustling, then two bodies falling onto the other mattress.
“She’s a deep sleeper,” Soren whispers.
“You really shouldn’t take a liking to her,” Iric says.
“Why not?”
“She’s determined to go after Peruxolo again. She won’t be long for this world. I don’t want to see you hurt.”
Soren lets out a brief exhale of incredulity. “Since when don’t you want to see me hurt? You’ve made it your mission to keep memiserable out here as payment for getting you banished. And I don’t think Rasmira is going to get herself killed. She’s more determined and skilled with an ax than anyone else I’ve ever met.”
“And now she’s out of her magical cream. The next serious injury will kill her or you if you persist in following her around.”
