Chapter 66: Back to the Shrine

Sophia paused. Her expression fell from Eldric’s words. Today? Her heart thudded, her curiosity warring with a gnawing dread. She was curious about the missing language that Eldric said no one knew about except her but she was scared about recovering her memory.

Orion’s brown eyes narrowed as he studied her, his broad frame tense under his tunic, his dagger glinting at his belt. He noticed the way her shoulders slumped, the way her gaze darted like a trapped animal. She looked out of sorts, scared even, and it stirred something protective in him he didn’t want to name.

He cleared his throat, his voice cutting through the tension. "Sophia, you should go for your run."

She blinked, her hands pausing mid-gesture. "My run? Now?"

He nodded, crossing his arms, his tone firm but laced with an edge of care he tried to hide. "Yeah. That was the agreement or did your little brain forget?"

She rolled her eyes at him.

"You need to build your stamina. The way you are now, you can’t even pick up a sword without stumbling, let alone defend yourself."

"But I unsheathed that monstrous sword you gave me." She told him.

"Yeah, only after what felt like an eternity. And besides it’s not like the trick I want to show you will work now so just go back to your normal routine." He told her.

"Well then, since you want me out of your sight...goodbye." Her voice wavered as she waved to Brynhild, Lysander, and Eldric, then bolted out the door, the cool morning air hitting her face like a slap.

What did her untold memory hold? She asked herself as she began her walk to the training grounds. Could recovering it reconnect her to her wolf spirit? But what caused the amnesia in the first place and why did the thought of recovering her memory fill her with dread? She couldn’t explain it but there was an unsettling feeling at any thought of recovering her memory.

At the training grounds, Dren and the other trainees were already stretching, their breaths visible in the frosty air. Sophia joined them, her boots crunching the frost-dusted earth, but she didn’t speak to Dren this time. Her mind was too full with thoughts about herself.

She ran, her legs burning, her breath ragged, trying to outpace the fear. What if her memory revealed something dark? What if it was connected to the dream regarding the destruction of the pack? She shook her head. It was not possible and besides, dreams didn’t come to pass. They were just that, dreams.

Back at Lysander’s home, the fire crackled, casting warm light over the rune-carved beams. Brynhild adjusted the cloth over her lap, her black skin glowing, her dark hair framing her face. She turned her silver eyes toward Eldric, her voice soft but probing.

"Eldric, why did you suggest going back to the shrine with Sophia? What’s this sudden rush?"

Eldric adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses, his green feather earring swaying as he leaned against the oak table, his braided hair catching the light. His fingers twitched, a habit when his mind wandered through tangents. "Oh, well, you see, it’s not so much a rush as a... necessity, perhaps? Or maybe a curiosity, yes, that’s it. You know, Sophia, dear, sweet Sophia with her wide eyes and endless questions, she did something rather extraordinary the other day. Or was it yesterday? Time slips away when you’re buried in scrolls, doesn’t it? And I was buried in a lot more scrolls after what she did..."

Lysander, his blonde hair tousled, set down his mortar and pestle, his blue eyes narrowing. "Get to the point, Eldric."

Eldric chuckled, "Point, yes, right. Well, she translated the words written on the shrine. I only copied a little bit of it and she translated it."

Brynhild gasped, her hand resting on her stomach, "She translated it? That’s...how? I thought you said the language was lost?"

Lysander’s jaw dropped, his frame stiffening. "Are the other elders aware of this?"

Orion shook his head, his brown hair falling into his eyes, his expression grim. "No. Not yet. I wanted to keep it quiet until we knew more."

Eldric’s eyes gleamed, his voice winding again. "I suspect there’s more though. More than we can tell and we’ve only just scratched the surface and have still not found a way to connect them.

Brynhild frowned, her silver eyes narrowing. "Connect what?"

He waved a hand, his cloak brushing the floor. "She could be more than we thought. She holds secrets and we’ve only been able to unravel a tiny bit of it. It could be dangerous though. We do need to tell the other elders. Besides, this language, burdened us for years."

Orion nodded, his voice low. "Fine. We’ll meet at dusk."

Meanwhile, Sophia had just finished her run, her legs were aching but her mind was slightly clearer. She trudged back to her modest stone home, its bare walls a stark contrast to Lysander’s warmth.

She showered with the newly delivered kettle, the hot water soothing her tense muscles, then changed into clean clothes, a tunic and pants that fit better than her old rags.

Stepping outside, she found Eldric waiting at the entrance, his gray wool cloak billowing slightly in the breeze.

He smiled, his glasses catching the light. "Ah, Sophia, there you are."

"What are you doing here?" She asked him with a frown on her face.

"Did you forget we have to get to the shrine?" He asked her.

"Oh. I’m sorry about that. I’m ready." She told him with a determined glint in her eyes.

Eldric nodded. And together, they left the compound, the frost-crisp air biting at their skin as they passed the gates. The path wound through snow-dusted trees, leading to the shrine’s pale stone rising against the weak sunlight. It’s smooth walls, etched with faded carvings, glowed faintly, vibrant flowers blooming at its base despite the cold. The hum of magic pulsed beneath Sophia’s feet, sending a shiver up her spine.

Eldric led her to the altar, a flat stone slab etched with runes, its surface cool and ancient. "Here it is," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Touch it, Sophia. Or don’t. Up to you. But it might... whisper back, you know?"