A Fate Inked in Blood

The next day Freya wakes up with a hangover. She learns that Bjorn carried her to her tent and sat outside all morning to make sure that nobody disturbed her. She worries about how this will be perceived. As she begins training with Bodil’s warriors, Bodil points out that Freya never applies Liv’s salve to her burns willingly; although it greatly reduces her pain and stiffness, she must be goaded to do it. Freya admits to believing that she deserves the pain. She says murdering Vragi was wrong because it wasn’t in self-defense. She should feel guilty, but she doesn’t, so she makes herself feel pain in some other way, punishing herself so that she will not kill without necessity again. After training, Freya sits alone, trying to calm her anxieties, and sees the specter on the beach.

Freya follows the specter. It leads her to a hill overlooking an island in the stream and tells her to watch where a campfire burns on the island. Freya sees a cloaked figure carve something into a tree near the fire, then leave.