Page 44 of Flame and Sparrow

The woman studied me for a moment before pointing at something behind her.

As if cued by the motion, the guiding flames ahead of and behind my path began to move, flying in the direction the woman had indicated. They soared over the fence before shooting straight upward and gathering into a point high above a yard of lush grass on the other side.

The gathered fire blazed blindingly bright for several moments before dimming to a more subtle glow and simply hanging there, burning as if our own personal sun, shedding soft light over everything contained within the fence.

Directly on the other side of that fence was a flower-lined walkway that led to a small house. It was a simple, one-story affair, unremarkable aside from its windows, which were made of colorful glass in every shade of yellow and orange and red imaginable. The windows immediately reminded me of the forest I’d glimpsed right after I’d arrived in this realm; they appeared to be the same sort of translucent glass. In the light of the makeshift sun, the colors were dazzling.

“Sometimes admitting we’re lost is the first step to finding the way, isn’t it?” said the red-haired woman.

She started toward the house, and I pried my eyes from the mesmerizing windows and followed her through the fence’s gate, which she unlocked with a simple wave of her hand.

I couldn’t help wandering toward the backyard before heading inside the house. Within the sun’s light—which somehow only seemed to shine inside the fenced area before softly diffusing into the darkness on the other side—there were copious amounts of trees laden with flowers, birds flittering about, bushes full of fruits I couldn’t name…it all went on and on.

As I stared, I felt as if my feet were truly beneath me for the first time since arriving in this upside-down world—because here was an abundance of things I could clearly see. Things that looked normal, that could be sorted, that I would be able to properly map.

Finally.

Moving with a quicker, more confident step, I followed the red-haired woman to the front door.

I paused on the threshold, as I always did when I was entering a new place where I’d be staying for any length of time, because I needed to make certain I stepped inside with my left foot first.

I’d always stepped into my sister’s room right-foot first; it was a secret code we’d made up as children. Now I made certain I never stepped into any new room I’d be staying in the same way, because a repetitive, intrusive thought had convinced me those places would end up as bloody as my sister’s room had—that it was a morbid pattern just waiting to reveal itself to me.

My host was staring at me, I realized.

I hurried through my ritual and averted my eyes, as I didn’t want to explain this odd compulsion of mine to this woman I’d only just met.

I moved quickly past her, heading deeper into the house, where I found more simple things to match the outer appearance of the dwelling. Two modest rooms, one with a bed—I made certain to step left-footed into this space as well—and the other with a desk. I also found a small sitting area with screened doors open to the backyard, a tiny washroom, and pale wooden floors and bland colored walls throughout. The glass windows remained the only part of the place that seemed divinely extravagant.

Apparently, the God of Fire was not interested in showing off. Which was…interesting. And the opposite of the impression I’d gotten from the other members of his court.

As I wandered through the plain but cozy rooms of the house, I amused myself by trying to imagine what sort of houses all the different Marr might create. Based on our earlier meetings, the Serpent Goddess’s house would have been colorful and full of beautiful, ever-changing things. The God of Ice’s would have been cold and elegant, just like the beast he’d transformed into, with a touch of something whimsical, maybe.

I made my way back to the entryway, where my host was busy sorting through the drawers of a large pair of cabinets. I felt as though I should say something, so I cleared my throat.

“Thank you, um…” I realized then that I still had no idea who this woman was.

“Rieta,” she offered without a glance.

I would have offered my own name in response, but I was certain she already knew it. Something about the way she looked me up and down when she finally turned to face me again made me think she knew much more than my name.

“Now, is there anything specific you’ll be needing me to bring?”

I looked toward the backyard, thinking of all the light spilling so clearly over so many things. I wanted to diagram it all as soon as possible. I half expected it to change if I didn’t keep my eyes on it; things seemed to come and go without warning here.

“Paper?” I said. “And some sort of writing utensil?”

She gave me a curious look. “I meant food and such, child. You must be starving? Most mortals don’t last long in this realm without eating and drinking the proper fare—especially when they’re made to march as far as you did. He meant that last part as a test, I believe.”

“...A test?”

Her expression soured, as if she didn’t believe I hadn’t been aware I was in the middle of a trial.

I tried to shrug off her questioning gaze. “Right. Of course. I just thought…never mind about the paper and such. Food is obviously more important.”

If it hadbeen a test, surviving it honestly felt like no real accomplishment; I’d simply been too focused on my path to think of things like food. I tried to act as though I was starving now, though, trying to fit into whatever expectations this woman apparently had for me.

She didn’t seem convinced by my act—she was still looking at me as though she thoughtIwas the trickiest thing in this illusive realm.

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