Chapter 23

Freya 

 The kitchen was quieter after dinner, because most of the settlement had already drifted back toward their cabins or toward the fire pit outside where the last of the evening conversation still lingered in low murmurs. The heavy smell of stew and fresh bread remained thick in the warm air, mixing with wood smoke and herbs drying from the rafters overhead.

Mira stood at the long counter scraping the remains of dough from a wooden bowl when I walked in.

She glanced up once, and immediately knew I was there for something important.

“Are you okay? You’ve been walking all day,” she said casually, rinsing her hands in a basin near the counter. “Either you’re planning a murder or a life change.”

Despite myself, I let out the faintest breath of amusement. “Hopefully the second one.”

“That’s usually how the first one starts too.” She dried her hands on a cloth before finally turning toward me fully. “What happened?”

The humor faded from my face almost immediately and Mira noticed. She leaned one hip lightly against the counter and waited. She didn't pressure or try to interrupt me, she just gave me space to speak. 

I moved toward the table slowly and sat down, suddenly aware of how tired my legs felt after an entire day spent walking and thinking myself raw.

Eliza stirred quietly beneath my ribs, signaling she was ready for whatever I was about to say. 

I folded my hands together against the tabletop and looked at them instead of Mira when I finally spoke.

“I’ve made a decision.” Mira didn’t react outwardly, but her attention sharpened instantly. “I’m going to the capital.”

Silence settled between us for a moment, deep and still. I didn't take it as a bad thing, instead I told myself that she was listening. She had to. 

I swallowed once before continuing.

“I’m not going back to Thorne.” The words came easier now and stronger. “And I’m not going to Ragnar either.”

At the mention of his name, something complicated shifted low in my chest, but I pushed through it.

“I’m done letting other people position me before I even enter the room.” My fingers tightened slightly together. “I’m done being discussed like I’m not actually there.”

Mira remained completely motionless, so I kept going.

“I’m going to stand before the council myself.” My voice steadied further with every word. “Before Thorne can claim me again, before Ragnar can protect me and before anyone else decides who I am supposed to be.”

The kitchen suddenly felt very quiet around the sound of my own heartbeat.

“I’m going as myself,” I said softly. “Not somebody’s luna and not somebody’s mate.”

“Yes.” Eliza’s presence rose warm and sharp inside me. I drew in a slow breath, before speaking up again. “I’m going to make them look at what they created.”

When I finally stopped speaking, the silence that followed stretched long enough that I forced myself to look up.

Mira was watching me carefully now, but she wasn't surprised or worried either. She was just watching me, and then, without saying a word, she pushed away from the counter.

I blinked slightly as she crossed the kitchen toward the storage cabinet built into the far wall.

“Mira?”

She ignored the question entirely as the cabinet doors creaked open. A second later she started pulling supplies onto the table one by one with calm, practical efficiency.

First was a bundle of dried meat, travel bread wrapped carefully in cloth, a water flask, a small leather kit filled with herbs and bandages and even an extra wool layer thick enough for cold nights on the road.

She placed each item down methodically like this conversation had already been decided long before I entered the room.

My chest tightened unexpectedly hard watching her. “You’re not going to try to talk me out of it?”

“What?” Mira snorted softly under her breath as she reached for another bundle from the shelf. “Why would I do that?”

I stared at her and when she finally glanced over her shoulder at me then, one dark brow lifted slightly.

“I’ve been waiting for you to arrive at this decision since the day you walked in here.” she had a ghost of a smile on her lips, and the words hit me so hard I actually forgot how to respond for a second.

Mira turned back toward the cabinet before I could find one.

“You were always going to leave eventually,” she continued matter-of-factly. “The only thing I didn’t know was whether you’d leave running from someone…” She set another packet onto the table firmly. “Or walking toward yourself.”

Something sharp rose suddenly into my throat. Emotion, series of them, all unexpected and fierce. I looked down quickly before it could fully reach my face.

No one had ever spoken about my future like this before, not as something belonging to me, and it was strange. 

The kitchen blurred faintly for half a second before I blinked it clear again.

“Mira…” She cut me off immediately.

“Don’t start crying in my kitchen,” she warned without heat. “I worked very hard cleaning it today.”

A startled laugh escaped me before I could stop it and Mira looked unbearably pleased with herself for managing it.

“There,” she said, satisfied. “That’s better.”

I shook my head weakly, still laughing once under my breath while she continued organizing supplies with ruthless efficiency.

“You’ll need a second pair of gloves,” she muttered mostly to herself. “The roads near the eastern ridge stay cold longer.”

“I haven’t even told anyone else yet.”

“You will.” She waved a dismissive hand. “And Helga will pretend to object before packing enough food to feed an army.”

That sounded so exactly correct that another reluctant smile pulled at my mouth.

Mira finally stopped moving then, before she rested both hands lightly against the table and looked at me fully again.

This time, her expression softened, just slightly.

“You’re frightened,” she said quietly.

“Yeah.” It wasn’t a question. “Yes.”

“Good.” Her voice stayed calm. “Fear means you understand the size of what you’re doing.”

Eliza watched her carefully through me and Mira held my gaze another moment before adding softly. “But you’re ready anyway.”

The terrifying thing was, I thought she might be right.