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It also gives me enough strength to email my mother.
“What a talent,” Tuoni says from behind me. “The ability to type on your phone and walk at the same time.”
I can’t help but smile to myself. “All humans have this ability.”
“Not me,” my father says ahead of me.
“Allyounghumans,” I clarify as I finish typing the email. It’s basically a couple of paragraphs, telling her that it’s really me, that I’m fine, and that she doesn’t need to worry. I told her I met a man and we’re happy together, that she can show this to the police if she wants, but I’m not coming back home. I also added in a bit about my father. I made it seem like I hadn’t heard from him and hoped he was okay. That way, if any suspicion falls on him again, it won’t seem like he had anything to do with my disappearance. Knowing my mother, she won’t put any effort into looking for my father, and I can’t really blame her, knowing what I know now.
I press send and put it away in my coat, knowing it won’t survive the swim through the sea and that it wouldn’t work in Tuonela anyway. I assume. Either way, I hope I’ve given my mother peace of mind. It’s for the best that I won’t get to see the aftermath.
“I think we’re getting close,” my father says in a whisper.
We slow down as we walk along a narrow passage through the trees and come to an open clearing. The northern lights are still doing their dance, illuminating a rocky outcrop on the perimeter of the snow-covered field.
“There,” my father whispers as he comes to a stop.
“Where?” I ask, standing beside him, trying to follow his gaze. “The rocks over there?”
He nods. “We slip on through the cracks. See that dark fissure? It goes straight down for a bit before it levels out. It’s like caving.”
“Oh great,” I mutter. I’ve watchedThe Descentone too many times.
“Will I need to be coated in some sort of oil to fit in there?” Tuoni asks.
“Let’s hope not,” my father says and starts walking as Tuoni grumbles something under his breath about this world being too small for him.
We cross the field and stop at the pile of rocks. The fissure looks barely wide enough for Tuoni to squeeze through. Beyond it is darkness, blacker than the void, and a cold wind comes shooting out of it. To my surprise and relief, it smells like the sea.
“I’ll go in first, since I know where I’m going,” my father says. “Tuoni, bring up the rear.”
“Are you sure?” Tuoni asks as my father starts to lower himself through the crack. “I can’t imagine getting lost down there.”
“You’d be surprised,” he says, wincing as he squeezes through. “Don’t want to make the wrong turn.”
“Wait a minute,” I say just as my father’s head nearly disappears. “Have you actually gone through the portal this way? You said not breathing underwater was, you know, an issue for you.”
He gives me a sheepish look. “I’ll tell you the truth, daughter: I’ve walked to the end of the tunnel. I saw through the Veil and the sea beyond. That, plus the little ankle biters in there, was enough for me. I decided to stick to the other portal after that.”
Then, his grey head slips away into the darkness.
“Papa?” I cry out softly. “Are you still there?”
“Yes,” he says, his voice echoing slightly. “The rocks down here act like steps. I’ll get down to the next one to make room, and then I’ll tell you to follow.”
“Okay,” I say uncertainly, looking over at Tuoni. Not going to lie, I’m a little apprehensive. The portal at the waterfall was one thing but slipping through rocks in the ground was never my idea of fun.
“You’ll be fine,” Tuoni says. Yet he’s frowning, his eyes focused elsewhere. He breathes in deeply through his nose, his nostrils flaring.
“What is it?” I whisper to him.
“I don’t know,” he says slowly. “Torben?”
“Yes?” comes his voice, further away and more muffled now. “Just made it to the second rock. You can come down now, Hanna. Plenty of room and…what’s that?”
“What?” I ask him, my heart starting to race.
“Hello?” my father calls out from below. “Is there someone there?”
