Page 67 of The Seeker

I rested my hand on his. Though the wound left on my heart thanks to my brother’s actions was still fresh, he was still my brother, and I was glad he’d realized. “We all make mistakes. Did you find work here?”

“I’ve been working odd jobs here and there, saving every last coin to send home to Helene, but it’s not enough. At this rate, I’ll have to send for her to join me, and she’ll have to work here after she has the baby.”

“I’m sorry, Milo.” I took a sip of my tea. “I wish I had a solution, I really do, but I’m not even sure what I’m supposed to do now.” It was a partial lie. I knew Signa’s position waited for me, and I knew Otho would ensure I was cared for. But sitting here with my brother made me realize the last few weeks didn’t feel real. Soon, I would have to return to Heimland and face everything that had hurt me and a land destroyed by war—for better or worse—no matter what came of my meeting with the king tomorrow. I couldn’t stop the groan that passed my lips.

“Is everything okay?” Milo asked, pressing the back of his hand to my forehead like Collum used to do.

“Just realizing the mess that’s waiting for me in Heimland after I talk to the king.” I looked around the room, realizing that we were the last ones left. There were only teacups and empty plates left dotting the other tables, the woman who had served us nowhere to be seen. “How did you travel here anyway?”

“A bunch of Heimlanders came here looking for work. We walked along the road.”

“Oh.” So, they had taken the easy way.

We sat in silence, sipping our tea, until the small cups were empty. “Runa.” Milo broke the silence first. “Do you think you could ask the king for aid for Ralheim?”

I frowned. Of course, I could ask him, but I truly had no idea what the king would do, or if he would even listen. And if I asked for something for Ralheim, would I be able to also ask for something for the Seid?

“Maybe,” was the answer I finally settled on before tilting my head to the side. “Why can’t you ask him?”

“I have to work tomorrow,” he replied with a frown.

I swallowed my retort, wanting to say that he could wait to see the king any day he wanted, but also not wanting to ruin the semblance of peace which was settling between us.

“Please, Runa,” Milo begged. “I don’t know how else we will survive this.”

His words were sharp, and instead of sounding like a man desperate for his people, he sounded like a man desperate to save himself. I rose from the table.

“Milo, why didn’t you ask about why I was with Otho?” I pretended to look at the colorful striped wallpaper covering the walls, a sick feeling in my stomach at the realization I was slowly coming to.

“Hm?” His dark eyebrows, so like my own, drew together.

I continued on. “How’s Roger? Have you heard from Emmett?”

“Runa, what are you talking about?”

“I know this is hard for you to understand, Milo, but you aren’t the only person in Heimland struggling.” Even though he had displayed growth by apologizing to me, he was still the same brother I’d left behind the season before. I had changed; he hadn’t.

“Runa.” He finally stood, the legs of his chair dragging across the wooden floor. “What are you talking about? You aren’t making any sense. Sit back down.”

“No,” I said firmly, spinning to face him and crossing my arms over my chest. “Tell me someone else who is in need besides yourself and besides Helene.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

“Milo.” His name came out like a sigh. “I love you, and you will always be my brother, but I need to ask the king for what I came here for—help for the future of the Seid. I don’t want to distract from that by asking for something else. I need a way to prevent another war from happening while everyone is struggling to simply survive. If you want to ask for short term aid, you should. Otho said you can wait in line to have an audience with the king any day. He’s always accepting.”

“But, Runa⁠—”

I held up a hand. “No, Milo. The war may be over, but the Seid still suffer. I need to secure assurances that what Adis’s father and the Hansen family did in Heimland will never happen again. I’m sorry you are struggling, and I will help when I can, but this is bigger than both of us, and I have to do what is right for the majority of people. The Seid aren’t only in Ralheim.”

Milo shook his head. “But, Runa, there are many Seid still in Heimland.”

“I know,” I affirmed. “And maybe they will be helped because of what I ask the king for tomorrow. Maybe new jobs will be created, maybe the government will stabilize—I don’t know. But I will ask for things for posterity and hope it will help us right now.”

Not wanting to argue anymore, I left the inn, retracing my steps across the street to where Otho had set us up.

It wasn’t until I stepped over the threshold that I realized two things.

One, I had no idea which room was ours and didn’t a key even if I did.