Journey to the North Ch. 02

"Lust?!" I said, dropping the choker onto the table as if it were a hot coal.

"Yes," said Orla. "Once the monster is sated, it will allow the wearer to pass without further... ah... molestation."

My heart sank. I looked down at the table. "What did I do to deserve this?" I asked bitterly.

"My advice," said Orla, "is to try to make your peace with the curse. I told you about the nereid and the choker because I felt that you deserved to know all of your options before you made a decision. But in my opinion, it is too high a price to pay. Leaving aside the humiliating nature of your passport, the journey will still be difficult. Better to find a way to live in dignity than to risk your life. But, if you are determined..."

I was silent for a long time. My mind swirled with bitter thoughts. It was all too much: first the dryad, and now this. That night in the grove I had been damned by lust; now, lust was to be the instrument of salvation. The dryad's words came back to me again: "You were looking for this." Was that true? Was this the fate I had chosen for myself?

Orla's advice made sense. No one need know of my misfortune. I could seclude myself in a cottage on the edge of the village, keep my secret, and live out the rest of my days in peace. But was that what I wanted? Was I willing to accept a life that was so much less than what I'd envisioned for myself? No, I decided. If there was a chance, no matter how slender, for me to change my fate, I had to take it, no matter the cost. Could I do it without the choker? Perhaps, but the odds were slim. The northern lands were dangerous. To travel them without protection was to gamble with my life. That left only one choice.

"I'll do it," I said. My voice was quiet but firm.

Orla sighed. "Very well," she said. "You should set out as soon as possible. Winter comes early to the Banded Mountains. You'll need to give yourself as much time as possible to complete the return journey before the winter snows begin. For now, though, try to get some sleep."

Orla began bustling about the cottage, gathering traveling supplies and stuffing them into a rucksack. I picked up the choker and held it in my hand. It seemed like nothing more than an ordinary piece of jewelry. I took a deep breath and fastened it around my neck. As soon as I closed the clasp, I felt a flash of searing heat. I reached for the clasp, but it had disappeared. The choker was now an uninterrupted chain around my neck. So, I thought, that part, at least, is true.