Free Forest of Whispers by Jennifer Murgia

stones explain, child. But know that you are nothing like the woman who gave birth to you. You are far greater than she, in more ways than you will ever learn, and that is why you must be safe.”
    “Safe from what, Mutti?”
    With a heavy sigh, she tells me, “Safe from her .”
    There is lamp glow shining from within the window as we approach home. Matilde opens the door. I am trembling and wide awake. I am closer than ever to finding the answers. I must know. If I don’t, I will be in pieces. The stones call to me from the doorway, as if I am holding my open hand over them at this very moment. The stones know the truth. They know why I must be protected from a mother who is dead.
    They will tell Matilde, and she will tell me.
    Only now, I’m fearful to find out what I am.

Chapter 10
Rune
    “I f you aren’t prepared for this, you must tell me. Once we begin, there is no way of stopping her.”
    I nod my head. I understand what Matilde is telling me, but there is no way I can say no. Not now. No matter how it scares me.
    “Rune, understand what I am saying.” Her voice is urgent as she leans across the table to me. There are thirteen stones on the table between us, all upturned. I’ve been doing all I can not to lower my eyes and look at them. I don’t know what they mean. I have no idea what they will say to her, or if she will be truthful in passing along their secrets. I hope she will. She’s never lied to me before, but I guess there’s always a first time for things. Like now, like piecing together who my mother was so I can understand who I am.
    “I understand,” I whisper, trying to sound strong. I am strong. I am .
    And that’s just it. Do I really understand? Do I understand the magnitude of what she is about to tell me?
    I lift my chin. I’m ready.
    Matilde takes a deep breath and steadies her hands against the wood. “We must begin at the beginning, then.” She starts as she does with all her readings, by taking a deep breath and gazing upon the stones, then closing her eyes. I know the stones are speaking to her. I wish she would skip ahead to the important part, like telling me what they say, telling me who I really am, because, quite frankly, I really don’t know. I know bits and pieces and fragments of what she’s chosen to tell me all these years, never the whole story.
    “Your blood chose the stones,” she finally shares out loud, making me quite aware this is very important, not a fortune teller’s trick. I’ve never witnessed her using someone’s blood before, and it’s disconcerting to see my own smeared across the top of each stone, marking a red streak over the black symbols.
    “Blood is the strongest medium for revealing the future. Even more so for revealing the past. It calls to the soul and reveals only what is deep within.”
    The windows are wide open to invite the soul of my mother, yet despite the crisp breeze, I am sweating. My finger hovers above the rune stone that depicts a woman. “Is this my mother?” I ask.
    She shushes me by placing a finger to her lips. “Rune, please, it must go in order.”
    I’m too anxious, though, and sitting still is a feat I cannot seem to master. I bite against the inside of my cheek in order to stop myself from speaking out again. No wonder I’ve never been included in secret readings, I have not the patience nor the ability to stay quiet or still. I’m not only a burden, but an annoyance.
    “There will be a war,” Matilde says at last, as she points to the first stone. “A war with many people, but it is a war with words and angry accusations.” She points to the stone just above it, and says, “There is no war greater than the one you will find within your heart, and I fear it will be a long and treacherous journey you will make to finally be at peace with your decisions.”
    She takes her time touching the stones, reading them to herself first, much like I knew she would. I begin to think she’s reluctant to tell me