The next month passed in pain. Matt felt like he'd been broken down every single day, only to resurrect in his sleep. Too little time was spent with his books, and too much with that cursed hammer. At least his father seemed happy about his work, even if the atmosphere between them remained frosty.
The day to depart to Highhaven had come, and Matt hadn't broached the subject with his parents at all. "What a stupid thing to forget," Matt mumbled to himself as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. Waking up before even his dad had been something of a miracle. Maybe Iapetus or Hecate had been watching out for him, after all. He needed to get to Hecate's temple before the priestess departed, or he could kiss his chances of ever leaving Mayfeld goodbye.
"Mom, Dad," he whispered, calling out to his parents. They slept on the opposite end of the room, their section made slightly private by a curtain that wrapped around their bed. Fortunately, Matt's entire family was composed entirely of heavy sleepers, and so neither Richard nor Adelaine so much as stirred.
"What?" his mother whispered back, slowly sitting up.
"I have something to talk to you and dad about. It's really important," Matt raised his voice just a hair, perfectly enough to rouse his still-slumbering father. All he got in return for his efforts was a glare, but both of his parents climbed out of bed. They took their conversation outside, where no one would be awoken by their hushed words.
"Do you remember when I told you about my divination, dad? It was weird, and Hecate's priestess wanted to talk to me about it," Matt began, working with what his father already knew. After receiving a slight – and drowsy – nod, he continued. "The chief priestess of Mayfeld's temple didn't know what happened. She wants to take me to Highhaven and have me speak with Hecate's high priestess."
Even in the dim light, Matt could see both his parents' jaws drop. He fought back the urge to smile. "I promise, I'm not lying. In fact, you could come to the temple with me to make sure," he offered, quite certain that his dad would decline in favor of going to the quarry. His mom, too, would probably be too busy to accompany him. The perfect plan.
Until it wasn't. "We're all going to the temple, then," his mom announced, with his dad nodding his assent. It was as if they were calling him on a bluff. They wouldn't believe him until the bitter end. Matt's smile broke through his defenses.
"That's perfectly fine with me," Matt replied, going back inside to rouse his brother and sister. They'd be freaked out if their mother wasn't there when they woke up. "Are they coming, too?" he called to his parents, both of whom still stood outside their shack.
"No! They've got work to get to!" his father called back, irritation unmistakable. Matt left his slumbering siblings where they were, writing a note composed of only the most basic letters: their parents had taught them all a little bit, back when work wasn't so all-consuming.
The morning was chilly, and the cold easily penetrated through his thin clothing. There wasn't enough money to buy winter wear yet; the taxes had recently risen, for some reason that Matt and just about everyone else wasn't privy to. Probably to fund an army to repel another raiding party from the Allied Provinces, or something like that. It wouldn't be the first time.
Raiding party or not, the weather was terrible. The long walk through Mayfeld's streets was bad enough on its own, with all the glances that the wealthier folk threw him and those like him. The amount of people up and about this early in the morning was surprising – especially given that none of them had to work at the quarry at unholy hours.
A carriage waited by Hecate's temple, the simple wooden thing doing the woman sitting inside it no justice. Even in travel clothing, the chief priestess looked radiant, as if she embodied the gods. Then again, she did actually embody the gods, so maybe it shouldn't have been surprising.
Matt approached her, much to his parents' shock. They'd called him on his bluff, only for it to turn back on them: this wasn't a bluff. That said, it seemed pretty surreal to him too. "Hello priestess," he greeted the woman, who turned her icy-blue eyes on him.
"Ah, young Matthew. A pleasure to find you here so early. We can depart as soon as you're ready," she said, glancing over to his parents. "Are those your parents?"
"Yes, they are. They didn't quite believe me, so they joined me on my trip here," Matt explained. The priestess stepped out of the carriage and into the light of the morning sun. Her golden hair sparkled as if it were spun out of gold. She tossed it behind her and approached his parents. It was like seeing two worlds collide: the destitute and the wealthy.
"Priestess, we are honored!" Matt's mother cried out, dipping to her knees in reverence. If that was what he was supposed to have done on his divination day to show respect… he'd failed in no small way.
"Please, rise. I am but a humble servant of Hecate. Your son has reached the age of majority, and though that alone allows him to do as he pleases, I would ask your permission to take him with me to Highhaven. It is not a dangerous journey, but it is long," the priestess began, helping to lift Matt's mother off the ground. "I do not know when you will see your son again."
Matt's father, who had stood in shocked silence, now made to move. "Of course, you have our permission, priestess. May I have a word with my son?" The priestess nodded, stepping aside to allow Matt's father to pass.
As he had surprised Matt a month prior, his father did it again. Matt found himself enveloped in a long hug, his torso crushed by his dad's strong arms. "I'm sorry I doubted you, Matthew," he said simply. A tear pooled in his right eye, but it remained unshed. Matt hugged his old man back, enjoying the rare comfort.
"I wouldn't have believed myself either, dad," he replied. His mom joined the embrace, but it wasn't long before the priestess cleared her throat.
The magic of the moment broken, Matt stepped into the carriage. The priestess followed him inside, leaving the door open just long enough for him to shout his final farewell.
As the carriage began rumbling down the cobbled roads, pulled by a pair of majestic horses, Matt cursed. The priestess raised her eyebrows, but elected not to comment. "I forgot to pack anything," Matt muttered under his breath.