Kenaz Ansuz Mannaz Sowilo

These runes appear on Keothi’s axe.

They are not decorative.

Each rune represents a stage of identity forged through fire:

Kenaz — controlled fire, knowledge, the forge

Ansuz — breath, truth spoken aloud

Mannaz — the self, humanity, identity

Sowilo — wholeness, life-force, integration

Read together, their meaning becomes:

“Through flame (Kenaz), I found my voice (Ansuz).Through reflection (Mannaz), I became whole (Sowilo).”

When Embers Burn is a story about a girl who defies societal expectations in search of herself.

Only through the flame does she find her voice. And only through confronting her reflection does she become whole.

Which brings us to the final question:

Why are the runes carved upside down on the haft?

You’ll have to read the story when it releases on March 30, 2026.