“—actually felt the world quake and turn. We don’t know how we know. We don’t know how we did it, either. We just did. And we don’t know how to replicate it.”
Everyone was staring at them. “Fascinating,” Noelle finally said.
“The same might have been true with your mothers. You must both try to recall as much of what transpired as you can,” Salla instructed. “Perhaps the other clan elders can offer some insight.”
“Clan elders?” Arjun asked. “What clan elders?”
“In the days after the Breaking, we survivors came to an understanding. We had marked out a large patch of land as neutral territory, back when we were optimistic enough to believe that the world might still be healed. Should any more extreme changes occur, we would all return. I’ve no doubt that the others have seen the rains with their own eyes. They will come soon enough.”
“They’ve always hated the Sun Goddesses, too, Mother,” Arjun said dryly. “I doubt they’re going to welcome them with open arms.”
“They must. They have just as little choice as we do.”
“Why do your clans live separately, when it seems to me numbers would offer more safety?” I asked.
“Resources are few and far between here in the desert, Lady Lan. We choose to divide our people not out of hostility, but for practical purposes. But I expect them and others to arrive before the week is out.”
“Clan Addax?” For some reason Arjun looked horrified.
Mother Salla’s eyes twinkled. “Yes. I’m sure Lisette will be happy to see you again, despite the circumstances.”
The boy coughed nervously. Haidee looked mildly curious.
“If the creatures continue to climb out of the Abyss as you say, then we must close off the gates to the Cruel Kingdom for good. Perhaps the other clans can assist us in that.”
“Mother would know more than we do,” Haidee spoke up.
“Not really sure she’d jump at the chance to help us,” Arjun said.
“She doesn’t have to. Mother kept letters that talked about the Breaking. Letters from my father, like the one I have. Maybe there’s more that she’s hiding.”
“Are you seriously suggesting we return to the Golden City?” Arjun growled.
“It’s a long shot, but it’s the only option I can think of. Unless you have an alternative to offer?”
Arjun glared at her, then crossed his arms. “If you’re planning on sneaking back in there, then I’m coming with you.”
He’d been rather vocal about not wanting to enter the city before, but I wisely kept my mouth shut.
Salla stood. “If you’ll excuse me, I must help the others—it’s been a while since we’ve been able to store this much drinking water.”
“We’ll help too,” Haidee said immediately. She got to her feet, Arjun following. She looked back at Odessa and then at me, her worry evident, and I nodded to reassure her that I would look after her.
“What do you intend to do?” Noelle asked me quietly, once the others had left.
“Haidee knows the lay of the land here, and I trust her to decide what’s best for us. Searching for more information about the rituals does seem to be our best bet.”
“Very well. I’ll go see if they need another set of hands.” Tact was Noelle’s strongest suit. When she’d left I turned back to Odessa, who was still staring into space. I settled myself more firmly beside her.
“How are you?” I asked, letting my patterns sink into her, exploring. The shadow around her heart was still there, though not as large as it had been, and for once I was hopeful. Perhaps the other gifts she had accepted from the galla had helped to alleviate her illness.
“This was the reason Mother did nothing when the galla first showed themselves to me,” she finally whispered. “Why she allowed me to steal away on the Brevity, while pretending to forbid me from going. Why she kept you on as my guardian. She went through the ritual herself. Whatever happened at the Breaking, she knew exactly how it was supposed to work.
“And when she learned about us, she did everything she could to throw us together. If I gave you up, then I would be saved.” Her head dropped. “She did everything she could to save my life. But she was willing to risk you for it. I’m so furious at her.”
Asteria knew that Odessa loved me. Yet she had gambled with my life, hoping for the best. I should be angry, too.
Odessa laughed bitterly. “She made a mistake, though. She did it because she assumed Haidee had died, that we were the only goddesses left. I thought we’d saved the world. I thought—” Her shoulders sank. “I thought we’d made a difference. A good difference, for a change. Instead, we might have made it all worse. I was thrilled to have my sister back. But one of us might still have to be sacrificed. Maybe it should be me. It should have been me all along.”
“Don’t say that, Odessa!”
“How can you forgive me, after everything I’ve done? I took you captive against your will. I actually considered killing Sumiko, and Noelle, and the other Devoted. I did k-kill . . . !” She began to cry. “How can you forgive me?”
I took her gently in my arms and kissed her—lightly, content to let my mouth linger against hers with no coaxing, no pressure to return it. She froze for a few moments, as if unwilling to believe I could stand to touch her still until, with a low cry, she gave in.
“I forgive you.” And I forgave Asteria too, if by risking my life she had meant to save Odessa from the Abyss. But Odessa was right: Haidee was alive, and that changed everything. “I will always forgive you.”
“I don’t know how you can. The thought that the galla can still affect me . . .”
“When Sumiko was helping me deal with losing my rangers . . .” I stopped myself from biting my own lip, from using that pain to distract from the fresh wave of grief I always felt. It was easier now to talk about them, but that didn’t mitigate the guilt. I still hadn’t told Odessa everything about what happened. “She told me it would help if I could concentrate on something familiar and positive. What if we talked about the things that give you joy?”
She thought about it for a few minutes. “Marianna and Dianae.”
“Who?” I’d been expecting her to recall night routines at the Spire, or a moment of affection between her and Asteria. Maybe even us.
“Marianna was bound for the Finae Islands to meet the fiancé her father arranged for her. But the ship she was on was waylaid by the pirates led by the lady captain Dianae. She’d taken up buccaneering after she was unfairly accused of the murder of . . . you’re going to make fun of me, aren’t you.”
“Absolutely not.” I was grinning. Romance novels. Romance novels were this beautiful, ridiculous little waif of a goddess’s happy place. I wasn’t sure I could love her more.
“I learned more about how Aeon used to be from those books, about people who could have lived and laughed and loved. I learned what summer meant. I learned about birds, and butterflies, and about balls and long dresses and dancing. I could almost imagine life like it could have been. Every story was a vow to me, that I’d one day see these places for myself. If that makes me silly—” She paused, stricken. “The Lady’s Pirate.”