“Of course, my dear,” she says, looking pleased. “What is it you’re looking for?”
“Are there any texts on the gods and their offspring?” I ask almost hesitantly.
The librarian frowns and looks around. “We don’t have many . . . but I think I might have something along those lines. Do you mind if I ask why?”
I shrug. “Just curious. Since the gods left our realm, they weren’t really taught in my studies.”
“Fair enough,” she replies. “Follow me.”
We walk down more aisles, and a few turns later, she points me toward a small section of ancient-looking texts.
“Now, you might be aware, the gods haven’t been seen in almost a century. Rumors of offspring even longer than that.”
“Is that so?” I ask.
“Rakveren’s royal line comes from the offspring of the moon goddess, Luna, but that was at least two centuries past. Their bloodline would be almost completely diluted by now.”
“Fascinating,” I say. “Now, being directly descended from a god, wouldn’t that have given their offspring some form of immortality?”
“Yes, to a degree, but unless the gods deigned to grant full immortality, even their offspring could perish. They might have been a little bit stronger and lived a little longer than the average human, but that was the extent of it.”
I take in all her words with rapt attention. So much information that has never been taught in all my years of study at home under the tutelage of governesses.
“I know some healers are said to be descendants of the goddess Galyna’s line.”
The librarian looks pleased to have my attention. “That’s correct, though only one comes to mind who might actually carry some of her blood. The king employs a few truth-sayers descended from the god of truth—Veritius. Again, their bloodlines are so diluted, I’m not sure how much power they truly carry.”
“Was there anything else unusual about the offspring?” I’m almost afraid to ask.
The librarian taps her chin. “Let me think . . . oh, yes, actually. Demi-gods—how the texts refer to the gods’ offspring—were said to be able to replenish strength by either drinking blood or drawing from the element they were tied to. Say one were descended from Luna, they would find their power strongest at night.”
An icy chill trickles down my spine. “That’s interesting . . .”
“Yes, well, as I said, it’s been centuries since our realm has had any demi-gods. Apparently, the gods, when they left,decided we were no longer worthy to bear their children, or perhaps they worried that their power would be abused.”
“Why did the gods disappear?” I ask.
“That is the age-old question. Some believe they grew tired of this realm and left it to slowly wither away.”
“But they can’t abandon us like that, can they?” I ask.
“My dear, the gods will do as they may. Perhaps we angered them somehow. But our realm is most definitely paying the price.”
“What do you mean?”
She looks around, almost as if she shouldn’t utter her next words. Her voice drops to a hushed whisper. “The lords and ladies are doing just fine, and the palace is obviously not seeing any lack, but the people in our city and surrounding towns and villages . . . they are suffering. If it weren’t for the Shadow, I’m afraid they would be much worse off.”
“The Shadow?” I gasp. “What? Who’s that?”
“My dear, how sheltered are you?” The librarian tsks, then frowns a little. “Are you even supposed to be here?”
“I’m sorry . . . I’m Lady—I mean Princess Raelyn. I was bound to the prince yesterday. I hardly ever left my manor before now.”
The librarian looks me up and down. “Interesting.”
I shrug awkwardly, not sure how to respond to that.
“Anyway, as I was saying, if it weren’t for the”—she mouths the word “vigilante”—“our people would be suffering even more. I fear for our world if something doesn’t change or if the gods decide to truly abandon us.”
