I shook my head. “The rebellion was against Death. Who massacred every other maiden-priest. The temples were—just caught up in the war.”
Awi cocked her head skeptically. “So you’re a nice priestess? Loyal to Wesha? You’re going to the Painted Tower to serve her with modesty and obedience?”
“I have been modest and obedient. I will continue to be modest and obedient, if she’ll open the Gates for someone.”
“You need a big favor, huh? Who do you want passage for? Another rebel? I see all the dead ones come through. Maybe I know the one you want.”
I eyed her distrustfully, but she’d already concluded that I was one of the rebels, and she hadn’t tried to kill me yet. I had little to lose.
“Yes. Taran ab Genna,” I said slowly.
At his name, she stiffened, and all her feathers flew wide in a puff, turning her into the shape of a dinner platter. More news of the rebellion had reached the Summerlands, then, if she knew his name.
“I see,” Awi drawled, slowly regathering her avian composure. She shuffled her feet, red eyes flashing with guile. “I did meet him. Perhaps we could help each other out?”
“What kind of help?” I was instantly even more cautious. She was about to propose a deal, but I was not in a great bargaining position, and all promises made to immortals were unbreakable.
“You want in. I want out. If I vow to help you get to the Painted Tower, on your way back, you help me get out.”
“You have wings,” I said, hooking a thumb back in the vague direction I’d sailed from. “Why do you need my help?”
“Doesn’t work that way. I would fly in circles. Wesha still controls the Gates. I’m stuck, and so are all the other gods.”
“Are the gods trying to return now that Death is gone?” I asked, my heart lifting. I could barely think about it, as muddled as my head was, but for a moment I pictured Skyfather himself striding through our dusty, barren fields, trailing rain behind him. The Peace-Queen opening her hands to heal the war casualties. Dozens of fertility spirits coaxing life out of the dead lands. Blessings and plenty, after years of starvation.
Awi fidgeted, her eventual answer to my question inscrutable. “Well, this one is, at least. It’s been three hundred years, and I just want to go home. Look, can we make a deal or not?”
It would probably come back to bite me, but I was on my way to plead with a goddess anyway. The little bird was only the second immortal I’d ever met, but she seemed relatively harmless, and I was dying.
“All you want is my help to get to the mortal world, if I can convince Wesha to open the Gates?” I pressed. “And in return, you’ll take me to Wesha?”
Awi nodded vigorously, giving me her best reassuring wing flutters.
Well, the odds were rising that I was never coming back, anyway.
“I vow it to you,” I said, feeling a novel tightness in my chest as the promise sank into my soul. It was unbreakable now. I’d carry it the rest of my life, whether hours or decades.
“Fantastic,” Awi said in response, spreading her wings in victory. She pointed off the bow with her yellow beak. “It’s that way.”
“I need food and water first,” I said, sinking back down and closing my eyes. “Wake me up when you have some.”
“What? You expect me to fetch things for you?”
“If you don’t want me to die before I get there, yes,” I said, covering my discomfort at being indebted to an immortal with bravado. “The deal cuts both ways. Get me something to eat.”
It had to have been a long time since Awi was worshipped, if she didn’t remember that the gods had no choice but to fulfill their promises too. I heard grumbling and then the slap of webbed feet on the wooden deck of the boat as Awi approached.
When I opened my eyes again, an agitated pelican was peering into my face from only inches away, enormous beak slightly parted.
“Get away from me,” I snapped, shoving her back.
“You want food? I ate some fish a while ago,” she said, tone spiteful. “Open your mouth, baby bird.”
I swatted the pelican as she chortled to herself.
“Never mind. I’ll just die,” I muttered, thinking that Taran wouldn’t blame me for choosing death over regurgitated fish guts.
The pelican heaved a dramatic sigh and shook her wings in dismay. “You’re so demanding! Fine. Don’t die in the next few minutes.”
