“You don't have to kneel to me, small goddess,” she said. “And you may tell our fire king and his knights to rise as well.”
“Sairana says that we can stand,” I translated as I got to my feet.
Sometimes the Gods of Danu spoke into my mind and sometimes they spoke aloud. Sairana spoke to me aloud this time and I don't know what everyone else heard but it wasn't words. Their slightly wincing expressions made me think it was roaring, which would explain why she'd spoken into my mind the first time we'd met. Technically, the first time I'd met Sairana had been when I'd briefly been a goddess but I didn't count that introduction since I could only remember glimpses of it. Speaking with the Gods after I'd returned to my normal self had helped to bring back some of my memories, but most of them remained elusive and I think that was probably for the best. Things had been shown to me that I shouldn't know—things about Danu, my life, and destiny.
Actually, the things about Danu might have come in handy.
“Sairana, do you know what's happening with Danu?” I asked as I stepped up to her.
“The magic of Danu has been wounded,” she said gravely. “I cannot see the fate of our realm or even its future. All I know is that it's dying.”
“So, it is dying?” I asked. “Kolltean said the magic was dwindling.”
“Yes. Die or dwindle, it amounts to the same thing. But I don't know what has caused this to happen.”
“I thought the magic cycled through us and back to Danu again? So, if we're still strong, shouldn't Danu be strong as well?”
“It should, but it isn't. I don't know how Danu could be wounded while the Danutians remain strong but I doubt your strength will last if Danu isn't healed soon.”
“You mean, we might lose our magic?”
The knights gasped but Everan remained silent.
“We all might. If we gods tarry here too long, Danu will try to take our asha to sustain herself. Kolltean left before that could happen to him.”
“So, hewasforced to go.”
“In a way, yes. But he is waiting just beyond our realm, hoping to return.”
“I hope that as well.”
“I know you've come here seeking my help, small goddess,” Sairana stepped off the dais and lowered her face to mine. “But it isyouwho must helpDanu.”
“Me?”
“You must heal Danu but first, you need to fortify Fire. As long as even one element remains strong, Danu will survive, and you have the key to strengthening Fire. It will give us some time to discover how to heal the realm.”
“What do you need me to do?” I asked immediately.
“Nothing taxing,” Sairana said as a wall behind her crumbled and another passage was sucked into existence. “Follow that path, Amaranthine, and you will find the Heart of Fire.”
“We found the magic of Danu. Will the heart be like that?”
“The magic of Danu?” She pulled back her head in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“In the North, we discovered a strange asha emanating from the ground. We dug beneath it until we found a glowing layer of magic, pulsing with colors.”
“You dug up Danu's magic?” She asked in horror.
“We covered it before we left,” I hurried to say. “We were investigating the disturbances in the Northern Kingdom and were led to the site. The asha appeared panicked so I asked them to dig where it was thickest. That's how we found the magic. Within the light, there were black ribbons. That specific shade of black usually signifies sickness but it wasn't in the asha, it was in the magic itself so I suppose it could be something else. Does Danu's magic normally have streaks of black in it?”
“It didn't when I saw it last but that was the day of its creation,” Sairana muttered.
“Did we hurt Danu?” I asked anxiously.
“Did you touch the magic?”
“No. We looked at it, then buried it.”
