“I can’t.” As the words slipped out of her mouth, the realization hit Liana and she burst out laughing. “I reallycan’t.”
“You stubborn, willful girl, what are you playing at?”
The expression on Lela’s face only increased Liana’s franticmirth. “Look at me, Mother. I’m mortal. Completely, irrevocably mortal.”
“Impossible,” Lela snapped.
“Ask Morana.”
Lela opened her mouth, doubtlessly to hurl another insult at her, but then her divine eyes recognized the truth, and disgust twisted her features. “You could’ve lived forever, and you threw it all away for a man. You’ll curse that choice once you grow old and sick.”
“Always so kind to me, Mother.” Liana laughed so hard tears ran down her face. Or perhaps the tears had nothing to do with the laughter. “If I never see you again, it will be too soon.”
With a look of cold repulsion on her face, the goddess disappeared, leaving nothing but a cloud of silver vapor behind her. Liana was left sitting on the empty road.
Behind her, the deep, clear sound of the bell pierced the silence. The Fat Odo above Abia’s Northern gate was striking the hour of dawn. She took a deep breath, and a splitting headache bloomed between her temples.
She had no divine blood left.
She rose slowly, expecting her body to fall apart, but it turned out that being mortal didn’t feel much different from being half divine. If she’d lost her speed and stamina, she couldn’t tell by standing up and rubbing her bruised shoulder. Her eyesight was still good, her teeth were all in her mouth. She checked her hands, they looked the same—long fingers, short nails, archery calluses. She touched her face, tracing the salty residue of tears. Without a mirror, it was hard to determine if she looked any older. Her skin was taut, smooth under her fingers.
“You’ve chosen a fine moment to become vain,” she muttered.
She was filthy, still wearing the same guard uniform she’d spent the last two days in, sprayed with blood and smudged with mud and soot.
As the sun rose over Abia, the first travelers and carts started moving in and out of the city, the traffic slow but picking up. She stood at the edge of the road, wondering what she was supposed to do.
No divine gaze to lay on her shoulders like a cold burden, no expectations, no scheming. She was utterly unimportant now, free to go wherever she pleased, do whatever she wanted with the rest of her life.
She threw one last look at Abia. The familiar walls looked welcoming, pulling her home. The guards at the gate, chatting with the people, the archers patrolling the walls, the standard flying above their heads.
Liana gasped as sunlight illuminated the standard. The golden sun of the royal house and the silver fish of Larion. There was just one person in the whole world allowed to fly it. Had they forgotten to remove it? No, that was unthinkable.
Whenwas she?
Liana rushed towards the gate. The guards frowned at her appearance, but the royal uniform apparently still meant something, because one of them asked, “Do you need help, sister?”
It would have been so easy if she could just ask who ruled the city, but they’d think her mad. She said, “No, thank you,” and rushed into Abia.
The streets looked almost the same as she remembered them—the houses, the courtyards, the gardens—but something felt different. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it until she went deeper towards the center and saw there were more shops, more taverns. It looked busier, richer, the houses all brushed up, the streets spotless. Like a drawing of Abia where some imaginative artist had added a bit of shine to make it prettier. She walked into a tavern she didn’t know, but which looked busy even at this early hour. The tables were occupied by merchantsand tradesmen drinking beer and eating hot pies whose smell made Liana’s stomach grumble. She reached into her pocket and found a handful of silver coins, more than enough for a pie and a drink. She waved over a passing girl.
“A pie and a beer, please.”
The girl took in her appearance and frowned.
“I can pay.” Liana took a silver coin and pushed it into the girl’s hand.
When her food and drink arrived, Liana caught the girl’s wrist. “Wait, please. I’ve been away for a long time, I need you to tell me a few things about Abia.”
“I’m in a hurry,” the girl protested until she saw another coin in Liana’s hand. “What do you need?”
“I want to know how happy you are with the ruler of this town.”
The girl lifted her eyebrows, obviously thinking Liana was pulling her leg. “I don’t think about that,” she said.
“Humor me. What do you think about your lord?”
“Prince Amron, you mean? He’s good, I guess.” The girl shrugged, eager to get away.
