The forest was quiet—a good sign.
I watched my footing as I descended the hill. The rain had almost washed away the tracks of where she fell, but the puddles formed in the indents of the ground made for convenient landmarks.
Just down the slope was another one of the beasts. It pawed at the dismantled remains of the larger predator I’d dispatched, unsure if it could eat the remains. Its head snapped in my direction.
I didn’t particularlywantto hurt anything in this forest. It wasn’t their fault we were on the menu. But I also wasn’t about to be taken down by something a fraction of my size. I doubled my pace to where she fell, hoping to avoid killing something innocent… if this charm actually worked.
The beast charged. It snapped its white maw, stained black from the entrails of it’s brethren. I would have to kill it.What a shame.
Then it suddenly…stopped? Its claws kicked up mud as it turned on its heels, retreating and then stalking side-to-side a safe distance away from me. Gurgling out a snarl.
I looked down at the puddles at my feet.The crystal works.Good. Now I just had to find it.
What a great resource for this goddess to have.I didn’t enjoy knowing she’d interacted with other people to get it, though. Even a remote village could be bad news for her. It was only a matter of time before E.A.R.T.H. recruiters came asking about the fabled woman with yellow hair. Nobody on Trebianna had yellow hair. And hers wasstrikinglypale, it’d stand out like a golden beacon in public.
I splashed all four hands through the cloudy water, looking for something shiny. All the while, the rolling guttural sounds of the frustrated creature reminded me what this artifactwas protecting her from. I made a mental note for my list; she needed more crystals. I’d get some for her before leaving at the end of the summer. That was high priority.
A glimmer of light caught my attention and I grabbed for it, mud squelching between my fingers. I cleared the muck against my pantleg to reveal a cloudy white crystal. To satisfy my curiosity about this strange new object, I raised it and stepped towards the hungry beast. It backed away.
A handy charm indeed.
“You didn’t have to do that!” the goddess called as I approached the border of her field, holding the stone up triumphantly.
“Why are you still in the rain?” I asked, eyeing the rocky alcove across the clearing. Her beast had already curled up against a flat section of stone under the shelter. A black spot against a gray-brown backdrop.
“In case you needed help!”
I grinned, grabbing her small wrist and pulling it out to me so I could press the crystal into her soft pink palm. “That’s very thoughtful of you.”
I tried not to show my amusement at the idea of her tiny hands throttling something. I knew plenty of smaller females who could take down massive and brutal things. But this one… I couldn’t picture it. Or maybe after all my life experience, I just didn’t want to. I’d met many killers, and she wasn’t one.
I grabbed my bag from the mud and started towards the alcove. She sloshed behind me, saying something I couldn’t hear over the roll of thunder quaking the ground. We’d have plenty of time to talk once we were out of the rain.
The cavern wasn’t a home, but it provided a dry—and surprisingly cool—nook. I’d have to duck my head in the deeper recesses, but the brim of the hill’s overhang had room to spare for my height. Bundles of twine-bound herbs hung from the sharp edges of rock. A dress laid out to dry on an incline of stone. There was a waterskin, a couple of jars, some archaic tools, and a pile of dark berries from the bushes.
The goddess had so little here, of course she’d sought out a town.
Miscellaneous belongings were crudely gathered next to a dark fur with an aged, hand-knitted blanket bundled up on top of it. A… bed? Her cat was twisted up within the folds of the fabric in a position thatcould notbe comfortable. Nor safe. Its vulnerable belly was on full display. How confident.
Though its bite wasn't painful, I felt comforted that she had a fearless guardian, regardless of its current size. Maybe it would grow? It certainly looked like it could one day be something fierce. I’d make sure it had plenty to eat while I was here. The beast could be good protection if it was larger. More crystals, feed the cat. My list grew.
The goddess stumbled past me, pulling at her waterlogged boots as she moved. Her choppy hair dripped a trail of droplets between her footprints. Her curves swayed when she walked, full and feminine. She was splattered with mud, soaking wet, and clad in clothing that was far from modern. This wasn’t how a goddess should live.
“If you don’t mind, I’ve been soaked for the majority of the day and I’m not trying to get jungle rot.” She stood by the beige dress laid out on the stone, starting to unlace her bodice.
“Of course.” I turned my back to her, staring into the rain and trying not to let my mind wander to what was happening behind me.
“Sorry I don’t have extra clothes for you,” she said along with the distinct sound of wet fabric hitting the hard ground.
“I packed some.” I doubted she had anything that would fit me, anyway.
“That’s good.” Her tone dropped, she sounded distracted—although more lucid. Force returned to her husky voice, but there was a heaviness to it I didn’t understand. It must be an after effect of the trauma today. “So… what’s your name?”
“Theo.”
“I’m really glad you’re alive, Theo.” There was a weighted pause; I wasn’t sure how to fill it. “I thought I’d left you to die. I’m so sorry. I really tried to get back to you, but I couldn’t.” The words seemed to catch in her throat.
My chest ached. She saved my life that day, and all this time she’d been blaming herself for mydeath? I should have waited for her return that night. Death was a heavy burden to carry, and not one I wanted on the shoulders of the very goddess who had rescued me.
