Bone War by Steven Harper Page B

Three, and I exist because mortals exist. And they exist because we exist. On the day the last living thing dies, I myself will cease to be.”
    â€œOn the day the last plant sprouts, my job is done,” said Nu.
    â€œOn the day the last row is hoed, my job is complete,” said Tan.
    â€œOn the day the last weed is cut, my job is finished,” said Aisa dreamily, and gooseflesh chilled Danr’s arms.
    â€œThe Tree always tips,” Death finished. “But eventually, it will cease to exist.”
    And something else occurred to Danr. “Why does it have to tip at all? Every time it tips, hundreds of thousands of people die. Why can’t we just stop it from tipping?”
    â€œIt is the nature of the universe,” said Nu quietly. “Two points revolve around a center, like a spoke around a hub.”
    â€œThe Stane and Fae revolve around the Kin,” added Tan. “Lumenhame and Glumenhame revolve around Twixthame. The Nine form themselves into three groups of three, and two groups revolve around the third.”
    â€œThe Nine and the Gardeners revolve around me, dear,” said Death. “So it is, so it was, and so it must be.”
    â€œThat doesn’t answer the question
why
,” Danr persisted. “Why were the Kin chosen as the . . . the . . .”
    â€œNexus,” Aisa said.
    â€œNexus,” Danr repeated. “Why do the Kin pay the price when the Stane and the Fae go to war?”
    â€œSomeone has to,” Death said in a voice that ended the discussion. But the question wouldn’t leave Danr’s mind. Perhaps it was the truth-teller in him, or perhaps it was the simple unfairness of it. He had seen the blood up close and personal, and the idea that more Kin blood would spill before all this was over made him alternately boil with outrage and freeze with sorrow.
    â€œAt any rate,” Death continued, “making Gwylph a Gardener would have solved the problems she was creating in the mortal realm. We spoke to her about it, in fact, andshe became angry when we told her we had chosen someone else instead.”
    Danr’s eyes widened. “Is that why she took Pendra? Revenge?”
    â€œThat’s probably part of it.” Death waved her hand, and the sprite wobbled over her palm. “Really, you probably should have kept your mouths shut, sisters.”
    â€œShe wants to become a Gardener no matter what you decide,” Aisa said in a hushed voice. “She is taking a Gardener’s power and she is usurping a Gardener’s role.”
    â€œBut she’s still mortal,” Danr finished, “and a mortal can’t use that power, so she is destroying the world instead of helping it.”
    â€œIndeed,” sighed Nu.
    â€œTrue,” murmured Tan.
    â€œYes,” said Aisa.
    â€œWho else were you considering?” Danr asked without thinking.
    â€œQueen Vesha of the Stane,” said Nu. “She was, in fact, our first choice.”
    â€œMy aunt?” Danr said, amazed.
    â€œShe would have been perfect,” said Tan. “A world-class magician. Experienced in the ways of the world. Willing to make necessary sacrifices, even when—”
    â€œNo!” Death’s voice had gone cold as buried granite. She clenched her fist and Grak-Lor-Who-Flits-Through-the-Emerald-Stars vanished with a
crack.
The wind turned cold and the plants around her shriveled. Danr dropped to the ground with his heart shivering in his chest, and this time Aisa came with him. “Vesha chained me. Vesha took
my
power. I cursed Vesha, and cursed she will remain. The only Garden she will see is at the bottom of Halza’s icy cesspool.”
    â€œOf course,” said Nu.
    â€œWe agree,” said Tan.
    â€œUnderstood,” Aisa whispered.
    â€œVery well, darlings.” Death’s voice returned to normaland she balanced the knitting needle point-upward on one fingertip.