Breaking Gods by Viola Grace

mothers.”
    “So the cheese on the table…”
    “Was made last winter. It is an abbey speciality. We send it out in the spring on our trading caravan.”
    “So, the abbey is kept busy all year round? Where is the dairy?”
    She laughed. “I will show you. Are you ready to fly?”
    “You actually fly? I thought my mind was making that up as I blacked out.” He smiled.
    She lifted her empty plate and took it to the washing bin where Sister Venila was waiting to scrub it. The pregnancy was moving along well. Venila did her chores and spent the rest of the time learning the skills prized at the abbey. It was good to see her flourishing.
    Muraz was right behind her.
    Venila made eye contact and smiled, jerking her head at Muraz and waggling her eyebrows.
    Lieta sighed and turned away. Her lack of a sex drive was legendary.
    She led Muraz out through the front gates and down the pathway toward the orchard with her pack on her back and his slung casually over one shoulder.
    “Why don’t you just take off from within the abbey?”
    Lieta sighed. “It is one thing for them to know that I can copy any talent, another to see me using one that I copied when I was a child.”
    “You said you can teach me to fly?” He looked at her with hopeful eyes.
    “First, I will show you, then I will teach you. This way.” They passed through the orchard and stepped down a hill, moving toward the foothills.
    Once they were at a position where they would be unable to be seen by the casual observer at the abbey, she turned. “Take my hands.”
    He did as she asked and she concentrated. “Bend your knees slightly.”
    He did.
    She pushed upward and pulled him with her. The bent knees helped her go up and away, and she took him with her. She heard him yelp in surprise but it was a swift trip through the mountains that brought them to the high herding grounds.
    He was breathing heavily when she landed. His knees locked up, so she dropped him on his butt. She stared down at him and smiled. “How do you like flying?”
    He rolled over and threw up the breakfast she had forced him to eat.
    “Oh dear.” When he sat up, she pulled a gentle rain together over his face, cooling his skin.
    “I don’t think flying is going to be an occupation I enjoy.” He drank the rain and his expression became blissful.
    “You don’t have to like every talent you see, but flying is one you do need to master if you are going to be my shadow.”
    He grimaced and opened his eyes. “I really don’t want to.”
    “Well, get on your feet and you will get some low-height training.” She smiled. “If you want to bathe, there is an exceptionally icy lake down this pathway. The goats are nearby they enjoy the grasses around the lake.”
    He nodded. “I think I would like to start this day over.”
    “Come on. We will start with a cold swim.” She led the way through the small opening in the stone, and after twenty feet, it opened up to show the crystal blue lake surrounded by the lush green and lavender grasses.
    When he could see it, he ran past her and was out of his robe and boots in seconds. He dove into the water and bellowed in surprise.
    He wasn’t blue when he went in, but he was when he came out.
    She stifled her grin and walked up to him, wrapping her arms around him and radiating heat. He clutched at her and shivered violently for a few minutes until he was radiating the heat and she was shivering, but cold wasn’t involved.
    He lifted her chin with two fingers and kissed her with slow care. She went up on her toes and wrapped her hands around the back of his neck.
    She heard the goats in the background and ignored them. Learning that her blood could fire in her veins was something that she did not expect to discover on a mission for goats.
    Lieta broke the kiss. “We have a task to complete.”
    He smiled. “I know.”
    “And that goat is making off with your robes.”
    He cursed and let her go, taking off to rescue his clothing from the