He had moved toward her as the funnel had
gotten out of control, and she knew he had been ready to protect her against his own
creation. She also knew the misery she saw in his amber eyes. She felt the mirrored
pain within herself.
“Kalona, what you created for me did exactly as you intended. It demonstrated the
power of your passion, and I could view your whirlwind from the Otherworld. I appreciate
your strength and your desire to share your innermost passions with me. You do wield
the power of an immortal warrior, my immortal warrior, and that pleases me. But if you are ever to be more than warrior
to me, you must temper your passion with kindness, your power with control.” She closed
the space between them. She needed to touch him. To let him hold her in his arms as
he had the night before as he had fed her berries and gazed at the moonlit ocean with
her. But for his own sake, Nyx denied her need and finished her judgment. “I understand
the intent behind your creation, and because of that you did not fail the test, but
you did not please me, either.”
Kalona’s shoulders drooped and he did not meet her eyes. “I ask that you forgive me
and give me another chance to please you, for I desire to be much more than your Warrior.”
“Readily, I forgive you and grant you another chance. Which element would you choose
to wield?”
His gaze found hers again. “The one that is so favored by you—Water.”
“My friend?” Nyx said, looking from Kalona to Mother Earth.
Mother Earth nodded and said, “Until you each call into being your creation, I grant
you dominion over Water. So I have spoken; so mote it be.”
“Thank you, Mother Earth,” Nyx said. Without another word to Kalona, Nyx turned her
back to him and walked to Erebus. Embracing him warmly, she said, “Erebus, your bow
of color is lovely! You have pleased me greatly. Would you walk awhile with me? I
would like to introduce you to the People of the Prairie. After what they have witnessed
today, I am sure your music would bring them much needed delight.”
“Goddess, it is my greatest pleasure to do your bidding.”
Nyx let him take her hand and together they walked through the grasses toward the
timberline. Though she wanted to, the Goddess did not allow herself to look back at
Kalona even once.
6.
TRUST ME, GODDESS. I WOULD NEVER LET YOU FALL …
Kalona sulked for several days after the test, replaying over and over again in his mind the disastrous conclusion
to what he had intended as an awe-inspiring demonstration of passion and power.
How had it gone so terribly wrong?
He had practiced day after day on the grassy prairie. The neighboring tribe of Prairie
People could have attested to the fact that he had created many whirling funnels of
wind and magick, and that he had easily controlled them. The local mortals had even
begun leaving gifts of food, clay pots filled with precious ocher, and carefully made
clothing for him. Remembering Nyx’s fondness for these particular people, Kalona had
dressed carefully for his test, decorating himself to please her.
But nothing had gone as Kalona had planned.
Erebus had saved the day and won Nyx’s pleasure. Kalona could not bear to think of what else Erebus had won from
Nyx.
He would not allow himself to fail again!
“It is that wretched elemental magick that was at fault. Air is so unpredictable—so
changeable. It was Erebus’s choice in elements that was flawed. Though is my choice
of Water any better?” He paced around the clearing he had begun to think of as his
own. It was far enough from the tribe of Prairie People that they did not often pass
by, and close enough that the offerings they had continued to leave for him were easily
accessible. The People did not particularly interest Kalona, but their food did, as
did the thick, soft furs they’d left for his sleeping pallet. Not surprisingly, Mother
Earth’s
gotten out of control, and she knew he had been ready to protect her against his own
creation. She also knew the misery she saw in his amber eyes. She felt the mirrored
pain within herself.
“Kalona, what you created for me did exactly as you intended. It demonstrated the
power of your passion, and I could view your whirlwind from the Otherworld. I appreciate
your strength and your desire to share your innermost passions with me. You do wield
the power of an immortal warrior, my immortal warrior, and that pleases me. But if you are ever to be more than warrior
to me, you must temper your passion with kindness, your power with control.” She closed
the space between them. She needed to touch him. To let him hold her in his arms as
he had the night before as he had fed her berries and gazed at the moonlit ocean with
her. But for his own sake, Nyx denied her need and finished her judgment. “I understand
the intent behind your creation, and because of that you did not fail the test, but
you did not please me, either.”
Kalona’s shoulders drooped and he did not meet her eyes. “I ask that you forgive me
and give me another chance to please you, for I desire to be much more than your Warrior.”
“Readily, I forgive you and grant you another chance. Which element would you choose
to wield?”
His gaze found hers again. “The one that is so favored by you—Water.”
“My friend?” Nyx said, looking from Kalona to Mother Earth.
Mother Earth nodded and said, “Until you each call into being your creation, I grant
you dominion over Water. So I have spoken; so mote it be.”
“Thank you, Mother Earth,” Nyx said. Without another word to Kalona, Nyx turned her
back to him and walked to Erebus. Embracing him warmly, she said, “Erebus, your bow
of color is lovely! You have pleased me greatly. Would you walk awhile with me? I
would like to introduce you to the People of the Prairie. After what they have witnessed
today, I am sure your music would bring them much needed delight.”
“Goddess, it is my greatest pleasure to do your bidding.”
Nyx let him take her hand and together they walked through the grasses toward the
timberline. Though she wanted to, the Goddess did not allow herself to look back at
Kalona even once.
6.
TRUST ME, GODDESS. I WOULD NEVER LET YOU FALL …
Kalona sulked for several days after the test, replaying over and over again in his mind the disastrous conclusion
to what he had intended as an awe-inspiring demonstration of passion and power.
How had it gone so terribly wrong?
He had practiced day after day on the grassy prairie. The neighboring tribe of Prairie
People could have attested to the fact that he had created many whirling funnels of
wind and magick, and that he had easily controlled them. The local mortals had even
begun leaving gifts of food, clay pots filled with precious ocher, and carefully made
clothing for him. Remembering Nyx’s fondness for these particular people, Kalona had
dressed carefully for his test, decorating himself to please her.
But nothing had gone as Kalona had planned.
Erebus had saved the day and won Nyx’s pleasure. Kalona could not bear to think of what else Erebus had won from
Nyx.
He would not allow himself to fail again!
“It is that wretched elemental magick that was at fault. Air is so unpredictable—so
changeable. It was Erebus’s choice in elements that was flawed. Though is my choice
of Water any better?” He paced around the clearing he had begun to think of as his
own. It was far enough from the tribe of Prairie People that they did not often pass
by, and close enough that the offerings they had continued to leave for him were easily
accessible. The People did not particularly interest Kalona, but their food did, as
did the thick, soft furs they’d left for his sleeping pallet. Not surprisingly, Mother
Earth’s
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