The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce Page B

offered another morsel. The darking made that vanish, too.
    â€œBy the way,” Sarra told Gainel, “I think one of your servants might have escaped somehow and wandered here. It called itself a darking.”
    Daine flinched. The shadow flinched, too, and slipped off her foot to hide in the darkness under the table.
    The woman fumbled with her apron, then sighed, exasperated. “Look at this.” She lifted her hand. Her fingers stuck out of the hole in the pocket. “It got away.”
    The pale god covered Sarra’s pocket with one hand. White light shimmered, and an image of the darking appeared. Immediately the Dream King shook his head.
    â€œHe’s never seen its like,” Weiryn told the humans. Gainel’s light faded; he withdrew his hand from Sarra’s apron.
    â€œI told them you are strict with your subjects,” said Queenclaw, grooming her tail.
    Rising to his feet, Gainel nodded to them all, and vanished.
    â€œHe’s terrible at good-byes,” remarked Broad Foot. “Worse than a cat that way.”
    â€œI prefer to think he’s as good as a cat,” retorted Queenclaw.
    Sarra got to her feet. “Well, no amount of wondering and chatter will see that the dishes are done. Let’s get started, Daine.”
    The girl looked up at her mother, surprised. It had been a long time since anyone had told her to assist with cleanup. She wanted to say that she was tired, but if she did, her mother would fuss, and no doubt feed her nasty-tasting potions. With a sigh, the girl rose. Accepting a stack of plates from Sarra, she bore them inside. A wash-tub sat on a table in the common room, steaming faintly.
    Daine set her burden next to it and turned. Sarra blocked the garden door, a bottle in one hand, a cup in the other. The girl winced—so much for fooling her ma.
    â€œYou overdid today, and you know it.” She poured dark liquid into the cup. “Drink this, and off to bed with you.”
    Daine took the cup, but didn’t drink. “Ma, why am I so weak? Are you sure it’s because I’m half mortal, or might it be something worse?”
    Sarra shook her golden head. “You came here long before it was time,” she said firmly. “The balance between your mortal and divine blood is delicate—a crossing like yours usually causes problems. They’re only temporary, I promise you. Now, drink, miss.”
    It tasted as vile as she had feared. She kissed her mother’s cheek, went into her room, and closed the door.

    A dull hiss filled Daine’s ears. Darkness covered her eyes.
    Light dawned far ahead. It was impossible to tell if the scene that she now saw moved toward her, or if she flew to it. Within moments she was close enough to seetwo-leggers standing in a ring, arms overlapping, hands clasping their neighbors’ shoulders. In the middle of their circle a lump of material shifted and pulsed in the same colors as the Chaos vent had done. Daine turned her face away.
    â€œIt’s all right.” Rattail appeared beside her. “You can look. You must look.”
    Daine obeyed.
    At first the ring of men and women, and the thing at the hub, stood on black, empty space. One by one stars winked into being around them. With the added light, she could see the faces of those who formed the circle. Their names sprang into her mind as if she’d always known their true appearance: the Black God in his deep cowl and long robe, the Great Mother Goddess. Daine identified Kidunka, the world snake, lord of the Banjiku tribes, and even the K’miri gods of storms and fire. The large, powerful-looking black man in gold armor was Mithros himself. Looking from face to face, she saw that all of the Great Gods but one formed the ring.
    The lump in their center began to rise, changing color swiftly. When it halted, a person stood there, bent nearly double. The hunched figure straightened. At first it was a gold-skinned woman