Goddess of War (3 page)

THE NEXT DAY
Preeti put on her new Seer uniform. A loose blouse was tucked into her flared skirt that reached her ankles. Her waist was pulled tight by a draped red sash that circled around her waist and over her right shoulder where it tied in the back.

She’d needed another girl to help her accomplish the intricate presentation of such elaborate new clothing.

Olia was trusted by Errison. A girl of seventeen, she was quiet, obedient, and friendly.

With short brown hair that barely went past her chin, Olia was beautiful to Preeti. It was her green eyes that captivated her.

Something about green eyes always left her enchanted. But Olia always seemed to keep hers lowered, as if she was too unsure of herself to look upward and into the eyes of others.

Olia helped Preeti pull her calf-length boots on and secured the cloak to the hooks on her blouse. Lastly, she pulled her cloak’s hood over her hair. Leather gloves completed the uniform.

Everything from her eyebrows up, and chin down was covered which was fitting considering her favorite tattoo was on her forehead. The same woman that helped her get dressed had also chopped her bangs for her, covering the tattoo.

Now she would blend in with every other human.

“You look lovely, goddess,” Olia said in her soft voice.

Preeti smiled at her, wishing she had a mirror to see herself. She’d just have to trust Olia’s account of how she looked.

Vineet waited for her outside the female quarters in a uniform of his own. He wore black pants, a stiff white shirt that was tucked in, and a black cloak.

Preeti noticed how Vineet’s eyes lingered on Olia as she walked down the stairs and away from them on the thin path between two rows of rose bushes.

She glanced back at him before disappearing into the crowd of monks and recruits.

Preeti held back an amused smile, not wanting to embarrass her brother for being attracted to a pretty girl.

Still, it was difficult. Vineet never looked at any other girls like that before.

Preeti and Vineet were meant to be opposites. They were once in training to rule all of the gods, meant to be the balance Aden desperately needed.

War and peace were now impersonating human missionaries of the gods.

Ironic.

Sometimes Preeti wished that she could have been the Goddess of Peace instead of War, but her father had explained to her the reasoning to why the world needed war. Sometimes people had to fight for what they believed in. War had its very own piece in the greater scheme of things.

Balance was key. Now that balance had shifted with Litha in charge.

Goddess of Law or not, Litha was corrupt.

Preeti grinned when she approached Vineet. “No one even suspects anything,” she whispered to him.

His eyes scanned the crowds of young men and women as they filled the inner courtyard. “It feels quite odd, doesn’t it?”

Preeti shrugged. “I kind of like it. What freedom we have.”

“I suppose,” Vineet said, still sounding unsure. “So. What am I to call you now?”

Preeti leaned forward, her eyes bright. “Raina.”

“Raina,” he repeated. “Like the falling water from last night?”

She nodded.

“I like it.”

Raina giggled. “And what about you?”

“Allan.”

Raina’s smile faded. She straightened up. “Like mother,” she said in a voice so soft that she could barely hear it herself.

Just thinking of their mother, Allana brought a pain to her gut that threatened to make her burst into tears.

Allan hugged her tight. “We will avenge her murder. I promise.”

They broke apart when Errison approached them, sucking his teeth. “Public displays of affection, even for siblings, is not allowed. You won’t see any Seer’s embracing in view of others. You are to emulate warriors of wisdom, piety, and courage.”

Raina and Allan nodded.

“Apologies,” Raina said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

“You two fit in even better than I anticipated.” He stroked his black beard. “And what are your names?”

“Allan.”

“Raina.”

“Lovely,” he said. “Now let’s get you two stationed.”

“Stationed?” Preeti had hoped that they could just stay in the monastery where it was safe.

“You need to work.”

Allan asked Preeti’s question before she could. “Why?”

“For the anonymity or it. You can’t wear the uniform and not earn your keep. Trust me, do as I say and no one will suspect who the two of you really are. Come.” Errison motioned for them to follow.

Raina gripped the front of her cloak, feeling for the chain Desi had created. Desi now hung around Raina’s neck, beneath the cloak, in the form of a beautiful silver and crystal necklace.

“I can get you into the capital city where you’ll be hidden even better than out here in the countryside.”

“Capital city,” Raina said, putting her hands in her pocket. The prospect of seeing more of this world started to intrigue her. “I admit, I do like the sound of it.”

“As do I,” Allan said.

“Good,” Errison said with a nod. “Because I figure you’d do well in the Royal Mission.”

Raina slowed her pace.

“Royal Mission?”

Errison glanced over his shoulder.

“Are you not up for it?”

Allan nudged Raina. “We are up for anything. Aren’t we, Pree—Raina?”

Raina pursed her lips. “Of course. I just figured we’d stay more hidden.”

Errison stopped walking and turned to face the two of them. He folded his hands in front of him.

“Do you trust me?”

Raina nodded slowly. “Yes. We trust you,” she said. “We will do whatever it takes.”

“Good,” Errison said, turning away from them once again. “Because the crown prince could use some extra protection.”

After supper, Allan walked the gardens. Each blooming flower reminded him of home where their mother loved to plant only the most rare of plant species. None of them were present in the monastery’s garden, but he enjoyed looking at them and smelling their scent.

The girl from earlier, with the short brown hair and green eyes sat on a bench with a blank piece of parchment on her lap and a quill in her hand.

“Evening,” he said to her.

Her eyes flickered up to catch a glance of him, and then went back to her parchment.

“Evening,” she said softly.

Allan put his hands in his pocket and stepped closer to her. “Any chance you know what the white flowers are called?”

She didn’t even look up. “They’re called gardenias.”

Allan nodded. “Oh. Thank you. Peculiar name for a flower. What’s yours?”

She lowered her quill and looked up at him, her eyes worried.

Allan couldn’t make sense of why she would look at him in that way. He turned away from her.

“Never mind,” he said. “Have a good night.”

“Olia,” she called after him.

Allan paused.

“My name is Olia.”

Smiling, Allan glanced back at her. “Now that,” he said. “Is a beautiful name.”

THE JOURNEY TO
Rhene’s capital city was longer and colder than Raina and Allan anticipated. Neither had experienced such a bitter chill and kept their fur cloaks pulled tight. In just a few days they’d seen so much of the world they’d been led to believe was a desolate place. Despite the cold, it was still the most beautiful place Raina had ever seen.

Littered with giant birds and sweet pink fruit that hung low from white trees, The Meadows of Balston were Raina’s favorite. Somehow seeing all of those new things helped ease her sorrow for the loss of her mother and father. The fact that she would never see their faces again still hadn’t settled in.

On the ninth day, Raina and Allan were exhausted from riding since dawn. The horses were tied to a tree while Errison, Olia, Raina and Allan sat in a clearing around a fire.

While Allan read from the tiny journal Errison gave to them to study, Raina warmed her hands as close to the flames as she could risk. Pulling her cloak closer to her body, she watched Errison who seemed unaffected by the cold.

Errison ran his fingers through his long beard as he stared into the flames, without blinking.

“Is it done yet, Errison? I can hear my stomach yelling at me.” Raina eyed the skinned rabbit that was settled on the fire. The smell was driving her mad. Her stomach grumbled so loud that she was sure Errison and Allan heard it.

Errison seemed to snap out of his thoughts.

“I believe it is,” he said.

“Oh don’t worry,” Olia said. “I’ll check it.”

Olia scooted closer to the fire, and unwrapped her wool blanket from around her arms. She pulled the cooked rabbit from the fire.

“It’s ready,” she said. She pulled the meat from the bones, and handed it to everyone in clay bowls.

“Thank you.” Raina eagerly accepted the bowl with both hands. “I still can’t believe you caught all of those rabbits, Olia.”

Allan glanced up from his studying at Olia.

She blushed. “It was nothing, really. My father taught all of his children how to trap their own dinner. We spent a lot of time traveling,” Olia said, settling back down in her spot nestled by a tree. “He was a traveling musician. He played for all kinds of people.”

Raina wasted no time before she began eating. “That’s nice,” she said, focusing her attention on savoring every bite of this new kind of food. They hadn’t eaten anything but bread along with the preserved fruit during most of their journey.

“Eat, Allan,” Raina said, handing him a bowl. “You’ve barely eaten anything today. You can study later.”

Allan nodded. He sniffed the rabbit meat. “We are supposed to eat flesh while we are here?”

Olia’s face turned pink.

“It’s nothing against you, Olia. Honestly,” he said, reaching a hand out in apology. “We just never ate things like this in Aden.”

“Yes,” Errison said. “Humans eat meat. You’ll like it.”

Allan made a face of disgust. “I’m not sure about that.”

“Try it,” Olia said with a smile.

“Go on, Allan. It’s good. I promise,” Raina said, licking the seasoned oil from her fingers.

With a sigh, Allan tasted a piece. The lines in his forehead relaxed and he ate another piece. “I suppose it’s tolerable,” he said, returning Olia’s smile.

That girl could probably get Allan to do anything. Raina smiled and held out her bowl for more.

Errison gave her another chunk of juicy meat.

“You’ll get used to it,” Errison said. It’ll give you the energy you need to survive in this world.”

Raina stuffed a piece of meat into her bread. “How long have you been here, Errison?”

Errison ate a chunk of hardened bread. “Too long to remember. I stopped counting the years a long time ago. Maybe two hundred years.”

“That’s an awfully long time. Do you miss your home in Aden?” She unbraided her hair so that it could rest against her cold ears. She pulled her fur hood back over her head and rubbed her hands together before the fire once more.

Looking up at the clear night sky, Errison smiled. “Yes, Raina, very much. “I miss my friends.” His eyes lowered. “And my family.”

Raina looked from Olia to Allan, and back to Errison. “I think we all miss our loved ones.”

“True.” Errison checked the broth he’d made from dried onions and potatoes. Nodding for them to hold out their bowls, he dipped a cup into the delicious smelling broth.

Raina slurped soup as soon as her bowl was full. She winced as she burned her tongue.

“You’ll need to let it cool,” Errison said.

“I’m so tired of being hungry,” Raina said, looking into her bowl at the steam that rose.

After months of being nearly starved to death in the Vault, their time in the human world was only slightly better. She missed the freedom she had at home to eat when and how much she wanted. She’d never take a full belly for granted again.

“In the capital city you’ll have plenty to eat,” Errison assured her.

Allan set his bowl beside him, only bones left inside of it. He pulled his cloak tight and settled back against a large fallen tree trunk.

“I was reading about what Seers duties are,” Allan said. “Raina and I are to tutor the royal children?”

“Raina will tutor. The royal family has three children. There are two princes, Eryon and Aric. They are older than the two of you by a few years. The eldest has a small trace of an ancient bloodline from one of the lesser gods of the old days when the gods used to live amongst the humans. Then there is the youngest, Arela. That’s who you will tutor, Raina. The royal family has been trained and tutored by the Seers since the nine tribes broke off into kingdoms.”

Raina swallowed a gulp of hot broth. “I can do that. Sounds easy enough. What better person to train you in the matters of the gods than an actual god?”

“Precisely,” Errison said.

“And what will I do?”

“I have something very special in mind for you, Allan. I can tell you like to study and read.”

Allan nodded.

“It’s all he used to do back in Latari,” Raina said. She’d always ran and played outside as a child, while Allan stayed inside with his countless scrolls and stories.

“Well, how do you feel about translating the ancient scrolls into the human tongue?”

Allan’s eyes brightened. “I’d like that very much. How many are there?”

Errison shrugged. “Hundreds, probably.”

Raina laughed. “You probably just made Allan the happiest god alive.”

Her heart warmed at the smile on her brother’s face.

“Olia will remain in the city to help you with anything you need when I leave for the monastery. She will set up a dress shop,” Errison said.

Olia smiled. “Mother was a dressmaker. She taught me everything.”

“Sounds like you have quite a few tricks up your sleeve,” Raina said.

Olia nodded.

“Get some rest now, we have much ground to cover tomorrow morning.” Errison covered himself with his cloak and settled down on his pallet made of leather and wool.

Raina followed his example and pulled her fur over her as she bunched up a portion of the pallet beneath her head.

As she stared up at the stars, she pictured her mother and father, and how they used to smile at Preeti and Vineet.

She wondered if they approved of their new identities.

Were they proud of them for surviving Litha’s treachery?

Desi stirred, warming Raina from the necklace against her chest.

You’re not quite free of her yet.

Each day that brought them closer to Rhene, left Allan feeling less and less connected to the place of their birth. Two weeks had passed and the realization of how massive this world was astounded both Allan and his sister.

Aden was their home, but the Abyss…this beautiful place with its ever changing landscape and even lovelier women called to him.

Before they reached the shining silver gates of Rhene’s capital city, Allan had already read the journal Errison gave them.

Twice.

He knew everything there was to know about the duty of a Seer. Retaining knowledge was one of Allan’s greatest strengths. There were times that he had to help Raina when they were quizzed by their tutor. Raina was always the free-spirited one, the one that found joy in their weapons and tactical training.

Fighting wasn’t for Allan, but he kept that knowledge in his reserves, for when he needed it.

“Raina,” he said as they led their horses on a slow trot along a heavily trafficked path that led to the gates.

“Yes, Allan?”

“Look,” he said, nodding to the distance. He looked in awe at the palace that stood out against the background of other buildings and a mountain that towered behind it.

“It’s stunning,” Raina said.

“I’ve been here at least ten times by now, and it only gets more enchanting each time,” Olia said, her eyes fixed on the palace. “I’ve never had the pleasure of staying at the palace though. You two are lucky for the opportunity.”

Allan hoped that wherever her dress shop would be located wouldn’t be too far from the palace. “Don’t worry, Olia. We will visit you often.”

She smiled, her eyes brightening as she looked at Allan. “I hope so.”

“Representatives from the nine kingdoms are all assembling in the city for the annual spring festival. So the two of you need to blend in more than ever,” Errison told them.

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Allan said. “They’ve descended from our race, so I honestly don’t think the humans will suspect a thing.

He had everything he needed with him. With his sister by his side, he was confident that they might actually be able to wait out their three years to Enlightenment.

“Not at all,” Raina added. “We will be good.”

“I hope so,” Errison said. “For your sakes.”