The Last Goddess

by C.E. Stalbaum

  ***

   

  Rynne finally managed to escape the stage after her second encore. She slipped into the back room of the tavern and let out a long, cleansing breath. The fans were even more rambunctious than usual tonight. Apparently that was what happened when she starved them of performances for almost a month. Or maybe with the destruction that had befallen the city, they were just happy to have a release. Either way, as nice as it was to be performing again instead of shooting at people, it was surprisingly exhausting.

  “Good show.”

  Her eyes flicked up as Van stepped through the curtain to her dressing room. Her two bodyguards immediately took threatening steps forward.

  “It’s all right, boys,” she soothed them. “Go get yourselves a drink or something. I’ll holler if I need anything.”

  They looked to her for confirmation, then shrugged and walked back into the tavern. Rynne leaned against the wall and folded her arms across her chest.

  “Sneaking around and getting into my stuff?”

  “If a guy like me is able to ‘sneak’ around anything, you should really fire your bodyguards,” Van said dryly.

  “My last one decided he didn’t want to come any more.”

  He grunted. “Well, I’m here now. I’ll make it a point to yell at the owner to get you a real lock on that back door.”

  She tried to repress a smile but knew it didn’t work. “So you liked it?”

  “Plenty of new songs, lots of energy,” he said, creeping forward, “and even the old classics like ‘Sinner’s Paradise.’”

  “I sing that every time, you know,” she murmured as he drew close enough to stand over her. “Just in case you happen to stumble by.”

  He braced himself against the wall and smiled. It was a rare thing, unfortunately, and she didn’t realize how much she had missed it.

  “Nate and Tiel went to the palace to meet with the Empress,” he said. “They should be back soon.”

  She nodded. “You think Rook’s going to tell her he was thinking about leaving?”

  “He’ll tell her, but there’s not a chance in the void he’ll go through with it.”

  “Even with some of the others threatening to leave?”

  Van shrugged. “Change makes people nervous, but we’ve gone through worse. Besides, he’s not going to leave her and we both know it.”

  “And where he goes, you’ll follow.”

  “That’s my job. Besides, without me he’d do even more stupid things. I think once you’re on your third shot at life, you need to start playing it safe.” His eyes softened as he looked down at her. “What about you? You mentioned you were thinking of heading back to Sunoa.”

  “I haven’t decided yet,” she admitted. “I mean I like it here, but...it’s dizzying to even think about all that’s happened. It gets even worse when you start wondering what’s still to come.”

  “The Balorites aren’t just going to go away, and sooner or later someone needs to figure out who’s leading them. But for now…” He shrugged. “You know, I’ve never been a big fan of politicians or royalty.”

  “I never would have guessed.”

  He made a face. “I actually think the kid will do all right.”

  “You mean Tryss? She’s what, five years younger than you at most?”

  “Yeah, but everyone seems like a kid nowadays,” Van muttered. “Or maybe I’m just starting to feel old.”

  “I said before you were getting a little soft around the middle,” Rynne said, smiling coyly as she brushed against his chest. “I might have…exaggerated.”

  He put his hand on hers and slowly ran his fingers down the length of her arm. “I’m old enough to know when I’ve made a mistake. And that you only get so many chances to correct it.”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “Such as?”

  He wet his lips and glanced down as he visibly tried to muster the courage to speak the words. She briefly considered sparing him the effort, but it was just too much fun to see him sweat.

  “Letting you go,” he whispered. “It was the dumbest thing I’ve ever done, and with me, that’s saying a lot.”

  Rynne smiled. “Sometimes it takes two people to make a mistake, you know. But we seem to be blessed with second and third chances these days, don’t we?”

  He reached up a hand and ran it through her hair. “You think it’s enough?”

  “Maybe not,” she said, yanking him down by his shirt, “but it’s definitely worth a try.”