by Meg Trotter
The goddess shook herself out of her confusion and nodded. “Yes, of course,” she said, slipping a piece of her covering off of her shoulders and approaching Maera with compassion in her brown eyes. “Are you all right, dear? Has ... has someone attacked you?” She draped the material over Maera’s shoulders and brushed a gentle hand over her face to dust the sand away as Maera struggled onto her knees.
Maera pushed her wet hair out of her face and gave the girl a smile. No. I think I’m all right, thank you.
The goddess blinked in slight shock. Over her shoulder, Maera saw Luka smirk. She tried to puzzle out what she had said that was so strange. It had seemed a simple enough sentence. Then she realized — she hadn’t spoken like the goddess did, with her mouth. She had used the merpeople’s clicking language that resonated in the throat. The goddess patted her shoulder gently and said, “Oh, poor thing. You must have really been through something dreadful. You’ve lost your voice completely. Come on. Let’s get you back to the village. My name is Valka.”
Maera attempted to say her own name through her mouth, instead of through clicks, but it sounded mostly like a wheeze of a dying animal. “Shh now,” Valka said. “Rest your voice.” She took Maera’s hands and helped her to her feet. Maera tried again to move forward, this time putting forward a leg like she had seen the goddess do, but she was too unused to the muscles involved. The movement was awkward and ungraceful and caused Valka to wrinkle her brow in further concern.
Maera tried again, but still couldn’t get the movement right, and stumbled onto her knees. A wave of pain rippled up her legs. Valka knelt by her, inspecting her legs, as if she expected to find an injury that was the cause of her inability to walk. She grimaced when she noticed the scars on Maera’s thighs. “Oh, dear, you have been through something, haven’t you? Come on, let’s get you back to the village.”
Valka threw one of Maera’s arms over her shoulder and supported her as Maera rose to her feet. As the goddess helped her hobble away from the boundary, Maera looked over her shoulder to see Luka still smirking at her from behind. “You’re doing fantastic,” the witch whispered with an overly enthusiastic expression. “Going to win yourself a god’s heart in no time.”
Maera glowered and extended a middle finger at Luka from behind Valka’s back. She didn’t know exactly why, but it felt like the right thing to do.
Luka let out such a loud bark of startled laughter that a pair of nearby birds took flight in alarm.
Chapter 5
Valka led them up the sloping earth, away from the sea. They crested a swell of land and the gods’ settlement came into view. Up from the dirt path they had followed, a low stone structure stuck up out of the ground at about waist-height, curving away into the distance.
As they approached, Maera held a hand over her nose. The scents here were strong and mixed. Not all of them unpleasant, but her brain was having a hard time processing all of this new sensory information along with all the strange words that kept popping up into her mind. It was getting overwhelming. Plus her new legs kept throbbing uncomfortably.
The smells only intensified when Valka led Maera and Luka inside. To their right sat a small fence — again, the word came without much effort. Inside, a school of bizarre creatures munched contentedly at the grass. The grey and white animals looked something like puffer fish on four stiff legs. They were fat and rounded and had the same sort of blank stare as the bumbling fish. They let out quiet calls as she passed.
Not too far behind the animals sat a cavern rising out of the earth. However, the sides and top were not naturally formed. They’d been created from the same material as the structure penning in the animals nearby. The gods had built their own homes. Maera marveled at this as they passed by an old god sitting beside the structure’s small opening, fiddling with something in his hands as he watched the animals amble along. He looked up when they passed and offered a wave to Valka with a curious glance at Maera. Valka returned the wave and pulled Maera along.
To the left, the lay of the land was similar, however the animals rounded up there were smaller, with a layer of short hair over their bodies and two curving horns atop their heads. A second cavern rose out of the earth here, this one with a trail of something like scattered sand rising slowly from a hole in the top.
Maera was twisting around to stare at another god emerging from the entrance of this cavern when Valka stopped short. Maera tripped while getting her own feet stopped as well, but braced herself against Valka and found her balance again. She turned to find another young goddess baring their path. This one was tall and clothed in grays and browns. A delicate ornament swirling with strange shapes fastened a long, draping cloak around her shoulders. Her dark hair was pulled back much like Valka’s, but her blue eyes weren’t nearly as friendly. Something about her face reminded Maera of her oldest sister who had died back when Maera had been just a child. It had happened so long ago that Maera couldn’t even recall her name, only the faint sense of dread every time that this sister was nearby. The goddess frowned down at Maera. “Who is this?”
Valka bent at the waist in a quick gesture that threw Maera further off balance. It seemed to annoy the other goddess as well. “That’s unnecessary,” she muttered. Maera grasped at a corner of her cloak that slipped down over her shoulder and tugged it back into place. The motion drew the stern goddess’ attention. “Why is she naked?”
“I found her washed up on shore like this,” Valka said. “No ships or anything around. I’ve no idea where she came from.”
“Who is she?”
Valka shook her head. “She can’t speak. I haven’t been able to ask.”
“Hmm. Convenient.”
Maera tapped her throat unhelpfully. She wanted to at least show she could understand them. The dark-haired goddess looked unimpressed.
“Freydis, I couldn’t just leave her alone on the beach like this,” Valka whispered, adjusting her hold on Maera.
“What if she’s a wandering witch, seeking to cause us mischief?” asked Freydis. “What if she’s a spy from our enemies and is just waiting to pull a blade across all our throats?”
“Yeah, she has so many places to hide a knife,” Luka piped up from behind them. The witch had been so quiet, Maera had almost forgotten she was there.
Freydis’ glare flicked to Luka for a moment but then it slid away and re-focused on Maera. A long beat of silence passed. “Is there anyone in the sick-house?” Freydis asked, though the question wasn’t directed to Maera.
“No,” Valka answered. “Not since-” She paused. “No, it’s still empty.”
Several emotions flicked across the dark-haired goddess’ face, all of them sad. She shook them off quickly though and focused on the situation at hand. “Put her in there,” Freydis said. “We’ll keep her apart from the rest of us until we can find out more.” Freydis turned as if to go, however, she paused and glanced back at Valka. “I’m meeting with the elders over dinner tonight,” she said. “Your father is coming, but you are welcome as well, if you’d like. There’s room.”
Valka hesitated. “Is .... is that allowed?”‘
“It’s my house while my father is away,” Freydis snapped. “And it’s not like you’ve never been inside before.”
“Yes, but not at a proper meeting,” Valka said, shifting her weight to get a better hold on Maera.
“You’re allowed in my house any time. You know that.”
The other goddess nodded. “Thank you. I’d be honored.”
Something about this comment displeased Freydis. She opened her mouth to say something, stopped, sighed and shook her head. She walked on past them down the path. Valka stared after her, biting at her lower lip. After a moment she, too, sighed, and turned to lead Maera further down the path.
They headed toward a home twice as big as the ones near the entrance. Maera had just started to marvel at the size of it when Valka suddenly turned her steps to the right again. Apart from the other structures, almost r
ight up against the low stone wall, rested a smaller house. It was at least half the size of the first ones and, Maera noticed once they approached, sunk into the ground a bit. To get to the entrance, they had to go down several steps in the earth. Maera stumbled despite Valka’s support and had to reach out and catch herself on the wall. The goddess opened the door and helped Maera inside.
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dimmer light, but once they did, Maera liked the space immediately. It reminded her of her grandmother’s cave inside the Rift where she’d spent the last few days with Luka. There were four little nooks, each with a raised platform and a small pile of material draped over them. Valka helped Maera sink down onto one of the platforms. Out of habit, Maera reached for something to hold on to in order to tether herself down. Her fingers grasped the soft material, clutching it to herself at first, then releasing it when she remembered that she didn’t need to worry about floating away.
A soft noise from the back of the house where Valka now stood drew Maera’s attention. The goddess used a long stick to poke at a pile of softly glowing rocks. A flickering substance bloomed to life there, like an angry jellyfish with tentacles snapping out, searching for prey. From Valka’s lack of surprise, Maera assumed this was a commonplace occurrence. She tried to keep from looking too awestruck about it.
“We should have something you can wear in here,” Valka muttered, bending in front of a dark recess of the room. When she stood, she held an armful of material in shades of brown and dull blue.
Dressing was much more involved that Maera had imagined. There was one layer that went over her head and covered her arms and upper torso, a second piece that covered each of her legs and was tied around her waist, then another layer that went over top of all this. It hung from strips on her shoulders, went down to cover her chest and back, fit tight against her waist, and then flared out over her legs. Another strip of cloth went over each of her feet. Maera immediately felt warmer, though weighted down.
Maera suddenly noticed that Luka was nowhere to be seen. The witch had been there during the confrontation with Freydis, but Maera couldn’t remember if Luka had entered the house with her. She considered this while Valka tugged Maera’s wet hair into a series of loose twists that kept the worst of the stuff out of her face. Just as they finished up, the door opened again. Maera assumed it would be Luka, however it was a young male — a child, really, not even into adolescence. He held what appeared to be a small, hollowed-out rock as he eyed Maera uncertainly. Valka made a sound in her throat, and the boy jumped to attention.
“Um, Chief Freydis asked me to bring this for her,” he muttered.
Valka’s expression, which had been concerned yet thoughtful while she ministered to Maera, softened into a small smile. “Freydis’ father is chief, not her, Dromi. He’s just away on the raid. He’ll be back, along with your brothers. It shouldn’t be long now.”
The boy nodded, though he didn’t look as if he was much listening. His attention focused on Maera where she sat cross-legged on one of the sleeping platforms. Valka held out her hand, and the boy approached, handing her the thing in his hands. A bowl — again, the word surfaced in Maera’s mind. The boy stood still, staring at Maera, until Valka gently shooed him out. When he was gone, she handed the bowl to Maera. When Maera peered inside, she was confused at the contents at first, but the smell drifted up, and her stomach rumbled in hunger. Food.
Valka gave her a smile. “Eat and get some rest. I’ll come check on you later. Stay here until I come get you. Freydis may have sent you food, but she wouldn’t take kindly to you wandering around on your own.” With that, she slipped back out of the door, leaving Maera alone.
Maera sniffed at the bowl again and then reached inside to pick out a piece of the food. She popped it into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. A strange texture, but not unpleasant. She thought it was fish, though she’d never tasted it like this before. When Luka entered several minutes later, the witch found Maera licking the bowl clean. Luka snorted and draped himself over the nook across from hers.
And Luka was now a him, Maera realized with a start.
His clothes had changed, and the lines of his face had grown less soft. His shoulders were broader too, though he was still skinny and looked to be barely taller than Maera. She ran back through her memory of Luka from the short time they’d been together. There was no way he had been male all that time.
He’d been without clothing, just like her, when they’d both been merfolk, and his body had looked the same as hers. When they’d emerged from the sea, he’d been female as well. He’d summoned clothes for himself, but the curves of his body had still been the same. This was a change that had just happened — though Maera did not understand how that was possible. She cocked her head at him as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, unsure how to ask, or even if she should. It seemed like a rather personal question.
Luka laced his hands together behind his head and looked at her with an expression that revealed he knew she was confused, but he was enjoying her bewilderment. He raised his eyebrows in teasing expectation. “Yes, Little Fish?”
Maera decided to ignore the change, just to deny him the satisfaction of her confusion. Instead, she set the food bowl on the floor beside her bed and turned her attention back to the fire flickering at the other end of the room.
She put her feet on the ground and stood with some struggle. The clothes provided extra weight which shifted when she did, throwing off her balance. She let out a little squeak and threw out her hands, catching herself before her face hit the floor. Luka snickered from his bed, but made no move to help her. She lay there for a moment, testing out the muscles in her legs and hips, trying to figure out how they worked.
How did these gods live like this, stuck to the ground all the time? It seemed like such an unpractical way to live. Maera discovered that she could maneuver on her hands and knees without the danger of falling so far. She felt a little like a crab as she inched her way to the crevice that housed the fire. Once she reached it, she watched, mesmerized, as the light jumped and twitched like a living thing. It glowed dark blue at the center, then changed to orange, with a hint of yellow at the tips. She reached out her hand.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
Maera hesitated, then lowered her hand. What is it? she asked.
“Fire,” Luka replied.
I know the word. It was already in my head, thanks to you. She tapped a finger to her temple. What is it?
“Makes light. Makes warmth. Cooks food.”
Cooks?
Luka smirked and sat up. “Ah, I can’t wait for you to pick which lucky ‘god’ you’re going to pursue. He’s sure to be besotted with such a lovely young lady who scurries around in the dirt like an overgrown goat, eats her food with all the grace of a wild dog, and is fascinated by bright lights.”
Maera glowered at him. If you’re not going to help me—
“Oh and let’s not forget the clicking and squeaking. He’s going to love the clicking and squeaking.”
She huffed and turned back toward the fire, feeling the annoyance crackle in the pit of her stomach, rather like the flames writhing in front of her. He was right about one thing though. She would have to do better than this if she had any hope of winning this bet.
With some struggle, Maera got to her feet, bracing herself against the nearby wall. Once upright, she closed her eyes and breathed quietly, focusing on how her weight balanced through her hips, down into her legs and into her feet. It worked better if she didn’t try to keep her legs completely straight. A little bend in the knee provided better balance and more ability to shift her weight.
She opened her eyes and studied her feet, watching the way they moved when she wiggled the various muscles. Maera turned toward her bed and took a step forward. She wobbled and caught herself on the wall. Letting out a tense breath, she tried again, a little steadier this time. However, once she reached the portion of wall wh
ere the nooks started, she had to let go of the wall. She managed a few steps on her own before a twinge in her thighs distracted her and she tumbled to her knees again with a hiss.
“Aw, almost,” Luka called.
Maera took a steadying breath. Her legs throbbed. They’d been hurting when she’d come from the sea, but she’d been so distracted while trying to take everything in that she’d been able to ignore it. Now that things had quieted down, it was reclaiming its share of her attention.
“Well,” said Luka, with entirely too much cheerfulness. “I think I’m going to get some sleep before dinner. I’ve been up constantly for the last few days, keeping your ass alive. I think I’m long overdue for a break.” He paused and then said with a smirk, “You want me to toss you a blanket down there?”
Maera would have extended her middle finger toward him again if she’d known how to balance well enough to lift one hand from the floor. Instead, she ignored him and crawled back to the first bed. She hefted herself onto the side of the platform, and with a sigh of relief, nestled down into the pile of furs. They were blissfully soft. Once she was off her feet, the throbbing in her legs decreased to a muted ache. If she kept still, the pain receded completely.
The softness of her coverings and the warmth of the room lulled her into a doze. At one point, she thought Luka said something to her, but she was too far gone to make sense of it. She slipped into a heavy sleep.
Chapter 6
Maera didn’t know how long she slept. It seemed hardly any time at all before Valka shook her gently, dragging Maera back into consciousness. She grunted and pulled the furs over her head, hoping to let sleep claim her again, however Valka peeled back the blankets.
“I’m headed to Freydis’ house for a meeting of the elders,” the goddess said gently. “Freydis said you could come and eat with us if you sit in the back with me, since we’re not officially a part of the meeting.”
It took a moment for the words the make sense in Maera’s sluggish mind, however at the mention of more food, her stomach gave an excited twinge. She untwisted herself from the furs and sat up, wiping at a bit of wetness that had dribbled out of the corner of her mouth in her sleep.