Scorn of the Sky Goddess

by Tara West

  “Mother,” Kia said, “you can’t destroy her. She’s grown too powerful.”

  Madhea looked at Kia with smug disdain. “She has, but I have a secret weapon, and his arrows always strike true.”

  Kia shot up, clutching the doll to her chest. “Does your cruelty know no bounds?”

  “No.” Madhea tossed her head. “It doesn’t.” She caressed the sharp blade in her robe pocket. “I need you to do something for me while I’m away.”

  “No, Mother!” Kia cried out as soon as the words were spoken, hunching over and sobbing into her doll’s hair.

  Good. The blood oath still held strong. Kia would not be able to disobey her.

  “What was that?” she taunted.

  Kia slowly raised smoldering eyes. “What do you wish of me, Mother?”

  “Ariette is in her chamber, resting inside a heptacircle.” Madhea snatched the doll from Kia, and in one fluid movement, whipped out her blade and stabbed the doll in the heart. Then she tossed it and the blade on Kia’s bed. “I need you to kill her.”

  “Mother, please don’t ask that of me.” Kia’s straggly hair was plastered to her wet face. “Please.”

  “I’m not asking.” She turned up her chin. “I’m commanding.”

  She left the room, ignoring Kia’s ear-piercing wails. Kia would do it. The blood oath left her with no alternative. And Ariette, the soft-hearted fool, wouldn’t fight back.

  She smiled at the boy hunter who was waiting for her, a fine specimen in armor that accented his broad shoulders and muscular chest. “Are you ready to kill your deceitful sister?”

  “Yes, my love.” The hunter’s eyes were devoid of expression. “I’m ready to kill Dianna.”

  THE MOUNTAIN HAD NEVER appeared so daunting as the morning Dianna looked upon it, sitting on the back of a mighty golden dragon. She sucked in a deep breath, but the air was so thick and frigid, ‘twas almost like trying to breathe underwater. She was unable to see the peak, where Madhea ruled, through the thick haze of clouds shrouding it.

  There was only one way she would be able to reach her mother. She’d have to cut through the clouds, flying blind.

  “I can’t see the top.” Simeon’s voice shook as he held tightly to her waist.

  You should stay behind, Simeon, Tan’yi’na growled.

  “No. Dianna needs me.” He clung so tightly to her, her ribs ached.

  “You no need to go to mother.” King Munluc stomped up to them, raising his club with a hungry gleam in his eyes. “We giants bring mother down to daughter.”

  “King Munluc.” Dianna stifled a curse. “I’ve already told you an avalanche would kill everyone below. Besides, do you know what would happen to the snow once it melted? It would flood every town downriver.”

  The king’s lip hung down. “Then why we come?”

  “Because, should Madhea send her pixies, I will need your clubs, and if one of us should fall down the mountain, I will need you to catch us.”

  “And what if ice witch kills daughter and dragon?”

  She cringed at the thought. “Elements forbid she kills us, but if she does, then, and only then, you must tear down the mountain.” She didn’t want to put any of them in harm’s way, but if Madhea succeeded in killing Dianna and Tan’yi’na, her ice mountain must come down or her cruel reign would destroy the world.

  King Munluc scratched his head. “But we no club mountain now?”

  “No, King Munluc,” Dianna said. “Please don’t club the mountain now.”

  When the giant king averted his eyes, she feared he’d do something stupid Why had she thought bringing along giants was a good idea?

  Before she had time to give the signal, Tan’yi’na jumped into the clouds, displacing the thick air and making it harder for Dianna to breathe.

  Finally, the day of revenge I’ve been waiting for. The dragon’s deep, dark rumble reverberated in her skull.

  Remember to let reason rule you, Tan’yi’na, Kyan admonished. Not anger, or my sister will use that anger against you.

  Dianna bit her tongue, praying to the Elements both the giants and Tan’yi’na wouldn’t be ruled by anger.

  “CAN YOU SEE ANYTHING?” Simeon called.

  Dianna squinted into the clouds. “No, nothing.”

  “How long does this go?” he asked.

  “For a very long time,” she answered. Having grown up in the shadow of the mountain, she’d known it was vast, so big that Rowlen and Markus had been the only mortals to reach the top, and that was only because of help from the pixies.

  “D-do y-you think s-she k-knows we’re here?”

  Simeon shook so hard, she suspected ’twas the drop in temperature, for the higher they climbed, the more frigid the air became.

  She knows, Tan’yi’na answered with a feeble grunt.

  “Tan’yi’na, are you okay?” She leaned over the golden dragon, stroking his neck, alarmed to see frost forming on his scales and icicles on his wingtips. “Tan’yi’na?”

  I suddenly recalled why I was unable to chase Madhea back to her mountain and burn her to a crisp, Tan’yi’na said, his wings flapping slower. This air is too cold for a fire dragon.

  “Kyan?” Dianna whispered, stroking the stones in the thick scarf that hung around her neck. “What do I do?”

  Her scarf lit in a red, fiery glow and warmth radiated from her, spreading across Tan’yi’na’s wings in pulses.

  The dragon heaved a thankful sigh and flew faster. Soon he broke through the clouds, flapping toward an icy cavern carved into the mountain’s peak.

  They were almost to the ledge when a familiar cloaked figure stepped into view, clutching a bow in his grip and aiming an arrow right at Tan’yi’na’s heart.

  Dianna threw out her magic. Her brother fell over backward, losing his grip on the bow.

  Madhea flew to Markus’s side with a screech. “My love!”

  Dianna roped in her magic, jumped off Tan’yi’na’s back, and flung a bolt at her mother, knocking her off Markus. “My brother is not your love, you sick, twisted bitch.”

  She inwardly smiled when Madhea slid across the smooth ice floor, bumping into a wall with a groan. Now was not the time for second guesses and lack of confidence. Now was the time to stand up to her mother. Too many lives depended on it. She threw another bolt at Madhea when the ice witch tried to get to her feet.

  She was vaguely aware of Simeon jumping off Tan’yi’na and standing behind her as she threw her mother down again, knocking back the hood of Madhea’s robe and revealing the thick, black scars that curved up her face like a vine of thorns. The Sky Goddess tried to sit up, then crumbled to the ground. ’Twas true, then. The thorns had weakened her.

  Tan’yi’na let out a victory roar. Finish the witch, Dianna.

  She nodded and flung her soul between worlds, feeling the stones infuse her with boundless strength as she roped in her magic. She faltered when Tan’yi’na’s agonizing howl ricocheted in her skull. She fell back to the mortal plane so fast, she lost hold of her magic.

  The dragon’s piercing golden eyes faded as he tipped off the ledge, an arrow stuck in his chest.

  “Tan’yi’na!” she screamed, racing to the ledge, her heart pounding a painful thud in her ears as he fell down the mountain, disappearing through the clouds.

  Markus turned an arrow on her.

  “Don’t shoot her, Markus!” Simeon’s command was a thunderous boom in her ears.

  Markus looked at Simeon with wide-eyed shock and slowly lowered his bow.

  “Don’t listen to him,” Madhea rasped, stretching a hand toward Markus. “Shoot her, my love, before she kills me.”

  Markus shook his head as if waking from a dream before raising his bow once again.

  “Lower your weapon, Markus.” Simeon stepped toward him, holding out a hand.

  “Brother,” Dianna pleaded, taking a cautious step toward him. “Have you forgotten Ura?”

  “I have not forgotten her.” He dropped the bow to the
ground, then drew a long blade out of his belt. “She manipulated me into marrying her when Madhea was my true love all along.”

  “No,” Dianna said, backing away from her brother. “You’re being tricked.”

  He vehemently shook his head. “She loves me. She wouldn’t trick me.”

  “Oh, Markus.” She heaved a weary sigh. Keeping one eye trained on him, she roped in her magic, prepared to knock the blade out of his hand so she could finish off her mother for good.

  A bolt flew past her, and Simeon cried out, falling to his knees and clutching his gut.

  “Simeon! No!” She hurried to his side, pressing her hands against his stomach to stop the bleeding.

  Look out! Sindri cried.

  She looked up to see Markus standing over her with a blade in his hand. Madhea hovered behind him, cackling in his ear. “What are you waiting for? Kill her!”

  “Brother,” she pleaded. “Please.”

  The mountain shook so hard, Markus fell over and Madhea was flung against the wall. It shook another time and another. A loud crack sounded under Dianna’s feet.

  Elements save them! The giants were attacking the mountain.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Kia stumbled into Ariette’s chamber, clutching the knife beneath her robe. A flaming heptacircle surrounded the bed, which had been moved to the center of the room. The flames rose to Kia’s calves. She’d had to burn her legs to pass through, as she was too tired to fly. It made no difference to her. ’Twould all be over soon enough anyway, for she knew Madhea wouldn’t let her live. Once she passed through the flame and killed her sister, she’d be stuck there, just as her four sisters were stuck in the stone heptacircle. Mother planned to kill them all. Kia had been dumb enough to fall for her tricks.

  Ariette was sitting cross-legged in the center of the bed, staring at Kia with a mixture of shock and horror. “Kia, is that you?”

  “It is,” Kia said as she passed through the flames. The hem of her robe caught fire and pain lanced through her feet.

  Ariette jumped from her bed and pushed Kia to the floor, burning her own feet as she trampled the flames. When the fire went out, Ariette fell on top of her sister, smoothing healing hands across her blistered feet. “What has happened to you?”

  Kia fingered the blade in her pocket. “Mother forced me to use dark magic.”

  “Oh, dear sister.” Ariette stroked Kia’s legs. “I will try to heal you.”

  “You can’t.” A tear slipped down Kia’s face. Ariette was so kind, so good. She didn’t deserve to die. She’d warned Kia not to swear the blood oath. Why hadn’t she listened? She shook her sister off. “Stop. It’s too late for me.”

  “Don’t say that. I refuse to give up on you!” Ariette sobbed, running her healing hands down Kia’s legs. Though the burns had eased, her legs were still wrinkled and covered in bulging veins.

  “Forgive me.” Kia looked away from her sweet sister, unable to bear the look of pity in her eyes. “Mother sent me to kill you.”

  “Kia, no!” Ariette cupped Kia’s face, desperately searching her eyes. “Fight the blood oath that binds you.”

  Just the thought of fighting the oath made her writhe in pain so dark and fowl, ’twas like poison permeating not just her veins but her very soul. The pain would’ve been bearable if it hadn’t been accompanied by a madness that made her want to scratch her eyes out.

  “I’ve tried to fight it.” She bucked against her sister, rolling her off her chest. “I can’t.”

  Ariette refused to give up, climbing back on Kia and pinning her shoulders. “You must try. Please. I love you, sister. I love you.”

  “And I love you. That is why I swore the blood oath. To save you. Look at the mess I’ve made.” She ended on a strangled sob. She saw no way out of her present fate. The blood oath had too strong a hold on her.

  “Oh, dearest.” Ariette dried Kia’s tears with her fingertips. “Let me help you.”

  “Nobody can help me. Nobody.” She slipped her hand back into her pocket, withdrawing the knife. With one fluid stroke, she sliced open Ariette’s arm.

  Ariette shrieked, flying off Kia and falling on her back.

  Kia rolled to her knees, clutching the bloody knife. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I had to get you off me.”

  “Please don’t, sister.” Ariette shielded her face with her hands, not even trying to put up a fight. “Please.”

  Kia held the knife poised over Ariette’s heart, cursing her fate, cursing herself, but mostly cursing her heartless mother. Then she turned the blade on herself and plunged it deep into her chest. With a gasp and a shudder, she fell into her sister’s arms, her heartbeat skipping and then slowing to a dull thud.

  “No, sister! No!” Ariette screamed, trying to wrench the blade from her hands.

  Kia pulled away, driving the blade deeper.

  Ariette jerked out the knife and buried her hands in Kia’s bloody cavity. Kia wanted to tell her sister to let her die. ’Twas the only way to break the curse she’d placed on Markus’s heart, but when she opened her mouth to speak, blood poured out. Her heart beat one final, painful time and then she soared above her sister, looking down at her own lifeless eyes staring back at her. For the first time in many days, she smiled. Her soul had been set free.

  DIANNA PULLED HERSELF to her feet, struggling to stand while the quakes continued beneath her. Those giants were going to topple the mountain and everyone in it! Why had they attacked? Then she remembered Tan’yi’na falling though the sky with an arrow in his chest. Her heart ached for the golden dragon. The giants probably thought Madhea had won. She needed to defeat the Sky Goddess once and for all, before the mountain crumbled.

  She cast a quick glance at Simeon, relieved to see the shallow rise and fall of his chest. Her magic had saved him, but she hadn’t enough time to completely heal him. One more reason she had to destroy the ice witch now.

  Markus stood in the center of the icy cavern, legs braced while the ceiling rained crystallized debris on his head. He clutched his bow and arrow, looking at her through hooded eyes and panting like a wounded animal.

  “Markus, please listen to reason,” she pleaded, clutching a wall for support while the mountain continued to tremble. “You’d abandon your wife and unborn child for a heartless goddess who has caused so much death and destruction?”

  Realization slowly dawned in his eyes. “Ura’s with child?”

  “She is.” She held out a staying hand. “Please lower your weapon.”

  “Don’t listen to her.” Madhea shot to her feet, clutching the scarred side of her face, a look of pain contorting her features. “She’s lying. She’s jealous of our love.”

  Dianna heard the crack behind her, but jumped out of the way too late. When something solid struck the back of her head, she fell to the ground with a scream, a cyclone spinning in her skull.

  Dianna, get up! Sindri hollered.

  Touch the scarf, Aletha said. I will heal you.

  Her hand flew to her neck. She blacked out for a moment, feeling the healing warmth pulse through her. When she opened her eyes, Markus hovered over her, tears streaming down his face, an arrow pointed at her chest.

  The dizziness in her head slowly subsided. “You don’t love Madhea. She’s poisoned your heart.”

  Madhea angrily buzzed above Markus, pointing a shaky finger at Dianna’s chest. “Shoot her now!”

  “No.” Markus turned to Madhea, lowering his bow. “I love my sister.”

  The witch who poisoned his soul must be dead, Kyan said, her voice a somber echo in Dianna’s ears.

  Her head must have still been in a fog, for Kyan didn’t make any sense. If the witch who’d poisoned Markus’s soul was dead, then Madhea wouldn’t still be here, screaming in his face.

  “You don’t love Dianna.” Madhea’s ear-piercing screech echoed off the crumbling walls before she slapped him hard across the face. “You hate your family.”

  Markus stumbled back from the forc
e of the slap, then rubbed his cheek, scowling at her. “I don’t hate them. You tricked me. Why? I thought you loved me.”

  She fluttered down to him, clutching his shoulders. “I do love you, Markus, just as you love me.”

  “But you expect me to turn my back on my bride? Kill my sister?” He unstrung his bow. “If you loved me, you wouldn’t ask that of me.”

  “Something’s wrong.” Madhea chewed her bottom lip, casting a worried glance from Markus to Dianna. “Ariette must have turned the blade on Kia.”

  That didn’t make sense to her, but she struggled to her feet, determined to finish off her mother for good.

  “I will end her then.” Madhea buzzed past Dianna, ripping the satchel of decoy stones off her hip and tossing it over the cliff. “Not so strong without your stones, are you?”

  Strike now, Dianna! Kyan commanded.

  But Dianna was still dizzy, because she stumbled for a moment before reaching for her magic. That was all the time Madhea needed to hit Dianna with a bolt. She was thrown against the wall with brute force. The magic hit her chest hard, like a wave of electrified water, before bouncing off her and hitting Madhea.

  The ice witch was flung back, hitting the opposite wall with a shriek and crumpling to the floor.

  “What happened?” Dianna asked the stones as she struggled to stand.

  We deflected her magic, Sindri said. Good thing, too, because it was as rotten as her heart.

  “She hit me with dark magic?” Dianna whispered. “Wouldn’t she know that would curse her too?”

  I don’t think she realized the magic was foul. When a mother curses her daughter, it’s a vile thing, releasing a darkness that’s like breaking a blood oath, Kyan explained. It’s especially bad if the daughter has had the Mother’s Blessing.

  She looked at the seven-pointed star hanging around her neck, given to her by Sofla and Sogred when they’d blessed her. “Thank you,” she breathed.

  Madhea was on her knees, leaning against the opposite wall, precariously close to the ledge. The black vines on Madhea’s cheek snaked across her entire face like slithering serpents, crawling up her nose and over her eyes. Markus stood over the Sky Goddess, an arrow ready to fly.