by Curtis, Greg
“You forget.” He held up a paw to stop her denial before remembering again that he was a cat and it was a paw. Then he cursed himself quietly for his mistake. It was one that even now he kept making. “When Terellion was in my mind, he also showed me a little of his. I knew the reports he got. And Dina Windstrider died five years ago. She was killed by a fury.”
“That's –.”
“Don't even bother. You were dead. Your family had grieved for your loss. There were witnesses. And then miraculously the reports started coming in three or four months later that you were alive again and living with the dryads. Terellion got really upset when he read them by the way. So my guess is that you spent those months in a strange place with endless grass and sky. And since the furies have been playing a tricky game between serving both the demons and Nemesis, they both killed you and saved you. And I'd also guess that somewhere on your front and back the sigil of the God of Divine Retribution is painted boldly, as it is on mine under the fur.”
“So now here you are, alive and well and following Erislee around like a lost puppy. My thought is that she's your assignment as mine is Harl. So how long? Life? Or perhaps until she returns that bow she shouldn't have but no one seems to be asking to have returned?”
“Life.” Dina eventually mumbled the answer, not wanting to admit it out loud. But that was enough for Maynard to feel a little smug. He'd been guessing, but his guesses were still good.
Dina sat there for a bit after that and stared unhappily at him. But at least she'd stopped denying the stuff he knew for a fact. Meanwhile Maynard was congratulating himself on having worked out another riddle. Even if the larger ones still remained. And first among those still to be solved, was what was Nemesis' game? Next of course was what were the rest of the gods up to?
“You know, they say you're annoying because you're a cat. But they're wrong. You were always annoying. Even when you had two legs and a mind of mush!”
“You say the sweetest things my dear!”
Even as he retorted Maynard was eyeing up the little bowl of wine, happy that he'd got his answer, but a little worried that she would tip it over him regardless of whether he tried for it or not. The wizard of sky seemed a little upset with him.
“Which reminds me, while we're sharing secrets you have quite a large one of your own – don't you Maynard the Annoying. A little magic you forgot to mention perhaps?”
He might not be a true cat, but Maynard's fur immediately stood on end when he heard the question and realised that she thought she knew something about him. But did she? “I'm sure I don't know what you mean!”
“Really? After all, there are plenty of other summoners out there and Terellion could control all of them easily enough. And your blood is pure human. No nymph blood there. But there is one gift that would cause no end of problems for him. A rare gift but one that often goes with summoning. A gift that might allow you to slip out from under his control every so often. If say you were not always the person you had been? If say you were a shifter? And let's be honest here, everyone agrees you eat too much for a cat. Far too much!”
“They're just mean spirited!”
“Or perhaps Nemesis didn't give you a cat's body. You just pretended that. Let's say instead that he commanded you to transform into an orange cat, take the shape of that last creature you summoned, and not to change back? Any thoughts?” She smiled at him the same way a tiger did before it pounced.
“That you've become more bitter and cynical with age?!” But she was right of course and Maynard couldn't deny that. So eventually he managed a small noise which might have been taken as an admission. His secret was also known! And he had hidden it so carefully for so long. Shifters were not well liked. Damn the woman was smart! And the honeyed wine was still looking extremely tempting – except that now he was certain she was going to dump it over him if he tried for it. Obviously she'd lost her sense of humour over the previous few years! Perhaps, he decided, he could simply stick to conversation for a bit. And though he had one question answered there were still more to be asked.
“So, here we are, the last two Circle wizards, probably the most powerful wizards left in the five kingdoms, both of us bound to Nemesis, one of the gods who doesn't interfere in worldly matters, and forced to watch over the others who the gods have been using. Others who as far as I can see, don't really need that much minding. Neither Harl nor Erislee are in a hurry to tell their stories to the world.”
“And both if I'm not mistaken, have the blood of the divine in their veins.” Maynard threw that last in almost as an aside, hoping it would slip past her without her noticing.
“Are you telling me or asking me fur ball?” Dina unfortunately wasn't fooled by the subtle comment.
“A little of both. I know Harl has some. It was the only reason he could be used as a vessel by Lyssa and craft the divine weapon of another goddess.”
“And Erislee?”
“Who else would Artemis trust her bow to but kin?” Maynard was sure of that. He couldn't prove it, but every fibre of his being said it was so.
“Perhaps.”
She was being coy and Maynard wasn't completely sure why. She either knew or she didn't. And if she didn't she should just say so. And if she did she should definitely say so. Still, he'd said so much. Maybe it was time to tell her everything else that was on his mind. And despite people's beliefs he could think about more than just food and wine from time to time.
“So we have two descendants, both being used by the gods. The demon king of Tartarus was killed after he dared to steal thousands of chimera from the gods' realms. Tartarus itself has possibly been destroyed. Nemesis is busy punishing mortals and creating a new race of chimera. Two wizards and their two charges are given the choice to remain in the world when they should be dead. And amongst all this we also have to ask ourselves; where is Pluto? The Master of Hades should have had at least some control over his demons. But instead he just let them run wild to make deals with wizards and destroy whole realms.”
“At the very least we have to assume there is some sort of rift in the heavens. That the Olympian gods are no longer as one.”
“Meanwhile the five kingdoms are broken and without their wizards. The temples are destroyed. The dryads have broken their most ancient ways and gone to war. A sizeable part of the mortal world is in ruins.”
“And if these two have to be watched over by wizards held back from their rightful rest when the High Priestess could simply have given away her bow once its purpose was served while Harl could have been sent on to Elysium, then that is a clear sign that they still have work to do.”
“This isn't over is it Dina Windstrider?”
The wizard turned to face him straight in the eyes and then told him in the clearest voice. “And do you think they tell me?”
Damn! Maynard had been hoping she would know. After all she'd been caught up in this a lot longer than he had. But he believed her. Which left him back at the beginning with nowhere to go. What he needed he decided was inspiration – and nowhere was inspiration to be found in greater abundance than in wine. Dionysus said so and he was one god who could always be trusted.
Carefully he reached out a paw towards the small bowl, thinking to drag it just little bit closer.
“Ready for a bath are we?” Dina wasn't asking him a question and Maynard felt a sudden breeze ruffling his fur the wrong way. He gathered it was a warning.
Damn! Maynard realised that he was locked in a battle of wits with a skilled and determined opponent. One who was absolutely opposed to him enjoying a little wine. And one who unfortunately had her magic working as it should. This was going to be a long and difficult night.
Why did the gods have to be so cruel?
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