The Realms of the Gods Read Online Free PDF Page B

that they would be in very good condition.
    Once dressed, she had to sit briefly to catch her breath. The weakness and ache weren’t as bad as they had been, but she was still shaky. Tidying her bed required another rest before she could leave the room. She did not see the pocket of shadow that separated from the gloom under her bed and followed her.
    The main room of the cottage was empty of people. Looking around, she saw the things that she would expect in her mother’s house, as well as three heavy perches—as if very large birds often visited. She guessed that other bedrooms lay behind closed doors. Two doors, however, stood open. Outside one, a path led downhill into a forest. Going to the other, she looked into a walled kitchen garden. A small well, a table, benches, and an outdoor hearth were placed on the open grass. Her mother sat at the table, peeling apples. The duckmole sat on the table beside her, pushing a bit of peel with his bill.
    Sarra beamed as Daine sat opposite her. “It’s long past breakfast, but I thought you might still want porridge.” She filled a bowl from a pot on the hearth. Pitchers of honey and cream were on the table; Daine used both. The porridge was rich, with a deep, nutty taste that shocked her. It was stuffed with bits of dried fruit, each tasting fresh picked. The cream and honey also were intensely flavorful. She ate only half of the bowl, and put it aside. Her mother drew a mug of water from the well. That was easier to swallow, although it was as powerful as if it came from an icy mountain stream.
    Sarra frowned. “You should be hungrier, after all that sleep and the pain from crossing over.”
    â€œYou forget how things tasted when you first came here.” A fluffy orange-and-white–marbled cat leaped onto the table to sit in front of Daine. She stared at the girl with large, amber eyes, pink nose twitching. “In the Divine Realms, you eat the essence of things, not the shadow. I am Queenclaw, goddess of house cats.”
    Respectfully, the girl bowed. Queenclaw was an impressive creature. “It’s a very great honor, meeting you.”
    â€œOf course it is.” The cat began to wash.
    â€œHow’d you come to be here, Ma?” Daine asked. “I thought the mortal dead go to the Black God’s realm.”
    Sarra cut up her apples. “So I did,” she replied. “Your father came for me there. He petitioned the Great Gods to allow me to live with him. They decided it was well enough.” She eyed Daine warily. “You blame me for not telling you about him?”
    Daine looked at the cat, who was still washing, and at the duckmole, who was grinding apple bits in his bill. She’d forgotten her ma’s way of discussing private things before others. “It might’ve helped later, is all. Ma, we can’t stay, you know. We’re—”
    Queenclaw hissed, and leaped off the table. Briefly Daine suspected her of creating a diversion, until she saw that a black shape, almost like a living ink blot, was tangled in the cat’s teeth and claws. It wriggled and shifted like water, trying to escape. Only when the duckmole jumped down to stand on one of the thing’s tendrils did it quiet.
    â€œWhat is that?” the girl wanted to know.
    â€œI’ve no notion,” replied Sarra, frowning. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Unless it’s one of Gainel’s—the Dream King’s. It could be one of his nightmares.”
    â€œNo,” Queenclaw said, looking up. “He’s strict with his creatures. They lose their power over mortalsif they’re allowed to wander, so he keeps them close.”
    â€œWe’ll hold it for Weiryn to look at when he returns.” Sarra reached down, white light spilling from her fingers. When it touched the shadowy thing, Queenclaw and Broad Foot moved away from it. Kneeling, Sarra picked the creature up, using the white