His hands tightened on her. “None of this is real. It’s a shared hallucination—so that we don’t fight our captivity.”
“Captivity?”
“That last portal took us to . . . to a treacherous place. Into the belly of a beast. It will want to keep us—immortals are a source of constantly replenishing nourishment—but we’re going to fight.”
Was he saying she was something’s food? One of her worst fears. “Y-you’re scaring me.”
“I’ll get you free, but you’ll have to create a portal directly after, or we’ll be drugged and trapped once more.”
“This isn’t funny!”
In a gallows tone, he said, “No, Lanthe. It isn’t.”
THIRTY-EIGHT
Thrymheim Hold, Northlands
Home of Skathi, goddess of the hunt
Goddess council convening
Agenda: Petition for godhood submitted by Phenïx the Ever-Knowing, firstborn Valkyrie
Nïx, you’ve known about this meeting for decades and decades,” Riora, the goddess of impossibility, said. “Couldn’t you have prepared better?”
Nïx blinked at Riora as they made their way through the rumbling halls carved into Godsbellow Mountain, a peak continually shaken by thunder. “I don’t take your meaning.”
“You’re wearing a T-shirt and flops, you’re carrying a sleeping bat, and you reek of what can only be gastric acid.” The bat burped in its sleep, expelling a puff of green mist. Then it smacked its lips. “This is a formal affair. Kali is wearing twelve skulls.”
Nïx’s eyes went wide. “I should’ve vajazzled!” Her excitement woke the bat. It clawed its way up her T-shirt to perch on her shoulder. With a shrug, Nïx opened her backpack, retrieving sheets of paper.
Riora looked approving, expecting a résumé of Nïx’s great works and deeds, a divine CV to advance her cause—then frowned when the Valkyrie turned to post a flyer for a “barely used” Bentley on one of Thrymheim’s sacred walls. “As your friend, I have to tell you that the atmosphere in Skathi’s meeting hall is contentious. Most of the deities think you reach above your station. The questioning will be intense.” From within the hall, they could hear goddesses debating whether Nïx had “the juice.”
“Who’s here?”
“Most goddesses. Standing, levitating, and astral projection room only.”
“How’re you liking my chances?” Nïx asked.
Riora tilted her head. “Nothing is impossible with you, which is why I’ve always liked you.”
Nïx nodded thoughtfully. “Aside from a few other deities, you’ve always been my favorite.”
Riora pursed her lips, and she and Nïx entered.
The focus of the room was a grand wooden table with three concentric rotating disks. One disk measured all times. The second was a perpetually changing map of the mortal world and connecting domains. The third monitored celestial acts taking place across all realms. The center of the table was hollow, with a dais in the middle.
A number of goddesses, or their dimensional likenesses, were in attendance. In the flesh were the witch deities Hekate and Hela; Lamia, the goddess of life and fertility; Wohpe, goddess of peace; Saroh, the goddess of the Jinn; and the Great She-Bear, protectoress of shifters. Among many more . . .
With a nod of encouragement, Riora left Nïx and took her saved spot at the table.
The legendary Skathi presided. She looked exasperated, not bothering to hide her feelings about Nïx’s petition.
The Valkyrie didn’t seem to notice the goddess’s displeasure. With that bat on her shoulder, she nonchalantly made her way toward the dais in the center of the rotating table. As she approached, a path opened up, the wood disappearing, then reappearing behind her, like a wake.
Atop the dais, Nïx turned to Skathi. It was known that if one gazed into that goddess’s eyes, he or she would experience all the fear and sorrow of Skathi’s prey over the ages; yet Nïx boldly met her gaze. Which appeared to surprise the goddess.
Clearing her throat, Skathi called the meeting to order, then took her seat. “We will dispense with formalities to limit the duration of this meeting. We convene because Phenïx the Ever-Knowing is petitioning to join our ranks in the pantheon of goddesses.” Skathi steepled her fingers. “Tell us in your own words: Why should we welcome you into our blessed number?”