The Ranger of Marzanna (The Goddess War #1) - Jon Skovron Page 0,104

cross snow. We help ya’ free yer people. Ya’ help us invade Aureum.”

“That sounds about right.”

“Deal.” He spat into his drink and handed it to her.

She stared at it, unsure what to do.

“Ya’ spit in yer drink and give et to the Tighearna,” said Blaine.

Sonya took the offered cup in one hand, then spat in her own drink and handed it to Mordha. Mordha held it up, then drained the entire thing in one go. He sighed happily, wiped his beard with his forearm, then looked expectantly at Sonya.

Years of drinking bad vodka with Mikhail had prepared her for this particular ordeal. She raised her cup to Mordha, then drank it down in one large gulp. She felt the searing burn of the liquid as it made its way down her throat and into her stomach, but she didn’t show any outward discomfort.

Mordha’s eyes widened and he nodded, looking impressed. Then he nudged Blaine with his elbow and said something in their language that caused Blaine’s face to turn red again.

“Okay!” said Mordha. “We ha’ accord. Now we celebrate!”

“If there’s this much drinking in serious discussion,” murmured Jorge, “I wonder how much there will be when they celebrate.”

“We’re about to find out!” said Sonya, already feeling her limbs begin to loosen and buzz.

41

It was impressive how quickly the Uaine could mobilize for a large-scale celebration. It hadn’t seemed like there were many people in the settlement when they arrived, but now the muddy pathways were teeming with them, and they were already working passionately toward the goal of getting drunk. After knocking back that drink in Mordha’s tent, Sonya felt as though she was already halfway there herself.

Mordha led them toward the center of the settlement while boisterous revelers cheered and stamped their feet as they passed. Apparently among the Uaine, this was preferable to bowing, and Sonya found she rather liked that. In fact, the more she saw of these Uaine, the better she liked them. They were a welcome respite from both the rigid formality in Gogoleth and the placid domesticity she’d grown up with on the farm.

Soon they reached the large iron structure in the center of the settlement. Sonya hadn’t been sure of its purpose, and thought it might simply be a sculpture of some kind, perhaps for religious worship. But as she watched the Uaine fill it with wood and light it on fire, she began to suspect that its sole purpose was to facilitate the quick and easy creation of bonfires.

“We call et An Dannsair,” Blaine told her as they watched the fire spiral up inside the iron frame, bathing them all with a flickering heat that drove away the seeping damp chill of the early evening air. “The… Dancer, I think ya’ say.”

“Because flames seem to dance inside it?” asked Sonya as she watched.

“Aye, thas one reason,” Blaine agreed.

A group of Uaine gathered nearby with drums, flutes, fiddles, and an odd instrument that looked like a bag with several large flutes sticking out of it. After a loud and heated discussion in their language, they seemed to finally agree what song they were going to play, and began. The drums kept a brisk pace, while the flutes and violins played harmonies that sounded lively, even though they were in a minor key. Then the man with the odd bag instrument broke in with a melody that was harsh and proud, yet haunting in a way that Sonya had never heard before.

Blaine pulled off his heavy chain mail and tossed it to the ground with a clatter. His thin wool undershirt fitted tightly enough for Sonya to see the outline of the large slab-like pectorals she’d felt at the end of their fight. And it was short enough that she caught a fleeting glimpse of the pale, flat abdomen beneath.

He held out his hand. “Bhuidseach Sonah. Will ya’ dance wi’ me?”

She had absolutely no idea what sort of dancing the Uaine did, but she wasn’t about to let that stop her. She peeled off her thick Ranger coat and dropped it on top of Blaine’s chain mail. The cold breeze blew through her thin cotton shirt, but the drink Mordha gave her had kindled its own kind of warmth, so she barely felt it.

She grasped his hand and allowed him to pull her close.

“I have no idea what I’m doing, so you’ll have to lead this time,” she said.

He grinned, then spun her around so that they were each at arm’s length, then brought