“Thanks. I wasn’t there.”
“Clearly. If you had been, you would have been killed.”
“Okay, hurtful,” Tyche grumbled, shooting the dragon a sharp look.
“But am I wrong?”
No, he wasn’t. Tyche had told Shey many times he wasn’t a fighter and he wouldn’t have stood a chance against a dragon. Even his luck would have failed him when faced with a clan of dragons.
Haru took a step closer and extended his hand. “Would you like me to help you out of the water?”
“No, thank you. I’ve got it.” He’d been tempted to move to the other bank, but what was the point? It’s not like it would help him escape the dragon. His ego demanded that he try to return to dry land on his own. However, his clumsy feet betrayed him. He managed two steps before he slipped on a moss-covered rock. Yet, a powerful hand grabbed his elbow and kept him upright, safe from an icy bath. He jerked his head around to find a smiling Haru holding him up, while still standing on dry land. Tyche’s heart hammered, and he couldn’t draw in a single breath. He could only stare, frozen like a hare trapped by a wolf, waiting to have its guts ripped out. Without a word, Haru helped him out of the water and released him.
Tyche flopped down, light-headed, just trying to focus on breathing. His hands trembled as he pulled off his wet shoes and socks. He hadn’t been there at the war between gods and dragons, but he’d heard some stories. None of the major gods had died, but quite a few minor ones had flocked to Tula and Kaes, hoping to score some brownie points. Many, many dragons had died. The giant lizards were known for having long lives and long memories. Those deaths would never be forgotten. Tyche had always thought he would carry the burden of that war because he was a god.
Yet, Haru appeared not to blame him for those events.
To his shock, Haru sat next to him, seeming content to watch the stream flow by as Tyche tried to wring the water out of his shoes and socks.
“It is interesting. I have not been in these lands all that long, but I have already encountered two gods,” Haru began.
“Two?”
Haru’s smooth brow furrowed, his prominent dark eyebrows slashing toward the bridge of his nose. “No, you’re right. Three.”
“I’m still confused. Who have you encountered besides me?”
“First, there is my cousin. Tula, Caris, Kaes, Nyx, and Lore assisted him in becoming a god so that he could defeat Zyros. He said that he has become the new God of Hope.”
A small smile teased the corners of his mouth. It sounded like a pretty title, but Tyche did not envy him for it. It also sounded like an enormous weight.
“His name is Caelan, right?” Tyche shook his head as he peeled off his other sock. “I’ve never met him. It’s been a very long time since I last passed through Erya. Centuries, probably. Those lands were always a favorite of Tula, and I preferred to give her a wide berth.”
“There is you. I also saw the remains of the one you called Yesuntei.” His voice softened on her name. “I’m sorry for your loss. She was a good friend?”
Tyche hesitated and then finally sighed. He might have felt a strong kinship with her at the end out of desperation and fear, but if he was being honest with himself, he’d never been close to Teitei or her sister. They’d crossed paths several times over their long lifetimes, but their meetings had always been rather brief, never lasting for more than a day or two. Sometimes, they’d simply shared a meal. It had been friendly but always cautious because the gods and goddesses had never trusted each other. Especially after what had happened with Zyros. If a human could kill them for their powers, what was to stop another god from doing the same?
“We weren’t close, but we’d known each other for a long time. She was kind.” He frowned at his wet socks. There was nothinghe could do about them. With a sigh, he pulled one onto his foot, cringing at the cold, uncomfortable material as it pulled at his skin. “I know you wouldn’t think it, being the Goddess of Nightmares, but she was a sweet and kind being. She liked quiet days, painting, and sitting in the woods watching the wildlife. Like a lot of us, she preferred to stay away from humans. She knew that if humans discovered who she was, they wouldn’t understand her.”
“But she had a sister.”
“Mn. Cirina. She’s…different.” That was an understatement. “Not evil, per se. Just…I don’t know how to put it. She’s the Goddess of Dreams, so her mind isn’t always locked into reality. But she was always very protective of Yesuntei. The fact that Teitei was kidnapped by those bastards makes me think maybe Cirina is already dead.” At least part of him hoped she was.
“So, gods and goddesses like you do not travel together. Is there not a central town or clan where you gather?”
Tyche stopped struggling with his other sock and pointed a finger at the dragon. “Ha! I’m on to you now. You’re acting nice to me to get information on the gods. Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you. There is no grand, hidden city of the gods. No central hub where you can go and wipe us all out in a single attack.”
Haru’s handsome face twisted up in confusion and maybe even shock. “That wasn’t what I was thinking at all. I-I just don’t understand your life, and I wish to.”
Tyche curled his finger back into his fist and stared at the dragon. “What do you mean? What’s to understand?”
“You’re a god, but where is your family? Where is your clan? Where were the people who should have come to save you? Did they not know about your capture?”
Each question hit like a physical blow. These were concepts he was aware of from watching humans for countless centuries,but they weren’t things that he’d experienced personally. He’d never had close friends. At least, he couldn’t remember having any. Traveling with Shey was already the longest he’d spent with a single human being, and that wasn’t even counting the weeks they’d spent talking to each other through a wall. Usually, a few hours with a human was more than enough to annoy him, and he was ready for the peace and quiet of solitude.
“Gods rarely have families, and very few have ever had friends. It’s…it’s too dangerous.”
“Is it not more dangerous to travel alone? To have no one?”
