Page 120 of Sun Warrior

“Well,scrumptiousis the right word, and I’m getting more,” Marisaid. “Be right back!” She leaned down and kissed Nik, not even realizing how oddly natural it had become to kiss Nik—hello, good-bye, see you soon,or just because she liked kissing him—until she straightened and felt eyes on her.

Nik smiled and squeezed her hand, pulling her gently down so that he could whisper, “You do you, Mari. Ignore watching eyes.”

She squeezed his hand back and stood a little straighter, ignoring the curious stares.

The wapato roots were buried in an ember pit, not far from where the image of the Earth Mother rose from the fertile ground. Mari was crouching to begin the process of plucking a steaming-hot root from the glowing embers without burning her fingers when a motion at the corner of her eye shifted her attention. She glanced to the side and saw a man standing before the Earth Mother, head tilted back, gazing up at her. Beside the man sat a little blond Terrier.

Why’s Davis with the Earth Mother?Mari thought, curiosity moving her toward him. When she was just a few feet from him, Davis crouched down and pried a small section of moss from the ground in front of the idol. Then he took something out of his pocket and put it in the hole created by the uprooted moss before pressing the green carpet back into place. He stood again, gazing up into the Goddess’s serene face.

Mari made a small sound in her throat and Davis jumped a little. “Oh, Mari. I didn’t see you there.”

“Hi. I was just getting more wapato root, and I saw you over here with the Goddess.…” Her voice trailed off as she realized how intrusive she must sound. “Not that I mind you being over here. That’s not what I meant.”

Davis nodded. “I know what you meant. You’re curious about what I’m doing.”

“Well, sure, but I shouldn’t intrude. This is your business. Yours and the Goddess’s.”

“Does she talk to you?” Davis asked, his voice sounding wistful.

“She hasn’t yet. But she talked to my mama a lot. And I think she talks to Sora.”

“Do you think the Goddess might ever deign to talk to someone who isn’t an Earth Walker?”

As Mari answered, she heard Leda in her words and it brought her great comfort, as well as a wave of longing for her mother. “I think the Great Earth Mother belongs to everyone, not just Earth Walkers. So, sure, I do think it is possible. Davis, you don’t have to tell me if you’d rather keep it to yourself, but what did you just bury there?” Mari pointed to the spot directly in front of the Goddess.

“I don’t mind telling you, but it might be silly,” Davis said. “I found a pretty piece of shell years ago and I didn’t know why until now, but I’ve carried it everywhere with me ever since. And when I heard talk about how Earth Walker men court Clanswomen, I realized why I’d never traded away the shell.”

When Davis just stood there, staring up at the idol, Mari prompted, “Why didn’t you trade away the shell?”

“Because I had to give it to the Great Goddess, of course. Clanswomen always choose their men, but only after their men court them properly. I gave the shell to the Goddess to court her favor. Maybe, if I court her nicely enough, she’ll accept and speak to me, too.”

Emotion clogged Mari’s throat and tears stung her eyes, but before she could tell Davis what a lovely sentiment that was Adira stepped from the shadows on the far side of the idol. She was studying Davis intently, as if secret words might be written on his soul and if she looked hard enough she could read them.

“Who told you to bring the Goddess a gift?” Adira asked, though not in an unkind voice.

Davis moved his shoulders. “No one. It was my idea. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. Forgive me if I—”

Adira brushed away his apology. “You need not ask forgiveness. We often leave the Goddess gifts. I was just surprised to see a stranger, especially a Companion, doing it, too.”

Davis’s gaze moved back to the Goddess’s face. “I don’t know why, but she makes me feel like I’m not a stranger.”

“Yes, that can happen. It’s a great blessing to feel at home in the presence of the Goddess. Listen in the wind for her voice; she’s most easily heard there. Brightest blessings to you, Davis.” Adria nodded slightly to Davis, then bowed with formal respect to Mari before moving back into the shadows.

“I didn’t think she liked any of us Companions,” Davis said.

“I don’t think she did—until now. Good job, Davis.”

“But I didn’t do anything.”

“I think you just did more than you could ever know,” Mari said.

She patted Cammy affectionately on the head before going back to the ember pit, where she quickly plucked two succulent roots, and then returned to her little group, taking her place beside Nik. Rigel, Laru, and Fala had joined them, and Sora had finally surrendered Chloe to her mother, though the young Moon Woman’s gaze kept returning to her nursing pup.

“Do you think the Earth Mother speaks to others—I mean, people who aren’t Earth Walkers?” Mari asked Sora.

“I don’t see why not. We call herEarthMother, notEarth WalkerMother,” Sora said.

“I guess that makes sense,” Mari said, still considering what she’d just witnessed. Adira seemed to be in agreement with Sora. And when Mari really thought about it, she had to agree as well. She was the Great Goddess—Life herself—and not some shallow, limited deity. Leda had raised Mari to believe in her divine compassion, and even though Mari had never heard her voice or felt her presence, through her beloved mama she’d witnessed the strength of the Goddess’s love.