Page 123 of Sun Warrior

“My Lord, if You allow, I would wash Your hands and feet in preparation for Your meal.”

“I will indeed allow. And when you have finished with me, you may wash each of my Reapers as well, starting with my Blade, Iron Fist.” His voice changed as He addressed His men so that the God sounded almost jovial. “Though do not get accustomed to my Dove serving you. When the Great Goddess resides within her body, she will serve no one except me.”

Dove made her face neutral as the Reapers all chuckled along with their God, though her thoughts were whirring.Life serves Death? That doesn’t seem right. Doesn’t Death ultimately serve Life? No matter Hisbravado now, I heard Him say that He was going to force the Goddess to awaken. But can a Goddess be forced to do anything?Keeping her thoughts to herself, Dove felt her way to Death and knelt before Him, gently washing each of His hands as He ignored her and spoke to His men as if she were deaf as well as blind.

“We take the city of the Others four nights from now,” Death said. He paused then, as if waiting for questions. When there were none, He continued, and Dove could hear the smile in His voice. “Very good. Very, very good. And because you show the trust you have in me by not asking, I will gladly explain. Today, Lizard made a noble sacrifice. Tell the Reapers, Iron Fist.”

“Lizard died today after infecting a great sow with the skin sloughing disease. The beast then followed me to the place of the Others. I saw them capture her. I saw them rejoice for the food she brought them.”

“Food that is as poisoned as was poor Lizard’s body,” Death finished for him.

“And that is it.” Dove recognized Rebel’s voice. “Any of the Others who eat of the sow’s meat will be infected. My Lord, there will be no one left to stand against us!”

Dove moved from the God’s hands to His feet, washing them carefully as she listened.

“Their numbers will still be far more than ours, though they will be ill, and much weakened. And they will not expect an army such as ours led by a God.”

“Yes! To war! To the City in the Trees!” the Reapers shouted.

Dove felt Death lift His arm and they quieted. Soundless, she moved from the God to the first of the Reapers, the God’s Blade, Iron Fist, quickly and efficiently washing his hands and feet and trying not to flinch at the filth and grim that sloughed from his skin.

“We are not yet ready. Over these next days the Others will grow weaker, and more divided, but we must grow stronger. I need each of you to gather any Hunter or Harvester who has not yet begun to cough blood. Take them to the forest, far enough in that the animals are nottainted with mutations and poisons but are pure and disease-free. Then do for them what I have done for you. Flay each creature and join it with a Harvester or Hunter so that they, too, may be changed into a Reaper, a Warrior, a demigod!”

The men surged to their feet, and the bucket was knocked from Dove’s hands, spilling its foul water all over her skirt and legs.

“Dove, go inside. Wash yourself. Wait in my bedchamber. You have made a mess here. Begone!” the God snapped at her.

Dove stood. She faced Death. Slowly, gracefully, she sank into a deep bow. “Yes, my Lord.”

She held her head high, walking with regal dignity from the God’s balcony as her Attendants rushed past her, carrying platters, fragrant with food, to the men. Dove went to her bedchamber, stepped within the veiled area, and crumpled to the floor. She put her face in her hands and her body quaked with misery as she wished she could shed tears and with them maybe shed some of the despair that pooled within her.

“Mistress?” Lily’s voice wasn’t much more than a whisper. “Are you well?”

“No,” Dove moaned. “I am not well. I am broken.”

“Oh, Mistress!” Lily stepped through the veil and knelt beside Dove. Hesitantly at first, Lily put her arms around Dove. When she didn’t resist, Lily hugged her, rocking slowly as Dove continued to tremble in her embrace. She sang a sweet, wordless melody that Dove recognized as a song young girls sang as they waited to be presented to the statue of the God when first they began to bleed. Somehow it calmed Dove. It also made her wonder at Lily’s age.

“How old are you, Lily?” Dove asked, still resting her head against her Attendant’s shoulder.

“I have known fourteen winters,” Lily said.

“So young and kind,” Dove said. “Forgive me for ever speaking harshly to you.”

“I knew it was not in your true nature, Mistress.…” Lily paused, and Dove could feel a new tension in her slim body.

“Go ahead. Ask,” Dove said.

“What are we going to do, Mistress? Is He really our God awakened?” Lily whispered frantically.

“He isaGod. There are others. He wants to bring one alive inside me, to take me over, just as He took over my Dead Eye.”

“You’ll be gone? Just as our Champion is no more?”

“Yes,” Dove said.

“I—I will still serve you faithfully, Mistress,” Lily said with a sob. “Even when you are no more.”

“Thank you, Lily. But for right now, I need a friend more than I need a servant,” Dove said. “Will you be my friend?”