Page 157 of Sun Warrior

Nik pulled her into his arms, falling back on the pallet, kissing her deeply, thoroughly, lovingly. And Mari discovered the simple but miraculous truth—they fit together perfectly.

CHAPTER 34

As dawn broke, Death was partying. He and his newly made Reapers had crowded onto the God’s balcony and were spilling out into the main chamber as well, filling the Temple with the raucous sounds of half-drunk men and giggling women.

Dove crouched just inside the opening to the private room she and Dead Eye had sectioned off from the rest of the chamber. Dove touched the fragrant curtain woven from dried lavender. The scent used to remind her of love and happiness. Now all it did was make her sad and remind her of all that she’d lost when her lover surrendered himself to the God of Death.

Dove had lost all hope that her Champion would wake again—would come back to consciousness, if only for a few moments. She still craved his protective arms around her, and she wished she could speak with her lover just one more time. But her focus must now be on survival and escape—for the two were one and the same.

Screaming giggles drifted to her from the other side of the God’s chamber. Dove didn’t need eyes to understand enough of what was happening out there that she wanted to stay hidden. She could hear the sounds of the God’s men chasing her Attendants as the women pretended to flee from them—only to be caught and carried to pallets orcaught and ravished right there in front of the rest of the men as they cheered their brother Reapers on.

And in the center of it all, Dove could hear Death’s booming voice calling encouragement.

She hated the sound of His voice with an intensity that sometimes left her breathless.

She heard the soft footfalls of one of her Attendants approaching and knew before she spoke that it was her only friend and confidante, Lily.

“He demands your presence, Mistress.” Lily’s voice was filled with regret.

Dove nodded and smoothed her hair. “I’ve been expecting His call.”

“Would you have me tell Him you are ill? Perhaps that it is your monthly moon time?”

“He’d know it was a lie. I’ll go to Him.” She stood. “How do I look?”

“Lovely, like a Goddess yourself,” Lily said.

“I didn’t know people thought I was beautiful,” Dove said. “And then my Champion turned his eyes to me, and he told me that I was fair of face and body, and I was so, so glad. Now I wish I was an ancient, wrinkled crone, like the Watchers used to be, so that He would leave me alone!” She almost spit the words.

Lily moved closer to her Mistress. “I’ve heard them talking. They leave this evening for the Others’ City in the Trees. They attack after sunset.”

Dove squeezed Lily’s hand tightly. “Then we must leave today, too! Are we ready?”

Lily nodded, moving closer to her Mistress so that they would not be overheard. “I’ve done all that you asked.”

“Good. I will find a way to be absent without Him suspecting that I am gone. As soon as I do that, we will leave this place, as I will never join that monster in the trees, or anywhere else!”

“Dove! Come to your God!”

Lily flinched at His shout, and Dove squeezed her hand again, before letting it go. “Remember,” she whispered to Lily. “Our God is a Goddess—we follow the Great Mother Goddess now, Life herself. Be ready. I am sure She will help us flee Death.” In truth, Dove wasn’t sure at all, but she kept thinking it, kept praying it, kept believing it, hoping by her will alone she would make it true.

“I’ve hidden our packs outside the Temple. I wish I’d had more time to prepare,” Lily whispered back.

“Dove!”the God roared.

Dove began to walk quickly out to the chamber she knew so well, but Lily caught her up, taking her elbow.

“Don’t come with me. I want you out of His sight as much as you can be. I can find my way easily inside the Temple. You know that, Lily.”

“Not today you cannot. There are Reapers and your Attendants coupling in places you wouldn’t expect.” Lily’s voice was filled with disgust.

“Oh. I understand. Yes, please guide me.”

Together the two girls made their way through the crowded, chaotic chamber. Dove could smell the thick, sour scent of sex mixed with the sweet tang of the fermented apple drink they were all guzzling. She swallowed several times to keep from getting sick.

Dove loathed them all. Each day the God’s army of Reapers grew stronger. They also grew more arrogant and more animalistic. Gone were the rites and rituals that used to fill the Temple. Gone were the traditions that kept alive the worship of a metal statue. The God had awakened, and He desired more than quaint traditions and ancient rituals.

Dove had decided that Death desired nothing as much as He desired chaos.