Amber and Blood - Margaret Weis [18]
“Yeah, I can see that. I guess I forgot about the tinder because I was so excited about finding something else. I didn’t want to bring it in if you-know-who was still here. But since she’s gone, I’ll go get it.”
He darted out of the grotto and returned carrying a long, slender piece of driftwood. He held it out proudly.
“I found it washed up on shore. Doesn’t it remind you of your old staff? The emetic or whatever it was you called it? Anyway, Atta and I thought you might be able to use it.”
“Emmide,” said Rhys softly. He took hold of the staff, clasped his fingers around it. A pleasant warmth stole into his arm and spread throughout his body. And it was in this warmth that he heard the god’s voice, knew Majere’s answer.
Rhys rested the staff against the wall and spread the girl’s wet smock near the fire to dry. She slept deeply, her breathing even and quiet. He sank down onto the floor and leaned back against the wall. He was exhausted, mentally and physically. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept.
“I heard Zeboim yelling at you. What did she want?” Nightshade asked.
“You and Atta were right. This little girl is Mina,” said Rhys. He closed his eyes.
“Whoo boy!” breathed Nightshade.
He removed his pouches, then took off his boots and emptied out the water and arranged them close to the blaze to dry off.
“My boots still smell of salt pork,” he said. “Which reminds me. It’s been a long time since dinner. I wonder if there’s any of that pork left.”
He went over to the barrel of salt pork the minotaur had left them for food and peered inside. Atta watched him hopefully. He shook his head, and the dog’s ears drooped.
“Oh, well. I guess we can wait until lunch, can’t we, girl?” Nightshade said, giving her a pat. “Say, Rhys, did Zeboim tell you how Mina turned into a little kid? I’ve heard of people aging ten years overnight, but never the other way around. Did the goddess have something to do with that? Did she? Rhys?”
The kender poked him. “Rhys, are you asleep?”
“What?” Rhys woke with a start.
“Sorry,” said Nightshade remorsefully. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“That’s all right. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. What was your question?” Rhys asked patiently.
“I was asking if Zeboim did this. She seems fond of shrinking people.” The kender was still bitter over the time the goddess had reduced him to the size of a khas piece and stuffed him inside Rhys’s pouch, then sent them both off to fight a death knight.
Rhys shook his head. “The Sea Goddess was shocked to see Mina as a child.”
“So what did she say happened?”
“According to Zeboim, Mina is a god who doesn’t know she’s a god. A god who was tricked by Takhisis into thinking she was human. Mina is a god of light, duped into serving Darkness.”
Nightshade regarded Rhys with narrowed eyes. “Did you hit your head again?”
“I’m fine,” Rhys assured him.
“Mina a god.” Nightshade snorted. “If you ask me, it’s all a bunch of hooey. Zeboim did this. She turned Mina into a little kid and sent her to us just to annoy us.”
“I don’t think so,” Rhys said quietly. “Mina woke up while you were gone. She told me she had run away from home and she asked me to take her back.”
Nightshade found this news cheering. “See there? Where does the kid want to go? Flotsam? It’s not far, just up the coast. She probably got swept out to sea—”
“Godshome,” said Rhys.
Nightshade’s brow wrinkled. “Godshome? That’s not a place. No one lives in Godshome except the—”
He gulped, and his eyes got round, and he gave a low whistle that made Atta’s ear twitch.
“I don’t think Zeboim told her to say that,” Rhys added with a sigh.
Nightshade looked at Mina and chewed his lower lip. Suddenly, he brightened.
“I’ll bet you heard her wrong. I’ll bet she said ‘Goat’s Home’.”
“Goat’s Home?” Rhys repeated, smiling. “I have never heard of such a place, my friend.”
“You don’t know everything,” Nightshade stated, “even if you are a monk. There are lots and lots of places you’ve never heard of.”
“I have heard of Godshome,” Rhys said.
“Stop saying that!” Nightshade ordered.