Amber and Blood - Margaret Weis [22]
“My name is Rhys Mason,” Rhys said, trying to speak in normal tones. “And this is my friend, Nightshade.”
“P-pleased to meet you,” said Nightshade faintly.
“What’s the dog’s name?” Mina asked. She reached down to pet Atta, who cringed at the god-child’s touch and would have crawled off, but Nightshade had hold of her. “She’s a nice dog. I like her. She bit the bad man.”
“Her name is Atta.” Rhys drew in a deep breath. He knelt down, putting himself at eye-level with her. “Mina, why do you want to go to Godshome?”
“Because that’s where my mother is,” Mina answered. “She’s waiting for me there.”
“What is your mother’s name?” Rhys asked.
“Goldmoon,” said Mina.
Nightshade made a choking sound.
“My mother’s name is Goldmoon,” Mina was saying, “and she’s waiting for me at Godshome, and you’re going to take me to her.”
“Rhys,” said Nightshade, “could I have a word? In private?”
“Aren’t we going now?” Mina asked impatiently.
“In a minute,” said Rhys.
“Oh, all right. I’ll go play outside,” Mina stated. “Can the dog come with me?” She ran to the entrance of the grotto and turned to call, “Atta! Come, Atta!”
Rhys made a sign with his hand. Atta cast him a reproachful glance, then, her ears drooping, she slunk out of the cave.
“Rhys”—Nightshade pounced on him—“what in the name of Chemosh, Mishakal, Chislev, Sargonnas, Gilean, Hiddukel, Morgion and … and all the other gods I can’t think of right at the moment, what do you think you’re doing?”
Rhys picked up Nightshade’s boots and held them out to him.
Nightshade shoved the boots aside.
“Rhys, that little girl is a god! Not only that, she’s a god who has lost her bloody mind!” Nightshade waved his arms to emphasize his words. “She wants us to take her to Godshome—a place that maybe doesn’t even exist to meet Goldmoon—a woman who’s been dead for years! That girl is crackers, Rhys! Cuckoo! Looney! Off her rocker!”
“Chemosh,” Krell was howling. “You son-of-a-bitch! Come get me out of here!”
Nightshade jerked his thumb upward.
“What happens when Mina gets mad at us? Maybe she’ll shoot us off to a moon and leave us stranded there. Or pick up a mountain and drop it on top of our heads. Or feed us to a dragon.”
“I made a promise,” said Rhys.
Nightshade sighed and, sitting down, he pulled on one of his boots and tugged.
“You made that promise before you knew all the facts,” Nightshade stated, pulling on the other boot. “Do you even know where Godshome is—that is, if it is?”
“Legend holds that Godshome is in the Khalkist mountains, somewhere near Neraka,” Rhys replied.
“Oh, well, that’s all right,” Nightshade grumbled. “Neraka is the most horrible, evil place on the continent. Not to mention that it’s on the other side of the world.”
“Not quite that far,” said Rhys, smiling.
They left the grotto, where Krell was still hanging from the ceiling, twisting and swearing. Chemosh appeared to be in no hurry to rescue his champion.
“In my opinion, you were hoodwinked,” Nightshade continued. He halted at the entrance, looking up at his friend. “Rhys, I want you to consider one thing.”
“What’s that, my friend?”
“Our story is over, Rhys,” said Nightshade earnestly. “We had a happy ending—you and me and Atta. Let’s close the book and go home.”
The kender gestured to Mina, who was running among the sand dunes, laughing wildly. “This is god-business, Rhys. We shouldn’t be getting mixed up in it.”
“A wise person once told me, ‘You can’t quit a god,’ ” said Rhys.
“The person who said that to you was a kender,” Nightshade returned grumpily. “And you know you can’t trust them.”
“I trusted one with my life,” said Rhys, resting his hand on Nightshade’s head. “And he did not let me down.”
“Well, then, you got lucky,” Nightshade muttered. He shoved his hands in his pockets and kicked at a rock.
“My story is not finished. No one’s story is ever really finished. Death is just the turning of another page. But you are right, my friend,” Rhys said with an involuntary sigh. “Traveling with her will be dangerous and difficult. Your story may