Anassa, Of Sot out of bed and dressed herself. This past week had been good, there was something sweet in the air. Even Essa had e to talk to her about it! She ughed to herself as she breot of tea.

  Who did that girl think she was? They were supposed to be friends now because they’ve been chatting for a millennia? Friends you die and kill for. Anassa’s only friends were long gone. She told her nothing of course.

  “Excuse me?” Alice trembled under Alsaria’s gaze like she did for no Divine. “Speak child, I did not mean to scare you.”

  “Lady Leona has woken up.” The pen in Alsaria’s hand snapped and she took a deep breath.

  “That is good. Take me to her.”

  “At once Goddess.” Alice bowed and fled the Divine’s office immediately. It was a beautiful room, all marble and gold, but they all carried a sense of Alsaria’s omnipotence. Alice did not look back to check if the footsteps behind her were Alsaria’s.

  Anassa, Of Sorcery, put her book down and closed her eyes. Auras? Four of them? And not Divines? She sipped her tea and smiled. Guests really did make everything sweeter.

  Alsaria lowered her head as she followed Leona’s handmaid into the woman’s room. Leona was only as tall as a man, that was very short for a Divine. Her quarters were built with that in miirely ungodly, but rarely did anyoo visit Leona for assistanyway. The wide-eyed maid gave Alsaria ond then jumped back. Silly girl. “Mistress, I’ve brought Goddess Alsaria.” Leona was lying on her bed, hidden uhe covers entirely. It was a bed fit for a king, unfit for Divinity. Leona was always modest like that, that wood was nicely furhe sheets simple and unpatterned.

  “Good Aliow make some tea. Something calming. Wait for Al to leave before you… return.” Leona’s anseak, her voice shaky as if she was f the words now. A gss of water sat on the bedside table and a bowl y by its foot. There was vomit in it.

  “At once Mistress.” The maid scurried off without even daring to give Alsaria the slightest of looks.

  “How are we feeling Leona?” Alsaria finally spoke up when the door shut.

  “Not good.” Leona croaked as the covers moved about like a snake. A small, pale hand shot and waved from side to side. “Water.” Alsaria walked over and passed the gss to that hand. The gss disappeared uhe covers.

  “You know I have to ask.” The gss reappeared, half drunk, and Alsaria sighed. She retur to the et. “So?”

  “Artica. Me.” Leona croaked from underh the bed. Alsaria crossed her arms.

  “What?”

  “Cuts off. Nothing… after Artica.”

  “Olephia then?” Alsaria had seen the Goddess of Chaos in her prison the day after Leona faihe woman still asleep as she had been for the past millennium.

  “No. Me.” Leona croaked once again. Alsaria sighed. Leona in Artica? That was the trouble? Why!?

  “Is it the sleeping procedure?”

  “I don’t know…” Leona said.

  “We’ve never…” Alsaria thought for a few moments. “I’ll go with you to Arti the recharge.”

  “Soon…” Leona began and cut herself off. Her head erupted from the covers, a dirty bundle of messy golden hair vomited the water bato the bowl. She had just enough strength to finish weakly reach for the gss, shakily drink the water and thereat bato her ir. “Soon. I want to get it over with.”

  “Rest for now, we’ll get to it whe to it.” Leona shook her head.

  “A-after that, I’m not returning here.” Alsaria shrugged.

  “Rolling dice?”

  “Like back then, I’ll take Alice with me.”

  “Ring if you’re in trouble.”

  “I will.”