Chapter 3 #2
Kason unsteadily held up his arm and pushed back his sleeve. “It appeared sometime before last night,” he explained. “A marriage mark. Mokido bears a similar one.”
Tisin moved around the side of the cot to examine the mark more closely. Her fingers pulled his skin taut and brushed over the brand now and again, and despite the clinical nature of the examination, I found myself uncomfortable with it. As though I had any claim whatsoever on Kason. Ridiculous.
“This bears Rhianough’s signature. The goddess of love and intellect,” she added when I let my confusion show on my face. “Where are you from?”
“Kardonan,” Kason and I answered at the same time. Then I clarified, “I was born there, anyway. It’s not home.”
“Ah. Well, you’d probably know her better as the Unwavering.”
Oh…shit. The Unwavering Goddess was not a being whose attention you wanted.
She was demanding, unbending, and her will was incontestable.
You sought her help only when you were one hundred percent sure of your righteousness—that your path was the only true path for you.
She did not suffer fools. Ever. And she considered anyone who reconsidered their path once they’d chosen it a complete and utter fool.
Needless to say, few people asked for her blessing because few people were ever that sure of themselves.
“I’m familiar with her,” Kason said, his rough voice conveying all of the worry in my chest as well. “But I have never heard her called ‘the goddess of love and intellect.’”
“I thought Awarves was the god of love,” I interjected.
“Yes. He’s the impulsive side of love,” Tisin explained.
“That first heady rush of emotion, the passion of discovery, adventurous sex.” Before I had a chance to ask what that meant, she continued, “But Rhianough the Unwavering is the intellectual aspect of love—the considered side, the appreciative side, the side that acknowledges the difficulty and work involved in maintaining love.”
“How in the hells’ fiery depths did we attract her attention?” I demanded. Because a goddess who valued the work involved in staying in love—and one who thought that anyone who changed their mind was a fool—was not going to appreciate a request to annul this marriage.
“Did either of you pray to her?”
“No.”
“Not even obliquely?”
Good gods, now I understood why Kason had found my questions so annoying. “No. I barely knew she existed.”
Tisin’s eyes narrowed. “Respect will go much further with her than insolence, just so you’re aware.”
Not like I was going to have a face-to-face chat with her, was I? But fine.
“Did you happen to wade into one of her streams together recently?”
“She has streams?” Kason asked.
“Yes. There are four that lead to her temple, twenty leagues or so south of here. Statues of her are scattered along their banks?—”
“Shit. The stream.” I tugged on my hair. “The one we fell into. There was a statue standing over us. And you said something to me. A promise.”
Kason groaned. “I promised to be wherever you are.”
“That would do it,” Tisin said with a sigh. “She would assume you knew where you were and what you were saying.”
“Because fuck fools,” I muttered. I held out my arm, with its faded copy of Kason’s mark. “Then why is my mark not as dark as his?”
“Did you make your own promise?”
“No,” I scoffed. “Why would I?”
Tisin closed her eyes for a moment, as though she were in pain. “Because if you were truly initiating a marriage bond, you would have both said vows.”
“Wouldn’t she know, then, that it wasn’t a true marriage because I said nothing in return?”
“She doesn’t suffer fools, remember?” Kason said, letting his head fall back on the cot. “If I’m stupid enough to say what amounts to a vow in her stream to someone who doesn’t return the vow, I deserve to pay, don’t I?”
“Essentially,” Tisin said quietly. “I’m sorry.”
“Deserve to pay what? This is idiotic.” I jumped up from my chair and began pacing. “It was a mistake.”
“It was,” Kason agreed, “but I don’t think she cares.”
“That’s…that’s so dumb !” I turned my gaze to the ceiling. “Do you hear me, Rhia-whatever? That is the fucking stupidest thing I’ve ever?—”
“Mo, stop.”
I blinked, stunned into silence to hear my nickname upon Kason’s lips.
“How do we fix this?” Kason asked Tisin.
“The easiest way would be to return to the spring and have your…friend vow to stay with you as well.”
“No,” I said immediately, shaking my head. “That’s not a solution.”
Tisin’s mouth twisted with distaste, but I didn’t care. This wasn’t my fault. Why should I have to pledge myself to a man I didn’t want to be with?
“No,” Kason repeated, the word soft and slow. “What else can we do?”
“You could go to Rhianough’s temple and beg for her absolution and an annulment.” Tisin winced. “I’m not sure you’ll get it though. She’s not a forgiving deity.”
“It’s worth a try, anyway.” Finally, Kason made an attempt to rise, only to fall back onto the cot, breathing heavily. “I assume that the energy drain will continue until this is resolved?”
“Resolved, yes, or until you…” Tisin wagged her head back and forth.
“Until he what?” I demanded.
“Until I die,” Kason said, that damned smirk in place.
“No.” I froze, staring at Kason, then Tisin. “What? No. That’s— She wouldn’t possibly?—”
“More fool I,” Kason said.
“You could fix this,” Tisin reminded me, steel beneath her gentle tone.
“I’m already tethered to him!” I said, lifting my bound hands. “Don’t you get it? I’m his prisoner. He’s a witch-hunter. I’m a witch. Why, in all the hells, would I attach myself to him forever? Why would he want me to?”
“Maybe so he doesn’t die?” Tisin said, temper turning her cheeks pink.
“Enough,” Kason said. “Mo is right. This is my mistake, not his, and he has no obligation to save me from it.”
My nickname. Again. I ruthlessly tamped down on the shivers it evoked.
“Healer Tisin, if you would be so kind, is there a potion or tincture of some sort that would give me the stamina to make the journey to Rhianough’s temple?”
Tisin stared at me for a moment more, then blew out a harsh breath. “Yes, I have a vial you may purchase. But be aware—the effects will only be good for so long before your body begins to resist them.”
“I’m sure it will be enough to get us on our way to fixing this mess.” Groaning, Kason managed to lever himself into a sitting position. He was pale, his hair mussed, and he looked terrible—characteristics I steeled myself against.
Not my fault. Not my responsibility.
I suspected that would become a mantra of sorts in the coming days.