The Winter Goddess

The Third Death

The Third Death

When I came back into my immortal body, the pain remained. I screamed as Danu enfolded me in her arms, as the other gods clustered around me. Dagda’s face was wracked with agony, and Danu was weeping hot tears onto my blue flesh. “I must ask you,” she said, even as she sobbed, “what did you—”

But I would not answer her foolish question. She knew what I had learned. She had seen how I had loved áine, and she had watched as I had been betrayed.

“Send me back! Send me back! Send me back!” I screamed in rage over and over until finally Danu pointed a finger at me and there was light, then noise, then, silence.