Page 8 of Godslayer
There are no new boots. But that’s because the ones Tyse bought me in Tau City are high quality and I’m used to them now. No one wants to start a trip with new boots.
The last package isn’t from Delta, it’s from Anneeta. I figure this out immediately when I pick it up because it’s covered in brightly colored wax pencil drawings. Hearts, and smiley faces, and little stars.
The package is about the size and depth of a small book. When I open it up, that’s what I find. Not a book, exactly though. Because all the pages are blank. The cover is a very attractive wax-pencil drawing of a couple—a man and a woman embracing each other. The background shows, what I assume to be, the Great Sandy Sea, and they are dressed in traditional clothing. Tunics and loose pants for the man and a long dress for the woman. Outfits I’d find on my side of the worlds. But as I study it a little longer, I realize, it’s supposed to be Tyse and me. Or, Anneeta’s seven-year-old, artistic-skills version of us, at least.
There’s a note attached. I read it out loud. “Dear Clara, I hope you are doing great. I hope you have a good time on your trip. I would like to go on a trip too. But I’m not allowed. So I made you this notebook so you can keep track of all your exciting adventures. When you come back you can give it to me and I willread it. Then it will be like I was there with you. Make sure to draw cool and pretty pictures too!!!” (three exclamation points!). “I’ve added some wax pencils so you have no excuse. Your friend forever, the Godling Anneeta.”
I smile, then look at the little bundle of colored pencils. They are secured to the back of the notebook with a ribbon, but there’s a little velvet bag in the package as well. To keep it all together, I guess.
Isn’t it funny that I woke up this morning thinking of stories and now I’ve been tasked with writing one?
Life is so fun.
I put the notebook, the note, and the pencils into the little velvet bag. After that’s done, I look at the outfits.
Two. One to wear, and one as a spare.
This is when it hits me that this isn’t a vacation. It’s not a grand adventure—I mean, it could be, but it hasn’t been planned that way.
Tyse and I are on a mission. And Tyse is a soldier. Not just any soldier, either. He’s an augmented soldier. A being, here in this world, almost akin to a mythological figure. Almost as fanciful as the Godling Anneeta, herself.
This is a deployment and there won’t be any dresses, or parties, or hot showers. Well, maybe hot showers if we find a waterfall and my spark can heat it up—but it certainly won’t be a regular thing.
One outfit to wear and one as a spare.
I choose the dark outfit, saving the light one for another day. And then I get to work packing things up, following the diagram that came with the rucksack.
I find that I can hook trinkets onto my belt, turning it into a battle belt. Like the one Tyse wears, except, with a pocketknife instead of a VersiStrike.
I’m sitting on the couch, lacing my boots up, when Tyse returns, holding a package in his hand. He smiles at me as he kicks the door closed. This motion makes his weapon bang against his hip, which I find very sexy for some reason. “Hey,” he says, walking over to me. “New clothes?”
I stand up, modeling them. “Delta sent them, along with all kinds of other stuff.” I point to the pack. “Do you like it?”
He throws me a wild grin in response. “Love it. And that pack is pretty full. Looks heavy.” He walks over and picks it up. “What’s in it?”
“Trinkets. Clothes. A notebook to record my travels.” He gives me a funny look. “From Anneeta. She’s sad she’s not coming so she wants me to keep a diary.”
“Well, I’m not sad she’s being left behind.”
I laugh. “She’s notthatannoying.”
“If that little godling was coming along, I’d refuse to go.”
“You’re overreacting. She’s… a sparkplug!” I grin, using the name he calls her.
“She’s a troublemaker. And if she were comin’, she’d get us killed.”
I shake my head. Surely, he’s overreacting. But then I picture that room we had to pass through in order to make our escape from Tau City.
The room filled with dead Spark Maidens.
Because sheate them.
“Well,” I sigh. “I would not want to disappoint her, so I will keep a diary. And when we get back, I’ll let her read it. Troublemaker or not, Tyse, having a godling on our side is a fantastic twist of good luck.”
He doesn’t deny this. Just cocks his head at me, grinning.
Then I remember something. “Oh!” And I rush into the bedroom to grab the jar of copper coins. I bring it back out, holding it up for Tyse. “Guess what?” His eyes light up blue,waiting for me to tell him. “I figured out why I was dreaming about godships! Look!” I hold up a coin, the backside facing Tyse. “A ship!” Then I laugh. “Brains are so weird.”
