Kalona's Fall (House of Night Novellas #4)(11)

Kalona did not, but he realized he did not because he had not been paying much attention to the mortals that inhabited earth. His only focus had been on winning his place at Nyx’s side. He was just beginning to understand he might need to be by her side for more reasons than the desire he felt for her.

“Are you in danger, Nyx?”

The Goddess met his gaze. “I do not know.”

“These ridiculous tests! They keep me from you. I should be beside you, protecting you!”

She studied him carefully, not reacting to his outburst. Eventually he felt foolish, and he stared out at the lazily flowing river.

“You are eager to speak about human strife and the dangers of Darkness. You are quick to leap to my defense.”

“Always!” he assured her, wondering why she suddenly looked so sad.

“But you say nothing of my eternal loneliness.”

“I thought I need say nothing—that you understood that if I was your protector, I would be by your side, your lover and mate, eternally watching over you.”

“Kalona, perhaps a good lesson for you to learn is to never presume you know what a Goddess, or any woman, is thinking,” Nyx said. With a smile she motioned for him to join her as she settled on a smooth driftwood log and began to pick through the pebbles by her bare feet, choosing some and discarding others.

Kalona sat and, not knowing what to say next, blurted, “Is earth really like the Otherworld?”

“Yes and no,” she explained. “The earth is to the Otherworld as the People’s Great Spirit Tree is to a Goddess.”

“Then the earth is only a wan reflection of the Otherworld,” Kalona said, unable to keep the relief from his voice.

Nyx’s gaze flicked up to meet his briefly before she went back to choosing rocks. She continued, “Though only a reflection of the Otherworld, there is a unique beauty on earth that is made even more special and precious because nothing remains the same here. Humanity lives and dies and then lives again. The seasons change. The continents shift. Human life happens here, love happens here, birth and death happen here. Humanity’s time is brief but fascinating and heartbreaking and exquisite. I hope that someday you will come to value humans, and the earth, as I do.”

“I value you, above all things,” Kalona said.

Nyx met his gaze. “I know you do. I could feel our connection when first I looked into your amber eyes. Since then I believe you have intoxicated me.”

Kalona went to his knees before her. “Tell me what I can create that would please you most! I want only to make you happy and to be by your side always as your protector and mate.”

“Kalona, son of the Mighty Moon I love so well, I cannot tell you what to create for me. That would be unfair to my friend, Mother Earth. It is she who is responsible for you coming into being. It is she who has devised the tests you must endure. I cannot, will not, usurp her responsibilities. What I can tell you is that I wish only for you to be yourself—strong, honest, and unique—in these tests, and during the eternity I hope we might share together.” She took his hand then and stood, pulling him up with her. “Now I’d like to share something with you about this world, this changing, funny, fabulous world. Come with me!”

As lithe as a maiden, Nyx skipped away toward the sandy edge of the riverbank. Willingly, Kalona followed the music of shells she left in her wake. They reached the riverbank, and Kalona noticed she was holding up the skirt of her buckskin dress so that a pouch had been created in which she carried a pile of stones she had chosen.

“This is what you do. You pick a rock, the smoother, rounder, and flatter the better. Then you throw it thus!” With a deft flick of her wrist, the Goddess let loose a rock, tossing it into the slowly moving river.

Kalona laughed aloud in surprise as her stone didn’t sink. Instead it skipped over the top of the water, as gracefully as Nyx had skipped to the edge of the bank. Then the Goddess jumped up and down in happiness. “Five times! It skipped five times! That one was special. Here, you try.”

Hesitantly, Kalona chose a rock, hoping it was smooth and round and flat enough. He furrowed his brow in concentration. He tried to aim. He flicked his wrist several times in practice, not letting the rock go yet, intent on getting it as perfect as possible.

“Kalona.”

Nyx’s voice was soft. He turned to her questioningly.

She leaned into him, lifted up onto her bare toes, and kissed him gently, gently on his lips. His arms went around her and he drank in the unique scent of her skin. What was it? Something sweet and something earthy that drew him to her and made him want nothing more than to be close to her forever. “This is fun, not a test,” she whispered. “Relax, mighty Killer of my Enemies. I believe you can be playmate and warrior.” Obviously reluctant to leave his arms, she pulled free slowly, letting her hand linger on his chest. “Now, have fun!” she said, shoving him backward so that his wings had to unfurl to keep him from falling on his firm behind.

Nyx giggled, then clamped her hand over her mouth and giggled some more.

Kalona thought her laughter was as infectious as her scent was alluring. He righted himself, strode to the edge of the water, and without aiming at all, tossed the rock into the river, where it landed with a liquid plop and sank immediately.

He looked at Nyx, who was trying, unsuccessfully, to stifle more giggles. “Well,” he said with mock seriousness. “It appears that unlike you, I can only do one thing well at a time.”