Page 124 of Queen of the Shadow

“Then you know—”

“Excuse me.” Uathach’s voice came from the stairs that led up to the castle. Scáthach and Béfionn turned to see her standing at the bottom of them. She held their most precious pitcher—it was silver and covered with intricate knot work. Tabiti was beside her, carrying a tray that held two matching silver goblets. “Mother, Grandmother, we brought mead.”

Béfionn’s smile was filled with warmth. “Little Fry! How very considerate of you. Come! Come!”

Uathach and Tabiti approached, bowing low when they reached the end of the docks.

“Tabiti, you are aging well,” said the goddess.

Tabiti’s eyes widened in surprise, but she hid her shock, bowing low again. “Thank you, great goddess. As always, you look magnificent.”

Béfionn waved away the compliment. “Of course I do.” Her gaze went to Uathach. “It has been too long, Granddaughter. I am pleased to see you have grown into a lovely, strong woman.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you’re here, Grandmother,” said Uathach as she placed the pitcher of mead beside them and gave the goddess and then her mother the filled goblets. She met her grandmother’s gaze that was so like her own, and so like her mother’s. “Scáthach needs you.”

One of the goddess’s tawny brows lifted, but she only nodded and said, “That is exactly why I am here.”

“May we bring you food?” Uathach asked.

“Perhaps later. I’ll send Leannan to find you if so,” said the goddess. “For now, your mother has three important decisions to make.”

Uathach and Tabiti bowed low, and as they retreated back down the dock, the goddess raised her voice. “Little Fry?” Uathach turned to look at her grandmother. “If you say yes, know that I will see you often. Not as often as your mother will see you, but I want you to understand you will have my blessing.”

Uathach’s brow furrowed. She glanced at her mother, who shrugged. Then she bowed again to the goddess. “Yes, Grandmother. Thank you.” The two women hurried up the stairs.

“What are you talking about?” Scáthach asked her mother.

“Curruid,” said the goddess. “You’ve been correct since you were a child. I thought it was your father’s mortality filling you with compassion for the spirits being held temporarily in the Autumnal Realm. And then when you were a young woman and you showed so much undeserved compassion for the spirits sentenced to the Winterlands, I blamed his mortal blood again.” She held Scáthach’s gaze steadily. “I was wrong about both.”

Relief washed through Scáthach. “Then you’ll do something about it! Especially in the Winterlands. The spirits in the Autumnal Realm will eventually move on, so their need is not as urgent—not that I mean to lessen the importance of ending their misery as soon as possible.” She spoke quickly, filled with excitement. She’d done it! She’d gotten her mother to take a second look at the rules that bound the Underworld realms! “But it’s the Winterlands that haunt me the most, or rather the spirits there. Oh, Mother, thank you! I’m so relieved that you’re going to...” Her words faded. “What is it you’re going to do about those spirits?”

“I’m so glad you asked.I’mnot going to do anything.” Béfionn smiled.

“But you said you were wrong.”

“Oh, I was. And I wasn’t completely accurate when I said I’m not going to do anything about the realms. If you agree, I’m going to create the Goddess of the Dead, whose only job is to escort spirits to the Underworld and then watch, listen, judge—and be quite sure no mistake like the one I made sentencing Curruid to eternal damnation happens again.”

Scáthach blinked several times. “I... you... I don’t understand. You want me to agree that it is wise to create a Goddess of the Dead?”

“No, beloved daughter, I want you tobecomeGoddess of the Dead.”

The shock that jolted through Scáthach’s body felt lightning-bolt strong. “Me?” she squeaked. “But I’m mortal. And Queen of Shadow. And I teach warriors. I don’t... I can’t...” She closed her mouth and stared at her mother, who continued to smile serenely.

“I can gift you with immortality. The realms already accept you.”

“Because I’m your daughter!” she blurted.

“No, my sweet, precious girl, because you are wise and merciful as well as a mighty warrior whose discernment they trust.”

Scáthach sighed and muttered, “You sound like the delegation from Lethra.”

“The one that named you their queen?” asked the goddess.

“Yes. The one I turned down,” answered her daughter.

“Another wise choice, especially when you have two queens here who are ready to step into their power.”

Scáthach shook her head. “Two queens? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”