Page 38 of Shadow and Smite

The Firewolf, once fierce beast, now seemed…cute.

“You can shapeshift,” I whispered.

“Some,” she replied. “I can shift within the Canidae family. Wolf, dog, fox… The wolf you know me as is my truebody. It’s easier to spirit travel in that form.”

“Spirit travel?”

“It’s how I visited you before. I couldn’t leave Leo, but I could reach you through the ruby.”

“The stone connects to you?”

“It’s my divine artifact, similar to the way the Isles link through their thrones. This stone was shaped for me, a lesser deity. And I’m sorry I didn’t find you earlier. Leo is a touch overprotective.”

I didn’t fully understand, but it didn’t matter. She was really there. She stepped into my arms again, allowing me to wrap my arms around her. I clung to her, a child meeting their protector.

Her warm fur invited me to nuzzle deeper, and I fought the instinct to bury my head in her shoulder, to give way to the threatening tears. I longed to accept her comfort.

Only, I wasn’t ready to surrender. My bitter question lingered. I swallowed the urge to ask,Where were you when everything went wrong?I had nearly died, and to survive, I had done a terrible thing.

For years, she had warned of danger, from Mariana’s childish cruelty to dark alleys laden with thieves.

My face buried in her fur, I failed to confront my fears. She had sent the Gray General away—wasn’t that enough? My Brand burned, but she could help. We were together now, and it would be okay. It had to be.

Finally, I sat back, admiring her feisty yet endearing appearance. “You’ve been here, with Leodoras, this whole time?”

She nodded. “Leodoras is a supportive sister. For millennia, she has protected many of us lesser deities on her back.”

“Thank you, by the way,” Zayne said, joining the conversation. “For your help with the Gray General.”

“Thanks for helping me too,” she replied. Her tail gave a small wag. “I had been trapped in some sort of haze.” A haze? It made me question, but she continued, oblivious to the void she had left behind.

“You said you were a lesser deity?” Zayne asked. “Everyone knows of the god Teyr, but I thought the Isles were the only other deities.”

Ninti’s brow furrowed. “You fae have forgotten so many things. It’s more complicated than that. Long story short, Mother Sea and Father Sky had many,manychildren. Some are just more famous than others.

“There’s Teyr, of course, but why do you overlook his sister, Gloom? They are the firstborn, intended to keep these lands in balance after Mother and Father lost their lives in the act of creation. They created the isles next—countless islands, more than anyone could map—each with its unique magic and the ability to connect to its inhabitants.

“Then there’s us. The lesser deities, the final fragments of creation, scattered in countless forms. You met Heim and Leo already. We don’t travel around much. Leo doesn’t think it’s safe, not since the black diamond shattered…” Ninti frowned. “Anyhow, I convinced Leo that you can take me on your quest, if you pass her trial.”

I blinked.Trial?I glanced at the archway and the cave beyond. Excitement thrummed in my stomach; this was my chance to prove myself. I’d been waiting for this since Ninti had first appeared to me.

Ninti spun around, admiring her smaller body. “Is this size appropriate for travel? I’m excited to see the world, and I don’t want to be a huge bother on that little boat of yours.”

“You’ll be fine,” Zayne managed.

She bounded closer to the darker archway. “Then let’s get this trial started, shall we?”

This was all happening so fast. I struggled to speak.

“Whatisthis trial?” Zayne asked.

“Leo designed it to test if Ayla is worthy of being my companion. There’s another realm through that arch, one Leo made just for this occasion.”

“What do we have to do?” I asked.

“Four doors. Four elements. To pass the trial, you must complete four challenges.”

Fire, earth, air, and water. “Seems straightforward.” I took a step forward, ready to charge.

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