Page 39 of Merciless
And you, daughter of my blood.The snake god swung his head back toward me.You are bonded to all three companion gods, which is remarkable. I have never seen such a thing before.
“All three?” I repeated.
You have the touch of love and healing. You have flown on wings and seen the world from the sky.The snake paused before continuing.And it seems you have had your own brush with death.
His observations—particularly the last one—were chilling, leaving me completely open and exposed. What Shadow had done was a terrible accident, one I was happy to move on from and leave in the past. I never realized Hades might have been involved in my near death experience, but it seemed obvious now.
“How do you know?”
I can see the hands of the gods on you, daughter,Q said.I am also a god of wisdom and knowledge. The connections between the tangible and intangible are where I specialize.
My men slid in closer to me on either side as the god spoke, subtly forming a protective shield.
What else is remarkable,Q went on,is how perfectly balanced your three gods are. Covering the spectrum of human experience while powered by devotion from three very different civilizations. The underworld, the sky, and everything in between. Simply fascinating.
“What does this mean for Mari?” Gunner asked. “That she has three?”
The snake god seemed pleased that we finally stopped asking the stupid questions.A balance of harnessed bonds between three people is a rarity in itself.His ancient voice brimmed with excitement.But three bonds, perfectly balanced, across multiple pantheons, within one human? It has never been done, and the strength from you is powerful and focused. It may be the only way to defeat the Sha and his army.
“How?” I demanded.
You must draw on the bonds with your gods and your fellow bonded humans. Like pulling on a rope, you can send and receive feedback through the senses. The gods are the source, and you are the conduit, Mariposa.
“I’m still not following,” Jandro admitted.
"When I reach for Horus to see through him, it is like mentally pulling on a string to see if he's there," Gunner explained, then looked at me.
"Similar with Freyja," I agreed. "Although, I've never tried reaching for the other two."
Try it now, Q suggested.Reach for your men, Mariposa. They will feel the bonds of the gods through you.
Jandro and Gunner each grabbed one of my hands, anchoring and supporting me between them. I took a deep, steadying breath and reached for Jandro with my mind, much like I did with Freyja when I needed her.
The result was subtle, a small shift in perception, like when you blink one eye and then the other. First I was in the middle, then I shifted slightly to the left where Jandro sat next to me. He jerked in surprise, bringing me back right away.
"Was that—" He slapped a hand to his chest, breath quickening.
I squeezed his hand. "How was that? Are you okay?"
"I felt you." Jandro stared at me in awe and disbelief. "I felt you pulling me that way, like we switched places for a second."
"Yes, that's exactly it!"
"Now imagine using this in a battle," Gunner said, his brow already furrowed in concentration. "We can watch each other's backs, basically seeing in all directions."
"But what about Horus?" I looked down at the bird, which now seemed to be sleeping against Gunner's chest.
You do not need the gods' animal forms with you. In fact, it's better if they're not present. If their animal bodies are killed, the bond will be severed, Q said.We are outside of time and physical space. Your bonded gods are always with you. You only need to reach for them.
“And how do we prevent the Sha from breaking into our heads?” Jandro asked. “I doubt this mission will be very successful if we’re writhing in pain and bleeding from the ears.”
Your companion gods will continue to shield your minds from afar,Q said.The harnessed bonds between the three of you is an additional shield. I can also provide defense, as I do with Mariposa’s mother.
“What I want to know is,” my gaze shifted across the room to where Freyja and Hades looked on, “how did we never hear about harnessed bonds before?” If they had told me about this when I came pleading to them for help, we would have been ten steps ahead by now.
I am just as surprised as you, daughter.Freyja took a few tentative steps toward the snake, her dark pupils wide.I’m well-versed in the power of love, certainly. But no bonded human of mine throughout history has ever loved another person with a companion god. You are the first I’ve seen.
My experience is the same,Hades said.Had we known of these harnessed bonds, we certainly would have shared that with you.
