Page 137 of Lost and Stolen Gods
“Are you nervous?” Araz asked me.
“Whatever gave you that idea?”
Blue answered for him, his voice too loud in my ear. “You look like you’re tryin’ to wring a chicken’s neck. Calm it.”
Shit. I pressed my palms to my thighs, then rubbed away the sweat. “I hate being the center of attention.”
“It will only be for a few moments,” Araz assured me.
“I’ll be with ya,” Blue said. “Wonder what we’ll get, though.” He peeked out from my hair and twitched his nose up at Araz. “Hey, golden eyes, what you thinking?”
Araz considered for a moment. “You’re a grounded person, so I believe it willbe an earth affinity. It makes sense with your physical strength factored in.”
“The demigods in earth barracks are some of the nicest,” Chaya said from behind us. She pointed across the arena at a group of demigods sitting in a cluster. A winged woman stood to one side of them, arms crossed. She was tall and athletic with dark brown skin and short dark curls. “Their barracks master, Asura Ione, is a valuable mentor and has ties to the Shahee Kshetra, which means her demigods have permission to visit from time to time. The markets and social life there are second to none.”
“Have you been?” Dharma asked.
“Once,” Chaya said wistfully.
“Who’s the man standing next to her?” Dharma asked.
“Probably the noble who rules Dharti Ghar in the royal domain,” Chaya said. “It’s where any demigods who ascend will end up living. The nobles like to attend these affinity ceremonies to see their potential numbers swell.”
“It’s starting,” Keyton said. “Hush.”
Everyone gathered closer as Guru Chandra descended from the skies, his epic white wings flared, dark hair floating around his head in a phantom breeze that seemed to be focused only on making his entrance aesthetically pleasing.
He wasn’t dressed in combat gear today; instead, he was barefoot and wore a cream tunic and loose pantsedged in gold. That coupled with his epic wings made him look like an angel.
He landed on a podium set high into the bleachers, and the steady hum that had filled the area died as everyone focused on their regent.
“Welcome to the affinity ceremony. Today potentials will discover their home within our collective. Will you join earth?” Guru Chandra waved a hand toward the earth affinity demigods, and they all cheered. “Air?” Another cheer from across the arena from a group we didn’t have a line of sight on. “Or water?” The water demigods stood up and sat down, making a wave with their bodies. Neat. “Which will it be?”
Wait a second. “Why are there five pillars? I know fire is obsolete now that royals are gone, but what’s the fifth pillar?”
“Spirit,” Dharma said. “The affinity of a Deva. But it’s been dead for eons, ever since the Deva left.”
“How do you know that?” Eve asked.
“It was in one of the two books that Bhoomika gave us.”
Two books? I’d been given three, which confirmed that Bhoomika had wanted me to have the information about the binding. But why?
“Hush!” one of the native demigods admonished, eyes flashing with annoyance. “Have some respect for our traditions.”
Dharma’s hound growled as Dharma said, “Maybeyou should have some respect for a private conversation and shut the fuck up.”
Chaya placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her head.
“The Shakti will call you,” Guru Chandra said. “And you will come forth and stand amidst the stones.”
The air hummed, and the hairs on my body stood up and quivered, which reminded me I was due a leg shave.
“The pillars of the gods test the essence of the divine. Step forth and be known, Alia.”
The woman who’d admonished us elbowed her way past us with her drohi in tow. A small hummingbird fluttered above her head, then landed on her shoulder. “Good luck, my blossom,” her drohi said.
She dropped him a nod then strode into the arena, head held high, straight into the center of the stones.
