Page 32 of A Deeper Blue
“He has the way of it,” said the Lady. “Time for you to climb out from under your haystack and guide your flock.”
“If you tell a wolf pack they’re a flock of sheep, they’re going to follow you exactly nowhere,” said Rafe.
“I think she means all the Supernaturals,” said Azure. “And I’m not… I know that historically my people….” She trailed off, feeling a gut-twisting stab of fear. “I’m not ready.”
“Azure,” said the Lady, leaning down to look her in the eye. Her expression was kind. “Yes, you are ready. This is your time. This is why you stayed. You looked into your mother’s eyes, and you chose to stay because you knew that you had work to do here.”
Azure blinked, fighting back tears.
“People aren’t going to listen to me. Everyone thinks I’m going too fast or I want too much. And I feel like Grandma would have said something if this was my destiny.”
“You know this lesson,” said the Lady firmly. “You can’t always tell someone their future. Destiny works best when it happens the way it’s supposed to happen.”
“I make my own destiny,” said Azure lifting her chin, feeling the stubborn streak that had kept her going through the winter after their mother left.
“That’s why it has to be you,” said the Lady, standing back up. “Don’t worry, I’ll do my thing and back you, but you must bring them together. You need to tell them to get their shit in order.”
“Why?” asked Rafe.
“The world is changing, and with change comes the opportunity for growth or death. There are forces that are aligning against us that want to force us down into death.”
Azure shivered and reached out for Rafe’s hand.
“I know you’ve felt it, like a distant cloud on the horizon,” continued the Lady, and Azure nodded.
Rafe growled. “The fate of the universe doesn’t rest on her. Stop trying to force her to do what you want her to do.”
The Lady smiled at Rafe as if she was pleased by this declaration rather than shocked at his rudeness.
“I’m not. If she steps aside, there are others. But I’m not going to sugarcoat the stakes.”
“I’ve said I was going to the summit,” said Azure. “And I’m going. I will do my best, but I’m still not sure they’ll listen.”
“Our best is all any of us can do,” said the Lady. “Now, are we all good here?” She looked between Rafe and Azure.
“Yes,” said Azure, nodding, knowing there wasn’t going to be much more, even if she kept the Lady talking for another hour.
“Sure, some dark days talk, intense pressure to get the future right, and whatever K-Pop is,” said Rafe, sounding unimpressed. “Yeah, we’re doing great.”
The Lady chuckled. “You really are Albert’s son. Oh, wait. Nearly forgot.” The Lady strode forward across the water, her feet making little ripples, and handed the sword to Rafe. “You’re going to need that.” Then she patted at her hips as if checking her pockets. “Uh-huh,” she said, looking around. “Destiny’s sorted. Sword handed off. I think that’s it. All right, where’s my canteen?”
Azure grabbed up the Hydro Flask and held it out. The Lady lost cohesion, fountained up into an arc of sparkling water that seemed as though it should never be able to fit into the water bottle, but fit down to the last drop. Rafe secured the top while Azure stared at it.
“I am…” she said.
“Confused?” he offered. “Worried?”
“Disappointed? Every time I think I’m going to get to see some real, old-world, bigger than life goddess type shit, it turns out to be a woman hawking loogies into a cow pond.”
Rafe burst out laughing. “Maybe you just have the wrong idea of what goddess type shit is,” he offered.
“I’m also confused and worried,” she added, looking up at him. “I don’t want to herd anyone.”
“Tomorrow’s problems,” he said, hefting the sword onto his shoulder and looking as though it was not the first time he’d held such an implement. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Tomorrow is always right now for me,” she said.
He leaned in and kissed her, and for a moment, the only thing that was right now was him.
