Page 130 of Broken Veil
Lakshmi glanced at Angus. “More tea for you, Pushan? Or is it Nomios again? What name do you go by these days?”
“Angus.” He cleared his throat. “Just Angus.”
“Well, just Angus, we have no wine in the shop tonight.”
“Tea will do nicely.” Angus held out his mug. “Thank you.”
“An oversight for company, I’m afraid,” Oshun said. “We usually keep a case.” She looked pointedly at the third woman.
“That’s my fault.” The round woman raised a hand, her wild curls bouncing. “I drank it all yesterday. See, I thought you’d be coming then, and I got very excited, but then you didn’t come.” She winked at Carys. “Well, I shouldn’t say that, because you did. A number of times.”
“Oh dear God.” Duncan wiped a hand over his face. “There’re more of them.”
“We’re fertility goddesses, love.” Oshun might be a Yoruba deity, but she spoke in a swinging Swansea accent. “No secretsabout sex here.” She looked pointedly at Laura. “But dragon? You’re taking on more than a bit with that one, mush.”
When Oshun moved, the gold and silver around her neck and in her ears tinkled brightly. She was draped in jewelry, from brightly colored beads to rich, nearly orange gold chains.
Lakshmi was the most demurely dressed, in a flowing pink dress with embroidered flowers. She moved in silence, serving tea to all of them, as the intoxicating smell of jasmine and sandalwood drifted in the air.
And the first goddess, the one with the soft Valleys accent, wore earthen brown and deep green scarves around her plump neck. Her bright blue eyes were the color of the ocean, and silver and grey mixed with the deep-walnut-brown curls.
“Oshun, don’t warn the girl away from dragons,” she said. “Dragons are lovely. Just lovely. Very loyal mates.”
“I wasn’t warning her, I was warninghim.” Oshun smirked at Cadell. “So what are you here for?” She turned her attention to Carys. “We knew you were coming, but we weren’t sure why.”
“Sorry.” Carys leaned toward the brown-haired woman. “Are you… Dôn?”
She waved a hand. “Go by Donna here because, well, the humans mostly speak in the new tongue, don’t they? No shame in it, no shame, but it makes for fewer questions if I go by a modern name.”
That meant Carys was having tea and biscuits with the goddesses Lakshmi, Oshun, and… Donna.
“So… uh, Joshua said I should come here,” Carys started.
“LoveJoshua,” Lakshmi said. “Such a sweet god.”
“So young but so wise.” Donna nodded. “Softhearted, that one.”
“He’s popular,” Oshun said. “I’ll say that for sure. I wonder if part of it is the lack of sacrifices.”
“Physical sacrifices, she means,” Donna added. “Sacrifices of the self are more challenging in their own way, but I can’t lie.” She smiled. “I do love a good grain offering.”
All three goddesses nodded and hummed in approval.
“Oh yes.” Lakshmi’s accent was soft Indian-British with a slight Welsh lilt. “Something about roasting barley when it hits the nose.”
“There are just not enough humans who appreciate roasted barley these days,” Donna said.
Oshun narrowed her eyes. “But why would Joshua direct you to us? You are the hero appointed by the gods to face the Morrígan in this chapter of her story, but I don’t know that we have much knowledge that will help you.” Oshun looked at Donna. “She’s a very accomplished scholar.”
“Oh, I’ve heard.” Donna nodded.
Naida chimed in. “I would just like to say that this tea is wonderful and very nourishing.”
“Little sister, we miss your kind,” Oshun reached over and enveloped Naida in a hug. “Seeing you makes me want to walk straight through those gates.”
“Can’t you?” Duncan said. “You’re goddesses.”
“Why, thank you.” Donna winked at him.
