“As she healed you?” He looked at May kindly and reached out with his thick palm to stroke her hair as she stroked Eden’s.
May nodded.
“Do you know who I am, child?”
May nodded again and wiped her eyes. “You’re their father.” She bowed her head. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
“I am the father of many, child.” He lifted her chin. “And you need not apologize for a gift freely given.” His kind eyes studied her. “Would you give your life for her?”
May didn’t hesitate. “I would.”
“Then my oldest has chosen wisely, May Fairchild.” He reached down and scooped Eden into his immense arms. He held out his right hand, and without hesitation May slid her palm into it. Then he turned May’s hand over, and a small bullet fell into the center.
Eden gasped and opened her eyes.
May clutched the bullet tightly in her hand and ran forward to embrace Eden.
Eden’s father held them both close and kissed their cheeks. He moved back and winked at Eden. “I will see you later this evening.”
Then he softly touched May’s cheek. “The pain will leave, but I would wager you want to keep the reminder. Am I right?”
She nodded. “Please.”
He smiled. “Your young man pleases me, demi-daughter. I will arrange a meeting soon.” Then he turned. “Rise, Asclepius.”
Asclepius rose but kept his eyes downcast.
“It has taken you long enough to snare my daughter’s heart. Are you man enough to cherish and keep it?”
Asclepius lifted his head and nodded. “I am, sir.”
“Then I will meet with you tomorrow. There is much to discuss.” He clapped his hands together, and the building groaned. “Hmph. I forgot how much different the buildings are here. Not so sturdy.” He twirled his finger once around and the windows reformed and fitted back into the frames. “There.”
May moved forward and placed a soft kiss on the leathery cheek. “Thank you for everything,” she whispered.
He grinned. “Keep that young man in line.” He winked and disappeared. The building shook and then quietened.
Wilda, Kendra, and Tempest threw their arms around Eden and held her tightly.
Kendra shook her head. “You took ten years off my life with that stunt.” She put her hands on her hips. “No more static from you about my decisions.”
Eden sighed. “Forgive me. Now I understand.”
Tempest scowled. “I ought to beat you both.”
Asclepius moved forward and slung his arms around the sisters. “I will clean up this mess.” He turned and growled at the unconscious man on the floor.
May touched her right leg and smiled. The pain gone though the scar remained.
Eden moved away from the group and walked over. “We meet again, little sister.”
“I hoped it would be under better circumstances.”
Eden snorted. “You and me both.” She gasped and looked down. “He took the pain, didn’t he?” Grateful tears slid down her cheeks. She shook her head. “Show off.”
May moved forward and hugged her. “He did.”
They clung to one another until Eden moved back and brushed away the tears. “You have a wonderful man waiting for you, May Fairchild.”
May grinned and glanced at Asclepius. “You have a wonderful man waiting for you, Earth Goddess. I look forward to the wedding invitation.”
Eden arched an eyebrow. “As do I.”
* * * *
The sisters parted with hugs and promises of future visits. They appeared back in the solarium with a lot on their minds.
Eden rubbed her wrist and wished she could will the bracelet there. But the simple fact remained that she failed and had to be rescued. She started to apologize when their father appeared.
He conjured a large dark wood bench to rest upon and studied each daughter in turn.
The silence was deafening.
He spoke at last.
“I set a task upon each of you. An undertaking to test your mettle and your spirit.” His gold eyes took in each goddess. “Not only were you tested individually, you were challenged as a whole.”
Eden bit her lip and tried not to fidget.
“You have tried and failed for many years you probably don’t care to remember.” He grinned. “Good.”
Kendra frowned. “Good?”
“Wilda, my spirited Fire Goddess, have you lit any of your mortals on fire?”
“Of course not!” She crossed her arms. “That’s horrible.”
He chuckled. “Progress.”
Tempest snorted and hid her mouth.
Their father turned to her and raised an eyebrow. “You find it entertaining, my temperamental Wind Goddess? You once sent a cyclone toward a barn where your mortal hid so she would leave.”
Kendra shot a glance at Tempest. “Did you really?”
“Only once.” Tempest scowled. “No one was injured.”
Eden shook her head.
Their father caught the movement and looked her in the eye. “But only one of you expressly broke the rules you were given. Irrevocably altered a mortal’s life. Snuck behind my back.” He smacked his hand on his thigh loudly.
All the goddesses jumped.
“Do you know why?”
They shook their heads.
“Over a century ago I took tiny slivers of each of you and threw them to the four corners. These small pieces rooted in the mortals.” His gold eyes softened in remembrance. “Some slivers withered and died. But some grew strong and were passed down into the next generation.”
He paused and motioned. “Come here, Wilda.”
She walked over, and he touched the crimson bracelet with a slight smile. “Look into the color deeply, daughter. What do you see?”
Wilda moved the bracelet closer and frowned. “I don’t see anything.” She squinted and gasped. “Kelly.”
“Look deeper, Wilda.”
She brought the bracelet closer and inhaled sharply. “She glows.”
He smiled in satisfaction. “She glows because she is yours. And she is yours because you put aside self and worked to better her life.”
Kendra frowned and held up her bracelet to her eyes. Tempest did the same.
Their father chuckled. “Kendra and Tempest.”
Both heads rose.
“Erin and Sylvia were yours from the beginning. A battered woman and a battering ram.”
Tempest grinned. “That sums up Sylvia nicely.”
Kendra stroked the bracelet. “Do you know what I did, Father?”
“Am I aware you almost lost your life for this mortal? Am I aware she is now a part of you and always will be?” He shook his head. “Do any of you honestly think there is one thing in this world I do not know?”
He turned and beckoned. “Come here, Eden.”
She moved forward and bowed her head.
“I saw what you did for May all those years ago. I watched as you mended her and stayed with her through the loneliness of her confinement.”
“I failed,” she whispered and raised her brown eyes to meet her father’s gold ones. “Because of me, my sisters will lose their new power and strength. I may have saved her before, but I did not succeed this time.”
“It’s hard to come first, isn’t it, Earth Goddess?” Her father smiled. “So much responsibility on your slender shoulders.” He patted her gently. Then he snapped his fingers, and a large oval mirror appeared in his hand. “Look at your mortal, Eden.”
Eden moved forward and peered into the looking glass.
* * * *
May finished her story, and Chandler only blinked.
“Are you processing or trying to figure out where the nearest sanitarium is?”
“Processing.”
She bit her lip and waited another couple of minutes. “Still?”
“May.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “You just shared a story about goddesses, a madman with a gun,
and a powerful man who sucked a bullet out of his daughter with a thought. Give a guy a minute.”
“I know!” May sighed. “I don’t blame you for thinking I’m a compete lunatic.”
“Not complete,” Chandler reassured her.
She glanced at him and pursed her lips. Forget this. Maybe he would believe her if he saw the site personally. “Come on.” May grabbed Chandler’s hand and yanked him to his feet. “We’re going to look at the nursery.”
He didn’t say a word as May drove through town and pulled into the parking lot. The building was gorgeous. It shone in the afternoon sun and gleamed off the bright clear windows.
She shoved the car into park and quickly stepped out. Chandler followed her up the sidewalk and waited for her to unlock the door.
May pushed it open and stepped inside. All the dust and cobwebs were gone. She glanced at Chandler and thought it may push him over the edge to know fairies did a bit of dusting when there was sugar on the line.
She smiled. “What do you think?”
“It’s a fantastic building.” He rubbed his hands over the polished banister. “You’ll kick ass, I’m sure.”
May laughed. “Damn right. And I won’t forget your discount.”
Chandler hooked her around the waist and pulled her closer. “Who needs a discount when I have you?”
She blushed. “You’re shameless.”
He shrugged. “Possibly. Show me around back.”
May walked down the hallway and out the back door. The stock for the two outside greenhouses would arrive in a week. She couldn’t wait to dig her hands into the soil. And she planned on hiring on a small staff to help her. No way would she drop her accounting clients. Somehow, she would make everything work.
They walked hand in hand down the sidewalk that wound along and through the two greenhouses. May turned to ask Chandler something when he stopped in his tracks.
“What?”
He pointed straight ahead, and she looked in that direction with a puzzled look on her face.
“Oh my God,” May whispered.
A golden Pinto pranced along the fence line and shook her head prettily. She neighed and pawed at the ground when she saw them looking at her.
May walked forward slowly and stopped a foot away from the beautiful mare. A slender white ribbon wound around her neck with a card.
Chandler walked up behind her. “Take it, May.”
She glanced at him and carefully lifted the ribbon from the horse’s neck. May opened the card but couldn’t speak as she read the words. She handed it to Chandler and reached out to stroke the Pinto’s silky nose.
My dearest May,
I told you I couldn’t save Sunshine, and it’s a regret I’ve held for years. I know Moonbeam can never replace the friend you lost, but I hope she brings you a bit of joy in your new life.
Love, Eden
Chandler folded the paper up and put it back in the envelope. He cleared his throat. “I realize that’s a tough act to follow.”
May turned and smiled. “What do you mean?”
Chandler took a small black box out of his pocket and knelt down in front of her. Then he opened the box and looked up at May. “I love you, May Fairchild. Goddess or no. Will you marry me?”
The horse nickered and nudged May’s arm.
May knelt down and threw her arms around him. Her exuberance knocked him off balance, and Chandler fell onto his back.
He looked up at May and grinned. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes!”
“Good.” Chandler tugged at the bottom of May’s shirt and slid his hands up to her waist.
Moonbeam shook her head and trotted back into the field.
* * * *
Eden sighed in relief as her father made the mirror disappear.
“Our May seems to be a happy woman with a wonderful man.” He winked. “Rather like you and Asclepius.”
Eden blushed, and her father roared with laughter. He ended on a chuckle and gently grasped her wrist. A copper bracelet appeared, and the sisters gasped.
Their father smiled at each in turn. “You have proven yourselves worthy with the mortals, my children. Many blessings upon you.” The smile faded. “Now. About the Muses…”
About the Author
Crystal Inman is a prolific author who likes to push the boundaries of writing. She writes Contemporary, Paranormal, Time Travel, Erotic, and Fantasy Romance. Many of her novels are bestsellers and continue to enchant readers. She’s written about love in the world of Virtual Reality. Love that won’t be denied even through the decades. Love that conquers the harshest of curses. And love that sees through the façade to the heart of the matter. Crystal lives with her three teenage daughters in the middle of nowhere with a messy desk, pieces of her sanity, and a manic mind.
The writing always calls to her, persistently, and she loves every minute of it.
You can contact her at: [email protected] http://chryswriter.tripod.com/
Visit her website at: http://chryswriter.tripod.com/
For your reading pleasure, we invite you to visit our web bookstore
WHISKEY CREEK PRESS
www.whiskeycreekpress.com
Earth Goddess Page 19
