Nobody's Goddess (The Never Veil) by Amy McNulty

Author:Amy McNulty
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: YA, Fantasy, forbidden love, love and romance, unrequited love
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC
Published: 2015-04-21T05:00:00+00:00

Alvilda’s choice spot for a picnic wasn’t my own, but I imagined she didn’t want me to head back home before I had to. We enjoyed the meager meal in silence under a tree just a ways from the commune. My eyes guiltily wandered over the moaning, wretched men sprawled out on the ground or walking about, lifting one foot after the other slowly, aimlessly. It was an odd choice for my last day of freedom, but I had no place else I’d be welcomed. After a little while, Alvilda went inside her home to grab my chisel. She gave me a new block of wood, and I’d started carving a flower. A lily.

It felt good to eat, to carve, and to not think. To feel less alone but to not have to answer to anyone.

The feeling didn’t last beyond a few hours.

“Siofra sent me!”

I craned my head behind me lazily to see Master Tailor half jogging, half walking from the village toward our shady retreat. The closer he got, the louder his panting grew. The owl mask blocked his features from me, but I could almost imagine the strain on his face. He doubled over as he reached us, resting his hands on his thighs.

“What is it, Coll?” asked Alvilda. Her hand had tensed around the picnic basket, and she looked ready to jump up and run.

Master Tailor waved impatiently in Alvilda’s direction. “Siofra sent me … ”

Alvilda rolled her eyes. “Yes, we got that part.”

Master Tailor took a few more gasps of air through the horribly confining small hole that opened over his mouth. I wondered briefly if death superseded a goddess’s commands or if a command gave a man the strength to overcome even death to see the order followed through.

“Take it easy,” she said. “You can’t follow your goddess’s order if you’re dead.”

Master Tailor nearly choked on his breaths mixed with laughter. For a moment, my muscles relaxed, but Master Tailor’s troubled laugh still made me nervous.

“Mistress Tailor sent you?” I asked, rather impatiently.

Master Tailor took a great swell of breath and stood erect. “There’s been an earthquake.”

My stomach churned. Alvilda looked as panicked as I felt. With Ingrith gone, who would dare look at the castle?

Master Tailor continued, oblivious of the discomfort of his audience. “We were sewing. The kids were helping out.” He nodded his owl head. “That Nissa’s going to be a fine tailor. I’m so happy Luuk found the goddess in her.”

“Coll,” said Alvilda. “The earthquake.”

Master Tailor pointed east. “We heard a tremendous noise in the direction of the woods. It was like the earth was groaning, and we could feel it moving beneath our feet. It caused Siofra to drop the shirt she was sewing and tumble clear off her chair.” Master Tailor paused, perhaps in pain at the idea of Mistress Tailor tumbling, even though he was under orders to continue speaking.

I had more pressing concerns. “Who looked at the castle?

Master Tailor didn’t respond to my question. “We went outside,

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