With some apprehension, she trailed Rhyn past two lines of death dealers that eyed her suspiciously before they reached a small cottage.

Rhyn pushed the door open, and she entered, tugging a reluctant Karma with her. She recognized the familiar, dark-skinned Andre instantly from the time he'd poked and prodded at her mind to determine how bad her brain tumor had been.

He smiled and stood from a small desk where he was writing with the help of a lantern, his genuine warmth and relaxed air reassuring her they were safe despite the leery death dealers.

"Deidre," he said with a polite bow of his head. "There is not much here in the way of modern conveniences, but you're welcome to have a seat."

Karma was peering at him curiously.

Deidre sat on a bed, the only other place to sit in the one-room cabin, and the deity sat beside her.

"You are?" Andre asked, pulling his chair closer to them before he, too, sat.

"You may not want to get too close," Rhyn warned from the doorway.

"Karma," the deity answered.

"The Great Balancer," Andre said. "A pleasure."

"She's really sensitive to those around her," Deidre said. "I think because she's relatively weak right now. Can't really manage her … uh, reactions to people."

"I take it you passed her test." Andre offered a friendly smile. "I have nothing to fear." He held out his hand.

Deidre's breath caught at the blatant display, while Karma perked up.

"You wish to be balanced?" the deity asked.

"I do." Andre appeared confident, his gaze steady and features warm.

"You sure?" Deidre asked. "Not that I know anything bad about you, but she has a way of turning people into skeletons and eating their souls, if you fail."

"I'll take my chances."

Deidre released her grip on Karma, cringing when the deity took the Immortal's hand. While she knew little about him, it was hard to think of a creature that lived thousands of years would be balanced.

Karma closed her eyes, and Andre did the sane.

Deidre exchanged a look with Rhyn, who appeared interested but unconcerned. "He's the only one of my brothers who stands a chance at passing," he explained.

The ground beneath the cabin trembled suddenly, the windows creaking.

Deidre looked down then at Rhyn. "Earthquake?"

"I don't -"

Another quake.

Rhyn straightened. "You hear that?"

She cocked her head to the side. What sounded like the splintering and crashing of trees reached her. Confused by the sounds, she waited for Rhyn to say something else.

"It sounds like footsteps," he said, turning to face the world outside the cabin.




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