Page 8 of Distinctly Daray
“Death has always been among the most admirable of our sisters,” Eternity boasted. “Anyone unaware of her many attributes is a fool.”
Mayhem cackled. “You’ve made our dear sister blush nearly as red as her hair.”
Annoyed that color had indeed risen to her face, Death narrowed her eyes at Mayhem. “Shut up.”
Still wearing a grin Death wanted to smack off her face, Mayhem lifted her hand and uncurled her fingers. In her palm was a tiny part of a damaged lock. “Look here at what I found. Our little jailbreaking sisters have left a clue behind.”
Justice grabbed the metal fragment and allowed it to float in the air in the center of their small group. “Interesting.”
Death allowed her magic to float toward the scrap, and her mouth twisted as she recognized the sorceress responsible for freeing the pegasus. “Why am I unsurprised to find that Sorrow had something to do with this?”
“What?” Mayhem asked. “I thought Sorrow to be one of your dearest friends.”
“Not hardly,” Death scoffed. “We were never close, but she was punished because I caught her burrowing sorrow into the Lich Reaper.”
Mayhem’s eyes bugged. “Surely you did not give her permission to feed off the leader of the reapers?”
“I would never.”
“To so blatantly break a rule,” Mayhem murmured. “Folly is at the heart of this, but how long was she swaying Sorrow? Before or after she preyed upon one of your reapers?”
“An excellent question,” Justice said. “We need to make a list of every goddess punished in recent years. We must observe and perhaps even question them to find out if they are involved in whatever Folly is doing.”
“Add all of us to the list,” Fate drawled. “We were all punished for saving the lives Folly destroyed.”
“Obviously we are not involved,” Courage retorted.
“I am not either,” Mayhem insisted. “Surely you will allow me to aid your investigation?”
Death studied her sister carefully. She did not trust easily, and she had plenty of reason not to despite recently gaining close confidantes, but some instinct told her Mayhem could be useful.
“You are an outcast,” Fate remarked, tossing a lock of red hair off her shoulder as she too stared hard at Mayhem. “You are the perfect prey for Folly. We don’t know her intentions, but she has been recruiting goddesses to wreak havoc and destroy everything. Or she wants to summon mother. We aren’t sure, but we are committed to stopping Folly. How do we know we can trust you?”
Mayhem’s shoulders slumped. “Never mind. We are sisters but barely know each other. You have no reason to bring me into your confidence. If you are already unsure of my intentions, there is nothing I can do to sway your minds.”
“When was the last time you spoke to Folly?” Justice asked.
Tapping her finger to her lip, Mayhem squeezed her eyes shut. “I find it easier to think in Earth years. When did I last talk to her? Hmmm…”
“For the love of theebirlloba, let us find a viewing mirror and scroll backward until we can prove to ourselves Mayhem wasn’t recruited,” Death growled. “I have no patience for Mayhem’s faulty memory.”
“My memory is far from faulty,” Mayhem retorted. “Oh yes! I remember now! You are familiar with Jarl Kolsten Eldrvalkyria?”
“I created the Eldrvalkyria,” Justice drawled. “Of course I know their leader.”
“Oh yes, how could I forget that?” Mayhem replied. “Surely you remember his sweet mage was murdered by those cruel pale soul people?”
“Pallidus Anima,” Justice said. “Yes, I recall them. They were awful, vicious people.”
“What do you meanwere?” Mayhem asked. “They have not suddenly gained any redeemable qualities. Quite the opposite, really.”
“Wait, they still exist?” Justice demanded.
“Maybe she swings that sword too much in the lists,” Mayhem muttered.
“I have thought the same,” Fate remarked. “She and Courage are too fond of weapons by far.”
“Indeed,” Mayhem agreed with a bright smile for Fate. “So, anyway, Folly came to speak to me after that dear little mage was murdered. She was gleeful about it. I grew uneasy. But I also thought myself foolish. I could not imagine then that a goddess could grow as twisted as we now know her to be. I decided to avoid her, not that it was difficult since she had to stay hidden.”
