An Unearthing of Goddesses

An Unearthing of Goddesses Part 50

The next morning, the field was a motley scene of snoring and sprawled creatures, horned heads laying upon dozing breasts, wings bent and feathers strewn about. Anya wrapped her shawl about her shoulders tightly and went to retrieve Cassie from her hammock, where she slept with one leg dangling to the ground and a flower crown clasped in her hand. Anya heard a masculine grunt and over rolled a silver fleshed muscular creature with antlers, from the other side of the hammock. Anya sighed.

With much protest, she extracted Cassie and they limped across the liminal fields, accompanied by their sisters in varying degrees of physical duress. They headed to recoup at the treehouse, nursed by tonics Hume mixed with ingredients he swore were miracle hangover cures. Anya sat at the table by Lhamo, who had gone home early and was annoyingly fresh.

"I feel like Cerberus just chewed me up and spit me out of Hades," Cassie groaned, pressing an ice pack to her head as she laid in a hammock on the deck. "And a swinging bed may not be the best idea."

Gaia and Nandi appeared, both with armfuls of fresh herbs and produce from Hume's gardens. They bent to kiss Cassie's head and fared their sisters goodbye.

"I've been away from my shop for far too long," Gaia said. "I will have lost customers."

"And my drum circle will be in sore need of practice," Nandi added.

Maeve and Kitsune then showed, suited up in their best hunting attire. "The Hind has been spotted in the South fields!" Maeve said excitedly. "I'm feeling especially lucky today."

"We will at least bring you home a fine hare for dinner Hume," Kitsune said with a wink. Maeve frowned. They were off to the woods with a wave and Dona and Aurae rose from the table next.

"You too?" Anya sipped more of Hume's tonic. "Everyone's leaving so fast."

"We need to get the air weapon back to the museum," Aurae said. "Library fines."

"And then we have another dig to explore," Dona added. "More camels!"

Anya sighed again. "Guess it's just you and me Lhamo."

He rose from the table, saluting Hume. "Actually – I have a date."

"A what?" Anya scrunched her face in disbelief.

"You heard me. With Meilin. We have – rekindled our love. Or we hope to. Keep in touch," Lhamo bent to kiss her cheek. He left whistling a merry tune.

Hume chuckled. "I can always use some help in the garden," he called over. If you're lonely." Cassie groaned again from her hammock.

"I know what you need sister," Anya said, going to extract her. "A good soak in a salty pool. Let's go." She pulled her water world droplet from around her neck and they dissolved into the air, leaving a shimmer behind them.

Hume shook his head. "Goddesses."

***

Kate and Adam lay in their mossy bed, luxuriating in a beautiful night. The stars were bright and a breeze ruffled their dandelion quilt.

"I'm starving," Kate said, snuggling against Adam's side.

"You want another mushroom omelet?"

"Gods no. There must be something else to eat here."

"Well, you made this world. You should know."

Kate sat up in bed. "You're right. I did make this world. That should mean I can add to it if I want, right?"

She stood up on the bed and looked at the sky. "I would like a large pizza please. With – " She turned to Adam. "What do you want on it?"

"Anything but mushrooms."

***

Dona and Aurae neared the temple, which sat alone in an expanse of sand. Their camels plodded steadily towards the honey-colored stone columns and pediments carved with lotus flowers.

"We should hear the singing by now?" Aurae said as they dismounted. "The priestesses always sing at dusk."

As they stepped up the stairs, a growing buzzing sounded and suddenly a swarm of bees erupted from within. Agitated, they surrounded the sisters.

Aurae stood at the entrance, allowing the bees to carpet her arms and chest. She held up her palm. "But where are your mistresses?" She addressed the vibrating mass on her hand. They immediately buzzed anew. Alarmed, Aurae rushed into the temple; Dona followed.

Inside, tall jars normally holding honey were toppled, the sticky residue leaving tracks on the sacred temple floor. Three thrones sat empty at the far wall, a golden veil laying over the seat of one. Aurae turned to Dona in alarm. "The priestesses tell me the Bee Goddesses have been taken!"

"Taken? By whom? Such power would be rare."

"They know only that it came from the sands. An evil that moved the dunes and stole their mistresses."

"The Bee Goddesses are as old as life. Surely, they will prevail." Dona turned and walked to the temple's edge where the camels waited. "We will alert their brethren. The bull and ram deities. The Old Gods will know how to find them."

The bees started buzzing again in alarm and swirling overhead. "Dona!" Aurae called out. "Don't walk upon the sand – the priestesses say – "

But the goddess had already stepped out onto the ground, which churned at her feet in a mighty twisting that caught her up like a screw in a hole, and after whirling her about like a dervish for a few turns, the sand opened up – and Dona vanished below.

Aurae ran to the temple's edge frantically and scrabbled at the sand, digging fruitlessly, as the bee priestesses buzzed sympathetically about her.

***

Gaia had tied up all the herbs from Hume's garden and hung them in bundles from a rafter on her spice shop's ceiling, the produce set in bowls on the counter. She was tidying up the shop and putting back in order all the supplies that her young shopgirl had mixed up in disarray.

"That girl would not know a cardamom pod from a charnushka seed," she mumbled as she scooped out nutmegs from her large brown bag into smaller ones. The bell on the door chimed and she sighed, calling over her shoulder. "We are closed, dosta. Open eight AM. Namaste."

"Gaia."

The voice was deep and smooth and it ran through Gaia's body like a tsunami. She turned and saw a distinguished gentleman, silvered hair and upturned mustache and weathered suit, although of good cut. His eyes were sparkling pools.

"Dev?"

The nutmegs dropped from her bag and scattered noisily along the shop's aisle, bouncing along like the memories coming alive in Gaia's heart.

***

Anya and Cassie sat at the bar in her underwater realm, after spending the day sunning on the rocks. Cassie sucked on a minnow that adorned her cocktail. She made a face.

"Sal, this minnow is stale. Who made this drink?"

The octopus bartender reached one of his tentacles over and snatched it up, quickly mixing her a replacement with two of his others. "New girl. She's been messing up orders all day."

"Let me speak with her," Anya said sternly, leaning back on her stool and crossing her arms. "I am the boss here."

The octopus shrugged and called over the busy bar. "Leila! Boss lady wants a word."

Anya's face froze at the name. With a swish of long green tails, the bar maid turned and sauntered slowly over to Anya and Cassie. Her long black hair fell over one smoky eye to her waist, shaved on the other side of her head to expose a tattoo of a dragon, which reached along her neck and down her back. She looked defiantly at Anya.

"Hello Mother."

THE END

* Photo by Nicole Pearce on Unsplash