season avatars 01 - seasons beginnings by sandra ulbrich almazan Page B

eyebrow as She glanced at
    Winter. “Perhaps with death?”
    His death? Then why protect him from Salth, or Time, or whoever
    it had been? Kron eyed both of the so-called gods warily. He was out-
    numbered and low on artifacts, but there had to be some way to defend
    himself....
    The woman laughed, a gentle sound. “No, Kron Evenhanded, We
    are not interested in sacrifice, human or otherwise. And We apologize
    for not seeking you out sooner, but there are many others who need Us
    more.”
    Kron straightened. “And why is that? Who are you, exactly?”
    “We already told you. We are two of the Four Gods and Goddesses
    of this land. We claim as Our domain all the land between the Western
    Mountains and the Salt Waters, from the Northern Sea to the Southern.”
    “Actual gods? What makes you different from a very powerful ma-
    gician?”
    “What makes Us different?” Winter repeated. “We’re not bound by
    mortal limits. We do not need to eat, or sleep, or even breathe. We do
    not age or die. And while Our magic may be specialized—” he said this
    with an ironic edge—“We can do things with it that ordinary magicians
    can’t.”
    Sea so n s’ Be gin n in gs · 7 5
    He turned away and placed both hands on the bubble. Its blue color
    faded, and it became translucent as it thinned out.
    “Don’t destroy it just yet, Winter,” Spring said. “This is an excellent
    opportunity for Us to talk to Kron.”
    “It is?” He didn’t think so. “But my wife must be worried about me.”
    “We’re still outside of time,” Spring said, “so no time is passing for
    her. It’s best for now if We don’t draw attention to you.”
    “But do We really want to be talking about Time in one of her bub-
    bles?” Winter asked. “She may be listening in.”
    “Good point. Your cabin, or My meadow?”
    He smiled at her, his face tilted so that Kron couldn’t get a good look
    at his eyes. They seemed too dark for his complexion. “Your meadow
    is a better choice for someone who still has more in common with hu-
    mans than with Us.”
    “Agreed. Break this bubble, and I’ll take Us there.”
    C H A P T E R N I N E
    The Four
    The blue surrounding them faded away, to be replaced by a glorious
    meadow bounded by forest. Flowers from all seasons bloomed in the
    grasses, creating a perfume no master blender could achieve. A river
    small enough to step across burbled as it ran through the meadow. In
    the center of it all, four benches covered with cushions sat in a square.
    The grass here was thick and short, like a carpet. Spring and Winter
    sank onto two of the benches, but Spring gestured Kron to a smaller
    seat, still comfortable but less lavishly decorated. He barely had time to
    wonder where the seat had come from—he was certain it hadn’t been
    there a heartbeat before—when two more individuals appeared. One of
    them was a youth with green skin and hair; the other, a girl who scowled
    at him and took the bench farthest away from him, covering herself with
    a blanket.
    “Fall! That’s no way for a Goddess to behave!” Spring said. Kron
    repressed a grin at the scolding. “You have nothing to fear.”
    Why would a goddess—if She really was one—fear him? No matter
    what Spring and Winter had said, Kron was still human. Wasn’t he?
    Fall peeked out from under Her blanket, but She seemed disinclined
    to give it up. Spring cleared Her throat, as if to draw attention from the
    girl goddess.
    “You are in a dangerous position, Kron Evenhanded, and you put
    Us in a delicate one.” She plucked a few daisies and wove them into a
    Sea so n s’ Be gin n in gs · 7 7
    chain. “I admit We favor you over Time, but she has more magic than
    you.”
    Time seemed to hold Salth’ grudges; it was almost enough to make
    Kron believe Salth was Time. But Salth wasn’t capable of manipulating
    time. No one was. Was this a joke? It couldn’t be; she had no sense of
    humor. Besides, why would these strange magicians be part of