I finished my half of the plate and handed Arian the fork. She was reluctant at first, eating only as much as a frightened mouse would risk grabbing. I pushed the plate closer to her and nodded. She took the hint and dug into the delicious meal.

With her preoccupied and me not, I now had a good chance to take a look at my new acquaintance. There was one peculiar aspect of her that caught my attention. “What are those markings on your cheeks?” Arian froze and a heavy blush accented her cheeks. I felt as if someone squeezed my heart. “I’m sorry. I was just asking if they were special.”

She set her hand on the table with the fork on the plate and nodded. “They are the mark of my clan.”

I cocked my head to one side. “They have clans in heaven?”

She pushed around the food with her utensil. “No. I am from the Land Immortal realm. My clan is the bear clan.”

“Bear clan? You worship them?” I guessed.

Arian hung her head so low I could barely see her face. “No. We are able to transform into them.”

I sat up in a stupor as I tried to process what she was telling me. The idea of the little short girl before me transforming into a wild beast was too ridiculous to believe. Then again, I was sitting at a table in a hall of heaven.

“Like fangs and claws and fur?” I asked her.

She didn’t dare look at me as she bobbed her head. “Yes. . .”

I stared at her a moment longer before a smile spread across my face. I lunged at her and grabbed her hand so suddenly that the fork in the other hand clattered onto the plate. Arian started back and we found ourselves staring into each other’s eyes. Mine were filled with wonder while hers were very confused.

“That is so neat!” I squealed as I squeezed her hand. “Can you do it any time you want or do you have to wait for a full moon?”

She blinked at me a moment before she cleared her throat. “I-I can change at any moment, but. . .”

A little bit of my joy drained when I watched her bite her lower lip. “What is it?”

She turned her face away from me. “Are you not ashamed to have one such as me serve you? My last mistress was. . .”

I blinked at her. “Why would I be ashamed of that?”

Arian cast a furtive glance in my direction. “I am from a lowly land clan while you are of the heavenly immortals.”

“I’m from Brookston,” I told her as I leaned to one side to capture her gaze. “I’m sure it isn’t any more glamorous than where you’re from and some places look a lot better than a bear den.”

“Oh no!” Arian replied as she shook her head. “We don’t live in dens any longer. We have built a small city around our old caves and we live in houses.”

“I’d like to see that someday,” I mused as I drew my hands into my lap. “It sounds really interesting and reminds me more of home than here.”

“Perhaps when His Majesty allows, you will be able to visit with me,” she suggested.

I grinned. “I’d like that. Now then-” I pushed the plate closer to her, “-how about you finish your meal and we can go enjoy the sunshine?”

Arian smiled and nodded before she dug into the remainder of the food. I couldn’t help but stare at her with a new sense of awe. She looked so normal. It made me wonder if anyone I’d met was what they appeared to be.

My new friend cleaned the plate and tried to stand with the empty platter. I snatched the plate and set it on the table before I grabbed her hand and jumped to my feet. “Work later. A breath of fresh air now.”

I led her to the door or tried to. The robes were still attempting my murder and I took each step with a small sense of dread. We reached the small porch that covered the front of the hall and I stopped to admire the view. The path that ran from the arch to the porch was in the shape of an uppercase ‘L.’ The tree took up the empty void inside the letter while grass surrounded the outside of the alphabet shape. The whole space was probably no more than two hundred feet square and was surrounded by a wall some fifteen feet high and half a foot thick.

It was all so inviting so I took an easy stroll down the path to admire the greenery. I stopped in the middle of the garden and lifted an arm over my head before I looked up at the sky. The shadow of my limb protected most of my peering eyes from the bright sun. A thought struck me that made me frown.

“Is something the matter?” Arian asked me.

“Is it just me or does that sun never seem to move?” I wondered.

She shook her head. “It isn’t just you. The sun never sets in the land of the heavenly gods. There is no night nor even a morning, but all is sunny every hour.”

My face drooped and I dropped my arm to my side before looking at her. “So no stars?”

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“None, I’m afraid.”

I pursed my lips as I thought back to that beautiful night sky under which I’d been transported here. A sigh escaped me.

Arian set a hand on my sleeve. “Are you sure you’re well? We might go back inside-”

I smiled and shook my head. “I’m fine. I could use some fresh air after that nap.”

We continued our little walk down the lane and soon arrived at the archway. The long, wide road with the paving stones ran past and I couldn’t help but be tempted by what lay on the other side of those imperious walls. I neared the arch and stretched my neck to catch a good view of the thoroughfare.

Arian caught my arm in both her hands and tugged me back. “You mustn’t lean out too far!”

I looked over my shoulder at her. “Why?”

“Because I will sense it.”

I started back as Yushir moved out of his hiding spot on the other side of the wall. A mischievous but stern smile lay on his lips as he walked in front of me, forcing me backward away from the arch.

“Sense it?” I repeated.

He swept an arm over the sky above the grounds. The air rippled like the surface of water and there was even a slight bluish tinge that wasn’t there before. The effect lasted only a moment before it faded back to obscurity. “I have placed a spell around this place that alerts me to anyone entering or leaving.”

My heart fell. “Why?”

“Because my uncle has entrusted you in my care and I take his commands very seriously,” he mused as he set a hand on my shoulder and turned me around to face the hall. We strolled down the garden path as he stared ahead. “But what of your magic practice?”

I winced. “I. . .haven’t really done anything. . .”

He stopped us beside the grassy spot where my last lesson had taken place and clapped his hands on my shoulders. “Then we should get you started on today’s practice. I will watch while you perform the motions I have already taught you.”

My face drooped but I plopped down on the green and crossed my legs. I took a deep breath and prepared for the inevitable failure.

I wasn’t disappointed. After an hour of attempting even a tiny puff of magic, all I had to show for it were some tired arms and a slightly flustered teacher.

He had his arms crossed and paced the path in front of me. “Surely you must have some gift.”

I used my sleeve to wipe away some of the sweat. “Maybe I’m not really a goddess.”

Yushir shook his head. “That is impossible. You carry the mantle on your shoulders as we all do.”

I looked down at myself. “I don’t see anything.”

He smiled and tapped the side of his temple with one hand. “One must learn these skills through a training of the mind over many years.”

“How many years?”

“Some thirty thousand.”

My face drooped. “That’s a long time for one trick.”

He chuckled. “That ‘trick’ has helped save me many times in battle. A mortal is much easier to kill than an immortal.”

My eyebrows shot up. “You guys go to war?”

“Not for many thousands of years, but yes, we have fought in many battles. Fortunately, most took place a very long time ago, back before the realms were divided up as they are now.” His eyes took on a faraway look. “Immortals mingled with mortals then and the beast clans constantly vied for territory. Lord Eastwei had his hands full tamping down one dispute after another.”

I cocked my head to one side. “Why would he have done that?”

Yushir smiled and turned to me. “At that time Eastwei was no mere lord but the Emperor of the One Realm. He relinquished his title when they were separated.”

I thought back to that handsome but icy-cold face. “So how did he become the emperor?”

“Through might and wisdom, and because he hailed from another land,” Yushir explained.

I furrowed my brow. “Wouldn’t that last one be bad?”

The prince toyed with his ring as he shook his head. “Not at all. Deep in the very beginnings none of the clans and gods trusted one another. Eastwei, without any such familial or diplomatic ties, was seen as a neutral party, so he was elected emperor.”

“But didn’t he belong to the heaven gods?” I pointed out.

“Oh no. He hailed from the far east and was without kin, or so far as I can get out of him.” Yushir wrinkled his nose. “He is closed-mouth about much, and most especially his past. I can hardly get him to speak about our past battles together.” He shook himself from his reverie and smiled down at me. “But you appear tired and I must make a report to my uncle about your progress. I will return tomorrow and we will continue your training. I am sure you will see some progress after a day or two.” He bowed his head and left.

My heart fell and the muscles in my arms twinged at the coming morrow.