“When Abby granted you powers, she wanted to do more, but a mortal can only hold so many gifts,” Rowan said. “She made this to help you survive.”

“Is this—is this an artifact?”

Rowan nodded. “It’s a piece of her soul, so you should guard it carefully.”

Gretta looked alarmed and thrust it toward Rowan. “I’m mortal. I can’t keep this safe for a week, let alone forever.”

Rowan gently pushed it back toward her. “I’m killed way more often than you are, and way more gods have had their chance to rob me. She wanted you to wear it.”

Gretta looked around the night desert as if expecting a god to step forward and try to steal the necklace at any moment.

Rowan smiled. “Abby is my best friend, and she’s very smart. If she wanted you to wear it, she had a plan. She wouldn’t have made it or entrusted it with you if she wasn’t sure this was necessary.”

Gretta tentatively slipped the pendant on. It rested against her skin for a moment before it shimmered and vanished. The pendant left behind a tattoo of the pendant itself but still moved on her skin as if it was physically present.

“Wow,” Gretta said. “I guess that’s not going to come off easily.” She closed her eyes. “I feel—different.”

“Abby wanted you to be able to visit the astral, which she felt would help protect you.”

Gretta squinted at Rowan. “I only know the basics. My other shapes exist there, tethered to this reality by the form I leave behind. They just follow me around. You can actually go there?”

“Apparently, I can, but you couldn’t before you wore the necklace.” Rowan shrugged. “I think you get the basics. Reality—both here on Earth and in the domains of the gods—is overlaid with an intangible plane called the astral. And, as you know, that is where your other shapes reside. But, if your entire essence is in the astral, you can still move around. While you are there, you can’t be touched, seen, or smelled by anything back in reality.”

Gretta nodded. “So… you’re basically a ghost?”

Rowan shrugged. “I’ve never seen a ghost, but I guess so.”

Gretta’s brow furrowed. “And the Wild Mother thought this would help protect me?”

“I think she’s concerned that getting shot is not good for your health, and you’ve been shot multiple times lately. Being intangible would avoid that.”

“That only works if I’m always in the astral or know exactly when I’m about to get shot,” Gretta said.

“And you need the strength to go to the astral and stay there,” Rowan said. “You probably won’t be able to stay there for more than a few seconds at a time.”

Gretta’s eyes narrowed. “So, to recap, if I think I’m about to be shot and have the strength to pull myself into the astral, I can stay there a few seconds to avoid bullets.”

Rowan nodded. “You can also go through walls.”

Gretta frowned. “How do I not fall through the floor?”

“I didn’t fall through the floor when I went there.” Rowan shrugged. “No clue. I suspect it’s best not to think about it too much. It seems like the astral is more of a place of thought than physical reality.”

“So, I might just fall through the floor and into the center of the Earth before coming back into reality?”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Rowan wiggled his hand in a so-so gesture. “Maybe. The center of the Earth is pretty far down. You’d probably end up in rock well before then.”

“Of all people, why did the Wild Mother have you deliver a portion of her soul to me? You make it sound like her gift is a curse.”

“Well, as far as we know, I’m the only one that can navigate between the domains of the gods and mortal reality.”

Gretta frowned. “So, she had no choice?”

“I’m her best friend!”

“If she gave me this, I’m sure it will help me, but I’m scared to use it. If visiting the astral is so great, why don’t you do it?”

“I can’t,” Rowan said.

“You just said that you can!”

“Well, I’ve only done it once—and that was while a god was killing me and you were praying to me at the same time.”

Gretta put a palm on her forehead. “That’s right! I fucking prayed to you.”

“Yeah, thanks for the kind words. I don’t get a lot of prayers,” he said.

“I’ll bet. But you’re dodging the subject,” Gretta said. “You said you can do it and have even done it before. Why don’t you do it rather than getting shot?”

“I don’t know how. I guess I didn’t pay attention in godhood 101.”

“So, the only one I know who has ever been in the astral’s best advice is to not think about falling through the ground? That’s all you’ve got?”

“Well, that and don’t get shot.”

Gretta sighed. “Okay. I’ll try to use it because I trust the Wild Mother, and she thinks it will help.”

Rowan smiled. “Good luck.”

Gretta tapped her foot impatiently. “Okay, so what do I do to activate it?”

“Uh. I didn’t ask. Maybe just… think transparent thoughts?”

Gretta let out a pained sigh, focused her attention on her other forms in the astral, and willed her human body to join them. The shift was easier than she expected, and she easily slipped right from reality into the astral. She was neither warm nor cold. But she felt like she could feel more magic moving through here than on the mortal plane. Despite the ease of shifting, she started to feel the drain of magic it took to remain. She was already exhausted and began to tremble with exertion.

She gasped as her body plunged downward, swallowed by the darkness.

As she sank, she heard Rowan say, “You figured that out fast.”

A moment passed as she fought off panic and exhaustion. Rowan hadn’t seen her sinking, so he wouldn’t know she needed help. She’d have to get herself out of this. She went through the motions of taking a calming breath despite there being nothing to breathe in the astral. She just needed to reset. I have time. If Rowan can do this, how hard can it be?

The absolute darkness of being below ground was unsettling, but as she stared up, she saw the glow of Rowan’s astral being. At least, she assumed it was him. He was a translucent being of blue energy. He might have even been beautiful if he wasn’t scratching his head looking at the spot she had been. Maybe it was anger or determination, but Gretta shot back up through the astral and into the air.

When she appeared, she was a foot off the ground, looking down at Rowan, who leaned back in surprise. She landed lightly on the ground.

She smacked him in the shoulder. “Why didn’t you come to help me?”

Rowan looked confused. “Help you with what? You seemed to be doing great!”

Gretta glowered at him. “I fell into the ground!”

“Huh. That’s exciting,” he said.

She gritted her teeth. “I could have died!”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “You just disappeared. I couldn’t see you, but I could still feel you nearby.” He made a micro shrug. “I didn’t realize you were in trouble.”

Gretta smirked. “Why do you look like you are pooping in your pants?”

“I’m trying to go into the Astral,” he said. “I have no idea how to do it.”

“I focused on my other forms, felt them, and then willed my body to join them,” Gretta said.

Rowan’s face was turning red. He let out a breath. “Nadia and Abby both seemed to think I could do it, but I have no idea what the trick is.”

Gretta smirked. “And they didn’t tell you?”

Rowan shook his head. “Abby said you were in trouble and needed help, so I couldn’t stay and get her help.”

“I’m not sure I want to go back into the astral without a spotter,” she said. “Falling into the ground was terrifying.”

Rowan nodded. “I’m sure it’ll get easier with practice.” Then he cocked his head to one side as if listening.

Gretta smirked. “What is it? Did you have your first thought?”

“Shh,” Rowan said. “Sofia is praying to me.”