Joceyn's father? How would knowing his name alter her destiny?

Asmodella wasn’t making any sense.

“My father was someone important, wasn’t he?” Jocelyn asked.

Asmodella nodded.

“Did he do great things?”

The Divine sighed. “That depends on who you ask. To some, he was a great man, a man with the vision and knowledge to alter the stars. To others he was a madman, drunk on his own power. One thing was for certain, he always left a lasting impression on those he met.”

“Where is he now? Did he survive the Xaksu invasion?”

Asmodella shook her head. “I’ve already said too much. I will tell you this, however. Your father wanted to re-imagine the universe at a time when it was resistant to change. He wanted to defy the impossible.”

Jocelyn allowed Asmodella’s words to sink in. And then she got angry. Instead of defying the impossible, how about doing what was possible and that was spend time with his daughter?

She swallowed hard. “Why am I here?”

“You’re here because I called you here,” Asmodella said.

“Why?”

“To serve.”

Jocelyn frowned. “So I’m to be your slave as well?”

“There are no slaves here, Jocelyn. There’s only you, me, and magic. Right now, we’re going to see how you fit into the larger scheme of things.”

Jocelyn folded her arms across her chest.

“I saw other people enter into the pods, the same as I did. Are they here as well?”

Asmodella nodded. “I’m conversing with the others as we speak.”

“Isn’t it hard having ten discussions simultaneously?”

She smiled. “The one thing about you mortals—and don’t take this personally—is that you’re awful at multi-tasking. Anyway, we’ve gone off topic.”

“No we haven’t. I want to know what happened to the first set of ten that entered here. Only one returned. Where are the other nine?”

“They serve a greater purpose now,” Asmodella said.

“Are they still alive?”

“Yes.”

That gave Jocelyn some relief. She was sure that the pods had eaten them.

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“Can I see them?”

Asmodella smiled. “You will, eventually. They’ll play a significant role in your life, believe me. But first, I need your help.”

“My help?” Jocelyn was surprised, and a little humbled. Why would a goddess possibly need her help?

“Yes,” Asmodella said, gesturing towards the tree at the center of the table. “Do you know what type of tree this is?”

Jocelyn recognized it immediately, with its thin trunk that leaned to one side, and delicate leaves that rested on whimsical branches. “It looks like a bonsai.”

“It is a bonsai.”

Asmodella leaned back in her chair and crossed her long legs. “This tree—like you—is dying.”

“From what?”

“Rot and decay. This bonsai is unlike the ones once found on Earth. Its life essence—its blood—begins at the roots and stretches all the way to the tip of the branches.”

“Isn’t that all trees?”

“All trees don’t have magic coursing through them. They’re also not as fragile as this one,” Asmodella said. “The rot will eventually consume this bonsai, turning it into a husk of dead wood for beetles and ants to live in. What I need from you is to remove all the decay that’s currently killing it.”

Jocelyn examined the tree. It looked fairly healthy. “That seems easy enough.”

“There is a caveat. If you cut a healthy branch or leaf, it will die.”

“What?” Jocelyn eyes narrowed in confusion. That didn’t seem to make any sense. “I watched my mom prune the trees at our house all the time. Removing a single green leaf or healthy branch doesn’t kill it.”

“Did you not hear me say this bonsai is unlike the ones found on Earth? By cutting off a healthy part of the tree, you’re severing its life essence.”

From the underside of the table Asmodella pulled out a pair of hand shears. She pushed them across the table towards Jocelyn.

“What happens if I fail and the bonsai dies?”

“Good question.” She reached over the table and tapped Jocelyn on the forehead with her thumb and forefinger, and then she began to pull at something.

Jocelyn was aghast to see a thin blue thread, stemming from the middle of her forehead, being tugged on by Asmodella.

“That was inside my head?” Jocelyn asked. “What is it?”

“It’s your life essence.”

“Can I touch it?”

“Only if you want to die. The thread is extremely fragile. Luckily, I have a steady hand. Best leave your fate in the hands of professionals.”

Jocelyn watched as Asmodella took the thread and delicately tied it around the base of the bonsai tree.

“There we go,” Asmodella nodded with satisfaction.

“Why did you do that?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” the Divine asked. “Your fates are now tied together.”

It didn’t take a genius for Jocelyn to understand. “If the tree dies…” she said.

“Your body dies too.”

Jocelyn leaned back in her chair. “Did you put the others through the same test as well?”

“Perhaps.”

“I guess that answers my question of what happened to them. You lied to me.”

Asmodella folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her gaze on Jocelyn, like an annoyed teacher who was about to discipline a disrespectful student. “Divines don’t like being called liars. Our word is gospel.”

“You told me the others were still alive.”

“And they are.”

Jocelyn pointed at the blue thread tied to the bonsai tree. “Yet you just told me that if this tree dies, I’ll die with it.”

“Your physical form, yes,” Asmodella said. “But there is more to the essence of life than just body.”

Was she talking about the soul?

Jocelyn looked at the tree. “So if I fail, I lose my body.”

“Correct.”

“What happens if I succeed?”

“Then I’ll bestow a gift onto you,” Asmodella said.

“Can your gift cure my poison?”

The goddess frowned. “I would if I could,” she replied. She stared at Jocelyn’s black veins and her eyes softened. “That’s the mark of another one of my brothers, Ruin.”

“Ruin?”

Asmodella nodded. “Yes, the Ruined God. He’s a bastard, that one—figuratively.”

“Well if he’s your brother, can you speak to him?”

Asmodella shook her head. “Honey, I can’t.”

“Why?”

“He’s the only being in this world I fear.” Asmodella averted her eyes from Jocelyn, almost out of shame.

There was a moment of tense silence between them.

“Am I good as dead then?” Jocelyn asked.

“Pick up the shears and find out,” Asmodella instructed, “Let’s see if you can save your body for tonight at least.”