they were the hunters on the prowl. The people accompanying him were shifting in place and whispering, never loud enough to put the mission in danger. They didn''t talk to him, but he could feel their glances. They all thought he was going to die.


    "So you’ll wait for my signal in the woods? What if I fail?”


    "You’re a goddess. I think you won''t have any problems."


    "We won''t be able to do it twice. The moment we take one god, they''ll know they''re not safe anymore and start replacing them."


    "We won''t do it twice."


    "I don''t understand,” council member Cadia said. “Is it an actual rescue mission or just a distraction?"


    "We should aim for both. We need to know what happened to the people they took. We''ll also need cloud water, if I succeed."


    "What''s the plan if you don''t?"


    "I think you should prepare to leave."


    "This is our village. It''s absurd we''re even entertaining the idea of leaving it."


    "I hate to say it, but Aili is right on one point: if I fail, and it''s likely, the monks will change strategy. They might discover the holders, they might realize what we''re after and put protections in place."


    "I also said that they might capture you and read your memory. But not even you think you''re going to survive this, do you?"


    "And you think that yelling that will be enough?"


    "Between you kidnapping a god and the attack at the tents? Yes. Enough to think there''s something more to what we''re doing. Maybe it’ll convince them not to kill me on the spot."


    "They''re going to find it."


    "No, they''re not. We''ll make it flat and hide it in an internal pocket."


    "They might pat you down."


    "In that case, we''ll add some padding."


    "Who''s ''we''? You don''t know how to sew."


    Elder Nakai set aside the knitting needles and slammed her hand on the table.


    “That’s enough. I’ll take care of it personally."


    "How much time before it dissolves?"


    "Two hours, give or take. Don''t drink water."


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    "You want me to do what?"


    Davem’s hazel gaze made Rabam feel like a fool. It didn''t help that he could practically feel Aili''s disapproving presence as she silently followed the conversation.


    "It doesn''t have to make sense, it just needs to look believable. And make it as flat as possible."


    Davem observed the rough designs he’d provided.


    "This is the kind of work a clockmaker should do, not a blacksmith."


    "I know, but we don''t have any available. Do your best."


    "And when are we supposed to attack? It''s not like you can give us a signal."


    "Once we have a god, we can use it as a hostage. Threaten to break it if they get too close. So you can leave the village, and wait around until the monks bring me past a certain point before intervening.”


    "You''re not going alone," Lada said, looking at Aili''s empty chair. "We might need to contact you, and you might need help from us. Some of us are coming with you.”


    "What if Laius has access to the crater room? What if he kills you himself?"


    "I don''t know."


    "Right. Then maybe we shouldn''t go on with this."


    "It''s a gamble, Aili. We''ll do everything in our power and hope for the best."


    "You''re not hoping for the best."


    "Let''s say everything works out exactly as you''re imagining it: how do you think you''re going to come back out?"


    "I guess I''ll find a way once I''m there. It depends on what it contains, right?"


    "I just think you''re going to die on impact. I hope they capture you and put you in prison again, so at least you’ll be safe.”


    "I just need to time everything right."