Divine by Mistake by P.C. Cast Read Free Book Online Page A

she enters the sacred grove, to aid and guide you.” Intently studying my face, her litany slowed, “But I do not think she is here with you. You appear to be her, but you do not have her…” Here she faltered, as if catching herself in the middle of a thought. Then she continued, “…her manner. Now she has become you, and you must become her.”
    “This can’t be. I don’t believe it.”
    “The Lady Rhiannon directed me to ask a question of you if you did not seem to understand or believe.”
    I raised my eyebrow like Spock and waited.
    “In your world do you know stories that tell tales of gods and goddess, myths and magic, spells and sorcery?” She paused, and looked expectantly at me. Obviously, she wouldn’t take the eyebrow for an answer.
    “Yes, of course, I’m a teacher, I teach those stories to kids.”
    “My Lady Rhiannon said to tell you that this world is where those stories came from. They leaked across The Divide like shadows and smoke, seeking their mirror images in your world. Thus have I learned of that world, in the form of smoke and shadows, and thus I found my mirror image—you.”
    “That’s fantasy sci-fi crap, Suz. How can you expect me to believe it?”
    “Lady Rhiannon told me that she would use her image that was already in your world, and a wall of fire to move through The Divide.”
    “That friggin pot.” It couldn’t be.
    “Pardon me, my Lady?”
    “The fire. How was she not harmed if she passed through a wall of fire? And why wasn’t I burned up, too?”
    Suzanna’s face drained of color.
    “More wine, my Lady.”
    “Yep. And you haven’t answered my question.”
    Two quick taps on the door interrupted her. She had the good manners to look sheepish…and keep looking and looking at me. Wha—?
    “You may enter,” she finally called.
    A new nymph bowed her way into the room.
    Suzanna was still looking apologetically at me. Oops, I kept forgetting, I was the mistress, which (I guess) meant I should be ordering around the nymphs.
    Okay, I’d give it a try. “What?” Even though I was still sounding like a whispering opossum, I tried to project that “don’t interrupt my classroom” voice my students knew and loved so well.
    The little nymph turned toward me and spoke in a charming lilt. “Mistress, your betrothed has arrived.”
    I looked quickly at Suzanna. She was no damn help; her eyes were squeezed shut and her lips were moving in what looked like some kind of silent prayer. Jeesh.
    “Fine. Tell him (stall, think, think) tell him…um (at the “um” the nymph’s eyes widened in surprise—oops—guess mistresses/my Ladys don’t um) tell him I will greet him when I have finished dressing.” So there. I’m female—no matter where the hell I was, men must be accustomed to waiting on women to get ready.
    “Yes, my Lady.” She bowed her way out. My ruse seemed to have worked. I almost felt like Penelope.
    “How’d ya like that, girlfriend? Did I sound like The Mistress Here?”
    “We are players in a dangerous game, my Lady.”
    “Oh, come on, Suz. This is all a dream or something!”
    “Please, my Lady—” she grabbed my hands and squeezed “—if you bear any love for your Suzanna, please listen and heed my words. More than just your own life rests upon your actions today.”
    “Okay, okay, Suz. I’ll listen.”
    “First, you must not call me by that name. You must only call me Alanna. You must meet with ClanFintan. Your betrothal period is over, it is time to enter into the formal handfast.”
    Something about her eyes caused me to bite back my refusal. She really believed this. She was not pretending or kidding. She looked terrified.
    “You know I will always help you, my girl—”
    “Alanna! If you call me by name you must use that name. Do you understand?”
    “Yes, Alanna.” Whatever was wrong I couldn’t fix it without more information, and Suz—oops—Alanna definitely needed fixing. “Okay, isn’t a handfast a temporary