Divine By Choice. P.C. Cast

is not going to tell us, is she?” Alanna sounded wistful.

      “Doesn’t look like it,” I sighed. “Damn.”

      Alanna sighed in mirrored frustration. (Note to self: it’s about friggin time I asked ClanFintan to explain centaur sex.)

      “My Lady, if you will come this way.” Kai had returned and was gesturing for me to follow him into the center of the construction area.

      As Alannna and I caught up with him I whispered to her, “Is it normal that he’s so damn young? I mean, he’s a friggin teenager. He can’t even be sixteen! Barf.”

      “The spirit of stone speaks strongly within him. It does not care that he is young, only that he is willing to listen. You will see.”

      We joined him atop the marble stairs that had already been completed. It was an enormous area that was littered with massive chunks of marble, some of it raw and some already carved and smooth. Around the circumference of the structure were the bottoms of thick columns. These columns weren’t fully formed yet, and they looked like broken teeth in a giant’s mouth, but as we moved farther into the building site I could see that several central columns were already completed. They stood tall and proud, as if they were concentrating on setting a good example for the others. We stopped directly in front of the center-most column, which was so broad there was no way the three of us could touch fingertips if we stood around its base, arms outstretched. The marble was a luminescent, pearlized color with deep, smooth grooves etched into its expansive length. Its top was intricately carved in a circular pattern of interwoven knots framing plunging centaur warriors.

      “This is the central support piece,” Kai said. His unusual voice had a faraway sound as he looked adoringly at the newly constructed column. “Each individual piece of stone I used to construct it spoke Epona’s name. I brought it home.”

      “You hear a voice in the marble?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking.

      He smiled at me. “It is not a sound—not exactly. It is more like a whisper in my mind.”

      I thought about Epona’s voice and nodded. “It’s a feeling, but you can hear it like it has been spoken.”

      “Yes!” he said.

      “Can you still hear its voice?” Alanna asked before I could.

      “Of course—the marble will always speak to me.” He placed his work-toughened hand, which looked much older than the rest of him, against the column and closed his eyes. As his hand met marble, it seemed the stone quivered. We watched, and he caressed the column. For a moment the massive stone appeared to liquefy under his palm. It looked as if his hand sank into the stone, as if his touch made it claylike and malleable. I studied him, and saw an outline of shimmering radiance surrounding his body, much like the magical illumination that enshrouded ClanFintan as he called the Change to him. Then Kai took his hand from the column and opened his eyes. The glow faded as if it had only been a figment of my imagination.

      “The marble greets you, Incarnate of Epona.” His voice was wonderfully serene.

      “Really!” I breathed. “May I touch it?”

      “Of course, my Lady,” he said, obviously pleased by my request.

      I stepped close to the column and placed my hands gently against its smooth surface.

      “Uh-hum…” Nervously I cleared my throat. “Hello,” I offered, feeling very small beside the huge stone.

      I was surprised by how soft the marble felt beneath my palms. And this close I realized its appearance changed. I could see that it was not one color but a mixture of many different shades and veins, all blending together to create the distinctive pearl hue. While I studied it, I suddenly sensed a sentience, almost a listening presence, and my hands detected warmth that came from within the stone itself. Then I was enclosed in an astonishing swell of feelings, like I had been immersed in a warm pool of emotion, or had been wrapped in a mother’s embrace. My hands shook—not from fear, but from the sheer wonder of it.

      A line from Shakespeare flitted through my mind and I whispered, “‘Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!’”

      Then the feeling dispersed, and with a parting caress I pulled my hands from the column and turned to find Alanna and Kai studying me intently.

      “It spoke to you!” Kai said.

      “Not really.” I let my eyes linger on the amazing marble. “But I felt something,” I didn’t know how to describe it. “Something wonderful,” I ended lamely.

      “When is the day of your birth?” He sounded excited.

      “The last day in April,” Alanna answered before I could—and I was surprised that she answered correctly.

      A flash of understanding came over Kai’s expressive face. “Ah, a Taurean. Of course! You must be linked to the earth as well as to your goddess.”

      I had no idea what he was talking about. I mean, I knew I had been born under the sign of the bull, and I’d suffered through pretending to listen to several discarded lovers lecturing me about my stubbornness (who really listens to guys after you fire them?). But I’d never paid much attention to horoscopes and that kind of stuff. Well, up until six months ago I hadn’t.

      Alanna was nodding happily in agreement.

      “Well, that’s nice to know,” I said a little lamely.

      The clatter of hooves announced the arrival of a male centaur I recognized as being one of my husband’s couriers.

      “My Lady…” He executed a graceful centaur bow. “Clan-Fintan asks that you join him in the stables.”

      “Is Epi all right?” Concern flashed through me.

      “She is very restless, and the Shaman believes your presence will soothe her.”

      “Tell him I’ll be right there.” I turned to Kai. “Thank you for sharing this—” I faltered, not wanting to choose the wrong words “—magic with me.”

      “It was my pleasure, my Lady.” His smile said I had chosen correctly.

      I started to turn away, then stopped and reached out to pat the smooth stone in farewell. It still felt warm.

      “Rhea,” Alanna said as we made our way back through the maze of construction, “I should go see to the preparations for the Samhain feast. There is still much to be done, and I do not think you will want to oversee the choosing of the food.”

      “Ugh,” I agreed. “Go ahead. Just be sure there are plenty of those centaur muffins and some boiled rice. I’ll see to Epi and meet you and Carolan around midday for lunch.” I grinned at her. “That is, if you’re willing to chance eating around me again.”

      “I will chance it.” She smiled back. “But I will not sit near you.”

      “Smart aleck,” I muttered at her. Then I thought to add in a low voice, “Hey, how did you know April 30 is my birthday?”

      “It is the date of Rhiannon’s birth, too,” she whispered through a wry smile.

      “Weird coincidence,” I said.

      “It is only one of many,” she replied thoughtfully.

      “Huh,” I said succinctly before I turned to the waiting centaur. “Lead on,” I told him, and we headed briskly to the ornate entrance to the stable.

      The stable of Epona was an incredible building, like nothing I had ever seen before. It, too, was made of luminous marble carved and fitted into place by master masons. With newly educated eyes I gazed at the massive columns that supported the beautiful domed edifice, suddenly wondering if the sense of serenity and acceptance I had felt since the first time I had entered this building had been caused by more than the presence of the wonderful horses. I made a mental note to come back and do some marble feeling after Epi had