Американские боги

           "

           Wednesdaysmiledhissmile,theonethatmadeShadowwanttohithim."You’relivingherebecauseit’sthelastplacethey’lllookforyou.Icankeepyououtofsighthere."

           "Bytheyyoumeantheblackhats?"

           "Exactly.I’mafraidtheHouseontheRockisnowoutofbounds.It’salittledifficult,butwe’llcope.Nowit’sjuststampingourfeetandflag-waving,caracoleandsaunteruntiltheactionstarts—alittlelaterthananyofusexpected.Ithinkthey’llholdoffuntilspring.Nothingbigcanhappenuntilthen."

           "Howcome?"

           "Becausetheymaybabbleonaboutmicro-millisecondsandvirtualworldsandparadigmshiftsandwhat-have-you,buttheystillinhabitthisplanetandarestillboundbythecycleoftheyear.Thesearethedeadmonths.Avictoryinthesemonthsisadeadvictory.""Ihavenoideawhatyou’retalkingabout,"saidShadow.Thatwasnotentirelytrue.Hehadavagueidea,andhehopeditwaswrong.

           "It’sgoingtobeabadwinter,andyouandIaregoingtouseourtimeaswiselyaswecan.Weshallrallyourtroopsandpickourbattleground."

           "Okay,"saidShadow.HeknewthatWednesdaywastellinghimthetruth,orapartofatruth.Warwascoming.No,thatwasnotit:thewarhadalreadybegun.Thebattlewascoming."MadSweeneysaidthathewasworkingforyouwhenwemethimthatfirstnight.Hesaidthatbeforehedied.