Американские боги

           Thegirlwalkedover.

           "Goodmorning,lady,"shesaid."Thebattlewillstartsoonnow."Thetipofherpinktonguetouchedherscarletlips.Shehadablackcrow’swingtiedwithleatherontohershoulder,acrow’sfootonachainaroundherneck.Herarmswereblue-tattooedwithlinesandpatternsandintricateknots.

           "Howdoyouknow?"

           Thegirlgrinned."IamMacha,oftheMorrigan.Whenwarcomes,Icansmellitintheair.Iamawargoddess,andIsay,bloodshallbespilledthisday."

           "Oh,"saidEaster."Well.Thereyougo."Shewaswatchingthesmallerdotintheskyasittumbleddowntowardthem,droppinglikearock.

           "Andweshallfightthem,andweshallkillthem,everyone,"saidthegirl."Andweshalltaketheirheadsastrophies,andthecrowsshallhavetheireyesandtheircorpses."Thedothadbecomeabird,itswingsoutstretched,ridingthegustymorningwindsabovethem.

           Eastercockedherheadononeside."Isthatsomehiddenwargoddessknowledge?"sheasked."Thewhole‘who’sgoingtowin’thing?Whogetswhosehead?"

           "No,"saidthegirl."Icansmellthebattle,butthat’sall.Butwe’llwin.Won’twe?Wehaveto.Isawwhattheydidtotheall-father.It’sthemorus."

           "Yeah,"saidEaster."Isupposeitis."

           Thegirlsmiledagain,inthehalf-light,andmadeherwaybacktothecamp.