Американские боги

           Shehadalargeamberringonhermiddlefinger.

           "Goodboy,"shesaid."Iamgoingtobuygroceries.Yousee,Iamtheonlyoneofuswhobringsinanymoney.Theothertwocannotmakemoneyfortune-telling.Thisisbecausetheyonlytellthetruth,andthetruthisnotwhatpeoplewanttohear.Itisabadthing,andittroublespeople,sotheydonotcomeback.ButIcanlietothem,tellthemwhattheywanttohear.SoIbringhomethebread.Doyouthinkyouwillbehereforsupper?"

           "Iwouldhopeso,"saidWednesday.

           "Thenyouhadbettergivemesomemoneytobuymorefood,"shesaid."Iamproud,butIamnotstupid.TheothersareprouderthanIam,andheistheproudestofall.Sogivememoneyanddonottellthemthatyougivememoney."

           Wednesdayopenedhiswallet,andreachedin.Hetookoutatwenty.ZoryaVechernyayapluckeditfromhisfingers,andwaited.Hetookoutanothertwentyandgaveittoher.

           "Isgood,"shesaid."Wewillfeedyoulikeprinces.Now,goupthestairstothetop.ZoryaUtrennyayaisawake,butourothersisterisstillasleep,sodonotbemakingtoomuchnoise."

           ShadowandWednesdayclimbedthedarkstairs.Thelandingtwostoriesupwashalffilledwithblackplasticgarbagebagsanditsmelledofrottingvegetables.

           "Aretheygypsies?"askedShadow.

           "Zoryaandherfamily?Notatall.They’renotRom.They’reRussian.Slavs,Ibelieve."

           "Butshedoesfortune-telling."

           "Lotsofpeopledofortune-telling.Idabbleinitmyself."Wednesdaywaspantingastheywentupthefinalflightofstairs."I’moutofshape."