Divine by Choice by P.C. Cast Page B

asks that you join him in the stables.”
    â€œIs Epi all right?” Concern flashed through me.
    â€œShe is very restless, and the Shaman believes your presence will soothe her.”
    â€œTell 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.”
    â€œIt 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.
    â€œRhea,” 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.”
    â€œUgh,” 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.”
    â€œI will chance it.” She smiled back. “But I will not sit near you.”
    â€œSmart aleck,” I muttered at her. Then I thought to add in a low voice, “Hey, how did you know April 30 is my birthday?”
    â€œIt is the date of Rhiannon’s birth, too,” she whispered through a wry smile.
    â€œWeird coincidence,” I said.
    â€œIt is only one of many,” she replied thoughtfully.
    â€œHuh,” 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 calmed down.
    The center aisle was wide and long. On either side of it were situated roomy, immaculate stalls, each tenanted by a mare unique in beauty and temperament. As I hurried down the aisle, I was greeted by throaty whinnies. I called to each of them by name, wishing I had time to stop and caress their shining faces.
    â€œHello, Pasiphae, you wonderful girl.”
    â€œLilith, you sweet thing, stop trying to pull down that hay net.”
    â€œHeket, baby girl, you’re much too beautiful to look at me with such sad eyes.”
    And on and on and on—stall after stall held mares that were examples of the very best of their breed. As I neared the end of the hall, the aisle took an abrupt turn to the left. But before I entered that special area reserved for Epona’s equine incarnation, I could already hear the restless squeals and pawingsof the mare that stood out as exceptional, even in this group of the finest horses in Partholon.
    Taking the left turn I entered an enormous rounded room that held a huge stall to which a private corral was attached. My husband and Dougal were standing in front of the closed stall, as were several rumpled-looking stable maidens. Their attention was focused on the neurotic-acting mare who paced from one end of the spacious stall to the other.
    Epi’s beauty was ethereal. Her coat was a mixture of gray and white, that blended to form an incredible silver color, which glistened like pooled mercury until it shaded to coal around her eyes and down her delicate legs. She was a nice-size mare, probably about fifteen hands high, and her confirmation was beyond perfect. I adored everything about her.
    As if she had the ability to sense my presence (which,