The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce

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    Even though he’d said Numair would take no harm from the water he’d inhaled, she wanted to check on him and make sure. Leaving the duckmole beside the Chaos vent, she picked her way through the reeds and returned to their camp.
    There she found the mage, looking the worse for his experience. He sat with his back to her, talking to the badger, who must have arrived while she was off with the duckmole. “I think I hear—” Turning, he blushed scarlet and looked away.
    She had forgotten she wore only the claw necklace that stayed with her each time that she shape-changed. “Oh, for—!” she cried. Getting her pack, she went behind a tree. Fumbling with her garments, the girl shouted the details of her talk with Broad Foot.
    When she emerged, stockings in hand, Numair was close by, ready with her boots.
    â€œAre you sure you didn’t drink from the lake?” she asked quietly, fixing him with a stern eye. “That creature looked to me like a blue, naked female with a big chest, until Broad Foot changed my vision. She looked like just the kind of female you might want to be tempted by, Master Salmalín.”
    He blushed. “I give you my solemn word that I did not drink the lake water and request temptation,” he said, combing his wet mane back with his fingers. “I tested it with my Gift, and sensed there was something very wrong with it. You know, magelet, the gods may be losing ground against Chaos.”
    Broad Foot had arrived and was talking softly to the badger. Hearing the mage, they broke off their conference and came over. “What makes you think so?” asked the badger, dark eyes sharp.
    â€œI know my legends and myths,” explained the man. “The creators of the universe ordained that the gods, who stand for order, and Chaos, who stands for—”
    â€œChaos,” Daine interrupted with a smile.
    Numair tweaked her nose. “They must stay in balance. The only problem is that it’s the nature of each to fight the other. It’s written that a day will come when the Queen of Chaos will break free of the prison made for her by her siblings, the Great Gods.”
    â€œWhen that day comes, the mortal and divine realms will melt into Chaos. The gods—all gods—will perish, as will mortal life.” Broad Foot’s voice was grim.
    â€œYou know your legends well, human,” remarked the badger.
    â€œI have to report this,” the duckmole told them. “It’s more than just the lake being poisoned. The creature that had you captive was no part of this place. It was a Chaos dweller, masked as a lake being. How one of them managed to escape into the Divine Realms. . . . You start without me—I’ll catch up.” Without another word, he vanished.
    Packing, Daine filled Numair in on what he’d missed while bespelled, as the badger went to examine the vent. Once she was ready, the girl realized that she hadn’t seen the darking.
    â€œWe have to go,” warned Numair. “We can’t spend the day searching for it.”
    â€œI know,” replied Daine, scanning the grass around them. “I think it does, too. I just hope it didn’t fall into the lake.”
    When the badger rejoined them, the humans shouldered their packs and returned to the path. There, stark against sandy dirt, was an inky pool. “Is that you?” she asked it. “Did you come back?”
    The ink split. Half flowed over to her and reached up with a pair of armlike tentacles. The other half thrust up a part of itself shaped as a head, cocking it to one side.
    Daine stooped and picked up the one that clearly wanted her to do so. Cupped in her hand, the darking was light, but still had weight and a presence against her skin—like a bubble filled with water, she thought. “You brought a friend?” The darking on her palm grew its own head and nodded.
    â€œMore of