Chapter 48. A Visit from the Goddess

Giovanna opened her eyes and a strong light made her close them again. She sensed by the clarity of her eyelids that the light was dimming, and she opened her eyes again. In front of her was a temple, with some young and old women dancing, just as she had danced for Luc on her wedding day. But there was no music. Only joy. Giovanna noticed that many of them had blonde hair and blue eyes and few had black hair and none had gray eyes like her own.

The woman she saw in the date hall with a spear and a shield came out of the temple and smiled lovingly at the women dancing there. Now she was wearing a golden dress and apart from the owl, she was carrying nothing else. She approached Giovanna, who looked at her with a frown. The woman sat down next to her and only then did Giovanna realize that she was sitting on a rustic wooden bench.

"Did I die?" Giovanna asked indifferently and without looking at the woman. She could feel her eyes on her body. But she kept looking