This short story, to be read online on Ann Leckie's website, takes place in the same world as [b:The Nalendar|24901153|The Nalendar|Ann Leckie|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1423580461s/24901153.jpg|44551061], [b:Beloved of the Sun|22857545|Beloved of the Sun|Ann Leckie|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|42424069], and [b:The Snake's Wife|29608224|The Snake's Wife|Ann Leckie|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|49948642]; stories I've read prior to this one.

Again it involves people having an agreement with one god. Again it's about each having his own reasons for the agreement, the contract, the deal. Again it shows how cunning gods can be to mislead people and how people, despite some suspicion, accept the terms of the agreement. But at some point, the suspicion is justified and can help them see the light, have an epiphany.

It's a world that knows slavery, trade, priests (who are the Speakers of the Gods), royalty, and so on. In this story, the matter of adoption is addressed, but the child (Ifanei) is - (un)knowingly? - part of the deal that was arranged many centuries ago, with one of the founding fathers (Etoje) of the island Au. Actually, there were two brothers: Etoje and Ekuba, but as the latter tried to cheat the former when their father's possessions were to be divided between them, Etoje killed his brother and fled. Or at least, he thought he had killed his brother. I think Ann Leckie took the story of Romulus and Remus and the founding of Rome for this passage.

The God of Au is one of the lesser gods, who uses a vicious tactic to get released from his first deal to strike a deal with new people (the Godless), who have a fleet of six ships, each having a special name: Bird of the Waves, Water Knife, O Gods Take Pity, Breath of Starlight, Righteous Vengeance, and Neither Land nor Water. They are to worship only him and no other gods. They are also to seek more followers, else those will meet their end soon. In return, this god will protect his new followers, i.e. those with whom he has a deal. Of course, as in the other stories, this is a little too good to be true.

The aforementioned girl (Ifanei) is indeed part of the former deal - it was the God of Au himself who had led her to that specific family -, so the God of Au cannot just free himself from the old contract, despite the island having sunk into the sea, because the local volcano, wherein another god hides, has erupted. The God of Au didn't warn his people, didn't help them escape; he only provided for them, protected them as long as all was well. So, logically, the new, sea-faring people (the Godless) aren't fully convinced of the god's intentions and therefore... decide to call the deal off and thus not agree to the terms. It helps, of course, to have the girl with them and a special, fish-shaped token made of volcano glass. Said token was a sort of receipt for the hunters who had caught outlaws to be offered to the God of Au. As one of the conditions was "the smallest part of the island must be above sea level", having this volcanic glass token is proof that the old agreement was still valid.

I liked this one quite a lot, but reading about "agreements between gods and people" can be a bit tedious after a while, although I understand all these stories take place in the same world. Hence the recurring theme.

Like before: recommended! (imho) ( )