She stopped her lamenting then as a thought struck her.
"Wait. If we really do get reborn then maybe I already pledged to You in a past life!" she said, looking brightly at the Goddess.
Umbra shook Her head, but there was a ghost of a smile on Her face. "Trust Me. I'd know."
Not to be discouraged, Zardria pressed on. "Ok, well, maybe I served You loyally in a past life but never got a chance to pledge. Maybe this pledge would just be a lifetime late."
Umbra looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. "I suppose that could be possible -- I have had a lot of followers over the millennia. It can be hard to keep track of them all."
"So can I pledge?" Zardria pounced on Umbra's admission, a starving kitten.
Umbra let out a small laugh that sounded like a waterfall of blood running over a
