"Sure," Diana said, and they went through the song together. "How about
another chorus?" she asked.
"It's all right, Diana," Forrester said, knowing she preferred the name
to her Greek one of Artemis. "I feel fine now."
"Well," Diana said in a disappointed voice, "all right."
What surprised Forrester most was that he _did_ feel fine. All the Gods
had helped him in the past several months, but Diana had been especially
helpful. As a forest Goddess, and as Protectress of the Night, she'd
been able to tell him a lot about how an orgy was arranged. He had often
wished that she would teach by example, but now, he discovered, it was
too late for wishing.
She was, he told himself with only faint regret, just like a sister to
him. Or even a brother.
"I guess everything will be okay," he said. "Won't it?"
Diana clapped him on the back. "You're going to be great. Just go out
there and show 'em what kind of a God you are."
"But what kind of a God am I?"
"Just keep cool, kid. You won't fail me--I know it."
"I'll try," Forrester said. "Only I'm getting nervous just sitting
around here. I wish we could go out and stroll around; we've got plenty
of time, anyhow."
Diana nodded. "It's ten minutes yet before the Procession starts. I
suppose we might as well take a look around, kid, if it makes you feel
better."
"It might."
"Fine, then. But how do you want to go?"