Elyon's Ghost, page 16
“She has given all and has nothing left. Her soul is empty, she is utterly alone, and I am the one responsible for ripping the very fabric of her life to shreds. You must return that life to her. You alone, the joy of my heart, can bring healing to an empty soul bereft of all hope.”
“Where do I find her?”
“Your heart will tell you when you do.” The Goddess daintily sipped her tea, waiting to see whether her Priestess had other questions she wanted to ask. When none were forthcoming, her gaze languidly roamed the curves and contours of Sábria’s body.
Knowing what that look meant, Sábria’s pulse quickened, and her breathing slowed in anticipation of what her Goddess had planned for the rest of the night.
With a knowing look, Elyon raised the side of her mouth. “Was there something else you wanted to ask?”
Never understanding how a single look from those dark, smoldering eyes could make her shudder with longing and desire, Sábria licked lips gone suddenly dry as her nipples hardened beneath her tunic. All that from a single, simmering look.
Then, suddenly, her tunic was gone, and she found herself once again lying naked in her bed. Only this time, she wasn’t alone. With the caress of hands that knew exactly how to please and arouse, Elyon pinched Sábria’s nipple and then gently ran a finger around and over the tip. Placing her lips close to Sábria’s ear, she nibbled before whispering, “Did you want something, My Heart?”
Sounding needy, even to herself, Sábria managed to moan, “Yes.”
Elyon’s fingers were warm against her body as they slid down her stomach and into the soft, curly hair between her legs. When they slipped between the folds, she smiled into her Priestess’ ear. As her fingers slid back and forth in the warm, wetness between Sábria’s legs, Elyon kissed her ear and then ran her tongue around and down into the smooth flesh. “I can see you’re more than ready for my answer.”
“Yes. Please.” Sábria’s back arched, wanting those fingers deep inside her.
“Please? Well, since you ask so nicely.” One finger slipped inside, and then another as the Goddess took Sábria to the heights of ecstasy and held her there until she cried out with agonized, arching pleasure. Elyon softly touched hidden places only she ever found and filled her over and over as they danced with a sexual fervor that had Sábria begging for more. Sliding down and covering those secret places with her lips, Elyon gently sucked until Sábria’s body burst forth again and again with all the joy of blessed, overflowing release.
When Sábria couldn’t take anymore, Elyon kissed the joy of her heart gently and, with a whispered command, returned her to a deep and restful sleep.
CHAPTER 16
Terrowyn tugged on the hem of her tunic, glanced at Shirin, who was doing paperwork at her desk in the outer office, and raised her brows, silently asking if she looked presentable enough for a formal meeting with the Arch Priestess.
Shirin grinned and nodded before returning to the discipline reports on her desk.
Terro’s knock sounded tentative, and she mentally chastised herself for being nervous. She’d known Sábria nearly twenty turns, and she still felt like a skittish colt whenever Sábria summoned her to her office. “You’d think I was a wet behind me ears shiv.” She hadn’t meant for Shirin to hear, but when the Commander chuckled quietly, she knew she had.
“Come.”
Pulling her shoulders back, Terro opened the door and stepped inside.
Sábria was leaning against the window frame, looking out onto the courtyard. She turned when Terrowyn came to attention in front of her desk. “Relax, Terro. Can I get you something to drink?” She walked to the small bar in the corner of the room and took out a wine glass. “Normally, this would be too early for wine, but I know it helps you to sleep after a long shift.”
Terro set herself in the rest position. “Wine would be nice, My Lady. Thank you.”
“No, Terro. I mean, really relax. Have a seat on the sofa. Do you prefer any wine in particular…?”
Terrowyn appreciated the offer of spirits for more than just helping to put her to sleep. She hoped it would calm her jitters, as well. “Whichever you choose will be fine. Thank you.” Stepping to the sofa, she waited until Sábria handed her a glass and sat. Looking at the mug Sábria kept for herself, she smiled. “Yer drinkin’ fangbrew. Th’ yellow or th’ green?”
Glad that her Blade was starting to relax, Sábria smiled and held up the cup in a toast. “I need to wake up. What do you think?”
Terrowyn chuckled, “The green, then. No doubt.”
Being the Arch Priestess could be trying at times. It was tiring to always be the one whose very presence made people nervous. There was no doubt her relationships with everyone had changed when Elyon’s ring first appeared on her finger.
Everyone except Marne. That thought popped into her head, and she smiled at the fact that the only one who hadn’t changed was the one who gave her the most grief. Maybe that was Marne’s purpose in life. After all, always having people bowing and scraping to her had become old fast. And thank the Goddess for Shirin, who treated her with respect, but who was also one of her very best friends.
Terrowyn appreciated the rich amber color of the wine as it swirled around the large-bowled glass. She couldn’t normally afford amber spirits, and she smiled with pleasure that Sábria would honor her with one now. Her brows rose in appreciation of the smooth, buttery taste. Closing her eyes, she let the flavors surround her tongue before finally swallowing the wonderful offering. “Milady, this is th’ best wine I believe I’ve ever tasted.”
Smiling with pleasure, Sábria turned slightly so the two of them were facing each other. She hiked one knee up onto the cushion and tucked her foot beneath her leg. Leaning her shoulder into the back of the sofa, she indicated Terrowyn’s glass with her fangbrew cup. “You have good taste. That’s a chardonnay from the Daughter’s Temple in Frayham. The High Priestess there tells me that her coopers build the best wine casks because they have such an abundance of oak surrounding their land.”
“Frayham. Didn’t ya send Pona, one of Khaldo’s spawn, up to Frayham?”
Khaldo, the ex-Blade who, along with her followers, had bullied Ailith and trashed her room, had been on Sábria’s mind quite a bit lately. She couldn’t decide what to do with her. Only recently, she’d allowed her out of the detention cells to clean the latrines and carry out the garbage from all the containers around the Temple. She’d asked to be sent to one of the outlying Temples, but Sábria didn’t trust her out of her sight for now.
Seeing that Terrowyn was waiting for an answer, she nodded. “Yes. I knew Pona enjoyed her wine and thought Frayham would be a perfect place for her. Since she was no longer a Blade, I thought perhaps she could learn the art of winemaking from High Priestess Resart. I hear she’s doing very well in her new life there.” Wanting to change the subject, Sábria got to the reason she’d asked Terrowyn to her office that morning. “Still nothing on the King Slayer?”
Terrowyn had just taken a sip of wine, and she hurriedly swallowed. “No, Milady.” She lowered her brows as though unsure of something. “But, a pidge who’s one of me babblers pointed out a woman sittin’ outside th’ Broken Tooth readin’ a book. She told me Milo...” she paused, “…ya remember Milo?”
“The sailor who came forward to tell us what really happened with Ailith?”
“Aye. That’s th’ one. Anyway, Milo told her the’ one readin’ th’ book was th’ King Slayer. But…”
“But?”
“But I went to th’ Tooth in th’ day to watch her, and she doesn’t look like someone to worry about. She keeps herself to herself. I never thought Milo was all that bright, and I think he’s probably mixed things up a bit. I just don’t think it’s her.”
Sábria raised her brows in silent agreement with Terrowyn’s views on the sailor’s intelligence. “If I wanted to see for myself, how would I know her?” She realized her question was similar to what she’d asked the Goddess and hoped Terrowyn’s answer would be more specific than simply, “Your heart will tell you when you do.”
Grinning over the rim of her glass, Terrowyn shrugged, “It’s th’ Broken Tooth, Milady. She’ll be th’ only one with her nose stuck in a book.”
That brought on a much-needed laugh for Sábria, who continued to chuckle as she sipped the hot fangbrew. After a moment, she asked, “What time do you usually find her there?”
“The first time, soon after I woke up, around four bells. I went back around six, and she was gone. I haven’t seen her since, but then, once I’d seen her, I decided there was no way she could be th’ King Slayer, so I haven’t gone lookin’ for her again.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Well, think about it, Milady. The King Slayer. She killed three King’s Champions and three Kings out in the open in fair fights. From what I’ve heard, she called ‘em out, and they couldn’t refuse the challenge without being called cowards.” She shrugged and grinned at what she was about to say. “Shouldn’t she be ten feet tall and dressed in shining armor proclaiming she’s th’ Goddess’ instrument of her wrath?”
It suddenly dawned on Sábria why her people hadn’t been able to bring back any word on the King Slayer. They were probably all looking for just such a person. “We are the instruments of Elyon’s wrath in Cibía, Terrowyn. Are we ten feet tall, and do we wear shining armor?”
“Well, no.” A blush rose in the Lead Guardian’s cheeks. “I guess I was lookin’ fer a strong warrior, is all.”
“Did she have sword calluses on her hands? Was she wearing a sword, for that matter?”
“She had a sword.” The blush intensified. “Once I saw her, I guess I figured I didn’t need to check for calluses. I’m sorry, Milady.”
Sábria placed a hand on Terro’s arm. “There’s no need to feel ashamed, Terro. I’m the one who made a mistake by not being clearer about the person I sought. And you very well may be right. The woman who’s sitting at the Broken Tooth enjoying a good book might just be a sailor off of one of the ships.”
Terro drank the last of the wine, and when Sábria rose, she did as well. She walked to the bar and set the glass in the small wash basin. “I’ll go back and check her again, Milady. Now if you like.”
“No, thank you. I’ve wanted to get out and stretch my legs, and with the sun shining so brightly today, this afternoon might be the perfect time to take a walk down to the Broken Tooth.” At Terrowyn’s lowered brows, Sábria held up her hand to stop her from saying what she knew her Lead Guardian intended to say. “Contrary to popular belief, I’m not some dainty flower who can’t take care of herself.”
“It’s not that, Milady. Well, not that, exactly. It’s just…well…if she is the King Slayer, well, you’re a co-ruler in Cibía. You don’t think….”
Sábria raised her brows. “Those Kings were evil, sadistic rulers, Terrowyn. Do you think that given the only rulers she killed were happy to kill their own people, the King Slayer has a reason to come after me?”
“No, Milady! Goddess Bless, No!”
“Then I don’t think I have anything to worry about. And if that’s the kind of thinking that’s going around the Blades, I expect you to clear the air with the exact same logic I just gave to you.”
Terrowyn came to attention and saluted. “Aye, Milady. I’m...sorry. That were a foolish thing to say. I weren’t thinkin’ right.” At times, Terrowyn spoke with a close approximation of proper diction, but when she became nervous, or more specifically when Sábria made her nervous, she reverted to the dialect of her horse breeding family.
Sábria smiled and corrected her. “That was a foolish thing to say, and I wasn’t thinking right.”
Terro’s shoulders relaxed, and she returned the smile with a small one of her own. “Aye. That’s what I meant to say, and I’ll spread th’ word. Don’t assume she’s here to kill ya but don’t let our guard down, neither.”
That was the best she could hope for under the circumstances, so Sábria changed the subject. “Oh, and I spoke with Healer Kara. She says Ghost’s leg is healing well.”
“Aye, it is. You probably know we’ve been givin’ her drops every few bells to keep her sleepin’. Otherwise, I don’t think we’d be able to keep her in th’ Temple long enough to heal.”
“Terrowyn. When I have more time, I’d like to sit down and talk with you about Ghost. About her future.”
A look of relief passed over Terro’s features. “I would very much appreciate that, Milady. I don’t know what to do about her, and if…well, the life of a skelli’s a hard one, isn’t it?”
“It is. I’ll find you sometime in the next few days so we can come up with a plan together.” She walked her to the door. “Thank you for coming in, Terro. Now go get some breakfast and head to bed.”
“Aye, Milady. Stay safe if yer headin’ into th’ Codpiece.”
Sábria watched Terrowyn let herself out of the outer office. She’d thought that inviting the King Slayer into the Temple would be a relatively easy task, but now she wondered whether that had been a terribly naïve assumption on her part. Her Blades were extremely protective of their Arch Priestess, to the point where, at times, they were willing to brave the Emperor’s wrath if he so much as insulted her.
“Something wrong?”
Shirin’s voice popped her out of her musings, and she smiled at her friend. “No. But I’d like to go out today, around four bells. Do you think you can clear my calendar?”
“Let me see.” The Commander consulted her list of Sábria’s appointments and nodded. “You were to meet with Killian and Emlyn at four to go over her progress. I’m sure they won’t mind rescheduling, and then…” she ran her finger down the page, “…Ailith and Jenx were scheduled for four-thirty. I’ll reschedule them as well. Where are we going?”
“I want to head down to the Broken Tooth. There’s a woman there who one of Terrowyn’s babblers says might be the King Slayer. I’d like to talk to her if she’s there to find out whether that’s the case.”
Shirin rose and stretched. “I’ll arrange a personal guard for you—”
“No. I’d prefer it if just the two of us went. I’m sure there’ll be Blades taking their mid-shift meal in the area if we run into any trouble.” Her Commander’s crossed arms and scowl told Sábria just what Shirin thought of that plan. “Don’t tell me you believe Aloric’s paranoid assertions that the King Slayer is in town to kill him and me?”
Irritation colored Shirin’s next words. “I think at times you play too loose with your safety. It’s my job to make sure you come back from the Codpiece alive and well.”
Shirin’s overprotectiveness rankled at times, and this was one of those times. “I happen to be the best swordswoman in the Temple, Shirin. Possibly the best in Sarlogne. Just when do you think I play loose with my safety? I practice my sword skills daily and my staff skills every other day. We work with knives—”
Holding up her hands in surrender, Shirin gave in. “Okay, okay. You win. You know I usually stand back when you have a battle to fight, but My Lady, the King Slayer killed some of the best swordsmen in Olarna. One of those King’s Champions had won the Emperor’s medal three turns running, and she killed him.” Every turn, Emperor Aloric invited the best swordsmen and women from several Kingdoms to enter a competition where the winner received a medal and twenty gold pieces as his or her reward.
Sábria rubbed her eyes and sighed. She never discussed her meetings with the Goddess for the simple reason that people tended to fall on their faces after simply looking at her ring. She was afraid to know what would happen if people knew she had face-to-face meetings with her. Telling Shirin that Elyon may have been speaking of the King Slayer and that she wanted her to bring the woman into her inner circle wasn’t an option right at that moment. “I don’t believe she wants to kill me, Shirin. But I promise I’ll be cautious until I can confirm that with her. That’s the best I can do.”
They both had more than enough work to carry them through lunch and into the afternoon. Their days were taken up with meetings, both scheduled and impromptu. That day alone, two Blades had requested Sábria’s presence while they worked out problems they were having in their long-standing relationship. While she’d been able to talk them through many of their issues, she’d had to end the meeting early so she could get to the Broken Tooth in time to, hopefully, meet with the King Slayer.
CHAPTER 17
The famous Clock Tower of Sarlogne rose high above all the other city’s towers, cathedrals, and the gaudy, personal fortresses of the wealthiest noble families of the Empire. Sábria listened to the immense bells strike four as she and Shirin made their way toward the Broken Tooth.
At this time of day, merchants and shoppers outnumbered drinkers and gamblers. Close to the Temple, the clothing was used for more than simply covering the body. Both men and women used their apparel to display wealth and status. Silk was the material of choice for the very wealthy, and it had become fashionable for women’s sleeves to have rows of buttons running from wrist to shoulder. Lately, anyone who was anyone wore an elegant, expensive brooch to close the necks of their blouses. The more expensive the brooch, the higher status the wearer held. The women spread their colorful skirts and gracefully curtsied to Sábria as she walked past while the men doffed their bowler hats and bowed.
The further they walked from the Temple District, the clothing gradually declined in elegance. Within the Market District, servants doing their master’s sevenday shopping, and housewives and merchants wore utilitarian dresses or tunics and trews. Most buildings were at least two stories, mostly brick or block. The merchants sold their wares at street level, while the second floors were typically reserved as living quarters for their families.
The first time Sábria spotted Blades who were normally asleep at that time, she thought nothing of it. At times, the women needed to do some shopping when they weren’t working a shift. She began to get suspicious when she saw two deadnight shift shivs and their handlers seated in the grass in a small park playing some kind of dice game. Alert now to what might be going on, she saw Blades casually loitering in doorways or outside of alehouses, trying to look bored or inconspicuous.
