Keeper of the Flame (21 page)

“What is it?” Gregor demanded.

“Something stirs in the cauldron. You must come.”

Lera started in surprise. The cauldron was the source of the eternal flame in the main part of the temple. She knew it well. It was where she’d first encountered the flame that had changed her life so greatly, but she hadn’t been to the cauldron chamber since the last high holiday. Seven times a year she performed ceremonies in that sacred space.

Gregor turned to look directly at Lera. “We all must go.” His words fell like blows on the hard polished stone of the hall floor. Lera felt the seriousness of his pronouncement and knew in her heart, he was right. If the flame had chosen this moment to become active in some heretofore unknown way, it had to be significant.

Lera moved first, Hugh at her side. Predictably, Miss followed her guardian and Hyadror took up the rear guard position as they walked with the elders, moving quickly out of the great hall. The cauldron chamber was nearby, at the heart of the temple building. The great hall had been built onto the central structure, which meant they only had to traverse a long corridor to get to the sacred cauldron.

They made an odd-looking parade as they headed for the chamber. Priests lined the hall, scooting out of the way as they passed, then closing in behind the gryphon to follow the group. Everyone seemed to want to know what was happening in the cauldron chamber—one of the most sacred places in the temple.

The elders arrived first and arrayed themselves around the chamber to allow room for Lera and her party. Hugh escorted her, standing side by side with her as they faced the deep stone pit from which the flame shone in pink, purple, orange and gold glory. It shimmered against the polished stone that picked up its coloration, bathing the room in a golden shimmer.

Lera stepped forward, to within a few feet of the gold-rimmed bowl. There was no discernable source for the flame’s combustion and indeed, the priests never fed the fire. It burned magically by the grace of the goddess the priests served. It was Her light. Her power. Her flame.

As Lera was Her servant. Just like Gregor and all his priests.

Lera sank to her knees, awed as always by the presence of the flame in this chamber. It was here that it burned brightest and largest. She stared into the heart of the flame and there definitely was something in there she had never seen before. Something…moving. Growing larger.

No wonder the brothers who always stood guard in this chamber had sent for the High Priest. Gregor knelt next to her on the curved, cushioned rail that circled the fire pit a few feet back from the actual golden rim that contained the cauldron.

“What iss it?” The big gryphon was terrible at whispering. Hyadror’s question echoed in the chamber.

“A miracle,” Edon stated.

The flame suddenly spiked, reaching upward to lick the high, arched ceiling of the chamber. The thing within it grew in proportion, as if it had waited until everyone had gathered before continuing its evolution.

Wings began to take shape within the tendrils of fire reaching toward the domed ceiling. Wings of flame fanned upward from the white-hot center of the sacred fire. Lera watched in fascination as it grew to unheard of proportions, the thing in its center becoming larger.

Hugh was behind her, guarding her back. She could feel his tension and knew he thought to protect her. He did not realize the flame—or anything it contained—would never hurt her. If the one she served had turned against her, Lera would have known it when they’d arrived and walked near the testing fire. She’d been welcomed by it then. She knew whatever was happening now, it would not hurt her.

The form took shape quickly, the wingtips flaring with licks of flame toward the roof as the body moved forward out of the cauldron. Paws touched the golden rim, followed by a furry face bathed in glistening flame that did not burn. The front paws moved out of the fire pit and were followed by a cat’s face, then body. The wings emerged from the flame after that, followed by the hindquarters and two more cat-shaped paws.

It was a gryphon, but not a normal one.

“Sshe’ss like me,” Miss whispered, more successfully than Hyadror.

The cat-faced gryphon looked at the child and a purr erupted from its chest that sounded like the roar of a conflagration. Her fur was white, bathed in orange, pink and golden flame at the moment. The feathers of her wings might be white as well, though they shone more orange than her body. Perhaps they would prove more colorful when they were free of the flame’s influence. Lera was eager to know more about the goddess’s servant.

For there was no doubt in her mind that this strange gryphon had been sent by the goddess Herself. Why the Lady had chosen to act in this way at this time, Lera didn’t know, but she assumed she was about to find out.

“Welcome, Lady.” Lera spoke to the gryphon and the spirit that shone in her eyes.

“Valeria.” The white gryphon spoke Lera’s full name as her sparkling gaze settled on her. “We are glad you have not perished.”

Lera knew then that the gryphon was inhabited—at least for the moment—by the spirit of the Lady she served. Whether it would continue to be so had yet to be learned. For the time being, Lera and all in the chamber were being granted an audience with the goddess Herself. A rare and momentous event.

“Dearest Lady, ask what You will of us. We are Yours to command.” Gregor, it seemed, could see the Lady’s presence in the cat’s eyes as well.

“Gregor of Helios, you have been a good and faithful servant. You have done well in aiding Valeria and her mate.” Unlike the gryphons and even Miss, this winged cat had no problem speaking clearly. Everything about her was different than Lera had grown to expect.

One thing she was coming to understand more fully. It looked like she was destined to rule over interesting times for her land, upheavals for her many subjects and seemingly, all kinds of unexpected goings on in the land of Helios.

Hugh felt many eyes in the room shift to focus on him. Both the priests and the goddess-possessed feline turned their attention to him. Hugh fought the urge to shift form to meet the creature at a more comparable size, but he couldn’t leave Lera or the child unprotected, even for a moment. He needed to stay close to them, to protect them with the last breath in his body if necessary.

He didn’t have a lot of experience with deities in physical form. This was a once in a lifetime sort of event and he wasn’t sure how it would work out.

That She’d called him Lera’s mate was a step in the right direction. They hadn’t talked about their union much, but Hugh was there to stay. There would be no return to Draconia for him. Not without Lera. And he already knew she was as dedicated to her land as Roland was to Draconia. In order to be with Lera, Hugh would have to give up his homeland and stay in Helios. If they’d let him. He wouldn’t give Lera up without a fight.

“Hugh of Draconia.” The white gryphon addressed him directly, which he wasn’t expecting. “Be welcome in Helios. Your family has served Me for many generations. I come to make it known in no uncertain terms that this land should remain allied in unity with yours. Evil has long been working against My desires. Draconia, Helios, and others must continue to oppose it. I will give you tools, but you must act and exercise your free will. For it is My desire that all beings be given choice. The evil you must oppose would take all choice from you.”

“We will continue to fight against such evil, Dearest Lady,” Hugh vowed. “My brothers and I are united in service to You, as we have been since Draneth the Wise.”

“Draneth was one of the few wizards to gain My favor,” the Lady replied. “Gryffid was another. You must send word to him. He may not like the alterations to his creations, but I will not interfere with evolution. I have given life to this one to help those who are evolving.” The white gryphon seemed to indicate its own body, though the words undoubtedly came from the goddess temporarily inhabiting it. She turned her fiery gaze away from Hugh to look at the assembly, addressing them all. “She will protect and serve, as you all do. She will also aid with the gryphons. At least one among them, as you have already surmised, is a traitor.”

Edon stepped forward. “Blessed Lady, we have kept faith with you as best we were able. No gryphon lives within these temple grounds, but we would be honored to have this one stay.”

“Stay she shall,” the goddess affirmed. “And she will bring others. Not all, but a few chosen others who will train with your brethren to fight the way the dragons in Hugh’s land partner with knights. He will show you the way of it. The white gryphon will choose those of her kind worthy of such an honor. Hugh will choose the priests who have the right temperament for aerial battle. This task I give directly to you, Hugh of Draconia, mate to Valeria. Your brothers will see to Draconia. You are for Helios now. But I think you already knew that.”

“It is my honor to serve You, Dearest Lady.” Hugh bowed his head but did not lower his eyes. It was the proper way to show respect to this aspect of the goddess, come to Visit them in a warrior’s body. “And yes, nothing will part me from Lera now. I will stay with her in Helios, if she will have me.”

Lera gasped and turned to look at him. His heart leapt at the joy in her eyes.

“Of course I will. I love you, Hugh.”

“As I love you.” He declared his love boldly, not caring who heard him. They’d have to get used to the idea of Lera and him as a couple because he wasn’t going away. Not ever.

“You have My blessing,” the Lady said, through her surrogate. “You may wonder why I have taken such extraordinary measures.” She addressed the group at large again. “The answer is simple. These are extraordinary times. Your world is at a crossroads. I have an interest in seeing things turn in the direction I wish. Yet I do not choose for you. As is My way.”

“You are wise and just, Dearest Lady,” Gregor intoned.

“And now I will leave you. I will not return in this form again, but I will leave this creature of My creation that you will have a reminder of Me.”

“Thank you, Lady. We love and serve You, all the days of our lives.” Hugh was impressed by Gregor’s reverent tone. It almost looked as if the old man had the sparkle of tears in his eyes. And he wasn’t the only one. Several of the elders were weeping openly at this unprecedented visitation.

The cat’s face seemed to smile, turning her glowing eyes on each person in the room in turn.

“Your love and service are well appreciated. You are loved in return and your service is never taken for granted. Blessed be you all your days and be welcome in my hall when you move on to the next realm.”

Everyone dropped to their knees to receive the Lady’s blessing. The two gryphons bowed before Her and the fire increased, whirling around the circular chamber in a glistening golden whirlwind. The conflagration touched all but did not burn. It brought joy and strength to each person it touched, a blessing from the Lady they all served.

The light grew so bright everyone had to close their eyes against it until in a flash, it was gone. The Lady had left and only the white gryphon remained. She blinked her glistening purple eyes and dropped to her haunches, sitting in front of the cauldron and the fire that had returned to its usual size and intensity.

“I am the emissary.” The cat spoke without the Lady’s influence for the first time. Her voice was different—less robust, but still just as articulate. “Like you, I am simply another child of the goddess we all serve.”

“Be welcome, emissary.” Gregor spoke. He, of all the priests, looked the most recovered after their divine visit.

“Thank you. My name is Jalinar. The Lady gave me knowledge of your names and positions. Greetings, Father Gregor, Doge Valeria, Prince Hugh.” She nodded to each person as she named them, then went on to name each of the elders and priests in the room. The list was long but she didn’t hesitate. It was clear to Hugh that the goddess had given her creation a vast store of knowledge along with life.

The white gryphon turned last to the others of her kind. She addressed Hyadror as an equal, giving him the respect due his age and station and having it returned in kind. When it came time to greet Miss, the larger cat bent down to meet the little one’s eyes.

“Hello, Miss.” Her tone was non-threatening and almost…motherly, Hugh thought.

“Hi,” Miss replied shyly. “You’re pretty. Missborn, like me.”

“You are not misborn, little one. The goddess does not make mistakes and She made me like this. Exactly how She wanted me to look. As you are exactly how you should look. Do not let anyone ever tell you there is something wrong with your appearance. You are a creature of the Lady and She loves you well. Or do you forget so soon Her words and blessings?”

“I don’t forget,” Miss said, ducking her head a bit, almost looking embarrassed.

“Fear not, little one. I am here now and no one will question the new breed of gryphon that has a mouth instead of a beak. No disrespect to you, Hyadror. There is room in the heavens for both kinds of gryphon and I have no doubt those with beaks will continue to be the majority of gryphon-kind. But there must be acceptance of those with differences. I am here to demonstrate the Lady’s will in this matter.”

“And a better repressentative I cannot imagine,” Hyadror acknowledged formally.

“Thank you.” The white gryphon preened. “Now, I must converse with the elders for a short while.” Jalinar prowled forward on silent paws toward Gregor. “Father, if you would send word for all your order to convene in the great hall, it would make it easier to explain my presence once and let them get their gawking over with. There is much work to do.”