“Perhaps I will offend you, Dragon Fala, but there should be no secrets between us,” said Treia. “I honor and I respect Aelon, but I do not worship him. I do not worship any god. How could I, when I see gods acting out of conceit and ambition and greed, laid low by the same faults and follies as they claim to abhor in man.”
The Dragon Fala was silent for a long moment and Treia feared she had made a mistake.
Then the dragon said, with a chuckle, “You are wise for a human, Treia. Wiser than the male you have taken for a mate, since we are both speaking the truth. I entered this realm for one reason: to search for young dragons to form a clan of my own. I refused to ally myself with the Old Gods. Their wyrds are frayed and tattered and will soon break. I was approached by both the Gods of Raj and Aelon. Both wanted me to join with them.
“I considered both. The Gods of Raj came late to the table and found nothing but leftover races: the ogres and the Cyclops and the goblins. I considered choosing them.”
“Why is that?” Treia was forced to ask politely, though she was impatient to embark upon her plan. The Dragon Fala apparently liked to chat.
“Because of the Cyclops, a race that is most promising. They are humans who paint a third eye, known as the ‘world eye’ on their foreheads. This eye is magical and gives them special powers of insight into the human soul. Then, too, the Cyclops have always honored dragons. The entrance to our realm is located in a mountain in their land. The Cyclops worship the Gods of Raj and venerate them.”
“You rejected them, apparently,” said Treia, keeping an ear cocked, listening for Raegar and wishing the dragon would hurry this along.
“The Cyclops are shepherds and farmers. They are not explorers. They build no ships. They dislike war and fighting. They are content with what they have, with no desire to go raiding their neighbors. That is of little use to me. I wanted to travel the world to acquire the jewels in which reside baby dragons.
“Aelon offered me the chance to explore the world with a war galley, as well as the jewels in the Church’s treasury that turned out to be dragons. A bargain I trust you and the god will honor.”
Treia sighed with relief. She could not have asked for a better opening.
“
I
would honor it, as would my husband, Raegar. We are both Vindrasi and we understand how to work with dragons.” Treia shook her head sorrowfully. “Unfortunately, Aelon grants control of the treasure vault to only one man and that is the Priest-General. The office remains vacant since the untimely death of the last Priest-General. A successor has not yet been chosen. Raegar would be honored to accept the position—”
“Then let him be Priest-General and be done with it,” said the Dragon Fala.
“The matter is not that simple,” Treia said with deep regret. “The choice of the Priest-General is left to men. The other man vying for the post is the son of the last Priest-General, Xydis. Many on the Council are planning to select him. For all we know, Aelon himself may incline in that direction.”
“I know this Xydis,” said the Dragon Fala, angered. “Raegar sought payment for me in the form of certain fine gems he had seen in the vault. When he attempted to obtain them, Xydis refused, claiming he had received no instructions from the god.”
“I promise you, Dragon Fala, that if Raegar is named Priest-General, you will have first pick of all the jewels that come into the treasury.”
“We could leave the choice to Aelon,” said Fala.
“We could…” Treia shrugged.
Fala chuckled again. “Let me hear your plan.”
“You must keep this secret,” Treia warned. “My husband must not know. He is a pious man and would not understand.”
The Dragon Fala agreed to cooperate. Dragon and Bone Priestess parted on the best of terms.
After the dragon was gone, Treia remained seated at the table, dreaming of the future. She was shocked to realize that for the first time in her life, she was happy. She was married to the man she adored. A man who would rise to great heights in this world, and she would rise with him. She was thinking about this, smiling contentedly, when the candle’s flame flared up with a sudden hiss that made Treia start.
She was about to trim the wick when she was horrified to see eyes in the flame. Treia’s mouth went dry; her breath stopped. She gripped the table with both hands to support herself or she would have fallen from the chair.
Hevis, god of fire, lies, and deceit, gazed at her from the fire.
“What … what do you want?” Treia whispered through trembling lips.
“We made a bargain. I gave you what
you
wanted—the power to summon the Vektia dragon. You owe me. You promised to sacrifice one you love.”
“Aylaen is dead,” Treia said, shivering. “I promised you she would die and she did.”
“You didn’t kill her.”
“I tried! That horrid fae boy attacked me before I could…” She stopped, choked by terror.
The god’s eyes burned.
“Excuses! You seek to weasel out of your bargain with me.”
Treia wilted beneath the heat. “Please, give me more time…”
“You have nine months. Or the choice of the sacrifice is mine.”
The candle guttered, the flame flashed out. The god vanished, leaving Treia shuddering. Nine months. What could that mean? She had to kill someone she loved … Nine months.
“Oh, god!” Treia moaned, clasping her hand spasmodically over her belly. “Oh, god, no!”
She nearly fainted when she heard footsteps.
“It’s the middle of the night,” Raegar grumbled, coming up behind her. “What are you doing?”
Treia drew in a quivering breath, then pushed herself up from the table.
“I couldn’t sleep … for joy…” Treia gulped. “Come, let us go back to bed.”
She walked unsteadily into the bed chamber and crawled beneath the blanket. Raegar plunked himself down beside her.
“Damn, woman, you’re freezing! Your body is like a block of ice.” He laughed. “I’ll warm you.”
He began to run his hands over her body. His touch usually thrilled her, but now she felt sick to her stomach. Her skin crawled. She tried to claim she was too tired, but he was awake now and filled with desire. Treia stiffened.
“What’s wrong with you?” Raegar said angrily. “This is our wedding night.”
“You … you have so much work to do tomorrow,” Treia stammered. “You should be rested…”
“I will rest. After this.”
He drew her to him. She yielded to him, but when they were finished, Treia curled up into a ball. His seed was in her womb. Hevis’s curse would see to that. Treia choked back her sobs.
Nine months. She had nine months to find a sacrifice, or either her baby or her husband would die.
CHAPTER
17
Treia had recovered from her fright by the following morning. The nightmarish encounter with Hevis had been just that—a nightmare brought about by drinking too much wine. She was being foolish, overreacting. She and Raegar had coupled many times before and he had yet to get her with child. She had work to do and she could not allow any distractions. She would not think of it now.
As Raegar dressed in his finest robe and put on his ceremonial armor, she showed him the spiritbone, explained what to do, what to say, how to say it.
“Where will you be?” Raegar was shaving his head and face with a razor, viewing his refection in a small bronze mirror. “Won’t you be with me? You are my wife now.”
“No, no, my love,” said Treia. “This is your moment of glory. I don’t want to be a distraction.”
Raegar shrugged, not much caring. Treia saw this and felt a pang. Never mind, she thought. I am his wife. That is all that matters.
“I will be watching from some quiet place,” Treia said. “And praying to Aelon.”
Raegar scraped at his jaw. “The god is with me. I feel his presence.”
Treia handed him a cloth to mop his face.
“The god loves you,” said Treia, helping him adjust his armor. “And now, you must take a walk through the city. Show yourself to the people. Ask for their support.”
Raegar did as she suggested. He rode through the streets in a chariot and was pleased and astonished to find the people shouting his praises, surrounding his chariot, wanting to touch him, asking for his blessing. Cheering throngs escorted Raegar to the Shrine. Treia, disguised in her cloak, wearing the spiritbone around her neck, made her solitary way to an old shrine where she and Raegar had often met to make love.
The shrine was small and run-down. Hidden among trees, the shrine was dedicated to a lesser god in the pantheon, a god whose name no one knew or cared to know. Made of stone, the building was dark, dank, and shadowy. No one was here, as Treia had foreseen. Everyone had gathered to find out the decision of the High Council.
Treia picked up a handful of mud from the soggy ground and then entered the shrine. Choosing a dark corner, she knelt down on the ground and took off the spiritbone. She covered the bone with mud and began to chant the words that would summon the dragon.
* * *
The High Council of Warrior Priests was meeting in the domed Shrine of Aelon to consider the two candidates for the office of Priest-General. No one was quite sure of the proper protocol, for none of them had ever been faced with this unique situation; the Priest-General had always named a successor before he died. They opened the session with prayers to Aelon, asking for the god’s guidance, and then the two candidates were asked to come forth to state their claims.
Thanos, as the son of the late Priest-General, was given the honor of speaking first. He had recovered from his cold and the effects of a cracked skull. He began by praising Raegar, which everyone thought was generous. He then modestly gave the High Priest the forged scroll naming himself as his father’s choice to be Priest-General, saying that he was humbled to know how well his father thought of him. He finished by explaining some of his plans for the future of the church and the rebuilding of the city of Sinaria. Since these plans would increase the wealth and power of the priests, they were consequently well received.
The council asked friends of the candidate to offer their assessment of him. They proclaimed Thanos to be a man of honor and intelligence, possessing wisdom far beyond his years. They also added, pointedly, that he was a Sinarian.
Raegar was then invited to speak. Most of the council considered this a formality, a sop thrown to the people of Sinaria, who were gathered outside the Shrine, shouting Raegar’s name. High Priest Atemis introduced Raegar by first cautioning the members to guard against succumbing to the will of the masses, who, like children, did not always know what was good for them. After some faint praise, acknowledging Raegar’s heroics during the past crisis, Atemis invited Raegar to speak.
Raegar’s speech was brief. He was not a Sinarian, that was true, but he asked if the worship of Aelon was limited only to Sinarians. He trusted this was not so, since the church had priests of all races now, working to bring everyone in the world out of the darkness and into Aelon’s light. Selecting him, a Vindrasi and a former follower of the old, failed gods, to be Priest-General would show people the world over that Aelon and his church was all-inclusive. Everyone, from human to ogre, was welcome. He concluded with a statement that astonished them all.
“I say to the members of this honored council that Aelon has already chosen his Priest-General. The god has chosen me. He gave me the power to summon the kraken that attacked our enemies and dragged them beneath the sea.”
Before the Council could recover from their shock at this temerity, Raegar called as witnesses the men who had served aboard
Aelon’s Triumph
. They came forward, led by Captain Anker, who gave a stirring account of the kraken flinging its tentacles around the two ships, the sounds of ogres screaming in terror, the cracking and rending of timber, the horrible gurgling as the ships went under and, finally, the awful silence left behind.
The members of the council were impressed. Thanos and High Priest Atemis exchanged glances. Thanos rose to say that while this show of Aelon’s power was truly wonderful, it did not prove that Aelon had chosen Raegar as Priest-General. Aelon performed miracles every day.
Up until now, Raegar had been feeling dubious about Treia’s plan. Was he demanding too much of the god? Seeing the looks the High Priest and Thanos exchanged, Raegar knew beyond doubt that Treia was right. These two were conspiring to take over the priesthood. Raegar believed with all his heart that Aelon had made his choice. Aelon had given him the power to summon the kraken and these two were intending to thwart the god’s wishes. Raegar’s doubts vanished.
The council was about to vote when the shouts of the people gathered outside the Shrine of Aelon changed to wails and cries for help.
One of the Shrine guards raced inside.
“My lords!” he cried. “Another dragon!”
* * *
Raegar left the Shrine in company with the other priests. They stared up in horror, adding their panicked shouts to those of the populace. A dragon flew overhead. She was greenish-gray in color and not nearly as large as the Vektia dragon, but one dragon looked much the same as another to the terrified.
People called upon Aelon to save them. The priests either called upon Aelon or looked about for some place to hide. Raegar stepped forward. He towered over the masses. His armor gleamed in the sunshine. He lifted his hands to the heavens and thundered out the name of Aelon.
Hidden in the shrine, Treia hugged the spiritbone to her breast and smiled to think that this would mark the beginning of her husband’s triumph.
* * *
Thanos sat in his chair in the Shrine. He was alone; the others had all rushed out to either see the dragon or flee from it. He had known the moment the dragon appeared that he was finished.
Xydis had told Thanos that Raegar’s lover, a Vindrasi woman, had the power to summon dragons.
This woman is going to summon a dragon of immense power that will drive out the ogres and save the city, Xydis had told his nephew. She will be doing the bidding of Aelon.