Heart Fire (Celta Book 13) (3 page)

“Thank you.” Tiana managed not to croak out the response.

Then D’Sandalwood’s face folded into sternness. “You have ambition, but I believe the fire that burns in you to become High Priestess is because you want to prove to everyone that you are a fine woman who is deeply spiritual in our Celtan culture.” She paused, eyes intense. “Though your mother is a member of the Intersection of Hope Church, popularly known as Cross Folk.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being a member of the Intersection of Hope religion. We welcome all religions here on Celta.”

“That’s true.” GrandLady D’Sandalwood nodded but continued inexorably. “But you want to prove to all that it was wrong for a Noble enemy of your father’s to accuse your Family of being a part of the Black Magic Cult, to have your title ripped from you, to exhort a mob to set fire to your home, and to force your family into hiding.”

Tiana repressed a shudder at the litany of the destruction of her life, at the desperation and despair that had followed. The High Priestess had slammed her with that list for shock value, of course.

Then the High Priestess stopped and turned and took Tiana’s hands, and Tiana realized she’d allowed her eyes to blur with scenes of the past; she blinked and met the older woman’s steady gaze. “But, Tiana, we all know that all those events that happened were wrong.”

“He’s still in power, GraceLord T’Equisetum,” Tiana ground out. He was the lowest level of a Noble, “Grace,” as her father, her Family, had been.

“But his power has been checked. He was a rising star in the NobleCouncil until he let his hatred of your father, of your mother’s religion, make him act impulsively and wrongly by requesting that the NobleCouncil strip your Family of their title and wealth in perpetuity.”

He’d done it from calculated greed, not from wrongheadedness as most people thought, used the quick fear the NobleCouncil had had about the Black Magic Cult murders to spearhead that effort. Furthermore, Tiana deeply believed that he’d been behind inciting the mob that firebombed their home and drove them away.

But the High Priestess continued. “He had hopes of being Captain of All Councils, you know.”

Tiana wasn’t surprised; her nostrils pinched at the thought. But unlike the High Priestess, Tiana still believed,
felt
, the man was dangerous. He remained an enemy.

“You are still angry at GraceLord T’Equisetum, and don’t open your heart to forgiveness.”

Lifting her brows, Tiana said, “One can forgive after the wrongdoer acknowledges his or her harm and regrets the harm they caused. Despite what you said, GraceLord T’Equisetum has never stated he was wrong, never acknowledged in a public manner that he did my Family wrong. Just goes on spewing hate for anyone and anything
he
doesn’t consider good.” She stopped herself from adding that the man was a canker.

“He has a right to hold his own beliefs.”

“The main tenet of our religion, of our culture, is to harm none! He hurt my Family,” Tiana said quietly, when she wanted to shout it. They had never recovered the lost title, the Family estate, the home. Justice had not been done. Her parents had retreated to the secret sanctuary of Druida and were only now taking first steps out of it, years later, since her sister, Artemisia, had married.

“Yes, he hurt you and your Family.” Lady D’Sandalwood squeezed Tiana’s hands, and she felt the boundless caring from the woman. “And that is the root of your ambition, dear Tiana, not that you want to serve the Lady and Lord, give yourself over to the Lady in selfless service, let her speak to you and through you.”

“I am a good priestess!”

“Yes, you are, but you will be a better one if you understand what you truly want, and I don’t think it is becoming the High Priestess of Celta. You serve best when you perform rituals with small groups and intimate circles. And your crafting of new rituals is better than that of anyone else in the Temple with your years.
Those
are the skills that High Priest Lord T’Sandalwood and I believe embody your calling.”

Not rising to the top of the pyramid of success, but creating rituals for those at the top to use. Working with small circles. Hurt speared through Tiana.

But she wouldn’t quit, wouldn’t modify her plan right now. She could still become High Priestess. She had years to try.

“You love your mother.” A final squeeze of the hands by D’Sandalwood before she loosed Tiana’s fingers.

“Of course I do!” Tiana replied instinctively.

The GrandLady began strolling again toward GreatCircle Temple. “And your mother believes truly in the tenets of the Intersection of Hope, that there are four parts to one divine being.”

“Yes, it is a religion based on good to others, also. A religion that is a derivation of a major religion of old Earth but developed in the starships during the long voyage here.”

Lady D’Sandalwood finally smiled with great approval, the smile everyone near her wanted to see. Tiana relaxed.

“We teach of the other religions in our programs, and most people, including our priests and priestesses, understand, intellectually, what they are. But you, Tiana, have an open heart in this matter, and truly understand and accept those who worship in other ways than our own.”

This was no idle conversation; the woman was leading somewhere.

“Let us proceed to my office,” D’Sandalwood said.

Office for official business. Tiana’s back, her whole gait, stiffened, but the High Priestess didn’t seem to notice as she picked up her pace and Tiana matched her. And hoped that the birdcalls overrode the gurgle of her stomach. She’d been too nervous for breakfast.

They entered GreatCircle Temple through the huge eastern doors of rock quartz carved with designs of wind and air. These doors were the closest to the city and the ones most people used.

There was a short hallway the depth of the priests’ and priestesses’ offices with walls covered in a mosaic of crystals that caught the light from the armorglass ceiling and reflected prisms in the small space. Tall, pale pine doors led to the corridor that curved through the round building.

The High Priestess turned left, toward the southern curve of the circle. Just beyond the due-south door, they entered the High Priestess’s suite and passed through the sitting room and into the office, an inner room with no windows.

Tiana sat with the High Priestess in the gloom for only an instant before the woman waved a hand and the roof glass thinned to nothing, letting in the scents of turned earth ready for flowers. A slight breeze ruffled the stray papyrus on D’Sandalwood’s desk, nearly lifted the covers of the thick deep turquoise of Tiana’s personnel file and a new, thinner folder of heavy cream-colored papyrus edged with gold. Did that cream and gold indicate her next position? Tiana’s eyes sharpened. What did those colors mean?

The moving air swept around her head, lifting her hair and cooling the perspiration on her neck. It felt good. The sun slanted in, touched a wall lined with plaques of their faith—a pentacle within a leafy circle, the green man, the antlered Herne, the face of the Lady. Those soothed Tiana. She was still in the Temple, the place she loved, a building imbued with positive energy.

She sat in the deeply cushioned seat with just the right amount of springs to keep a person comfortable and watched GrandLady D’Sandalwood sink into her comfortchair, one that conformed to her body.

“FirstLevel Priestess Tiana Mugwort.” The woman’s voice plucked chords of obedience and deference in Tiana, no mistake, that. “You have stated that you will abide by my and High Priest Lord T’Sandalwood’s decision with regard to your next assignment.”

Tiana bowed her head. “I will.”

She had no choice if she wanted to continue in her career, and she knew now that what they asked of her would be tough.

T
he duty we assign to you must be fulfilled in an acceptable manner for you to continue to rise in the ranks of the priestesses of Celta. Of course you can choose to stay at your current level and you will be assigned a permanent temple of your own.” The intensity of the High Priestess’s gaze had Tiana looking up and matching it.

D’Sandalwood smiled. “We would be pleased to grant you the CircleTemple and Sacred Grove in Landing Park.”

One of the premier small temples in Druida City, the temple nearest to the great starship
Nuada’s Sword
, a gem of a temple, a plum of a job. Tiana’s until she retired. But it wasn’t GreatCircle Temple. It wasn’t here.

She swallowed with a dry throat.

“If you do not take the offer of Landing Park CircleTemple, it will be offered to another and you will miss your chance to have it.”

“I understand.”

“Your other choice will have you remaining here, but with a suite of two rooms instead of one. Your counseling will diminish and your leading ritual circles will remain the same, and you will take on a new assignment.” The High Priestess watched with sharp eyes and Tiana thought the woman had seen her concern, then her pleasure that her circle work would continue as is. Tiana loved leading circles.

She didn’t speak, but waited, and the silence between them filled with the chirp of birds—always continual and melodic around the Temple. A hint of floral fragrance swirled around them from the High Priestess’s personal meditation incense.

Calm trickled through Tiana and her mind began to subside into a meditative trance. The priestess nodded and smiled. “Well done. I thought you might never relax during our time together, and a priestess must always be able to reach for serenity . . . and joy.”

Tiana smiled back.

Lady D’Sandalwood opened the cream and gold folder. “We have been approached by one of the Chief Ministers of the Intersection of Hope to give our approval for them to build a cathedral on the Varga Plateau outside the Druida City walls.

“We stated that they did not need our approval or blessing for such an action, of course.

“Chief Minister Custos informed us that they have the land and the permits and the architect already, and wanted our support. We told them that they have it, and that we would assign a liaison to work with them and their architect, Antenn Blackthorn-Moss.”

The words jolted Tiana from her peaceful state, reverberated in a near scream in her head. She’d distanced herself from her mother’s religion since the scandal, the firebombing of her home. Now she was being pulled back into it. Rumor and gossip would buzz around her again; her old wounds would reopen.

“Tiana, if we, the High Priest and High Priestess, find your efforts at completing this assignment worthy, you will be accepted as one of our main assistants here in GreatCircle Temple and regularly write and perform ritual circles for the benefit of all Celta.”

“I . . . I . . .” She shouldn’t have started to speak, because she floundered, showing herself near panic. Being an assistant to the High Priest and Priestess was a prize. But to do that, she’d have to work through all her pain from her Family’s losses. Of course, that was the reason she was being given the experience.

“This will be a high-profile project, which will cause a great deal of . . . discussion,” D’Sandalwood said.

She really meant outcry.

The High Priestess continued, “There is no room in our world for religious prejudice. That tore apart old Earth on more than one occasion. We will not tolerate it here, and we will make that clear to the All Councils, the twenty-five FirstFamilies who rule, those who are devout in our faith in the Lady and Lord. We will stand firmly behind the Intersection of Hope, this undertaking to raise their own beautiful and substantial place of worship. We will completely support you as our liaison, Tiana. You have our blessing.”

Which came close to a dismissal.

“You have an appointment at MidAfternoon Bell with my HeartMate, High Priest Lord T’Sandalwood, to discuss this matter, also. After that, we will give you two days to decide.”

Tiana’s mind whirled; she couldn’t even manage a nod.

GrandLady D’Sandalwood raised a finger. “Though we allow you two days for your decision, we have no control over the timing of other events. The project will be announced, and the Chief Ministers of the Intersection of Hope will be giving interviews to the newssheets and viz press tomorrow morning.”

“Before the time I make my decision,” Tiana said, grasping the point most pertinent to her.

The High Priestess inclined her head. “We would, of course, like to confirm you as liaison at that time, during our own interviews.”

Tiana steadied her breath and began breathing deeply to calm herself.

With a glance at the wall timer, the High Priestess said, “Though we had not anticipated such a task for you, the High Priest and I are pleased that one arose. And though, of course, you
do
have two days to contemplate the matter, events march on and we have had to make definite arrangements to handle the situation. We have set up an appointment with Antenn Blackthorn-Moss for you in half a septhour at his office in CityCenter.”

“Oh.”

“Will you abide with
our
decision and deal with the arrangements we have already made?”

Sternness lived under the soft aspect of the High Priestess’s face. Her plump hands had gestured with sharp movements.

Despite what her mentor had said, Tiana knew she had to decide.

Now.

Stay at this level, or go forward. She bowed her head to hide the resentment filling her. Though she believed the High Priestess and High Priest hadn’t manipulated her, the situation had done that; she
hated
that she had to make a life-changing decision on a few moments’ notice.

Pretty much anything but “Yes, High Priestess,” would poorly influence the career she loved, had worked at for years. One she wanted to rise in.

She took another long, long breath and raised her head. “I . . .” Dammit, she couldn’t get the words out in one sentence! Had to clear her throat. “I don’t need to take two days. I agree to your task.”

A fast, beautiful smile came from D’Sandalwood, one that lit her eyes, and an open expression of great approval . . . with a touch of surprise. “Excellent.” She paused. “A Temple glider is waiting to take you to your meeting with the architect.” Several heartbeats’ pause. Definite dismissal.

“Thank you for this opportunity,” Tiana mumbled as she stood and fluttered the folds of her elegant, richly formal robe slightly. She’d worn the garment to honor the High Priestess.

Tiana suppressed tears as Lady D’Sandalwood came and embraced her in a soft and caring hug.

“You need to work through your anger, dear girl. Think how you might take steps to release that, more than you have done.”

“Yes, High Priestess.”

Holding her at arm’s length, GrandLady D’Sandalwood smiled in sympathy. “You can do this, Tiana. This is an extremely important situation to us, and we know you will represent us well.”

Pride had Tiana’s shoulders straightening, and the tears coating her throat drying.

“We know this will be a personal trial to you.” The priestess searched Tiana’s face. “But we think it will serve your soul’s growth well.”

Tiana was just fine with her soul as it was. “Yes, Lady Sandalwood.”

“Good. You will do fine.” She dropped her arms and stepped back, tucking her hands in the long sleeves of her equally formal gown. At least hers was shifting shades of blue; Tiana’s was white.

“Go to your appointment with GentleSir Blackthorn-Moss, and don’t forget your meeting with my HeartMate this afternoon.”

As if Tiana could. Again she bowed her head, and words came from deep inside. “I appreciate your confidence in me.”

“Honor your mother and her religion, and us and ours, and yourself, Tiana. Blessed be.”

“Blessed be.” She concentrated on steady steps to the door and down the hallway, turned to one of the four main entrances, the southern one, and saw her rival, Lucida Gerania, smiling as she left High Priest GrandLord T’Sandalwood’s chambers, obviously happy with
her
assignment.

Tiana had to squelch envy hard.

Lucida beamed at Tiana, and then her smile took on a hint of glee. “You don’t seem pleased with your new assignment.”

A
good
thing that irritated words stuck in Tiana’s throat. She rearranged her expression, lifted her chin a little. “It’s a challenge,” she said, and, to her discredit, liked the beginning of the frown she saw. “And I’ve been named an assistant and graduated to a two-room suite.”

The other’s nose lifted. “So have I.”

Of course she had.

Lucida said, “I’m just going to check my new offices out. See what furnishings they might need . . . or whether I should tint the walls first . . .” She lifted blond brows.

“A Temple glider is waiting to take me to a pressing appointment,” Tiana said. The amount of gilt she could spend on any refurbishment of her new offices was nil.

Envy flashed in Lucida’s eyes. For now. Tiana knew the woman would be crowing when she heard of Tiana’s duty.

“Blessed be,” Tiana said.

“Blessed be.” Lucida nodded, then hurried down the wide and curving corridor.

*   *   *

A
long, sleek, dark-blue glider with the sigil of the GreatCircle Temple sat under the portico. As Tiana advanced, the door opened upward and she slid into the luxury of soft furrabeast leather. The door whispered shut and the glider accelerated. No driver sat on the front bench, so the vehicle had already been programmed to take her to the offices of the architect, Antenn Blackthorn-Moss. Just from his name, Tiana knew he was adopted by one of the twenty-five FirstFamilies, the Blackthorns, a GrandHouse.

Everyone knew the Blackthorns had problems with sterility and a vulnerability to some common sicknesses, so the couple had adopted several—many?—children. She thought Antenn was the first, but T’Blackthorn hadn’t chosen an Heir, from either his children or a cuz and a secondary line. She’d do some research later.

Now she concentrated on resting since she hadn’t slept well the night before, nervous about her meeting with High Priestess GrandLady D’Sandalwood. And she’d teleported to a couple of stops from the hidden sanctuary where she lived to GreatCircle Temple. Then she’d had to add spells to her dress. Weariness pressed on her.

Still, it wasn’t often she’d ride in such classy comfort. One of her best friends, Camellia D’Hawthorn, had married into the FirstFamilies, but Camellia’s HeartMate and husband preferred small and jazzy sports vehicles. Tiana’s Family had no vehicle at all.

Stooopppp! Let me IN!
screeched a mental voice.

Reacting instinctively, Tiana snapped, “Stop the vehicle immediately.”

The glider whooped a warning to others, jerked still, deployed the landing brackets, and rocked back and forth on them.

Windooww!
yelled something. Tiana turned toward the sound and jolted as something dark and furry showed beyond the tinted window.

“What are yo—” she began, but saw a whippy cat tail. All right. She commanded, “Thin the back windows to air.”

The spell took hold, and the furry animal bolted through, landing close to her. She put out a hand to keep the cat from tumbling onto her and thought she saw drool or spittle flying toward her, too.

Yay! Look at Me! I am with My FamWoman! I have CATCHED her!

Tiana stared at the brindled cat of drab shades of brown and gray. One of his ears was half gone. Obviously not a pampered Fam, but a feral.

He smiled ingratiatingly, showing a broken fang, too, and then his loud and rumbling purr filled the glider.

“FamWoman?” Tiana asked faintly.

His head bobbed. A white scar showed the length of his head and disappeared into the fur near his neck.
I am your Fam.

“Do you even know who I am?”

The Fam snorted.
Acourse I do. You are the priestess who lives in the secret place that welcomes the really scared or sad.