The Children of the White Lions: Volume 02 - Prophecy (59 page)

Shoving aside her irritation, she considered his question and determined it a poignant one. Looking back to her window, she eyed the injured man. Making a minor adjustment to her pattern, she shifted the display, moving the view closer to his bloody face.

Ashana murmured worriedly, “That gash looks deep.”

“It certainly does,” agreed Nelnora. It would be a shame if he died. He had proven useful to this point.

“So,” said Ketus. “Will he live or not?”

Looking up, Nelnora turned to stare expectantly at their fourth member, Maeana. The little slivers of sunlight littering the chamber, cut to pieces by the crystalline dome above their heads, danced over the Goddess of Death’s brilliant white robes.

Ashana was already staring at her, as was Ketus. At least Nelnora thought Ketus was eyeing Maeana. It was difficult to tell.

Sensing their collective stare, Maeana raised a single, ink-black eyebrow and sighed.

“Are you expecting me to provide an answer?”

“Death is your responsibility,” said Ashana, wearing a small smile along with her royal blue silk robes. Yellow, threaded designs of songbirds lined the sleeves. “Can you not answer his question?”

A frown spread over Maeana’s lips as she said, “I know as much about when a soul will come to me as any of you. I deal with death’s aftermath; I do not predict its coming.” She turned her gaze on to Nelnora. “Perhaps you have confused me with your sister.”

Shaking her head, Nelnora said, “Your robes alone would prevent such a mistake. Indrida’s taste in fashion includes a bit more color.”

“And where might she be?” asked Ketus. “I had thought to see her here.”

Nelnora turned to Ketus, trying to meet his stare, but could not focus on him. Looking at someone never required so much effort. Irritated, she snapped, “Ketus? Do you mind?”

A moment later, he turned opaque, his cloak morphing into a colorless gray. The God of Shadows and Luck leaned forward, gave Nelnora a thin smile, and said, “Pardon me. It is habit.” Cocking an eyebrow, he reissued his question. “So. Indrida. Why is she not here?”

Nelnora steadied herself. She needed to be careful here.

“My sister has absolved herself of this matter.”

Ketus and Maeana exchanged a long look. Ashana showed no reaction. Nelnora had already shared this with her.

Turning back to Nelnora, Ketus asked, “She has absolved herself of this matter?”

“We have had…disagreements over this affair. Her ideas of how to proceed are quite different from my own.”

“I am disappointed to hear that,” said Maeana. “She should
be here.”

“Why?” asked Ashana.

“Is it not obvious?” replied the Goddess of Death. She stared back to the window, a slight scowl on her face. “This is all her fault.”

Nelnora let out a weary sigh. She had expected this from Maeana, but it did not mean she wanted to hear it. Nevertheless, it was best to let the Goddess air her grievances. Maeana so enjoyed doing so.

“Would you mind explaining yourself?”

Maeana turned to stare at Nelnora, her green eyes flashing hot.

“The moment she recited that prophecy, she should have killed the priest who wrote them down, burned the scroll, and scrubbed every syllable from her memory. We would not be where we are if she had kept her mouth shut!”

Ashana muttered, “That seems a touch harsh.”

“Harsh?” asked Maeana. “For nearly two centuries, mortals have been altering
everything
they do, trying to shape their future to either meet or thwart her words.” She pointed a finger at the window and exclaimed, “Without her prophecy, that castle would house nothing but mice and birds.”

With a patient frown upon her lips, Ashana said, “Mice and birds cannot oppose the God of Chaos, Maeana.” She nodded to the scene of the snowy courtyard. “They might be the only thing preventing countless souls from perishing.”

“Have you ever considered that might be what is
supposed
to happen?”

“Not according to Indrida’s words,” said Ketus.

Maeana let out a frustrated sigh and turned her head to stare at Ketus, her shoulder-length black hair swishing in the air.

“In the next few moments, you will be thinking of roses climbing a white trellis.”

Ketus eyes narrowed.

“Pardon?”

Maeana waited a moment before asking, “What are you thinking of, Ketus?”

A slight frown spread over Ketus face as he muttered, “Roses. On a white trellis.”

“So,” said Maeana haughtily. “Did I predict the future? Or did I shape it?”

Ketus remained quiet, his scowl deepening.

“Am I wrong, Ketus?” asked Maeana.

Shaking his head, he muttered, “This is pointless.”

“Am I wrong?!” demanded Maeana. “Fate is what
should
happen, not what you
make
happen!”

“Says who?” asked Ashana.

Maeana wheeled to stare at the Goddess in blue.

“Says Greya! And as it is her realm to rule, I accept her thoughts without questioning the matter. Do I question you concerning inspiration? Do I question Ketus about luck? Or Nelnora about her precious balance?”

Nelnora closed her eyes and sighed. This was not how she had wanted this to go. Trying to maintain her calm, she opened her eyes and asked, “What would you have us do, then? Nothing? Shall we stand by and watch the Cabal conquer Terrene?”

Maeana fixed her gaze on Nelnora and asked, “Why not? They have yet to succeed in doing so. What makes you think they will now?”

Shaking her head, Nelnora snapped, “You may be willing to throw the world’s fate to chance, Maeana, but I am
not!
”

“What a surprise,” said Maeana, her tone full of mocking. “Too much good in the world? Nelnora wants to intervene. Too much evil? Nelnora wants to intervene. Too cold and snowy atop a mountain peak? Nelnora wants to intervene.”

Letting a bit of heat slip into her tone, Nelnora said, “If you do not care if the Cabal rules all, why did you come today? Why even bother meeting with me?”

“Simple,” answered Maeana. “I do not care what the Cabal does with Terrene, but I would like it if they stopped killing indiscriminately. My Seat is overflowing with souls. It is difficult to manage them all.”

A dry chuckle slipped from Ketus.

“You are here because you are being inconvenienced?”

“Hold a moment,” said Ashana. “Did you not just say that perhaps all of this is supposed to happen? That these deaths are ‘fate?’”

Maeana stared back to the shimmering window, a frown on her lips.

“Admittedly, it is a confused situation about which I am conflicted.”

Ashana said, “You did not seem all that conflicted—”

“Ashana?” interrupted Nelnora quietly. As the Goddess looked over, Nelnora gave a quick shake of her head. Pressing the issue further would not get her what she wanted. Instead, she asked a question to which she already knew the answer.

“What is the true reason you are here, Maeana?”

The Goddess of Death turned her dark-eyed gaze onto Nelnora, stared silently for a moment, and then shifted it back to the window. A tiny frown creased the corners of her mouth. In quiet, sad voice, she mumbled, “My reasons are my own.”

Looking back to the Weave, Nelnora found the raven-haired woman was now crouching in the snow beside the injured man. The younger sister was awake and lying on his chest, crying.

Suppressing a smile, Nelnora murmured, “And to think some say you have no heart.”

Maeana ignored her and remained motionless, watching the two sisters in the window.

After an extended moment of silence, Ashana cleared her throat, the sound echoing through the chamber.

“Perhaps we could address the reason for today’s summit?”

Nodding, Nelnora said, “I would like nothing better.”

“Well, you have my support,” said Ashana.

“And just how long has she had it?” huffed Ketus. “From what I have seen and heard, it would seem more than a few of the mortals involved have had some rather opportune moments of inspiration as of late.”

Ashana exchanged a long, quiet look with Nelnora before staring back to the window and saying, “Interfering as such is not allowed, Ketus.”

“And nobody values the rules as much as you, right, Ashana?”

The Goddess of Inspiration kept her eyes on the scene of the courtyard, wisely choosing to remain silent.

After a few moments, Nelnora turned her attention to Ketus and asked, “Rather than leveling quiet accusations, Ketus, perhaps you would share your thoughts on my proposal?”

The God paused before answering, “Whatever the Cabal is up to, I doubt I would like it if they succeeded.”

“Then do something about it,” said Nelnora. “Rather than sit in the shadows and watch like always.”

Ketus leaned forward, glared at her, and shot back, “Have you forgotten your history? I was part of the last Assembly, if you recall.”

“A lone candle does not boil a cauldron,” said Nelnora. “Since then, you’ve ignored every one of my warnings.”

“Only because your alarms are like songbirds that won’t stop singing. Eventually, I stop listening.”

Nelnora shut her eyes tight, drew in a deep breath, and exhaled. At times, Ketus grated her nerves like limestone dragged against granite. Opening her eyes, she managed to keep her voice even as she said, “Will you lend me your support or not?”

Ketus turned a razor-sharp eye on her and snapped, “My promised silence on your activities should be enough! Should the others learn of what you and Ashana have been doing…” He trailed off, leaving the consequences unspoken. “Moreover, without my aid in bypassing Miriel’s Weave—” he jabbed a finger toward the window “—we would not have witnessed any of what occurred today!”

Swallowing her pride, Nelnora said politely, “I thank you for your discretion, Ketus. As well as your help with the Weave. Both have been invaluable to my efforts.”

Maeana and Ashana turned in unison to stare at her, evidently surprised at her measured response. Judging by Ketus’ raised eyebrows and parted mouth, he was taken aback as well.

After a few moments’ pause, he said, “Ah, you are welcome.” Turning back to stare at the window, he added softly, “And yes, you have my support for Assembly.”

With a curt nod and all the grace she could muster, Nelnora said, “Thank you.”

Ashana shared a quick, relieved look with Nelnora. With Ketus joining them, their number was at three. Should they gain Maeana’s support as well, they would need but five others to form a full Assembly.

The allied trio turned to eye Maeana, waiting for her to give her decision. Maeana said nothing, though, keeping her stare on the window. As the silence drew out, one-by-one, the other three peered back at the window as well. Everyone had stepped back from the injured young man, leaving a single figure crouched over him. Nelnora’s eyebrows lifted in surprise.

Ashana asked, “They have aki-mahet in their ranks?” She turned to eye Nelnora. “Did you know that?”

Nelnora frowned and shook her head, muttering, “No, I did not.”

Ketus suggested, “Perhaps Thonda’s champion brought her into the fold.”

Nelnora shrugged, mildly disappointed in herself. Watching the world as she did led to a false sense of omnipotence. .

“Perhaps.”

After a few more moments of quiet, Maeana’s even, emotionless voice drifted through the chamber.

“Should I agree to support another Assembly, I want to be clear that I will do
nothing
to aid you until a consensus is reached. Do you understand?
Nothing.
”

Nodding, Nelnora said, “I am aware of the laws placed upon us.”

Maeana raised a single eyebrow.

“You might be aware of them, but it seems that you do not follow them.”

When Nelnora remained quiet, Maeana frowned and turned her gaze to Ashana.

“Nor do you.”

Wearing an impish smile, Ashana said, “Pardon me for providing an occasional burst of inspiration to a few mortals. It is my purpose, is it not?”

“It is,” agreed Maeana. Looking back to Nelnora, she added, “But I am left wondering who your inspiration is.”

Nelnora remained silent, her face a mask of indifference. If Maeana was trying to get an admission of guilt from either of them, she was wasting her time.

Ketus broke their quiet stare down, folding his arms over his chest and saying, “I suppose now I have offered my support, there is something I should share with you.”

Intrigued by his words and tone, Nelnora looked away from Maeana and to the God.

“What is it, Ketus?”

“My champion is hiding amongst the Sudashians. She has been traveling east with them for a few turns now.”

All three Goddesses turned to stare at him with open surprise. In the same way Nelnora could sense where Tobias was at all times, each of the last Assembly knew exactly where their champion was in the world. The gift given to the mortals saw to that.

After a moment, Ashana shifted her gaze to Nelnora and asked, “You did not know?”

Nelnora shook her head a deep frown spreading over her lips.

“I did not.”

Sounding surprised, Maeana asked, “You have been watching Chaos’ armies for some time now, have you not?”

“I have,” replied Nelnora. “But some things I cannot see.”

Maeana’s eyebrows drew together.

“I thought only our kind was protected from your prying eye.”

“In all but one case, that is true,” admitted Nelnora. Turning an eye to Ketus, she said, “His champion avoids me as well.”

“How is that possible?” asked Ashana.

A smug chuckle slipped from Ketus as he answered, “If Miriel Syncent wishes to remain hidden, she will do so. The piece of me she carries sees to that.”

Glaring at Ketus, Maeana said, “So your champion has been marching with Chaos’ army?”

Ketus nodded.

“In secret, yes.”

“But why?” asked Ashana.

“I simply know where she is,” said Ketus with a shrug. “I do not pretend to know her intentions.” He faced the three of them, saying, “I have not seen Miriel since the last Assembly. She came to my Seat over a century ago, but I turned her away.” He glanced at Nelnora and added, “As the law requires.”