The Sin War Box Set: Birthright, Scales of the Serpent, and The Veiled Prophet (12 page)

He opened his mouth to reply, then clamped it shut again. It seemed that, even with all that he had gained, there were some things that Uldyssian would never understand.

Come the morning, Serenthia acted as if nothing had happened, yet Uldyssian could with his own burgeoning powers sense that the force within her had grown stronger. She evinced no sign of this, though, and he finally decided that he would let
her
choose when to accept her gift. It was enough to know that she did wield it. That meant that he
would
be able to guide others toward the same direction and with practice the effort would surely grow quicker and easier.

They rode under an overcast sky that Uldyssian at one point bemusedly wondered if he could clear. He did not try, though, for fear that, if it did indeed worked, he would only be announcing his presence to those who might wish him to never make it to the city. Lylia had suggested to him that it would be better if he waited until in Kehjan before revealing himself so. Then, she said, it would be too late for them to hide the truth from the people.

Despite the continuous gloom, it did not rain and so once more they made good time. Partha remained a faint spiral of smoke in the distance, the only change the direction in which they had to look for it. By Mendeln’s calculation and Lylia’s confirmation, they would see a similar hint of the great city in three or four more days at the utmost.

The five finally also crossed paths with other travelers, in this case, a wagon heading the opposite direction. The driver, a bearded elder with trade dealings at the seaports, greeted the party warily at first. His apprentice, a gangly, carrot-haired youth with watery eyes, anxiously kept his hand near a well-worn sword at his side.

As he still wished to reach Kejhan as soon as possible, Uldyssian decided that there was no use in revealing what he was to the pair. Instead, he sought from the trader news concerning the state of affairs in the legendary city.

“The mage clans have a truce going on at the moment, aye,” declared the stout figure as he lit a long, clay pipe. “It’ll last as well as the others, which’s to say not long at all. Possibly even over, already. The nobles, they watch and wait while they plot to their own advantage and the clans let’m keep some control over the city’s functions so’s that they can free up themselves to figure out how to get around the truce.” He chuckled darkly. “So, one might say all’s pretty much as always in Kehjan…”

His words verified for Uldyssian the importance of what Lylia had said about heading directly there rather than turn to Partha or any other lesser settlement. Uldyssian graciously thanked the trader, then led the others on.

They settled for the night on the bank of a sedate river coursing along the region. Here the line between woods and jungle blurred some. For the first time, Uldyssian came to understand just how small the forested region was in comparison with the great jungles said to be covering much of the realm. He had even heard traders pausing at Seram remark that it seemed that the jungles were gradually swallowing up all else. Obviously that could not be the truth, but, eyeing the odd, almost unnatural shift in environment, Uldyssian could not help still wonder a little.

He had hoped that the day’s ride would ease the tension between him and Serenthia, but the raven-haired woman yet again found reason to be away from him.

“It is best to let her work it out herself,” Lylia finally whispered to him as she nuzzled his cheek. “She will come to accept matters. You will see.”

Nodding, Uldyssian forced his attention to more important matters. Now that he was so near the city, his nerves had begun to act up. He admitted this to Lylia, who suggested that he retire early and let the rest of them see to things.

“You must be at your peak come the day we enter. Go, sleep. When there is food ready, I will bring it to you.”

She kissed him again, then departed. Uldyssian immediately followed her good advice. The ground beneath was soft and the night warmer than previous. A short nap, he decided, was indeed the right thing for him. As usual, Lylia knew best. He could not imagine a future without her. It was as if Uldyssian had always known her.

With those comforting thoughts, he drifted off.

Serenthia knew that she had to come to grips with her conflicting emotions concerning Uldyssian. She believed in the goodness of what he had become, believed it enough to not even consider him at fault for her father’s terrible fate, but at the same time she could not separate what he was from what he had once been…the man whom she had loved as no one else.

And who now loved another…a woman he had met only a short while before.

“We need more wood for the fire,” Mendeln commented.

Seizing on the opportunity to be even more by herself, Serenthia quickly replied, “I’ll go and gather it. You make certain that the fire doesn’t die in the meantime.”

She slipped out of the camp and began collecting small, broken branches. The search required little attention, which allowed her mind to wander to less confusing—and less painful—subjects. But Cyrus’s daughter had gathered only roughly half an armful when a prickling sensation on her neck made her look over her shoulder.

“Lylia!” The presence of the noblewoman out here so startled Serenthia that she dropped several pieces of wood. She stared in disbelief at the blond figure.

The other woman strode up to her with footsteps as silent as a cat. “Forgive me,” Lylia murmured. “I did not mean to scare you…”

“What…what are you doing out here? I don’t need any help with the wood.”

“I wanted to speak with you, that was all.”

“Speak with me?” The trader’s daughter feared that she knew the subject. “There’s no need—”

Lylia moved closer. “But there is
every
need, dear Serenthia, every need.” As she stared deep into the other woman’s eyes, she set a soft hand on her arm. “You are special to Uldyssian and, thus, special to me. I want all his friends to be comfortable around me. I want you to think of me not just as his love, his future mate, but as
your
friend as well…”

If Lylia expected her words to comfort Serenthia, they had the opposite effect. An unreasoning distress filled Serenthia and the words “love” and “mate” rang in her head over and over. She felt utter shame that Lylia knew how jealous she had been. Serenthia struggled against her swirling emotions, insisting to herself that they were exaggerated…but, in the end, they still proved too much for her.

Eyes tearing, she whirled from Lylia’s grip. The kindling fell unnoticed from her arms. Serenthia ran, not caring which direction she headed. All that mattered was to be away, away from everyone who knew what she had been thinking.

Tree limbs snagged at her clothing. Serenthia stumbled several times on the uneven ground. She tripped once across an upward-turned root. None of these impediments caused her to pause and thus possibly regain her wits. Serenthia simply righted herself each time and continued running. Wild emotion clouded her mind.

A silhouetted form stepped out in front of her. Paying it no mind, she kept moving. Only when it seized her in a grip of steel did she start to come back to reality.

At which point she opened her mouth to scream.

One gauntleted hand quickly smothered her cry. Serenthia struggled to free herself, but another figure came up behind her, securing the trader’s daughter.

The first figure leaned forward, his hooded form almost ghostlike. “Be silent, girl…” he hissed. “Or else you must be punished!”

She began to notice other, similar figures, men in hoods and armor. At first she took them for Inquisitor guards, but then a symbol on the breastplate of the foremost momentarily glittered in the moonlight, revealing the familiar triangle symbol of the Temple.

Serenthia tried to speak, to explain, but her effort garnered her only a swift and painful slap across the face.

“Brother Rondo! Have a care with the child!”

The voice was low and smooth and its kind tone reminded Serenthia of her father. A dark figure atop a monstrously huge stallion rode up to where the two men held her. As the tall rider dismounted, the hardened warriors surrounding Serenthia released her, then fell down on one knee. Although now not held, she felt a compulsion to follow their example.

“Forgive me, Eminence,” grunted the one called Rondo anxiously.

“Your enthusiasm is commendable, your tact in need of work, brother.” The gloved figure touched Rondo atop his covered head, then turned his attention back to Serenthia.

“My child, shiver not so at my coming. I am friend, not fear.” Up close, his features became visible. In contrast to his pale skin, he had thick, wavy dark hair and a deep brow. An elegant mustache gave him a regal dignity. His smile, like his tone, reminded Serenthia of her father. “I am Malic, high priest of the Order of Mefis—”

“Of the Temple of the Triune,” Serenthia finished somewhat breathlessly. Instinctively, she bowed her head.

“A believer! How delightful!” Malic stretched out a hand to her, which, after a hesitation, the woman took. “And, I do apologize for the zealousness of Brother Rondo here. We are all eager to conclude our quest…”

His last words set Serenthia on edge. She instantly recalled everything that had happened in the village and how the Cathedral had immediately condemned Uldyssian without hearing his side. Suddenly, Malic’s presence no longer eased her mind.

Somehow, he must have read that, for the high priest cocked his head and remarked, “But come, my child! I told you, I am friend! I sense your withdrawal…” Without permission, his hand touched between her breasts. “And I sense, also…” Malic frowned. “…that you are
not
the one we seek. There is the spark of something within you, but it is too weak…”

Without meaning to, Serenthia blurted, “Uldyssian—”

Malic’s thick, dark brow rose. “‘Uldyssian’? Is that his name? And you think him the one we seek?”

She clamped her mouth shut.

Brother Rondo stirred from his kneeling position, but Malic waved him down again. The high priest leaned forward, until his face, and especially his eyes, filled Serenthia’s view.

“You are fearful. But why…unless…” He smiled wider, revealing perfect teeth. “Ah! The Cathedral! It surely must be! Inquisitors, no doubt!”

Still Serenthia said nothing, although his accurate guesswork made her wonder if he could read her thoughts.

“The Cathedral…small wonder you show such distrust. Brother Rondo, was there not news from one of our messengers of the deaths of not only one of our own, but also a servant of the Cathedral as well?”

“Aye, Eminence. In the village of Seram, it was said. The murder of our missionary was especially brutal—”

“Yes, yes.” Waving him to silence again, Malic said to Serenthia, “And the Cathedral did condemn your Uldyssian, did they not?”

“Yes,” she finally answered, some of her distrust fading again.

“Typical of their ways. If they cannot fathom something, they must be rid of it. Woe betide the day that the Prophet began preaching his blasphemies…” The high priest stepped next to Serenthia, his arm wrapping around her shoulder in a comforting manner. “But we are not the Cathedral, child. The Temple of the Triune has always preached a peaceful resolution to matters, you understand that? Good! I would not have you believing that we come to do as they did! Rather, we are here just to do the
opposite
and surely it must be a sign for both you and I that we should meet at this fortuitous moment! You can lead me to your Uldyssian and then all of our problems will be over…”

“But—” Serenthia found it hard to think. Her mind suddenly felt as muddled as when Lylia had spoken with her. Still, she still recalled some things. Uldyssian wanted to go to the city…and he certainly wanted nothing to do with
any
sect, be it the Cathedral
or
the Triune. “No. I can’t. Uldyssian wouldn’t want me to—”

Malic’s body tensed. Serenthia suddenly felt his arm slide back until his gloved fingers rested near the back of her skull. She felt a painful force there and tried to let out a cry, but her mouth would not work. Neither would her body. Only her mind functioned, but it was now a prisoner in an immobile shell.

“A shame you would not listen to reason, child,” the tall figure remarked in a voice no longer comforting. “But you will
still
lead us to your Uldyssian…” He looked at the Peace Warders. “To your mounts! Hurry!”

As the men rushed to their beasts, Malic led Serenthia to his own. Up close, something about the creature put her ill at ease, but her body, subject to the high priest’s will, would not let her pull back. Instead, she mounted up in front of her captor, who took the reins with one hand and held her tight with the other.

“Now,” he whispered in her ear in the same kind tone that he had first used, a tone that Cyrus’s daughter knew he used to mock her helplessness. “Now, my child. Show me the way.”

Serenthia’s left hand rose, pointing unerringly in the direction of the camp.

“Very good. Very good. Be sure to smile when you see your friend. I would hate to make him uneasy…”

The corners of her mouth rose. Malic chuckled quietly…then urged his mount forward.