deacons and ten 92 William Greenleaf
elders, and about twenty Sons of God. Why don't the people of Fairhope throw them out?' Selmer nodded. 'Seems simple enough. But it isn't. We've tried to get people to help us. They're afraid, of course. But that isn't what keeps them back. High Elder Brill holds a spell over them.'
'A spell?'
'You'll see what I mean if you ever attend one of his Godsday services. Colored banners, music from those infernal priams—and High Elder Brill standing up there in his great robes and his arms thrust out—' He shook his head. 'It's quite a show, and he uses it to lay a spell. I've even felt it—inside, you know? He starts chanting Lord Tern's latest revelation, and it all seems to grow in your mind. Like—' He broke off, and his eyes focused on Paul.
'Like it's the .truth. You want to believe in the power of Lord Tern.'
Paul thought of Dorland on the stage, weaving his lights and music over the audience. He shook off a sudden chill.
'Lord Tern, the protector,' Selmer went on.
'Sabastian has a theory. He thinks High Elder Brill keeps all our lives so miserable and uncertain that we need a security symbol to cling to—and Lord Tern is that symbol.'
They walked in silence for a long moment. Then Paul said: 'You mentioned Lord Tern's revelations. What are they, exactly?'
'Words of wisdom. High Elder Brill interprets them and passes them along to his flock during Godsday service. Usually, the revelations aren't much—information about someone with family
trouble, or maybe an emotional crisis. And Lord Tern's suggestions about how to deal with it.'
'He helps people solve their personal problems?' That didn't fit with other aspects of the Holy Order.
Selmer nodded. 'Lord Tern gives him the revelaCLARION 93
tions in advance of the service through the chauka. At least, that's what Brill says—the name of the person, the problem he's having and how to solve it.'
'Does he get it right?'
'As far as I know, he's always right about the problems. The solutions are a bit shaky, but everyone's so impressed with the first part they don't seem to notice that the second part doesn't always work out. That's another reason he can control people. He comes across as all-seeing.' Selmer issued a grunt of laughter. 'He isn't, of course. His spies in Fairhope give him the information he uses in the service. They sneak around the village and find out who's having problems at home, who's sick with the pox—things like that. High Elder Brill brings these matters up during the service, and makes like Lord Tern told him about the problem and how to solve it. Then once in a while he comes up with a bigger issue, like the proclamations that established the Sons of God and the God Wall. He mixes that in with a dose of nonsense about Lord Tern's strength and the magical power of Chalcharuzzi, and he sells it all as one bundle.'
Ahead of them, Karyn had stopped at one of the intersections.
'We'll get out here,' she said. 'We'll be close to the temple, so keep your eyes open.'
Jacque reached into his pouch and withdrew an odd-looking bundle. When he unrolled it, Paul saw that it was a rope ladder with sturdy metal hooks fastened to one end. With practiced ease, Jacque flipped the hooks upward at the access port opening. They caught on the protruding lip of the narrow platform, and Jacque climbed quickly up the curved wall to the platform. When Paul started to follow, Karyn stopped him.
'Let him look around first.'
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Above them, Jacque stepped past the platform and disappeared into the access tube. A moment later he called the all clear, and the others followed him up the ladder and down through the access tube to the ground. Jacque retrieved his ladder, rolled it up and returned it to his pack.
Paul saw that they were in an area of thin
vegetation. The dome structures were in better condition here; several were still standing and looked to be mostly intact. In the distance Paul could see the high white spire of the temple. Karyn shielded her eyes and looked toward
where the sun hung above the distant peaks. 'We'll have to wait here for a while. Otherwise we'll reach the temple before dark.' She looked around, then indicated one of the dome structures that appeared to be in reasonably good
