Tarscenian stared dumbly at Hederick, and the boy redoubled his efforts to convince the priest. 'To bring me to the Seekers-this was your mission in life, Tarscenian. That's why you were drawn to Garlund. Perhaps Sauvay even sent the giant lynx to bring us together. You've ful shy;filled your purpose.'
Hederick felt the power of oratory fill him. 'Don't com shy;pound your sin by denying your faith and betraying the pantheons. Pray with me! If you prostrate yourself, you may die forgiven!'
Ancilla watched silently, her face devoid of emotion. Her unblinking gaze flicked between her brother and Tarscenian.
The false priest came to himself with a start. 'You.. saw… Sauvay,' he said, shaking his head in disbelief. 'A god … showed himself to you?'
Hederick clasped Tarscenian's hands tighter. 'Yes,' he replied eagerly. 'Outside the copse. I…'
'Did his voice rumble? Venessi always said the voice of her god rumbled like thunder.'
'No, it was more like the wind speaking-like a loud whisper. I…'
'Were there explosions? Did he wear a robe? Or did he come to you like Tiolanthe did to Venessi-half naked and built like a Caergothi blacksmith?'
'I could see only half of him, Tarscenian. He flowed up out of the ground. His torso was covered with a loose shirt. It could have been a robe, I suppose …'
Hederick's voice trailed off, and he felt the strength drain from him. The fallen priest was laughing! Mirth so filled Tarscenian that tears streamed from his eyes. He fell backward against the rug, chortling.
'By the True Gods!' Tarscenian roared. 'He's as crazy as his mother!'
Ancilla reached across and placed her hand comfort shy;ingly on Hederick's arm. 'You could not have seen a god that doesn't exist, little brother,' she murmured. 'You are hysterical. Forgive Tarscenian; he's had no sleep in a week. Calm yourself. Perhaps when you have rested, you will come to see, as Tarscenian has…'
Hederick snatched up the dragon figurine and leaped 1 to his feet. Ancilla grabbed for the charm, but Hederick held it away from her, eyes flashing.
'I saw Sauvay, I tell you!' he roared. 'He warned me about you, witch. It was Sauvay, and he spoke only to me. He praised me, Ancilla. He praised me! Whether you accept it or not, the Old Gods are gone. I will lead the fol shy;lowers of the New Gods, and together we will annihilate magic and cleanse the world. It is ordained!'
Alarmed by the boy's words, Tarscenian stopped laughing and sat up.
Hederick, clutching the dragon in his left hand, launched himself at his former mentor. Hederick heard Ancilla chanting, and out of the corner of his eye, saw her fling dried herbs in the fire and move her hands in a spell. Sauvay guided his blow; Hederick's punch knocked the priest back on his elbows.
Blood dripped from one corner of Tarscenian's mouth, but he seemed not to notice. 'The magic?' Tarscenian asked Ancilla apprehensively as he stood and pulled her to her feet.
Hederick's sister was noticeably upset. 'I tried, my love,' she replied disconsolately. 'Nothing …'
'Magic will not work against a true believer, you fools!' Hederick thundered. They fell back a step, sur shy;prised at his vehemence.
'What shall we do, Ancilla?' Tarscenian pressed.
'Hederick has the dragon,' she whispered back. 'We must get it!'
'Sauvay!' Hederick bellowed to the skies. 'Kill them both!' He yanked the cloth from a table and whisked it toward the fireplace. The fringe touched the flames, and soon Hederick was whirling the blazing cloth like a flag. The curtains caught fire, and likewise the sleeve of Tarscenian's robe, but Ancilla's silk robe seemed impervi shy;ous. 'Fire purifies!' Hederick shouted.
The roof thatch seeped smoke. 'We must leave, Tarscen shy;ian!' Ancilla cried. 'I'm bound by my vow to him. I can't hurt my brother. I am powerless!'
'Of course you are, witch,' Hederick snarled. Now it was his turn to laugh. 'I am the righteous one. You have seduced Tarscenian away from virtue. You have doomed both of you. You are…'
Ancilla hurled more of the herbs into the fire. 'Ranay nansensharn,' she chanted desperately. Again her fingers danced wicked figures. 'Ranay nansensharn.'
Hederick threw himself at Tarscenian and Ancilla.
One moment the two traitors stood together, arms entwined, surrounded by flame. The next moment they were gone. Hederick found himself sprawled on the smol shy;dering rug before the mantel. He escaped from the evil dwelling just as the roof began to collapse.
It seemed as if no time at all had passed when Hederick returned to the sleeping village of Garlund. The glow from the flames that were eagerly devouring Ancilla's cot shy;tage and the copse around it lit up the sky. The moons had set. Hederick lit a lantern and set it on the back of a wagon in the courtyard.
'People of Garlund, arise!' he shouted. Sauvay was watching over him; his voice had never been so deep and confident. The boy crawled up onto the back of the wagon so that he was gazing down upon the sleepy Garlunders when they spilled out of their houses and into the village courtyard.
'A great moment has arrived!' Hederick called. 'The New Gods are about to present us with a precious gift!'
In every face, from the youngest to the eldest, Hederick detected godlessness. How could he have been so blind, creeping into houses one by one to find evidence of indi shy;vidual crimes? It would have been better to search for those who hadn't sinned.
'A gift!' Hederick shouted again.
Voices churned around him. 'What's the boy doing, waking us at such an hour?' 'What's wrong?' 'Is some shy;one hurt?' 'It's Venessi's boy, causing trouble again.' 'Where's the priest? The lad answers to him now.' 'Tarscenian is gone. The prayer house is empty. His things are missing.'
Hederick raised his hands. 'The false priest has aban shy;doned us. He's betrayed us and joined the witch, Ancilla.'
'What's the idiot talking about?' 'Tarscenian was as devout as I.' 'Send the boy back to bed.' 'Where's his mother?' 'Let Venessi deal with him.' 'But where is the priest?' 'Has Hederick hurt him?' 'That weasel, hurt anyone?' The voices surrounded Hederick, firming his resolve.
At last the boy's mother pushed through the crowd, angrily shoving the villagers out of her way. 'What are you doing, Hederick?' Venessi snapped, scowling. 'Haven't you sinned enough? Must I banish you permanently? See where your willfulness has gotten us! Tiolanthe will pun shy;ish you!' She reached into the wagon, but Hederick easily slipped away from her grasp.
'Venessi'-Hederick would call her 'mother' no more, for the Seeker gods were his parents now-'Tiolanthe is a myth.' He sneered down at her, glad that at last the tables were turned. She was beneath him, and powerless to hurt him now. 'You imagined him-to lead these people into sin and satisfy your greed. But Tiolanthe does not exist, and never did.'
'Hederick, get down!' Venessi ordered. 'You are a mere boy. That heathen priest has filled you with gran shy;diose ideas. Get down, I say!'
'No.'
'Tarscenian has fled like a cheat and a thief,' she con shy;tinued, satisfaction ripe in her tones. 'I knew he would. Tiolanthe will forgive you, Hederick, if you stop this now. Even I will forgive you. Recant at once.'
Again he refused.
'Then you will die,' she announced with smug satis shy;faction. 'I'll not permit such viciousness, not when I can so easily prevent it.' Venessi pointed to three of the largest men in the crowd of villagers. 'Peren Volen. Willad Oberl. Jerad Oberl. Fetch my worthless son!'
The men hurried to do Venessi's bidding. 'Sauvay, god of vengeance, stand for me,' Hederick prayed. He ex shy;pected Sauvay to strike the three dead, but they advanced up onto the wagon, towering over him with balled fists. All looked delighted with their mission. 'Sauvay, your servant awaits,' he whispered. 'Come to me now.'
There was no rushing wind, no circle of brilliance. Sauvay had said he'd be with Hederick as long as the boy was faithful, but now there was no sign of the god. Had Hederick weakened? Was Sauvay angry with him for
some reason? Perhaps this was a test of his resolve. 'I will show myself worthy, Sauvay,' he murmured.
Hederick searched his pockets for some weapon. There was nothing but the glittering dragon he'd taken from the witch. Garlunders were simple people, he thought, per shy;haps the gaudy thing would distract them like crows, just long enough for him to escape.
