Priestess of the White

to do today, and I’m sure your adviser would appreciate it if we chose more comfortable surroundings than the Tower roof in which to discuss your time in Somrey.”

“Then perhaps we should meet in your rooms,” she suggested. “I have arranged for a window in mine to be made into a door. It’s a little... drafty.”

Juran’s eyebrows rose. “My rooms, then.” He glanced at Leiard. “Let us delay no longer.” With a polite gesture, he indicated that Leiard should walk beside him back to the stairway door.

As he fell into step beside the White’s leader, Leiard felt a nagging misgiving. Do not trust him, the other voice in his mind whispered. Taking a deep breath, Leiard did his best to ignore it. The sooner he started teaching Jayim to link, and so could assert his own identity on a regular basis, the better.

* * *

This time the ritual words Juran recited at the beginning of the meeting in the Altar stirred gratitude as well as loyalty in Auraya. The two short phrases she contributed were spoken with more feeling than ever before.

“We thank you.”

Her thanks now included the extraordinary Gift the gods had given her. Juran had called her to the roof early, to see if he could master the skill. Though she explained it as clearly as she could, and even projected her understanding of it to him mentally, he could not emulate her.

“Perhaps I should throw myself off the Tower,” he had murmured once. As he looked over the railing to the ground, he had shuddered. “No, I think some risks are not worth taking. It would not be a pleasant way to discover this is a Gift meant solely for you.”

Which was an interesting possibility. Would the others be given their own unique Gifts? Perhaps the gods would explain today...

“Guide us.”

At these words her thoughts shifted to the other reason they had gathered here and her mood darkened. They were to discuss her encounter with the Pentadrian sorcerer.

The brief ritual over, Juran regarded the other White soberly.

“Two black sorcerers,” he said. “Both Pentadrians. Both powerful. One who claimed to be Kuar, the leader of their cult. If he is their leader, why did he come here alone? Why did the other Pentadrian come? Are they a danger to Northern Ithania?” He paused and looked at each of them expectantly.

“The answer to your last question is clear,” Dyara said. “This man called Kuar bested Auraya in a plain battle of strength. She is stronger than Rian and Mairae. That means he is a danger to at least three of us. The first Pentadrian showed us how dangerous they are to the people of Northern Ithania.”

“Kuar did not kill ordinary people,” Juran reminded her. “We should not judge all Pentadrians by the actions of the first sorcerer we encountered. That one may have been abusing his power while outside the control of his superiors.”

Dyara frowned and nodded. “True.”

“We can be sure they regard us with contempt,” Rian said. “Both called us heathens.”

“Yes,” Auraya agreed. “Kuar urged me to call on the gods, as if he didn’t believe they would protect me.”

:It’s obvious that religion is their main grudge against us, and that they are dangerous, Mairae said. Even through the telepathic link Auraya could sense the woman’s impatience.

:I want to know what they’re capable of, and if they’re planning any further attacks.

“We must send more spies,” Dyara said.

Juran nodded. “We have some there, but it is time to increase their number. We need more priests to speed communication.”

“They don’t like Circlian priests,” Rian warned. “Every priest or priestess who has travelled to Southern Ithania has been sent home.”

“Then the ones we send now will adopt a disguise.”

“If they are discovered, they will be killed.”

Juran grimaced. “That is the risk we must take. Find volunteers among the priests and priestesses and make sure they are well informed. I won’t send anyone who does not choose to face such danger.”

Rian nodded. “I will.”

Juran rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Kuar did not attract attention to himself initially. Not in the way the first Pentadrian sorcerer did. Both appeared to be testing our defenses and strength. I hope they found us too powerful a people to consider any aggressive move.” He sighed. “It is clear that none of us should face one of these Pentadrian sorcerers alone. We will have to keep our own movements less public, so only a trusted few know when one of us is separated from the others.” He frowned. “Let’s hope these two do not return together.”

Auraya shuddered at the thought, earning herself a sympathetic look from Dyara. The woman’s attitude toward Auraya had changed markedly. She was less critical, and almost companionable. Auraya hoped it was her success in Somrey that had brought this about, but suspected that Dyara was simply being supportive in case Auraya was upset by her confrontation with Kuar.

“Where is Kuar now?” Dyara asked.

“He was seen travelling north for a day after Auraya’s encounter, then, like the previous sorcerer, he stole a boat.”

“What of this sorceress seen in Toren?” Rian asked.

Juran shook his head. “She is no Pentadrian. From the reports I’ve had, she has been living alone in an old lighthouse, selling cures to the locals. The village head took exception to this and called on a priest to drive her out, but she fled before he arrived. The priest would have left it at that, but the stories about the woman worried him. The villagers claim she has been there for over a hundred years. He is worried she might be a Wild.”

“An old woman? Could she be The Hag?” Rian asked.

Juran shrugged. “People can live longer than a century, and the tales of the past may be exaggerated with each generation. We are obliged to check all reports of Wilds, however, so I have given the priest the task of finding her.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Auraya asked. “If she is a Wild she would be more powerful than he.”

Juran nodded. “That is a risk the priest has chosen to take. We certainly don’t have the time to hunt for her.” He shook his head. “If he confirms that she is, we will...”

His voice faded to silence and they all looked around in surprise as the five sides of the Altar began to unfold. Slowly they rose to their feet.

“What does this mean?” Auraya asked.

“The gods are here,” Rian breathed, his eyes bright with religious fervor. Footsteps suddenly echoed in the vast Dome.

Dyara rolled her eyes. “If they are, they’ve taken a humble form today. No, we are about to be interrupted, and it must be important.” She nodded and looked pointedly past Rian’s shoulder. As one they turned to see a high priest hurrying toward them.

“Forgive the intrusion,” he gasped as he reached the dais. “Two ambassadors have just arrived.”

“What land are they from?” Juran asked.

“From... from Si.”

The Siyee! Auraya drew in a quick breath and heard Dyara make a small noise of surprise. Juran glanced at her, one eyebrow raised, then stepped away from his chair.

“Then we had best meet them,” he said.

They left the Altar and hurried toward the edge of the Dome. Hundreds of priests and priestesses had gathered outside to stare upward. Following their gaze, Auraya felt her heart leap as she saw the tiny winged shapes circling the Tower.

“They probably don’t know we’re down here,” Dyara said. “Should we greet them at the top of the Tower?”

Auraya smiled. “I could save you the trouble.”

Dyara looked at Auraya, her expression unreadable. Juran chuckled.

“Every moment the gods’ intent becomes clearer,” he murmured. “Go, Auraya. Greet them on their own