Voice of the Gods

people eating, her own body ached for sustenance. She longed to lie down. Her arms hurt. Her legs sometimes cramped painfully despite her efforts to flex and stretch them. Most of the time she was so tired she slumped against the wall.

Exploring the minds of the world kept her consciousness away from cold, hunger and pain. Through other people she saw the sun rise and set, felt happiness, love and contentment. She began to avoid the minds of those in pain or misery. The thoughts of those preparing for war no longer seemed so important to watch.

What difference does it make if I know what they’re planning? I can’t do anything to stop them. I can’t even reach the White and tell them what I’ve learned. Danjin doesn’t trust me. Chaia...

Chaia had saved her. But questions had been forming in the back of her mind. If Chaia could impersonate another god, then could other gods do so too? Could Pentadrian gods impersonate Circlian ones? That must be why he had given her the code word “shadow.”

But thinking about Chaia’s visit was too close to thinking about what Nekaun had been about to do to her, so she turned her mind away.

Which did not work all of the time. Sometimes something would jolt her back into a memory of smothering black robes and exploring, unwanted hands. Her skin crawled and her heart raced.

She hated that she had been so affected by the incident. It’s this weariness making me feel so weak, she told herself. If I were stronger I would feel less affected. She grimaced. If Chaia hadn’t interrupted I’d be in an even worse state.

“Auraya.”

For a moment she thought the voice was a memory, but when it repeated her name she opened her eyes and found herself staring at a glowing figure. The Pentadrian god, Sheyr, smiled at her.

“Come out of the shadows, Auraya,” he said.

“Chaia,” she breathed.

“Yes.”

Remembering the Servant that had been revealed when he had vanished last time, she looked closer.

“Who is...?”

“Another loyal mortal,” he replied. “He will not remember this conversation. He has put aside his will for me.”

“For Sheyr.”

He shrugged. “Some mortals are easily deceived.”

She glanced at the Servant guards. The pair were watching intently, their expressions awed. They must have opened the gate to allow the god-possessed man into the room.

“But what of the Pentadrian gods?” she asked.

Chaia’s smile widened. “I have ensured their attention is elsewhere.”

“They must know you deceived Nekaun. Will they counter your orders?” Will Nekaun come back to finish what he started?

The god shook his head. “To do so would reveal they can be impersonated.”

She let out a sigh of relief, then frowned. “Are you here to release me?”

“I cannot. If this mortal enters the void I can no longer possess him.”

“But you could order him to release me.”

He shook his head again. “I cannot interfere, and I cannot explain why I cannot interfere.” His lips twisted into a crooked smile. “You already know we gods have agreements to keep.”

She felt a sudden flash of insight. “Huan wants me to stay here.”

“Not exactly.”

Auraya narrowed her eyes at him. “Ah. I see. She wants me dead. This is a compromise?”

“Leaving you here is, for the moment.”

“So you all want me out of the way.”

“Yes.”

“I’m surprised you don’t want my help in this war.”

He frowned. “How did you learn about the war?”

A chill ran over her skin. He still doesn’t know about my mind-reading.

“I think Nekaun told me. You didn’t want me to know about it?” she countered.

“I came here to tell you.” He looked away, his expression thoughtful, then took a step closer and smiled. “I love you still, Auraya. I will do what I can to get you out of here. Then... in return I want you to promise me you will stay out of the conflicts of this world - even those of the Siyee. Keep yourself apart from it, or Huan will find an excuse and a way to kill you. I...” His gaze slid from hers to a place to his left and he scowled. “I must go.”

Auraya caught the presence of another god before it flashed away. The figure of Sheyr vanished. In his place stood a Servant barely past boyhood. The young man glanced around the room, then his eyes snapped to Auraya. His gaze dropped and he turned a bright red.

A voice called from the gate. The youth spun around and, seeing the Servants guarding it, hurried toward them. One of the guards patted him on the back. He stayed a short while, talking to them excitedly of his experience, then hurried away.

Auraya sighed and leaned against the throne base. Chaia may love me, she thought tiredly. But not enough to defy Huan and free me. How much of recent events had been arranged by the gods? Had they ordered for her to be imprisoned to keep her out of the way?

She thought of Nekaun’s reaction to Chaia/Sheyr’s orders: “But...”

But what? Had he been ordered to rape her? By a god?

She shivered. It was impossible to know, and she was beginning to feel uneasy again. Closing her eyes, she sent her mind out in search of a distraction.

Standing at the stern of the boat, Emerahl watched as the city of Glymma slowly shrank to a line of lights in the distance. She felt relieved and disappointed. The last few days had been full of tedious delays. After buying a ride on a reed boat down the river to the city, and selling a bracelet to a collector The Twins had recommended, she had discovered Glymma’s wharves were full of Servants anxious to know who was arriving and leaving their city. It took several bribes and a few veiled threats in order to find herself a captain willing to take her across the Gulf of Fire to Diamyane.

Now that she was leaving she felt a wry disappointment that she’d had no chance to explore the city. Looking back at the glittering lights, she also felt a niggling guilt. Somewhere under the sprawling Sanctuary was Auraya, trapped in a void.

If I could free her, Mirar wouldn’t have to risk his life trying to. She shook her head. But if he can’t manage it, I doubt I could.

She had come to respect Auraya during the weeks she’d spent teaching the former White. She had even liked her a little. I hope the Pentadrians aren’t treating her too badly. She snorted quietly at the thought. Of course they were treating her badly. She was their enemy. She’d killed their former leader. They’ll be making her suffer in as many ways as they can make a woman suffer. This is a war, after all.

She shook her head, sighed and turned away. That doesn’t stop me hoping she won’t lose any of that spirit and optimism she had before. Or wishing I could help her - without putting myself at risk of ending up in her position, or dead. The two lamps of the boat cast shadows of the masts across the deck. She, too, cast a pair of shadows, and where they crossed they formed a comically skinny silhouette of herself. She smiled at it, then at herself for noticing at all. Staring at the shapes the diamond cast for days had made her all too aware of shadows. At least the diamond needed only one light source to work...

She caught her breath. Or did it?

What would happen if she used two, or three, or several? Suddenly the glyphs on the sides of the pendant had a possible new meaning. And the diagram...

One light / one key