Page 73 of Made

Araxinthe stared at Kagan for an uncomfortable duration before finally saying, “Perhaps.”

Esme was ushered to the edge of the pavilion by a couple of the bald, saffron-wearing members of the Cardinal Order. Kagan took a step in her direction, but was stopped by an invisible barrier. Esme wasn’t the overly evocative sort who would attempt to leap for joy. Ever. She was happy and relieved to see that Kagan had come for her, but the only indication of that was in the penetrating way her glistening eyes were fixed upon his.

“I suppose you want to hear about the trials,” Araxinthe said, her eyes roaming over Keir and Killian.

“I do,” Kagan affirmed without pulling his gaze away from Esmerelda.

“You do look remarkably alike,” she said absently. When Kagan didn’t respond and, after all, what was there to say to that, she proceeded to speak to Keir and Killian. “While I admire your devotion to Fritjof’s knight, I’d like to encourage you to rethink your roles, or lack thereof, in this undertaking. It comes with considerable risk as your brother will probably not survive. If he does not, you will not. Are you certain you wish to tie your fate to his?” Killian looked at Keir. “Think carefully. You’ll not be given another chance. It’s better to return empty-handed than not return at all. Yes?”

Keir held a single finger up to indicate that he wanted a sidebar with Killian. Though Kagan wasn’t invited to participate, he rushed over and spoke first, in a whisper.

“Leave. Now. This is no’ what we… I will no’ ‘tie your fates to mine’. This is my quest.” He looked at Keir. “Go home to the magistrate, Enforcer. I do no’ want you here.”

Keir looked at Killian. He didn’t need words to know what was behind those eyes. Keir’s only misgiving concerned leaving a grieving wife. He’d have to hope for understanding. Of course, if it came to that, he wouldn’t be around for the consequences or the regret. In the end, he opted for faith that the three of them would find a way to triumph. He told himself it was just another adversity.

Keir nodded at Killian, who turned to Araxinthe. “We’re in.”

“No,” said Kagan, who was so angry his nostrils were flaring.

“The offer to leave wasn’t made to you,” Araxinthe said. “It was their choice.” Without further discussion, she began to recite the rules. “Here are the guidelines for the first challenge. If you accept, you’ll not be stopped from coming and going freely while completing the task.

“Listen carefully. When the gods of the seafarers vacated their home plane because of the encroachment of humans with their exploding population and abominable technologies, they recreated an exact replica of the Theban Mountain perch that had been home to the sphinx since ancient times.

“Your task is to bring an egg from her nest without harming her, or the nest, or other eggs. If she catches you, she’ll demand that you answer questions. If you lie, she’ll know, and most likely eat you. There might be a riddle. She likes riddles. If you get it wrong, she’ll most likely eat you. Do you agree to this challenge?”

“Aye.”

“Mark that down as a yes answer,” she told one of the seated saffron wearers. To Kagan, she said, “You don’t want to think it over?”

“Will you let Esmerelda go if I do no’ accept?”

“No.”

“Then ‘tis my answer.”

“I see you’re fully committed to our sister. Commendable. I’d expect nothing less. In the unlikely event you succeed, you’ll be informed of the next trial.”

“No.”

Araxinthe, thinking the discourse over, had prepared to move on. Her head jerked at Kagan’s surprising, negative response.

“You can’t accept and refuse as if these opposites are mutually exclusive. You either accept or refuse.”

“I want to hear the details of all three tests,” he said.

“No.” She laughed lightly, liking that she’d just mimicked his simple answer that begged further clarification. All was quiet until she looked around the pavilion. Picking up on that cue, the saffrons began to laugh at her joke.

Keir was thinking that she did indeed have a sense of humor, albeit twisted, along with a Tony Soprano-style grip on her authority over others.

“Why not?” Kagan asked.

“Though I’m under no obligation to answer, I will say this. There’s no point in offering the rules of the second and third challenge when it’s so very improbable that you’ll complete the first.”

“What harm could come from so small an indulgence?” Kagan asked.

Keir and Killian looked at each other, slack-jawed. For the whole of their lives, the two had been taking turns talking for Kagan because he was so reluctant to voice his thoughts. They hadn’t known he was capable of eloquence.

After pondering that for a short time, she concluded that there wasn’t any inherent virtue in inflexibility. No harm could come from hearing all three tests. So, why not?

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