Page 107 of The Cerulean Sister
He flexes his fist twice, slowly and intentionally, like he does when he holds my hand. He can't send me affection through the tether, but somehow he still tells me he has me. Even in a room full of temple members and Viathans, he finds a way.
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
Ben never comes to escort me to my morning duties. Instead, my seemingly new guards follow me to the wing where my cart is stored. The elder who has taken a vow of silence deals with a man delivering a massive crate of white flowers, and when he almost bumps into a newly carved statue of First Mother, she silently scolds him.
I quickly gather some of his flowers and swiftly exit, noticing how my two new guards walk behind me as if they have no idea where I am meant to go in the Estate and what my duties are. Ben always led the way until we reached the assigned wing, and then once there would relax.
I turn down a hall to see if they will correct me, but they don't. In the chaos of the coup and the extensive aftermath, it seems that I have been assigned idiots. Ones who have no clue what their job truly is.
I continue to walk at a fast pace, hoping that my assured direction will keep any doubts at bay. They talk to each other without paying attention to me at all. I hear one speaking in a disgusted tone about the Viathan he saw posted in the emperor's wing this morning and smile to myself.
I walk so far with my cart, pushing the heavy load past several statues, until I am certain I can make my way toward the Temple of Divine Mothers, as if that is my assigned destination all along.
"High Priestess," one of the guards calls out.
I freeze, my cart coming to an abrupt stop.
When I turn, I see the guard bending down to pick up the long stem of a trumpet flower. He walks over to me and sticks it back in the water bucket with a tight smile.
"Apologies." He frowns, noticing my startled expression.
"Thank you." I slowly turn away from him and begin to push my cart but stop. "These flowers are for the Temple of Divine Mothers. They are expecting them. I . . . appreciate you making sure they are all present," I say, turning back around to face them.
Convincing.
He nods and looks a little confused, but there is no sign of objection, no indication that I cannot lead them all the way there and they would stop me.
We cross a large second-story balcony hall just above a large group of Viathans who gather with other Estate guards, speaking of orders from the lord general and what permissions they have. I push past them, hiding my face before I hear it resolve.
99 is meeting me in my chambers tonight to plan on how we proceed when the entire Estate is on high alert. First Son’s followers are coming out of the woodwork, and another Viathan fleet is coming to complicate matters. This is my chance; I have to take it. If I can get into that temple now, then maybe when I see him again, I will not have to admit I am still empty-handed.
When we arrive at the final corridor before Leema's temple, my nerves are firing at random. It feels like the guards behind are chasing me and I am about to be caught. My eyes dartaround wildly, like Crixa is waiting around every pillar to jump out and fire her light in a beam of peppery smoke to choke me.
But then I hear a pleasant sound in the neighboring courtyard, women laughing and speaking in easy tones to each other.
I peek around a pillar and see a group of women basking in the eclipsed light, some walking around and holding their bellies, appearing ethereal and not of the three worlds. I push my cart toward them until I see Leema. An elder priestess combs her loose hair while she smiles and chats to a high priestess adorned in a white veil and matching gown.
Leema's head lifts as if she senses the moment I enter the courtyard.
I glance at her, blinking too rapidly and attempt a smile. I tilt my head to the side, hoping she understands I want to see her, and then push my cart to the nearest statue of First Mother. This one is a pregnant rendition of the temple statue, with a small fountain beneath it where night lilies bloom on the surface of the water.
My guards gather with the ones from this temple and begin a hushed conversation, likely about Viathans and how they offend them.
I begin my work on the statue, using the time to gather my thoughts and catch my breath from hauling the cart across the Estate.
"Hello, Ferren," Leema says behind me, and when I spin around, she is straightening her white dress and resting her hand on top of her belly like it's a shelf.
"Blessed morning," I reply, so unnaturally her eyebrows draw together slightly.
She stares at me for a long time, her eyes tracing my gown, my veil, and then flicking to the cart next to me.
"Did High Priestess Thea tell you I wanted to speak?" I ask, even though it does not matter now.
"Yes, I have not been able to . . . get away for a moment, but I was already trying to find you once I heard you had returned."
"She mentioned that." I wring my hands. "Are you ok, after . . . the attack?" I sputter, unsure how to speak with her.
