Page 47 of The Cerulean Sister
A slender council member clears his throat and shakes his oblong head. "Well, this is an unusual request, considering the events during this conjunction year, 99th Commander. To revisit a closed investigation under rumors long passed and unfounded."
The bald man's callous tone toward the topic we have strayed a little far from makes me want to push more, to be taken seriously.
"Chancellor Reed has a fair point. Our resources are already spread so thin." Emperor Kavan runs a thumb over his plush lips.
He is younger than Emperor Angara, who hums in agreeance while picking at a piece of her armrest. Every time they open their mouths, it further explains the studious council members sitting in the chairs all around them, anchoring them in reality.
99 stands from his chair and nods his head to them. "If I may?" he asks.
They nod and watch him in fascination, like he will provide some sort of show if given permission.
To my horror, he walks to the large doors of the council room and disappears. I am left alone at the table with strangers who stare at me in a mix of judgment and curiosity.
"And who is this?" Emperor Angara says in a sing-song way.
"Emperors, this is Calliape. She resided on Frith until recently."
I snap my head to the doorway to see 99 walking in front of Calliape, August not far behind her. I have not spoken to either of them since our dinner at Allister's despite the many messages they have sent to check on me.
"Ah, a Frithian, and we of course know August, but what does this have to do with a temple far off and away?" Emperor Angara says with piqued interest.
99 squeezes my shoulder as he comes to stand behind my chair.
"What are they doing here?"I send to him.
"I asked them. Calliape has more to say. She was too afraid before."
He must have noticed her reluctance at our dinner too.
Calliape stands on a Viathan signet and tries to keep her focus on the emperors staring at her, but her eyes keep slipping to the floating planetary objects above us.
She won't look at me.
"Is someone going to tell us why a child of Frith has been called?"
Calliape glares at Chancellor Reed like he insulted her by his refusal to say her name when she has been introduced.
"Calliape's aunt was a former high priestess in the Estate and shared some of the atrocities she witnessed before her departure from the priestess order," 99 explains.
"Hmm, very well." Emperor Angara nods and motions her hand for them to step forward.
August stays as close to Calliape as possible, not taking his eyes off her for longer than a single glance away to see who is talking. He looks like the guards that watch me, his stance stiff and broad, nothing like the carefree heart he had on display last time I saw him.
"You may testify to your statements," Emperor Kavan says.
"Hello. My aunt, Selene, some years ago grew tired of my constant questioning of her status in the priestess order. My fascination troubled her so she resorted to showing me memories of her time in the Estate, some of the reasons she left, and the Temple of Divine Mothers was one I will never forget."
"This is not a firsthand account." Chancellor Reed looks to the emperors, making sure they understand that part.
"Yes, I suppose not," Calliape answers like his statement was a question for her. "Selene showed me memories of elders using a loophole to ensure more divine children were born. A way to trick the laws of nature and enact divinity in condolence for the mother’s death. They were conducting ritual sacrifice."
The room falls silent at Calliape's declaration, her last sentence spoken as if the words fought her to come out.
Sacrifice.
That is not a word she used when she brought her worry to my attention, when she said the elders were manipulating thenumbers somehow, that if a mother was dying, they would let nature take her, not sacrifice the mother themselves.
Calliape’s eyes meet mine, her blown-out pupils cutting through me, trying to send me so much information that I have to blink away some of the water in my eyes.
