Page 85 of The Cerulean Sister
I am able to force down three more rolls, not knowing if this will be my only meal for the day or if he will bring me back for another strange feast. Luckily, every item that looked delicious on the plate quickly turns once I glance at him shoveling it into his mouth.
"I would love to hear your tale of ascension. The details must have been so, so . . . striking for you to forget that it happened at all. One can't imagine," he mocks, popping a morsel into his mouth.
"I did not forget. I was confused and angry, as I said."
He hums like he thinks I am clever then wipes his face with a dark red napkin and leans back in his chair. "Some other time then, as we will have plenty together. I will make sure the kitchen bakes more of your favorite."
"You are too kind." I stare at him, not amused, not caring if he hears my disdain.
"Dismissed," he says suddenly and looks at me expectantly.
I rise from the table and round the head position where he is sitting, hoping to leave without another word, but he reaches out and grabs my arm. This time he pulls downward, making me hunch so he can speak right into my ear. His hot breath on my lobe makes me wince at the scaly sensation.
"I know you have not ascended, Ferren . . . and I don't care. But you will tell me how you acquired those new powers." His voice is low and biting enough to feel like a real threat I will not easily get away from.
I pull my hand free when he lets me and stand straight, adjusting my veil. "My name is High Priestess Ferren. You will address me as such even if I am being tortured."
His smile is dubious, like I have pointed out his fun game.
"And I have been found worthy of my First Mother." My voice is monotone, almost rehearsed, like the machine that read the Viathan messages aloud. "I have seen her in the flesh. She looked upon me with more gifts and I have ascended according to the temple law and the highest priestess. That is allyouneed to know."
There is something satisfying about seeing him vibrate with anger even if my declaration is false.
Lord Hollis is jealous. He wants nothing more than to be part of this world, to be accepted into the temple. He is the most powerful divine man I have ever heard of, living or dead, yet the priestess order will never recognize him.
Even I am able to step back into the priestess order after all that I have done, and he, who remains a constant source of knowledge for the emperor and has loyalty to the Estate, cannot go where I can. If I were any other priestess, he may get bored and move along, spend his time on more important things, but I have what he has always wanted—more power without the need for the temple—and he intends to find out how.
He wipes his face calmly and stands from his chair, closing the small distance between us. His hand rises high up in the air, and on reflex I wince, closing my eyes to prepare for the blow.
But it does not come.
I peek my eyes open and relax the tension I held preparing to be slapped.
His hand comes down slowly, his smile maddening. A warning demonstration of what he could do if he so pleases and not one person in this room would stop him.
"Enjoy your time dusting statues today, High Priestess. I look forward to our next meal." Lord Hollis smiles and waves a hand for me to leave.
Guardsmen Ben escorts me to a corridor where an elder priestess with an oddly placid expression meets me. The wooden cart next to her is full of long delphinium flowers in dark hues, the petals fresh and delicate. The massive cart is boxy and comes up to my chest and looks like it will be hard to push in some parts of the Estate with the uneven cobblestone.
"Blessed morning, Elder Priestess," I say but get no reply.
She smiles and waits until I am standing right next to her to gesture to the cart as if presenting it. She holds a palm to each compartment, glancing back to make eye contact before moving on to each one.
She stands and looks at me expectantly, saying nothing. When she sighs and looks a little worried, like she may have to go through the process again, I nod.
"Thank you, Elder Priestess. I understand."
She sighs again as she positions herself behind the pushing bar of the cart and slowly takes off down the hallway withoutchecking to see if I am following her. I glance at Ben, who makes an ushering motion for me to go first.
It's a strange, silent interaction, but I got the main points of what she was conveying. I wonder if this is what others see when 99 and I interact, him silently using body language to speak to me while we have vastly deeper conversations through our tether. I press my lips together to stop the smile forming and the homesickness that follows.
We stop at a hallway intersection, three directions joining together by a small, open chamber. The statue and adjoining altar are used frequently as people pass it in between duties or on their way home. Even now, this part of the Estate is alive with busy people.
The patron on the single pew in front of the statue stands as they notice us moving toward them, the sound of the rolling wheels alerting them to move without question.
The young man bows to the statue of First Mother and then to both the elder priestess and me before departing. Without acknowledging him, she pushes through until her cart is blocking anyone from getting close to the single pew or statue as they continue to use the passages.
The sound of her clapping her hands together to let me know she is beginning snaps my attention. I had not realized until now, when she is waiting for my eyes to meet hers before she begins anything, that she is not being rude. She has simply taken a vow of silence for the conjunction.
