Page 218 of Fangs
He gave me a pitying look, and my hackles rose. “Fertility and the Harvest are not the same as Life.”
“You mean you twisted your made-up religion to fit the story you chose.”
“You have the power to heal, and yet you think this is made up?”
“The people at Carth certainly think so,” I shot back.
A knowing sneer crossed his face. “Yes, the Justice Keepers, with their narrow minds and rigid laws, believe they alone hold the truth, but they are looking at a tiny fragment of a greater whole. They are like children holding a pebble and believing it to be the entire mountain. They have forsaken the other gods in their ignorant pursuit of a world already lost. We see the pebble, the mountain, and the entire cosmos beyond.”
“Good for you,” I muttered under my breath, then louder asked, “How many Voiceless are there?”
He smiled wide, cracking open the healing puncture wounds on his face again. “We are in the tens of thousands.”
All the blood drained from my face. I felt Roe twist to glance up at me, but I just stared at Talmar. He had to be exaggerating. That couldn’t be true. Talmar studied me, his smile turning smug at my reaction, and I tried to school my expression.
“Are the other gods at Sin City?” I hated that my voice shook.
“The Sanctum,” he corrected. “No, they have been separated, but the God of Death plans to unite them all.”
“What do you mean, separated?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“The gods were once united in purpose, but over time, the other gods were swayed by earthly desires and corrupted. The God of Death saw the impending decay and sought to correct them, but they turned against him. He was forced to leave, to bide his time and gather a devout force to restore balance. The Voiceless are His chosen ones, destined to cleanse the world in preparation.” He paused, and that feverish light in his eyes shone brighter. “You were always meant to be the guiding light, Goddess, a beacon of creation and renewal. But when the gods fell into discord, you were lost in the chaos.” He leaned even closer as we rode beside each other, and I instinctively tried to lean away, clutching Roe tightly. “You are not just a part of this, Ember; you are the very heart of it. Life and Death are two sides of the same coin, and with your return, balance shall be restored.”
Breathe.I tried to remind myself as my head spun, but the fuzziness of panic crept closer.
“So I’m just as powerful as your God of Death if we’re two sides of the same coin,” I tilted my chin as I glared at him.
He gave me a patronizing smile as though I was a child. “Your power is great, Goddess, but do not mistake your strength for equality. Even life must bow down to death. Your power is meant to serve as a complement to His.”
Furious tears burned in my eyes. Of course. That’s what I always was, a tool for other, more powerful people to use. “If the God of Death is so powerful, it seems pretty fucking lazy that he didn’t fetch me himself.”
His expression darkened, and I knew I should have watched what I said, but my temper was slipping. “He did not come because He did not need to. He asserts His will through us, His prophets.”
“Or he doesn’t even exist.”
His knuckles cracked as he gripped his reins tighter. “You may be the Goddess of Life, but you owe your God your respect.”
“I don’t oweyourgod shit,” I snapped.
The Voiceless leading our horse turned and signed something to Talmar.
“Yes,” Talmar answered him, staring pointedly at me, “this resistance is a sign that Ember’s pride blinds her to the truth. It is our duty, painful though it may be, to guide the Goddess back to the higher path the cosmos has bestowed upon her.”
I pulled Roe tighter against me as my heart tripped over itself.
Talmar smiled, baring his yellowed teeth. “Do not fear the sacred rite of correction, Ember. Through suffering comes purification, and through purification comes understanding.”
I understood plenty. I understood the fear tactics. I understood the threat. I understood that we needed to get the hell out of here.
When I didn’t say anything, Talmar continued. “The God of Death is very real, just as these gifts he has blessed us with are very real.”
I glanced at him as he removed his single glove and pulled the sleeve of his robe up to his shoulder, and then I stared. My brain couldn’t understand what I was seeing. Instead of flesh, his hand and arm weremetal.It began at his shoulder, hydraulic pistons softly hissing as it moved. What appeared to be metal tendons flexed, the hand opening and closing with a humanlike dexterity, and thick black tubes ran down the metal arm like veins. The metal was dented and scratched as though battle-worn.
“It is through the God of Death’s power that we have been blessed with augmentation—a holy union of flesh and the divine. These enhancements are the instruments he has gifted us to bring balance to this world teetering on the edge of chaos.”
“Did hegiftit after you lost your arm, or did he chop your arm off togiftit to you?” I muttered.
“It is a small price to pay,” Talmar replied.
