Page 74 of The King of Koraha
“Mine.” The tugging sensation grew. A part of her cried out in alarm that this wasn’t right. But those thoughts were drawn into the pendant. It reminded her of the water soaking into the soil.
“You’ll answer my questions now,” Fellan said.
Her refusal slipped from her. “Yes.”
“Who are you?”
She told him. Everything. Happiness filled her as she divulged all her secrets. A person shouldn’t have so many. Not if she wished for the Sun Goddess to bless her.
“Seven hells,” Fellan said when she finished. “Magic. The Eyes. She’s…” He cast about as if trying to find the right word.
“Ours,” Egan said.
That word grated on her. No, she wasn’t. She belonged… Her original thought drained into the pendant and in its place rose Fellan’s name. He’d given her the goddess.
“Think of the mission,” Egan said. “How useful she’ll be.”
Fellan smiled. “You’ll help us? Use your magic to convert other monks to our mission?”
“Yes.”
“Lonato will be so pleased,” Egan said. “I’ll send word.” He strode from the room.
Fellan turned to her. “You will attend prayers at angle zero and you will stand at the altar and use your magic to convince everyone to follow the new order.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but again the negative reply slipped away, sucked up by the goddess’s love. “All right.”
“If anyone is too strong-willed to be converted, we can gift them with a pendant. It shows them the goddess’s love and removes all resistance.”
She touched the lump on her chest, pressing the metal against her skin. “It’s the most wonderful gift. Why don’t you give one to everyone? It would save so much time and strife.”
“It would, but we have a limited quantity. That black jewel is very special. It was cut from a one-of-a-kind gemstone that fell from the sky. A gift from the Sun Goddess herself. Lonato and his friend realized the significance and had it cut and polished for our growing flock.”
“I’m honored to have one. Have you been gifted one as well?”
He pulled a necklace from beneath his tunic. On it dangled an almost identical pendant. The only difference was the jewel. It was a brilliant yellowish-orange instead of black. “I believed in Lonato’s vision right away and he gifted me with this one.”
“Is there a difference other than the color?” she asked.
“Yes. This one allows the Sun Goddess to speak through me. My words are blessed and have more…weight when I talk to others. They listen to me.”
The rational part of Shyla understood what the jewel was doing. And even though she tried to stop the words, they flowed out because it was important to please Fellan. “It gives you magic that you use to influence people. Just like The Eyes.”
“No. It’s a divinemiracle. From anothergift sentfrom theheavens.”
A ball of magic glowed around the stone when he stressed his words. She peered closer. “It’s not a very strong miracle. Does Lonato wear one as well?”
“Of course. They are worn by all the leaders.”
“Is his bigger?”
“Yes, as is his due.”
That explained why Lonato’s ability to work miracles was stronger. She started to explain it to Fellan, but he interrupted her.
“Go to sleep, little one. It matters not how the goddess works her miracles. You have a busy sun jump ahead.”
“Yes, Fellan.” Shyla removed her boots and sank into her cushion, pulling the fur up to her chin. Pure contentment wrapped around her. The goddess would solve all their problems. All Shyla had to do was listen to the goddess’s direction through Fellan. For the first time since Shyla was young, her dreams were worry free.
