It was at times like this I wondered if the Sovereigns were right; if the primordials had abandoned us on returning to the plane where souls went after death. Many humans disagreed, feeling that the gods simply didn’t keep a close watch. After all, time in their realm didn’t coincide with that of ours—a day for them could be a year to us. If so, they wouldn’t be aware ofevery little thing that passed here no matter how frequently they looked in on us. Surely, however, they would see the state of things and intervene if they cared to do so.
Passing the two magnificent Arions who were pulling the large, four-wheeled wagon, I skirted around the wooden contraption. Hesitating to hop onto it, I tossed one last look at the acolytes. In unison, they placed their fists against their heart.
My aunt mouthed, “Trust.”
I swallowed hard and hopped onto the wagon, hearing wood creak and groan. Dipping under the huge white cover, I stepped fully inside. The wagon had a bench either side of it. I took the one on which Kemp, Aurelia, and another human sat. The three godkin took the bench opposite us.
Two Laelaps jumped onto the back of the wagon, startling us all. An officiate then slammed a rail into place—not quite closing us in; we could easily clamber over it. But no one would attempt it while the Laelaps were there.
I gripped the edges of the bench as the wagon began to move. It did a U-turn and then picked up speed as the horses started to trot. This was it. We were officially leaving.
Silence fell, broken only by the creaking of wagon wheels and the clopping of hooves along the dirt path. Soon, we were cutting through the woods beyond the borders of the settlement. No birds tweeted, no flies buzzed, no small animals skittered around. All animal and insect life had taken refuge, probably intimidated by both the Arions and the Laelaps.
The emissaries usually came to our settlement last, so the other settlements of each dominion would have already surrendered their offerings by now. We would be the last to arrive.
Low chuckles burst out of the godkin, who were talking amongst themselves. It was no surprise that they were visibly excited. The Sovereigns rewarded any godkin who joined theBlack Tapestry, somehow able to break the curse cast by the primordials who—angered at their descendants for staging a mutiny—had ensured that the subsequent generations would be born with dormant power.
I could understand their enthusiasm. There had been times—more particularly when I was a small child—that I’d wished I could access the abilities typical of a Sayer. Personally, I didn’t understand why we were even born anymore, considering we were pretty much redundant.
Thinking on that led me to recalling the conversation I’d had with my aunt before being herded to the town square …
“Don’t be afraid of what’s coming,”she’d told me.“Hellyne wouldn’t send you to Deimos unless it’s where you need to be.”
I had eyed her uncertainly. “You really think that She had a hand in this?”I highly doubted it. But due to my being the first human Sayer, all the other acolytes believed that it ‘meant something.’
“Yes.”My aunt had given me a serious look.“And so should you. You’re an instrument of the gods, Anara. If they chose a mortal for a Sayer, they did so for a reason. I suspect you’ll find out what that reason is once you’re at Deimos. Trust in their plan.”
I wasn’t so sure that therewasa plan. I didn’t see what value a human could have as a Sayer—I was too weak to act as a divine vessel, so I wouldn’t be able to physically serve the gods in any sense of the word. ‘Instrument’ would therefore be the last term that could be applied to me.
Kemp looked at me, still pale. “What do you think will happen to us? Really? I mean, what could the Sovereigns possibly do with so many new servants? Would we even be needed? Where would we stay?”
All good questions. I heard the one buried beneath them, one he hadn’t dared ask, one that plagued me just as hard …
Or are we, in truth, being taken to slaughter?
CHAPTER TWO
Peering at the foamy river up ahead of us, Aurelia asked, “Do you think that’s blood?”
I considered it for a moment. “Probably not. The gods likely colored it red somehow.”
It had been alongthree days, but finally we were almost at Deimos. It was located beyond the bridge we were approaching—a place of tall mountains, sandstone pillars, and a blackened forest shrouded in an ominous shadowy fog.
Reaper’s Pines.
“They say death awaits any who step foot on the island uninvited by the Sovereigns,” Kemp remarked, speaking to no one in particular.
I felt my nose wrinkle. Personally, I doubted that it was a literal term. More like a reference to how dangerous the terrain was, given the many creatures that allegedly inhabited it. Unless you knew the way to the city and could find it through the fog, you were bound to become dinner forsomethingduring your travels.
“We’re with the Black Tapestry, so we’ll be fine.” But there was a note of uncertainty in Aurelia’s voice. She glanced at me. “Right?”
“Let’s hope so,” I said.
I’d gotten to know her and Kemp a little better during the days we’d spent on the road. Traveling through Cathadonya wasn’t always safe. Not when the unclaimed parts were home to wild animals, bandits, and mercenaries. Some of the latter were not only scavengers but cannibalistic, if the stories were true. However, the road trip had been uneventful.
Most of the offerings were wound tight at this point. Myself included. The confined space of the cramped wagons only made me edgier.
We’d made regular brief pit stops along the way—for which I was eternally thankful. We’d typically stopped four times throughout the day to eat, relieve our bladders, stretch our legs, and refill the leather water pouches that the officiates had handed out on the first day.
