Page 92 of Sun Warrior

“Thank You, my Lord!”

Dove knew who moved to speak his oath next. She could smell the rot that followed poor Lizard’s every breath.

“I will worship and be true to You, my Lord!” Lizard’s voice cracked and was thick with pain, but his shout was loud and traveled easily to the courtyard and the watching People.

“Lizard, I accept you and assure you that soon you will be free of your suffering.”

Dove gripped Lily’s wrist painfully, whispering urgently, “Pledge yourself to Him. Now! Call for the other Attendants to follow your lead.”

“But, Mistress, I—”

“Do you want to live?”Dove spoke quickly.

“Yes, Mistress.”

“Then do it!Now!” Dove freed her Attendant with a small push.

“Come, Attendants! Let us swear ourselves to our God!” Lily said.

Dove heard the soft padding of the bare feet of her Attendants hurrying to follow Lily’s lead. There was a rustling of their skirts, like fall leaves blown by winter wind, and Dove knew the Attendants were bowing before the God.

“Excellent! I happily accept the supplication of Dove’s Attendants. Stay close to your Mistress, women, and prepare to welcome a Goddess to join her God!”

“Yes, my Lord,” they intoned after Lily.

“And now, what of you? What of the rest of my People?” The God’s voice blasted from the balcony as Lily hurried back to Dove’s side.

“Motion for the rest of the Attendants to go inside the chamber.” Dove spoke softly and urgently to Lily.

The girl didn’t hesitate. Dove felt her make several small, fast gestures and then heard the sound of the Attendants’ bare feet moving past them as they scurried back to the relative safety of the Chamber.

“I will worship You!”

“I will follow You!”

“I will fight for You!”

The shouts began to lift from the courtyard as Lily described to her Mistress what was happening below. “The men He made Reapers—they are all moving forward and falling to their knees to swear allegiance to Him.”

“As will I!”

“And I!”

More shouts joined the voices of the Reapers. Dove tried to place each of them in her mind, but there were too many of them and their pledges devolved into a din of noise.

“Are all the People accepting Him?” she asked Lily.

“Not all, Mistress, but most. I can see a group of Hunters who are keeping to themselves and have not spoken.”

“Enough!”At the roar of the God, all of the People fell silent. “I am pleased that so many of my People have chosen to remain faithful to their God.”

One voice broke free from the silence below. It was strong and sure, and Dove recognized it at once as that of an old Hunter named Fist. “But your form is not that of our Reaper. The God we worship is a woman, and you, though powerful and obviously divine, are a man. So, my question is are youourGod or simplyaGod?”

“That is easily answered. But first, tell me, are there others who would like to ask this question of me?”

A tremor of fear skittered through Dove’s body. The God’s voice seemed kind, as if He welcomed the question and would welcome more questions from the People. Dove knew better. She knew one surety beyond any other—Death would not abide being questioned.

“Yes, Champion,” another man called from below. “I am River. Like Fist, I would ask this question.”