Page 74 of Dark Destiny: A New Thread in the Tapestry

"Here." He set it in front of her. "Drink. We can wait another minute before we call Burda back."

"Thank you." She popped the lid and took a grateful sip. "The message said urgent, so I ran the whole way. What's going on?"

"We don't know," Kian said. "We'll find out together. Are you ready?"

She nodded.

Onegus activated the large phone on the conference table. "Sullha is here. Patch us through."

Sullha sat in front of the phone and swallowed hard.

"You're on," a male voice said.

Onegus waved a hand at Sullha. "Say hello to your friend."

"Burda?"

"Sullha? Are you okay?" Burda's dry, familiar rasp filled the room.

Tears came so fast she couldn't stop them. "I can't believe I'm actually talking to you."

"Are you crying, girl?"

"I am. I'm just so relieved to hear your voice." Sullha wiped away the tears with the heels of her hands. "You sound good."

"Yeah, yeah. I sound like the old woman I am. Now listen, because I can't stay on long. Things are turning bad here, Sullha. The Sacred Mothers are out of control, and we need help."

That wasn't what Sullha had expected. "What do you mean? What are they doing?"

Burda told her what she suspected about the sacrifices the Sacred Mothers were planning for the full moon and that they had the ear of Lord Shavek, the new lord in charge of the enclosure.

"They can't be serious. The lord will never allow children to be sacrificed. The boys are needed for the army, and the girls are needed for the breeding program. He can't do that."

"These people are crazy, Sullha. They'll choose a motherless child, one who has no one to fight for them. Now tell your friends what I told you."

Sullha translated the story about the ten of them and how it had evolved. Last month's version was executed for apostasy. Now the Sacred Mothers were telling anyone willing to listen that the god had taken the children as payment for their mothers' sins.

When she was done, Burda continued. "They told the children that Tomek and Bianca are dead and that it's better to be dead in the god's hands than to be alive."

Sullha's stomach twisted, but she kept translating. She told Kian and Onegus that the order now had four hundred members, up from two hundred and fifty just weeks earlier. The First Mother preached that the god's favor had to be bought back. A consecration was announced for the full moon, and Burda suspected the worst.

"Vinnah is now the First Mother's right hand," Burda said. "In the sermon I attended, she was holding their sacred book and leading the hymns."

Sullha translated that too, dreading when she would need to tell Bardov about his mother's promotion and the evil she was involved in.

"How long until the full moon?" Sullha asked.

"Nine days," Burda said.

"Has Shavek approved the offering?" Onegus asked.

She translated the question for Burda.

"The First Mother says he heard the petition, but I don't know if that means yes or no."

Kian fell silent for a moment. "Tell Burda to get confirmation of their plan to harm children. At this point, she is just speculating. But tell her to be careful and do nothing that would draw the Order's attention. Tell her to call us as soon as she has the information and can safely make contact."

Sullha translated.