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“That’s fascinating.” Torin really meant it—he’d always been interested in other cultures and ways of life. It was part of being a Kindred, since they were genetic traders, always searching for new humanoids to trade with. However, a new question occurred to him.
“Don’t the Serpentine females mind donating their fertilized eggs to the Shrine?” he asked. “I mean, it’s basically like leaving a child behind, isn’t it?”
“Not really,” Sky’lar said, shaking her head. “They’re cold-blooded, you see. They don’t form attachments with their children the way Mammalian humanoids do. And laying an egg isn’t quite the same thing as having a baby grow within you for a number of months—at least so I’ve heard, since I’ve never laid an egg or been pregnant myself,” she added.
“Well, it’s still an interesting way of replenishing the Shrine’s staff,” Torin remarked.
“I’ve always wanted to see it,” Sky’lar confessed. “Even though I’m not a believer—the Shrine is supposed to be amazing. This huge edifice in the Deep Desert built right into a massive cliff wall.”
“Well, you’ll get to see it now,” Torin said grimly. “I just hope we can catch the killer before he makes a try for any of the Priestesses. How many are there, anyway?”
“Oh, hundreds,” Sky’lar said. “But if the killer is looking to murder whoever’s in charge, he’s probably going to go after the Head Priestess and her Inner Circle.”
“Well how many of them are there?” Torin asked.
“Only three—counting the Head Priestess,” Sky told him.
“Good.” Torin nodded as he pulled back on the steering yoke. “Three is a hell of a lot easier to protect than ‘hundreds.’”
“If they cooperate with us,” Sky’lar said darkly. “The High Priestess is one of the Hooded Clan. They’re known to be extremely stubborn. She might decide that her own Shrine guards can protect her well enough.”
“But if the guards are male, aren’t they too small to be very effective?” Torin protested. “Since the male Serpentines are so much smaller than the females?”
Sky’lar shook her head.
“They dunk the male eggs in a grow-bath in the incubator room,” she explained. “It causes the males to grow as large as females or sometimes even larger. So the Shrine guards are very effective. Not that size should matter,” she added.
“Come on, Darlin’—I think we both know it does,” Torin said dryly. He was thinking that maybe if the phallus she’d been wearing had been a little smaller, he might have let her do what she wanted to him…
Then he gave himself a mental shake. What kind of craziness was he thinking? It was time to get his mind off his curvy female partner and back on the case!
He just hoped the High Priestess would let them into the Shrine. He wasn’t sure what would happen if she refused.
THIRTY
TORIN
“Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, High Priestess. We are honored to be in your presence.” Sky’lar bowed low and Torin copied her actions, bowing as well.
Truly, the High Priestess of Ahh-ohh was a formidable female, he thought as the two of them rose from their bow. She had scales that were a striking brilliant blue and emerald green pattern, which were clearly visible through the white mesh robe that she wore.
But her most notable aspect—aside from her slitted golden-green eyes—was the wide hood that rose from either side of her sleek head. She looked a little like the Earth animal called the King Cobra, Torin thought. If a King Cobra was in humanoid form with arms and legs and almost as large as a Kindred warrior.
In one hand the High Priestess grasped a tall staff made of pure white wood. It had a single tongue of pale blue flame burning at the top of it—hovering over the wood but not consuming it. Torin wondered how she managed that—it must be advanced technology made to look like magic, he decided. Something to impress the pilgrims who came to worship at the Shrine, no doubt.
“I understand that you wish to come into the Shrine during our holiest of festivals—the Day of Fertility—in order to catch someone,” the High Priestess said, giving them both a stern look as her forked tongue flickered from her lipless mouth.
“We want to catch a killer, Your Holiness,” Sky’lar emphasized. “He’s already murdered many females and we’re very much afraid that you and your inner circle might be next on his list.”
“I see.”
The High Priestess didn’t ask how they knew this, she simply stood there for a long moment, her forked tongue flickering meditatively. Torin got the impression she was thinking deeply.
“I must test your hearts,” she said at last. “It is the only way to know the truth of your intentions.”
Torin felt a stab of frustration. He wanted to say that their only intention was to catch the killer and save Her Holiness’s life. But before they had come to the Shrine—which was an enormous gateway carved into the stone side of a desert cliff—he and Sky’lar had agreed that she should do all the talking. This only made sense, considering the gender roles here on Portex Three, but it was still frustrating to have to hold his tongue.
