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Merlin merely smiled. “It is good to see you, Morgan.”
I refrained from mentioning I had seen her the day before, in the Great Hall. I recalled her attempt at pleading for leniency and decided that to remind her of that failure would be cruel.
Merlin took my arm in hers and began to lead me across the courtyard and into the domed building.
“It has been weeks since we’ve seen you,” she murmured as we entered the dark shadowy space.
“Yes, well, I’ve been...busy,” I said lamely.
She didn’t reply, but released my arm, stepping into the chamber ahead.
Candles lit the wide room from metal sconces along the walls. Ahead of us was a long, low basin filled with scented water.
She stepped towards it and I joined her, lowering my arms into the lukewarm water and washing them up to the elbow as she was doing.
A young acolyte girl stepped forward holding white towels across her arms and we each took one, patting ourselves dry.
Nodding my thanks to the girl, I followed Merlin into the next room.
This was not the inner sanctum–the room which held the sacred flame. But in this chamber, many other sacred rituals were performed–under the eyes of only the high priestess and her devotees. The royal family were also granted access and at rare times a very wealthy noble might be permitted to enter the room for a special occasion–the birth of a son or daughter, or the receiving of a blessing.
Today I was there to observe Merlin as she conducted one of the many minor rituals that I would someday be expected to perform.
I watched as she pushed open a heavy oak door gilded with gold, then lifted a purple silk curtain and stepped into a room filled with smoke and disappeared.
I followed her slowly. The smoke was simply incense–heavy and cloying. Even so, it provided a mysterious mask as we slipped into the room.
Three small statues of the goddesses stood on a stone table in the center of the room. Votive candles lay in a pattern around them, flames flickering.
A small empty bowl made of pure gold sat in the middle of the table with a silver flask beside it.
Merlin stepped up to the table, picked up the flask, then turned to me. “Would you like to...?”
I stared stupidly at her, then shook my head, feeling oddly embarrassed. “I couldn’t. I don’t recall the words...”
I had watched her perform the libation before, but she had always chanted in a low voice.
She picked up two tiny silver tumblers from the table that I had not noticed before and filled them from the flask. The scent of a rich liquor filled the air. I could smell cloves and honey.
Merlin held out one small tumbler to me. Nervously, I took it.
“You have seen eleusia before,” she said, smiling at my expression.
“Yes, but I have never drunk it myself,” I noted. “Is this... ordinary?”
“To sample the libation?” Merlin nodded. “You may not have seen me do so, but yes. The eleusia is powerful. It can enhance the power of the incantation.”
I looked down into the tiny silver tumbler. The room was too dark for me to clearly see the contents, but eleusia was generally a shimmering gold in color. It was also said to have mind-altering properties that could be harmful if one imbibed too much.
“I’m not sure I wish to...” I began.
Merlin held up a hand. “Someday, you shall be high priestess in my stead. It’s time you learned these things, Morgan.”
I shifted where I stood. Such an idea made me vastly uncomfortable. I was to be given to the temple, yes. My father had decided that for me long ago. But even he had not dared to demand that I be made high priestess, though such a thing was a great honor.
A great honor and a massive, life-altering responsibility. One I was still not sure I wanted anything to do with.
Not that I really had much choice.
