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Queen Soteira smiled at the Semna over Alkaios. “With two goddesses giving him back his life, he is blessed indeed.”
CAPABLE OF ANYTHING
No one in themain hall of Rose House felt talkative except Master Gorgos. Cassia sat on her side of the table they had arranged out of the sideboards and wondered if any of the silent lords would speak up and tell the mage no one had the heart for his exhortations.
The mage stood at his place, farthest from Lio’s window, and hadn’t sat down since they had gathered. “Let us not forget the divine bliss with which Anthros rewards those who please him. A long life of suffering is the mere blink of an eye compared to an eternity in his Hall. No momentary relief in this worldly life is worth being forsaken by him and forfeiting the glorious future he has in store.”
Lord Severin threw down his spoon beside his untouched porridge. “Tell that to the Imperials who bring their dying wives or malformed children to Orthros.”
“All they care about is sparing those they love the unbearable,” Cassia agreed.
“We know so little about the ways of these Imperials.” Master Gorgos waved a hand. “No telling what heretical entities they worship.”
“According to all the tales,” said Benedict, “their lands are blessed by the sun.”
“If that is the case,” Master Gorgos replied, “then it grieves me for their once-noble spirits to be tainted by the blood goddess. Like Queen Soteira herself, they turn their backs on the sun and follow Hespera into darkness. The heretics seek always to rob the godly of their divine rewards.”
Lord Gaius looked up from his mead. “Do you have a wife?”
Master Gorgos gave an uncertain laugh. “No mage may have a wife. We proudly take vows of celibacy to dedicate ourselves wholly to the gods.”
“Do you have any children?”
“Certainly not!” the mage sputtered.
“Then you don’t know whereof you speak, and I’ll thank you to say no more.” Lord Gaius shook his head. “I keep thinking about how many more children and grandchildren I’d have if we hadn’t lost so many of them as babes.”
“There isn’t a man here who hasn’t watched someone he loves die,” Lord Severin said. “Someone he was supposed to protect.”
The mage leaned forward. “Then it must certainly trouble you deeply to imagine if your own were subjected to perverse Hesperine magic. Would you forfeit the chance to meet them again in Anthros’s Hall? Would you surrender their minds to the domination of the Queen of Darkness? Would you let her drag them into her world, never to return?”
Cassia heard Callen mutter, “It would be a wonder if they wanted to return, if this is the welcome the mage and his ilk have in mind for them.”
Cassia glanced at him in time to see him rub his thigh under the table in a rare demonstration of discomfort. Perita clutched his free hand in hers, murmuring something in his ear.
The mage paid no mind to anyone except those of rank around the table. “Think of how many Imperial patients have been taken prisoner to swell the heretics’ numbers! Impressed into Hespera’s army of darkness! It does not bear imagining that Tenebrans would submit to the same!”
Lord Adrogan snorted. “I’m sure it will take a mind mage to convince them a life of luxury in Orthros is preferable to living in fear of starvation and brigands in Tenebra.”
The mage tucked his hands into his sleeves which, no one could fail to notice, rested on his rotund belly. “Had they a choice, I am certain such godly folk would prefer a humble and virtuous life to wealth and wickedness.”
“Oh, aye,” Lord Adrogan replied. “No one in their right mind wants unholy fine food and corruption by silk sheets.”
“Do not be deceived,” the mage repeated. “All of this is a show to make us believe the Hesperines are compassionate and worthy of our friendship. Once they win our trust, the conniving Queens will betray us.”
It grew harder each night for Cassia to swallow her outrage and keep a civil tongue. She must not allow the Solorum mage to hinder her progress with the lords and knights, although she considered it a victory that Master Gorgos held court with her and her supporters at Rose House, rather than joining the Cordian mages at the New Guest House.
Even poor Eudias came here to eat his meals in peace, but she must let him retreat to his post in the gallery afterward. None of them could be sure how much he might repeat to his master under duress.
Cassia managed to assume an earnest, innocent tone. “Master Gorgos, if the Hesperines’ power is so great and fearsome, could they not have done whatever they wish to us already? Why go to such trouble to create a ruse when they could merely flick their fingers and tear us away from Anthros, condemning us all to an eternity of darkness?”
“You are wise to fear for your spirit every moment we are here. Only Anthros’s protection has preserved us this long.”
“I said,” Lord Gaius warned, “that’s enough, mage. We know our own minds. Take care you do not make your own attempt to twist our thoughts.”
“We all know what we saw tonight,” Lord Severin said. “The Queen restored that Hesperine’s flesh and bones before our very eyes. She wasregrowing his skinwhen we left. If she can do that, is there anything she cannot heal?”
Cassia sat back in her chair and listened to her supporters testify.
