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I passed the Secondary Gates of the Palace walls and went through them. I entered the District of Stars and instantly sought the Temple. It was not difficult to locate; this district being fairly dominated by the temple building itself. The temple itself was immense, bigger than I remembered it from my exile. It even seemed bigger compared to the last time I was here. The time I had been Cleansed. I stopped for a moment, frozen cold by that thought. I regarded the white stone of the temple and the ornately carved statues of Bast and Sekhmet that guarded the double doors of the entrance. Fear was an icy thread that began to settle in the crevice of my spine, but I shook it off with the fierce heat of my anger.I approached the temple, stopping a moment to kneel at the foot of the statue of Bast, momentarily sending up a silent prayer. I glanced over my shoulder at the statue of Sekhmet, casting a curse upon the Goddess as well as her dark servants. Then, I rose and went inside, my eyes instantly searching for any clue as to which of the clergymen within was the Priestmaster Zhagon. I went to a pew and sat, bowing my head in assumed prayer. A brother took a seat beside me, murmuring a soft greeting and smiling slightly before taking up his own prayers.
Dare I ask?
Throwing caution to the wind, I reached out and gently plucked at the friar's sleeve, "I beg pardon for disturbing your prayer, Brother, but I've a query."
He nodded his head, and turned his head to look at me, "Please, feel free to ask what you wish, my child. I am but a humble servant of Bast here to serve you."
"Could you so kindly direct me to Priestmaster Zhagon...?" I ventured.
His slitted blue-green eyes darkened a bit at the mention of the Priestmaster. He grabbed me by the arm and hauled me away, although he was very gentle. He took me to a small side room intended for fasting and intense prayer. He sat me down on the stiff wooden bench and looked at me quite seriously.
"Why would you ask for that demon?" He hissed.
Demon? I groped for a lie, "I...I heard..."
"He is an evil man, my child. You would do well to avoid him."
"But Brother, " I protested weakly.
"No," the Brother cried, aggrieved, "Please, you must not hold any adoration for him, child. Master Zhagon is in league with the very Darkness!"
"But...I must..."
"No," the Brother insisted, "It is my solemn duty to Bast to protect you from this evil. I do not know what evil enchantment he has cast upon you, but I shall cast it away!"
He raised his holy medallion and held it against my forehead. It felt strangely warm and I was appalled when my glamorie fell away. The Brother stared at me, "What witchery is this?!"
"Please, Brother," I said, "Peace. Be at peace."
"You are a spy from him, aren't you? Sent to find out who is loyal and who is not!"
I raised my hands in denial, "No. No, I am merely a soul who seeks answers."
"Answers?" the brother repeated, "What kind of answers?"
"Why would General Brion send a soldier to see the Priestmaster?"
"General Brion? The overlord of Her Majesty's Assassins?"
I nodded.
The brother was thoughtful, "That is a dark allegiance, indeed, if Brion has a hand in it. I will see what I can find out. Remain here, for you will be undisturbed here, and I will bring you what news I can find."
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© 1999 E. Angeli Mansfield
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