by C C Sommerly
Red-faced, I went to the indicated station.
Isa came back in and rushed over to me, “Marty, what happened? Was it your dog?”
“I kinda started a tiny fire and destroyed some cookies.”
“Oh, that’s not good. Well, this station is probably better for you. This is one of the mixing stations. We mix in the seasoning and passing off the bowl to the next station. That should be chaos-proof.”
Isa pulled the bowl of dough towards her and opened the ceramic containers on the counter. She scooped out heaping spoons-full of what looked like oregano or something I wouldn’t expect went into cookies.
“What is that?”
“Incense.”
“You cook incense into cookies? I’ve smelled the incense before and it doesn’t smell anything like cookies.”
“When you cook it, it becomes sweet. The cookies turn out amazing. When a batch of cookies is done, you have to taste one.”
“Here, take one scoop from each of container and I’ll mix it into the dough.”
I did as she asked and it was as easy as it sounded. The incense, herbs or whatever I should call them smelled pretty good. I was looking forward to trying a cookie.
“You’re doing well.”
“Thanks.”
I made it through the cookie making without any further catastrophes and the cookies were just as delicious as Isa claimed. They tasted nothing like the incense smelled.
Isa took me to the gardens to chat and address any questions I had. The gardens were a popular place. Quite a few disciples walked along the pebbled trails. Stone benches were scattered throughout under the shade of Japanese maples, willows, and other flowering trees. There was a wildness to the garden’s designs. It was like no matter how much you tried to control nature, it fought you and found a way to counter that control.
“Actually, I’m wondering if the only way to get the incense is through the Institute.”
“Nearly all of us asked that question at some point. It’s pretty amazing stuff, isn’t it?”
“Speaking of amazing, do you grow the herbs for the incense and cookies here?”
“Oh gosh no. Those are too special and precious to attempt to cultivate ourselves. We leave that to the experts. The Rare Herbs and Medicinals Company makes them for us. They get delivered weekly.”
That company sure has its hands in a lot of pies. This was the second case that involved them in some way. I should have gone there when I worked my last case. Now, I’m trapped here in the cult and can’t. For the first time, I regretted leaving without telling anyone. I was hurt and would be for a while, but running away was childish.
“What happened to your dog? I thought companion animals had to stay with their owners.”
“He likes to wander sometimes, but he won’t hurt you or anyone else unless they threaten me. There aren’t any threats here, are there?”
Actually, he didn’t wander, not ever. What is that animal up to?
“Oh no, there aren’t any threats at all here. We are pacifists and don’t believe in participating in any kind of physical altercations. We love all creatures and want to share that love with everyone. Doing outreach is a very special way of doing that.”
“How long has the Institute done outreach and have you participated in it?”
“Oh yes, it’s wonderful, but incredibly challenging at the same time. We don’t always get the nicest receptions from people.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but one of the last times I did outreach, we were attacked by thugs. It was in Downtown and we were trying to speak to the homeless there. They took our cookies, but when we tried to share with them the word of The True One, they threw things at us and chased us away.”
“Why would they do that? Weren’t you just trying to help them?”
“That’s exactly what I said. We had no weapons and would never raise a hand even for our own protection. Several of the disciples were hurt.”
“Do you bring guards to the outreach for protection and avoid places like Downtown.”
“Oh no. That would be a failure of our mission and a disservice to our calling. The True One says in The Book of Truth that ‘you shall strive to bring light to the darkness, open the closed hearts and minds and show my love to the lost’. Who is more lost than the souls that attacked us? We always go back there. His highness says we need to show our faith and love to them before they can trust us.”
They were worse than used car salesmen. These people didn’t quit. It was both unnerving and irritating. If I hadn’t sent Rat and the scrappers into hiding, I’d ask them about the cult. They must have seen or heard something about the events Isa talked about.
“So now what? I’ve attended the sermon, meditated, made cookies, and now we’re in the garden. Isn’t there more? My first tour seemed more intent on learning of your practices.”
“Oh, we have barely even started.” She giggled. “There’s so much to show you. We have studies at night. We go over The Book of Truth and talk about what the words mean. We also have games and movies and other activities. His highness says we need to engage in everyday activities or we become too short-sided and cannot relate to the lost ones.”
I resented being called lost. I might have never heard of this god of theirs, but I’d never seen myself as needing to be found or saved. This was exactly why I hated organized religion. Each one thought theirs was the most superior and had best religious practices. It became the ultimate in exclusivity.
“And how is this going to help me as a seeker?”
“Oh, by listening and experiencing our ways and the words of The True One.”
“Have you ever seen The True One?”
“His highness has. He experienced visions instructing him to gather the lost. It was during his visions that he wrote The Book of Truth.”
“He wrote it?”
“Yes, he is very close to The True One. He believes in The True One and his work.”
“Don’t you wonder why no one else has had visions or seen The True One?”
“Oh Marty, hearing you ask these things makes me so sad and I worry for you. If this is how you feel, then you might end up being a seeker for longer than most people. I don’t need to hear or see The True One to believe. I have faith and can feel his love for us. The Book of Truth defines the hidden truths and so much more.”
“Do I get any alone time?”
If I spent any more time talking to Isa, I was going to lose it. She was condescending without knowing it. I knew what was true and what wasn’t. I doubted this god even existed. It was more likely a scam that Jarl was running.
“You can always have time to yourself to read The Book of Truth and think on what you’ve learned.”
“Oh, can I ask something else?”
“You can ask anything.”
“Are you sure they dispose of the blood from the sermon? I’ve always been warned about the perils of sharing blood, so giving it up makes me nervous.”
She laughed. “You sound like me. I was super worried about that at first too. I don’t worry now. I know that I can trust my fellow disciples. And, it’s not like they use it for anything. We don’t practice blood magic here. The blood is a symbolic gesture, like people making the sign of the cross or saying ‘amen’ after a prayer.”
“But you’ve never seen how it’s disposed of?”
“My, you are and untrusting soul. I don’t need to see what is done. I trust in His Highness. If he says that nothing is done with it and it’s deposed of, then I believe him. Please try to open up to us, Marty. The world is a lonely place when there is no one you trust. Not everyone is out to hurt you.”
Pain stabbed my chest and my stomach twisted. Being here is what trusting got me. They could shove their trust for all I cared. I was only here until I found out the cult’s secrets. That was it. I could fake the trust and belief in this True One crap, but, I wasn’t committing to any
thing. This was a means to an end and nothing more.
“Let me escort you back to your room. I think spending some time thinking things through will help. We can grab lunch to go. And I’ll come get you for the evening meal.”
She hugged me hard. “I’m glad you’re here Marty. We are your brothers and sisters. In time you’ll see that we truly love you and believe in you.”
I tried to relax into her hug, but when she pulled away, the hurt in her eyes proved it hadn’t worked. I didn’t like being touched, especially not hugged by strangers.
Our lunches were nothing like a sack lunch. They were more of restaurant-quality food. I’d get fat at this rate. The food was that good.
When I asked Isa why I never saw any overweight people, she explained that they did daily exercises. There were many choices for staying fit like yoga, martial arts sessions, fencing, and other physical activities. And, once I settled in, I’d be expected to train daily as well. I almost laughed. Training with swords wasn’t a hardship, it was a reward. Training with Miles had set the bar for a difficult training session. This place couldn’t compare.
Once I was back in my room, I made short work of the meal and started planning. I needed to find a way to see what was done with the blood. Out of everything, that was worrying me the most. Blood magic was dangerous. I’d seen what a skilled practitioner of blood magic can do. Frankly, Livinia scared me with her blood magic. It was so foreign and dark in a different way than my own magic.
And thinking of my magic, I needed to find a better way to hide my disrupters. Zora had seen them and I didn’t know if she’d keep her mouth shut about them. I’d need a good excuse to tell Jarl when he asked. It would only a matter of time before he found out. These people were completely devoted to him and couldn’t see Zora keeping that from him when it might mean that I was a criminal.
During the next sermon, I’d pay more attention to the disciples that collected the blood. Maybe I could follow them?
“Muffin, if only you could do surveillance. I’d love to know what happens with that blood.”
He barked and wagged his tail. I swear, at times like this, I thought he actually understood what I was saying. But, no dog, especially not a devil dog, was that smart.
“It’s you and me buddy. Hop up, you can cuddle while I read.”
He jumped up on the bed and wrapped around my legs. Before long, he was snoring and I was forcing myself to read through The Book of Truth.
At some point, I dozed off.
27
A knock woke Muffin and me up.
“Hey Marty, it’s me,” said Isa.
“I’ll be right there.”
I was hungrier than normal. It was the stomach clenching, shaky kind of hunger I got when I did too much magic. Maybe it was all the excitement of being undercover. I liked being undercover. It was a challenge to take on a role and become that person I pretended to be. And, my success was dependent on how well I acted. I hoped this would be the first and last time I’d need to join a cult to do it.
Isa guided me towards where dinner was being held. It was served a communal room the size of a cafeteria, but that was where the comparison ended. Round, table-cloth draped tables in neat lines took up the space. Lit candles rested on the linen table cloth and robed attendants weaved around the tables, serving the meal.
“Wait until you have dinner. It’s the best meal of the day. They will even have something for your pet,” said Isa.
She directed me to a table where four other people already sat. I took a seat and waited to see who would talk first. Everyone looked at me.
“Okay, I’ll introduce the group. Everyone knows Marty, our seeker. The brown-haired man to your right is Alton. Next to him is Teran, and the two women are twins, Nona and Nica. We were part of the same group of seekers and we’ve stayed close since our induction.”
“Nice to meet you Marty,” said Alton.
“Thank you.”
“What do you think so far?” asked Nona.
“It’s very different.”
“We all felt that way. Some of us came from religious upbringings and the concepts taught by The True One were similar, but different enough that many of us found it difficult to process,” Nona said. “You will feel more comfortable as time goes on.”
“Thanks, I hope so.”
“I know so,” said Isa.
“There are menus under the candles,” said Isa. “The attendants will be here soon to take our orders. Oh, you should try the steak, it’s amazing.”
“And, the trout,” said Nica.
Isa handed me a menu and I was surprised at the variety of food offered. There were appetizers, several options for entrees, and even desserts.
“Who makes all of this food?” I asked.
“Fae,” said Isa.
“Excuse me? Did you say fae?” I asked.
“Yes, everyone knows that they make the best food. We are lucky enough to have a kitchen that is run and staffed by fae,” said Isa.
That cost a pretty penny. Usually families in Uptown only had one or two fae chefs because of the cost. The expense was so high because many fae wouldn’t demean themselves to become servants for humans and other supernaturals. They were a proud and fierce race. How did they get a full staff and afford these luxuries?
“That’s amazing and must be so expensive,” I said.
“Not really. His highness’ family is well-off. We also pay tithes and have beneficiaries that provide for us.”
It would be suspicious to ask more about the beneficiaries, but knowing who backed this group would tell me who influenced them or who was influenced by them. I needed to get into the Jarl’s office and do some snooping. There must be some record of these beneficiaries.
I ordered the fried shrimp appetizer and fruity drink recommended by the disciples. I picked an entrée at random because they were all sounded so good that I couldn’t pick just one.
We continued making small talk, while we waited for food. The group was very interested in me and where I came from. Luckily, on the long walk here, I’d created a fake life story in case I was questioned about my life. I told them about my human family. I shared how I’d run away as a child and fallen in with a bad crowd. Even though I’d turned my life around, I still felt like something in my life was lacking. By the time I’d finished talking, there were quite a few teary eyes in the group.
“How lucky that you found us,” said Nona. “We are your family now. And, you’ll never be alone again with so many brothers and sisters.”
My throat was choked with emotions. I was good at reading people and every one of them was genuine based on what I could tell. Not all of the cult was bad. Good people made bad decisions every day. A poorly bad decision didn’t indicate that any of these people were bad, just that a lapse of judgement was made.
“Wait until the evening study group. Josiah is leading it. He does the best groups and we always have the most spirited discussions,” said Isa.
“What can I expect and who is Josiah?” I asked.
“Don’t tell her. It should be a surprise. We’ll go there after our meal,” said Isa.
I finished off my meal with an apple pie topped with cream. I was stuffed. They’d have to haul me out of my chair. Even sneaking some my food to Muffin, I still overate. Muffin didn’t have the same problem. He gorged on the steaks the attendants brought for his meal and was still looking expectedly for more. Greedy mutt.
Our table mates accompanied us to the study group. It was in a large room, but cozier than I expected. There were couches and pillows. They sure have a thing for pillows. Maybe they got a bulk discount for them or something.
I picked a random couch and Muffin jumped right up next to me. I tried pushing him off and when that didn’t work, tugged on his leash. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get him off the couch.
“It’s okay. He can go where we go. We value our companions,” said Isa.
Another way I stood out, but at le
ast they were okay with it.
The room quickly filled up. I recognized a couple of people from the art lesson with Emma Lynn. Maybe one of them knows how I could contact her?
“Is there time to socialize after the study group?” I asked.
“Yes, but not much, we usually go straight to the nightly activity, which tonight is game night,” said Isa.
Josiah walked into the room. This was who was running the session? He just smiled at my surprise.
“Wait until he gets started. We don’t get him too often. You are so lucky to have this opportunity,” said Isa.
A plain and tall man took a spot behind the podium. “Welcome all. May The True One shine through the darkness,” said Josiah.
Everyone echoed that phrase.
“Tonight is a topic that can be difficult for many of The True One’s devoted. We will get through it together and come out stronger.”
“Trust. What is trust?” asked Josiah.
“It’s believing that you are safe with someone,” said a man.
“Yes, that’s part of it,” said Josiah.
“It’s what we give to The True One,” said a woman.
“Yes, that is also true. But what I want to talk about tonight is trust. It is the giving of yourself and having conviction that you can rely on someone or something without being hurt. It is knowing that your best decisions are taken into account and that your well-being is thought of. It’s also our ability to give ourselves wholly and freely to The True One. That is harder than it seems. Too often, we let fear, anxiety, and worries overtake our trust. It casts doubts and hurts our belief in something bigger than ourselves. The Book of Truth talks about this very thing. Please turn to Unity, Act II and Paragraph three in your devotional.”
Isa helped me find the section.
“Can I get a volunteer to read this section?” asked Josiah.
He looked around the room. “Thank you Brad. Please start at that section and end at Paragraph four.”
In a clear voice that projected from the man’s spot in the back of the room, the words of The Book of Truth came to me.