CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
As soon as Thaddis smelled the fumes of the tainted incense, saw the helmets all the priests wore, he swore, knowing what he’d have to do. He sheathed his sword, pulled the spear case over his head, and rapidly unrolled the material. He tossed the velvet covering to Indaran. “Wrap this around your face.” He dropped back a few paces to Sadie’s side. “Give me the helmet.”
With a nod, she handed it over.
Thaddis met Indaran’s eyes. “If He takes me over, kill me.”
Jaw tightening, Indaran nodded.
Thaddis didn’t have time to ease the helmet onto his head. The strength of the fumes increased, and he shoved the helmet down. The metal heated, igniting the anger within him. Across the cavernous space, his eyes met Pasinae’s in a challenge he knew the Trine Priestess wouldn’t ignore.
Rows of spear-wielding priests came at them. With Ontarem’s spear in his left hand, and his sword in his right, Thaddis leaped into the fray.
The anger that had simmered within him for the last few days burst into flame. Berserker rage overcame him, and he quickly dispatched two opponents, fighting his way toward Pasinae.
~ ~ ~
Once he was in the door, Khan let fly an arrow at Ontarem. Before it had hit the target, he’d loosed a second at Pasinae. Both bounced harmlessly away, as if the points had hit a force field. “Made that mistake before,” he muttered. But I had to try. He aimed the next arrow at a priest, who was cocking an arm to throw his spear.
You dare! Ontarem roared, focusing on Khan.
Pasinae pointed at Khan and released a stream of energy that propelled him back several feet against the wall. He landed with a jarring thud. Groaning, he pushed off the wall and drew the arrow again, sighting at a priest with a spear, running down the aisle.
~ ~ ~
When he saw the helmet in Thaddis’s hands, Indaran remembered what had happened to Mastin and wanted to yell at him not to put it on. But he knew he couldn’t hold back Thaddis from what he needed to do. He clenched his jaw and fought his way around the pektats, moving toward the statue of Ontarem.
~ ~ ~
Sadie’s first impression of the temple was that she’d walked into a warehouse—a vast room that dwarfed the people inside. Skylights let in the light, filtered by noxious smoke oozing from braziers on the stone pallets. She coughed and threw up her arm across her face to block the smell.
“Cover your nose!” Jasmine yelled, yanking her scarf off her head and tying it around her face.
Sadie remembered the scarf she’d put in her pocket before leaving Zacatlan. She pulled out the crumpled material and followed Jasmine’s example, but not before breathing some of the nasty fumes. Blinking to clear her eyes, she saw Philan and Boerk fighting gray-robed priests thrusting at them with spears.
A larger-than-life statue compelled Sadie’s gaze to the front of the temple. The statue seemed to pulse with a menacing vibration.
Thaddis’s men were beginning to stagger. No doubt due to the choking incense. The priests were lunging in to kill, and Sadie worried over the men’s safety.
When the God thundered at Khan, she wanted to clap her hands over her ears, but a spear whistled through the air. Too close. She pulled Jasmine aside and jumped out of the way. “Get down.” She pushed Jasmine’s shoulder.
The woman dropped behind a stone pallet.
Sadie crouched next to her.
“Do you see the ties binding these people to Ontarem?” Jasmine asked in an urgent tone. “Look at the helmets with your othersense.”
Sadie narrowed her eyes and choked at the sight of the gray lines crossing the room like a giant spider web, each one connecting to the statue.
One of the monkey-bats flew down, knocked over a brazier, tipping the smoldering contents to the floor. Then the animal flew high above the smoke.
“That’s what we need to do,” Jasmine said, pointing. “Knock them all over and stamp out the coals.”
~ ~ ~
With satisfaction, Pasinae saw Thaddis don the one of Ontarem’s helmets. Fool! He’s just put himself into my power. After having been the king’s mistress for so many years, she knew all the man’s weaknesses. And he had no idea how to withstand the control of the helmet.
She watched the berserker rage take him over.
His moves became lightning quick, and he slew two priests in rapid succession. Acting quickly before he killed more of her priests, she grabbed her link to him and twisted his emotion—to the deep sorrow of a boy who’d lost his mother and whose father had emotionally abandoned him—and watched him become crippled by grief.
~ ~ ~
Thaddis was eight years old again, seeing his father walk away and not look back. A wave of sorrow from the death of his mother and his father’s emotional abandonment hit Thaddis so hard, he could barely see through the tears flooding his eyes. The image of King Stevenes receded down a long hall, growing ever distant.
“Father!” the boy cried after him.
But the king didn’t turn.
His knees collapsed, sinking to his knees. Only by digging the butt of his spear into the floor did he stay upright. Thaddis panted for air, hearing distant sounds of fighting, but paralyzed by grief, he couldn’t make himself move.
~ ~ ~
Sadie saw Thaddis shift from a man radiating rage and power to one who appeared to lose all his strength, almost crumpling to the ground. She gasped with fear.
Indaran grabbed her elbow. “The helmet’s flooding him with emotion. Sadie, go break the connection to Pasinae, if you can.” He ducked to the side of a spear and jabbed the point of his blade into the priest’s side.
I have to get to Thaddis! More defenders pressed against them, and Sadie had to dodge the longer weapons. Her sabre training came in handy. She knew how to shift her body to avoid a longer blade, although the priests wielded them differently by stabbing and swinging.
Sadie didn’t shift away from one man fast enough. The point of his spear tore her uniform and scored her skin above her hip. Fire shot through her side. She faltered, gritting her teeth against the pain, but the wound slowed her down. She wouldn’t get to Thaddis in time.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
A hand grabbed his arm. “Thaddis!” Sadie’s voice sounded faint, but he held to her essence as if to a lifeline. He heard her words from a distance.
“Thaddis, remember Guinheld’s ordeal!”
The words of Archpriest Binkcal reverberated through his mind, reminding him he’d already wrestled with his past and won. But not like this…
Thaddis took a closer look at his father—saw the haunted look in his eyes, remembered the stories that the king had been out on a fishing expedition when his mother died. He must have been so full of regret…
For the first time, Thaddis could understand his father’s pain. He too carried a burden of grief, of guilt, which had made him want to isolate himself from everyone.
A shadow leaped in front of him, and Sadie, his beloved Sadie, ran the priest through. Thaddis straightened, his eyes blurred with tears, but this time they were ones of healing—of connection. “I forgive you, father.”
The image of King Stevenes shifted, turned, and came toward him. “I was wrong to leave you in pain, my son. You have suffered from my actions.”
“More suffered, Father. More than just me.”
King Stevenes briefly bowed his head. Then he looked Thaddis in the eyes. “I’m proud of you, my son.” He lifted his chin and gestured toward the side.
Thaddis’s vision cleared, and he was again present in the temple, the battle raging around him. A weight lifted, and he could move again. He raised his sword.
“Go forth, my son,” came the voice of his father in his mind. “I will be with you.”
~ ~ ~
Jasmine tipped over the brazier, and stomped on the herbs.
Shareef scurried to one that was set on the floor and used his human-like little paws to shove over the bowl.
Cheta leaped up on a pektats using her nose to send the brazier flying off the edge. It clanged to the ground, sending sparks flying.
Their efforts were to no avail. The embers burned brightly on the stone floor. The incense thickened.
Boerk fought nearby, his face unprotected. He staggered, blade tipped down, obviously drugged.
A priest lunged for Jasmine.
She shrieked and back-peddled, tripping over the hem of her robe, and falling on her backside.
Boerk leaped in front of her, faltered, and brought up his sword, but too late. His swing missed, and the oncoming spear penetrated his heart. He dropped to the floor, dead before Jasmine had a chance to reach him.
The priest tried to yank his spear from Boerk’s body.
Sadie raced over and thrust her blade into his unprotected side, then pushed at him.
The man collapsed.
Sadie pushed his body so he landed on a pektat. She grabbed Jasmine by the elbow. “We must reach for Withea and beseech her help. Join with me.”
They swiftly melded, as easily as if they’d practiced together, and arched their request across the sea.
The Goddess answered. A desert wind swept through the doors of the temple, hot and dry. As Yadarius and Guinheld joined Withea, a briny breeze and the coolness of a mountain snowstorm blasted around the room, overturning the braziers, and dampening the sparks to ash. The air cleared, giving life to the warriors battling for control of Ontarem’s temple.
~ ~ ~
Pasinae divided her attention between holding the vision of Thaddis’s father in front of him and sending her energy to the God to assist in powering the soldiers to protect the people. As she watched the city in her mind’s eye, she saw the lights of Ontarem’s forces grow stronger. They spread quickly down the side streets to protect the citizens.
On baker’s street, a battle raged outside her home. Believing Thaddis securely locked in his illusion, Pasinae detached from him to throw all her power into helping Ontarem power her family’s defenders.
The picture blurred like mist on a mirror. What is happening? Frantically, she tried to rub the image clear, but it only grayed.
Pasinae, see the truth.
Was that Thaddis’s voice she heard?
The scene from Penutar reappeared. But this time, the invaders clustered along the main street, fighting Ontarem’s men. No enemy soldiers strayed from the battle to harass the innocent. Instead, the life lights of the citizens flickered and dimmed. In horror, she watched dozens snuff out.
Ontarem feeds you an illusion to steal your power…and theirs.
No! My God would not deceive me!
A broad hand rested on her shoulder. Thaddis. She recognized his touch, although the calming warmth radiating from his palm wasn’t at all familiar. Look with your heart, Pasinae.
Many years ago, she’d locked away her heart, and now she had to struggle to open her emotions. She reached for the heart energy deep within, and looked once again at Penutar, only to see the same scene as before. Frantic, she searched the baker’s street, and saw the life lights of her family ebb.
Ontarem lies! He’s killing them!
Wrath like she’d never before experienced erupted. She tore off her helmet and flung it down. Panting for breath, she gazed into Thaddis’s tawny eyes and saw compassion in his gaze.
He held a priest’s spear loosely in his hand. In a fit of rage, she grabbed the shaft from him and spun to face the front. From her pearl, she yanked Ontarem’s power with all her strength. Cocking back the weapon, she threw.
The spear speed straight and true, thunking into Ontarem’s chest.
The priests and priestesses cried out in horror and dropped their weapons.
Ontarem gasped, then snarled in rage. He reached to pull out the spear.
Indaran leaped the last few feet to the statue, loosening the chains from around his shoulders.
Thaddis raced to join him at the statue’s base.
Indaran tossed him an end. “You go left.”
Together, they ran in opposite directions around the statue, wrapping the Evil God in His own chains. They pulled against each other.
As the chains tightened, the God writhed, until with a groan of agony, the statue deflated, arms dropping, head lolling.
~ ~ ~
Silence descended on the temple. People stared in shock at the captive statue of Ontarem.
Tentatively, Pasinae reached for her God but found nothing. She could sense He yet lived, but was drained of power.
Her chest was hollow, empty—no God within her, and she felt lost, vulnerable. Bewildered, Pasinae wondered how to fill herself. She could not choose one of the Gods of her enemies. She doubted They’d want her anyway.
In her despair, she didn’t see the figures shimmering into life in a half circle in front of the room.
The gasps and rustlings of robes as Ontarem’s priesthood knelt in homage alerted Pasinae that Kimtair’s Deities had assembled in the temple of their vanquished enemy.
They radiated power.
In awe and terror, Pasinae sank to her knees. Although she’d never seen any of the Deities, she recognized each one—Arvintor, looking so much like His Twin, but with a kinder expression; Yadarius, holding his trident; veiled Withea who held seeds cupped in her outstretched hand; and healing Guinheld, who gazed at her with compassion.
Yadarius waved his trident in a circling motion. You have Our thanks for freeing Kimtair from Ontarem, Pasinae. He gestured to Thaddis. And to you, King of Ocean’s Glory, my people of Seagem, and everyone else who strove to overcome Ontarem.
Thaddis bowed slightly and pivoted to face each Deity in turn. “What are you going to do with the Evil One?”
Yadarius exchanged a mischievous glance with Withea. Ontarem fashioned a most excellent prison for me. He shall therefore reside there Himself. My sea creatures will guard Him well.
Withea arched one brow. We shall send Besolet there as well. They can keep each other company.
Pasinae almost smiled at that. A fitting punishment for Them both.
Withea tossed some of her seeds toward Thaddis. They floated through the air to land on him, sparkling like stars. Thaddis, you will return to Ocean’s Glory and once again take up your role as king. We have confidence you will rule wisely and well.
Thaddis’s eyes widened and he raised a fist to the center of his chest. “I will do all in my power to be a good king to my people.”
Arvintor glanced at the statue of His brother and seemed to sigh. We, Your Gods and Goddesses, have been isolated for too long. That will not happen again. From now on, We will take a more active role in the peace of our world. We will continue to nurture and guide Our people, but We encourage you all to travel, to spend time in other countries and worship the other Deities.”
Withea lowered her palm. The temples will always be open for communion with us and for travel to and fro.
Arvintor frowned. All except for Penutar. Ontarem’s city shall be abandoned. His people must leave here. They are free to travel through the temples, exploring every country and way of life. Each family may chose where to settle—Drayleth, Seagem, Ocean’s Glory, Zacatlan, or Withea’s land of Binch-Alat.
Guinheld gave them all a gentle smile. The people who had no choices, now have many.
Pasinae heard Their words in a daze. What will I do? Where will I go?
Guinheld glided over to touch Pasinae’s brow.
Healing warmth swept through her.
You do not have to choose one Deity, Pasinae. You and the rest of Ontarem’s priesthood may have us all. But you must first come to Zacatlan to face your ordeal.
Although the words sounded ominous, a brush of the Goddess’s energy reassured Pasinae.
Thaddis moved into her line of vision. “Think of the experience as a purge. I went through the ordeal and emerged cleansed. You can, too.”
Pasinae bowed her head and opened her heart. “So be it.”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Hand at her throat, body vibrating with spiritual energy, Sadie watched the scene unfolding before her. Was it really only a few weeks ago that I didn’t believed in God?
She’d changed so much that she hardly recognized her former skeptical self. Now, Sadie cherished relationships with four Deities and knew her life was all the richer for the love and connection she previously hadn’t believed existed.
The figures winked out, leaving behind a peaceful hush that soon filled with excited voices. With the absence of the bright Deities, the room darkened as dusk dimmed the skylights.
Ontarem’s priests still knelt, the bodies displaying obvious shock. She imagined they would require a while to absorb the changes in their lives. The love of the Gods and Goddesses will make a difference.
Speaking of love....
She searched for Thaddis and found him watching her with a tender smile. Her heartbeat quickened.
Her heart full of joy, Sadie raced over and threw herself into his arms. “You didn’t kill Pasinae!”
His arms tightened around her back. Thaddis swung her around until she was laughing and dizzy before setting her down.
She cupped his cheeks. “I’m so proud of you.” She pulled him close for a kiss that tingled warmth all the way to her toes.
Thaddis’s hands slid to her waist. “Sadie, you’ve been my salvation.”
Arching a brow, she touched her finger to his mouth and curled her lips in a smile. “Don’t let the Deities hear you say that.”
His gaze intense, Thaddis captured her finger and kissed the tip.
Overhead, a light brightened the room. Sadie and Thaddis glanced up. Through the windows, they could see the first moon rise, plump and gleaming orange.
“The harvest moon,” Thaddis murmured. “A rare blessing from the Deities.” Smiling, he framed Sadie’s face with a tender slide of his hands and bent to kiss her.
~ ~ ~
His heart lighter than he could ever remember, Thaddis held Sadie—his gift from the Goddess—in his arms. Because of her, he was a better man—a whole man. And, while he’d be a good king to his people, he’d be a better ruler of Ocean’s Glory with Sadie at his side. He didn’t deserve her, but if she let him, he’d spend the rest of his life making her happy.
Harvest of Dreams (The Gods' Dream Trilogy) Page 40