Chapter 12
1903 Words
12
We walked up to the large doors with Apuleius at the forefront. He stopped before the pair and held up his hand, but not to knock. The priest bowed his head and whispered a few words. A soft green light pulsed out of his hand. The doors responded by glowing with the same color of light. I heard the clink of dozens of locks as they were unbound. Those were followed by a groan as the doors swung open to reveal a large chamber.
Apuleius dropped his hand and straightened, but he breathed hard.
Tillit rubbed his hairy chin. "So that's the legendary Lock of Priest. So only you priest guys can unlock it, right?"
Apuleius turned to him and gave a weak smile. "That is correct. It is another source of vexation for the citizens," he admitted.
I looked past Apuleius at the interior of the room. The smooth walls were the same white as the exterior of the building, but they curved up into a large dome that allowed sunlight to pierce the interior without hindrance. The bright light shot straight down and focused itself on the center of the room where stood a large pool. Two-foot tall walls surrounded the pool, but that couldn't stop the pool from reflecting its bright blue color on the walls.
In the middle of the pool stood a pedestal of marble. Atop the pedestal was a statue of a seated woman. She was naked but for the cloth tossed over one shoulder that draped most of her front to slip between her legs and pool down at her feet. Her head was bowed so that she looked into the pool beneath her, and one hand was outstretched as though to touch the water. The effect was so lifelike that for a moment I thought it was a real woman.
Apuleius stepped inside the room and gestured to the area. "This is the Sacred Temple which all pilgrims of the Jame visit. It is said that many thousands of years ago the ancestors of the city's inhabitants were in search of good water. They rested for a night on this very hilltop as a means of security and prayed to any god that they might find water soon for their skins were nearly empty. That very night they were visited by their water goddess, Alihat Dhahabia, who touched the ground and created this pool of water. She promised them that so long as their faith in her remained strong they would never want for water. They have kept their word, as has she, and from here the entire city is supplied with clean water."
I felt mesmerized as I moved past my companions and into the room. The air was cool and moist. I was drawn to the edge of the pool. The water was crystal-clear and perfectly still. My reflection stared back at me with wide eyes.
I stretched my hand out toward the pool. My fingers brushed against the surface of the water. Ripples formed beneath them, but also inside me. A tremor of refreshing coolness flowed through me. I gasped and drew my hand back.
Apuleius moved to stand beside me. He spoke in a soft voice as he studied my face. "My Lady?"
I shook myself and turned to him. My companions surrounded me, all with concerned expressions on their face but for Tillit. He was curious.
"What? What's wrong?" I asked them.
Xander set his hands on my shoulders. "You have been standing here for a few minutes staring into the water. I could not shake you from the spell."
I frowned at him. "I have not. I just touched-" I lifted my hand to show him the water, but they were dry. I blinked my digits. "I did touch it, didn't I?"
"Yes, but a long while ago," Apuleius told me.
"After which you stood there like that statue," Tillit added as he nodded at the centerpiece of the pond.
"Perhaps it is the heat," Darda suggested.
Xander glanced at Apuleius. "Would you please show us to our rooms?"
The priest nodded. "Certainly, My Lord. Please follow me."
"But I'm fine!" I insisted as I was led away. I looked over my shoulder at the peaceful waters. There came that same tugging sensation. "Nothing happened!"
"You have lost time without knowing how. That is not 'nothing,'" Xander argued as we left the sacred room.
Apuleius shut the doors behind us, but he didn't lock them before he strode down the hall. Xander gently guided me along the corridor behind the aged priest.
I crossed my arms and cast a side-glare at him. "I'm fine. Really."
"That may be so, but a short rest will improve your condition," he returned.
I rolled my eyes, but saw that arguing would be useless. Apuleius led us through the maze of corridors to the far west wing of the palace. There were more doors along the narrower corridors there, and more people. Men with short hair and attired in gray robes trudged the stone halls. They stepped to the side as we approached and bowed their heads to us.
Apuleius stopped before a group of doors and gestured to them. "These will be where you will be staying. Since this is a sacred temple we have roomed the women together away from the men to avoid sullying the holiness with fornication."
I raised my hand. "So you priest guys don't have s*x?"
He smiled and bowed his head. "That is correct. We have given ourselves over to the duty of our lords. Desires of the flesh would only hinder our duties."
"When's the food served around here?" Tillit spoke up.
"Our meals are served at six in the morning, the noon hour and at seven in the evening. If you need anything please feel free to ask."
"I would like a word with you in private," Xander requested.
"I'd like to be in on that private conversation," I spoke up.
Xander smiled at me. "It is merely a matter of duty, the details of which would bore you."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "A 'duty' isn't done in secret."
He gently took me by the shoulders and set me before the door to my room. "Then I will inform you of the details at a later time, perhaps before bed when you need help to sleep."
I crossed my arms over my chest and studied him. "Then I'm expecting you to give me that bedtime story tonight."
He stepped back to stand beside Apuleius and bowed his head. "As you wish."
Darda slipped her arm around my waist. "Come. Let us rest."
She opened the door and walked me across the threshold, but I glanced over my shoulder at Xander as he and his priest strode down the hall. Darda shut the door behind us, shutting off my view of the hall. I turned my attention to the square room and found the space spartan, but clean. There were two cots with plain white blankets and pillows, and a nightstand between them. On the left side was a crude dresser with two drawers. A single small, rectangular rug close to the door finished the decor.
"Looks homey," I commented as I strode over to the right-hand bed.
"The priests prefer spiritual food to the comforts of living," Darda commented.
I plopped down on the bed and rolled onto my side. Something jabbed my hip. I winced and rummaged through my pocket. My hand touched something smooth and round. I pulled out the Soul Stone given to me by Thorontur.
I glared at it. "Then there's this stupid thing. It's been nothing but trouble since I got it."
"A Soul Stone is not a burden, but a gift," Darda scolded me.
I snorted. "Some gift. I can't even get it to work."
"Perhaps Master Apuleius can explain how to use its power," she suggested.
An idea flashed in my mind. I stood and stuffed the ball back into my pocket. "That's not a bad idea. I think I'll go find him right now."
"But Xander is-"
"Just talking about duties. I should be able to interrupt that for a few minutes," I countered as I strode toward the entrance.
Darda stepped between me and the door. "Then I will go with you."
"I'll be fine," I insisted.
She shook her head. "Your eyes tell me a different story, Miriam. They tell me the truth, and the truth is you wish to see the sanctum."
I crossed my arms and glared at her. "All right, I want to go see the pond again. What's the big deal?"
"You are part water spirit. No one can tell how such a sacred pool will effect you a second time," she pointed out.
"It didn't do anything bad to me the first time."
"You lost time, Miriam."
"You're not going to let me through without coming with me, are you?"
"No."
I dropped my arms and sighed. "All right, let's go."
We slipped out into the hall and Darda eased the door shut behind us. The passage was empty, so we hurried down to the first intersection. I glanced up and down the hall. There was no sign of a map.
I looked to Darda who stood by my side. "You don't happen to know where they might be, do you?"
She shook her head. "No."
I pursed my lips and lifted my foot to step out. Footsteps caught my attention and I drew back. A procession of gray-hooded men soon appeared from down the left-hand hall. Each of them held a stack of books in their arms as they marched past us.
"Somebody sure is reading a lot," I commented.
"There are a great many pilgrims in the city who would wish for a souvenir from the library," Darda pointed out.
"You think maybe one of them would know where Apuleius might be?"
"That is a possibility."
I grabbed her hand and tugged her in the direction they'd come. "Then let's go find some more."
The long passage led deep into the palace-temple. I noticed that the central passages curved around the sanctum while the outer halls led straight. The few doors were spaced far apart. My mind wasn't too adept at architecture, but there was something amiss in this design.
I glanced at Darda who walked on my left. "Don't you think-" We rounded a corner and I collided with another speed-walker.
Books clattered to the ground at our feet. There was a soft curse from my gray-clad victim as he sat up.
I stooped down and scooped up the books. "Sorry about that."
"It's quite all right. I should not have been so hasty," the man replied as he knelt in front of me.
I lifted my head and smiled at him. "Ditto."
His eyes widened as he beheld my face. I saw that the left half of his own had been scorched by a terrible fire. The skin had regrown, but was a bright pink. His left eye was cloudy.
There was a tremble in his lips as he mouthed a single, whispered word. "Marcus."
I blinked at him. "Come again?"
He shook himself and cleared his throat. I saw he was a man of fifty with short, graying hair and a short beard. "I-I'm sorry. You just reminded me of someone."
I held out his books. "I doubt it. I've never been here before."
The man took the books and studied me for a moment before he shook his head. "No, I don't believe you have. But can I help you with something?"
I looked past him at the hall. "We were kind of hoping to find Apuleius somewhere around here."
He stood and bowed his head. "I will gladly take you to him as an apology."
I grinned and stood. "It's a deal."
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