temple. It was large. The walls were golden-veined cream marble, a few shades mellower than deathly white. The domed roof was hammered gold, reflecting the light of the sun in a blinding display of wealth. Atop the dome, almost lost in the glare, was a spherical crystal held aloft on a thin, golden spire like a second sun.
Tyll glanced at him as they dismounted. “The ylion is an ally.”
“I remember. I still find that passing strange.” Pajel tied his horse to the hitching post and nodded to Tyll in a professional manner.
Tyll nodded back and headed up the steps.
Pajel followed, playing the bodyguard once more. The tingle hit as soon as his foot touched the bottom step. By the time he’d climbed the dozen steps up to the temple entrance, the tingle was an unpleasant burning sensation. From the reports he’d read, this would only get worse.
They walked right past the young temple guards posted at the doors and into the temple.
Pajel school his features into blankness as he tried to cope with the pain of walking inside a sun temple uninvited.
Tyll led the way swiftly, and soon, they were at a pair of closed doors guarded by attentive men who didn’t seem too keen on allowing them past.
“I am Bard Tafflynn. Ylion Forael and I are friends. Please tell him that I wish to speak with him.”
“Tafflynn?” One of the guards looked at him carefully then nodded. “I remember you. The Dark Bard. Enrick, I’ll be right back.” The guard slipped through the doors, leaving Enrick alone.
Pajel waited at Tyll’s back impassively but not for long.
The guard returned and waved them through. “Go right on in. The ylion is expecting you.”
Forael was an older man, with wild silver hair and a face lined with age. But his pale blue eyes shone with intelligence, and the power that surrounded him was unmistakable. He looked from Tafflynn to Pajel and said, “I invite you both into my temple. Be welcome here, cousins.”
The searing pain of the floor vanished abruptly, though a low-level itch remained.
Tyll inclined his head, “I thank you for your courtesy, Ylion. This is my, ah, bodyguard, Anehas.”
Forael’s lips twitched as he regarded Pajel steadily. “I am sure that isn’t your real name or position, but it will do for now. Welcome to Koilatha. Unfortunately, at this time of year, nobody of any rank remains in the city.”
“We heard,” said Tyll dryly. “Summertown, yes? Why aren’t you there?”
“I remain with my temple. Tasebius is now the senior assigned to the royal court—he is in Summertown as he must be.” Forael smiled faintly and Pajel refrained from nodding. Rak’s reports had spelled out how the ylion had fallen into disfavor with his anti-slavery stance. Rumor had it that the mother sun temple in Klyma was considering whether to send the Sun Inquisitors to purge this temple of heresy.
“I see,” said Tyll. He shrugged a shoulder. “I will be heading to Summertown tomorrow, but I wished for the two of you to meet. Anehas may remain here in Karpos; he is tasked with investigating the chaos temple.”
Forael’s expression turned grave. “I pray that you will be most careful, cousin Anehas. That temple, even in a ruined state, is deadly dangerous.”
“All the works of the Unmaker are dangerous,” Pajel replied, unruffled. “This will not be the first chaos temple I have infiltrated.”
“Ahh, you are one of those Kephi who crosses the border regularly?”
Pajel almost smiled at the Ylion’s circumspect description. “Indeed I am.” Their talk turned strictly to pleasantries after that, and before long, Tyll and Pajel said their farewells and received assurances that they were always welcome to visit. Pajel was relieved to exit the sun temple, and once free of the building’s area of influence, he said, “Let’s find an inn.”
Chapter Thirteen: Rak’s Exam
Rak concentrated on the page before him, using a charcoal stick to quickly sketch what he
Tyll glanced at him as they dismounted. “The ylion is an ally.”
“I remember. I still find that passing strange.” Pajel tied his horse to the hitching post and nodded to Tyll in a professional manner.
Tyll nodded back and headed up the steps.
Pajel followed, playing the bodyguard once more. The tingle hit as soon as his foot touched the bottom step. By the time he’d climbed the dozen steps up to the temple entrance, the tingle was an unpleasant burning sensation. From the reports he’d read, this would only get worse.
They walked right past the young temple guards posted at the doors and into the temple.
Pajel school his features into blankness as he tried to cope with the pain of walking inside a sun temple uninvited.
Tyll led the way swiftly, and soon, they were at a pair of closed doors guarded by attentive men who didn’t seem too keen on allowing them past.
“I am Bard Tafflynn. Ylion Forael and I are friends. Please tell him that I wish to speak with him.”
“Tafflynn?” One of the guards looked at him carefully then nodded. “I remember you. The Dark Bard. Enrick, I’ll be right back.” The guard slipped through the doors, leaving Enrick alone.
Pajel waited at Tyll’s back impassively but not for long.
The guard returned and waved them through. “Go right on in. The ylion is expecting you.”
Forael was an older man, with wild silver hair and a face lined with age. But his pale blue eyes shone with intelligence, and the power that surrounded him was unmistakable. He looked from Tafflynn to Pajel and said, “I invite you both into my temple. Be welcome here, cousins.”
The searing pain of the floor vanished abruptly, though a low-level itch remained.
Tyll inclined his head, “I thank you for your courtesy, Ylion. This is my, ah, bodyguard, Anehas.”
Forael’s lips twitched as he regarded Pajel steadily. “I am sure that isn’t your real name or position, but it will do for now. Welcome to Koilatha. Unfortunately, at this time of year, nobody of any rank remains in the city.”
“We heard,” said Tyll dryly. “Summertown, yes? Why aren’t you there?”
“I remain with my temple. Tasebius is now the senior assigned to the royal court—he is in Summertown as he must be.” Forael smiled faintly and Pajel refrained from nodding. Rak’s reports had spelled out how the ylion had fallen into disfavor with his anti-slavery stance. Rumor had it that the mother sun temple in Klyma was considering whether to send the Sun Inquisitors to purge this temple of heresy.
“I see,” said Tyll. He shrugged a shoulder. “I will be heading to Summertown tomorrow, but I wished for the two of you to meet. Anehas may remain here in Karpos; he is tasked with investigating the chaos temple.”
Forael’s expression turned grave. “I pray that you will be most careful, cousin Anehas. That temple, even in a ruined state, is deadly dangerous.”
“All the works of the Unmaker are dangerous,” Pajel replied, unruffled. “This will not be the first chaos temple I have infiltrated.”
“Ahh, you are one of those Kephi who crosses the border regularly?”
Pajel almost smiled at the Ylion’s circumspect description. “Indeed I am.” Their talk turned strictly to pleasantries after that, and before long, Tyll and Pajel said their farewells and received assurances that they were always welcome to visit. Pajel was relieved to exit the sun temple, and once free of the building’s area of influence, he said, “Let’s find an inn.”
Chapter Thirteen: Rak’s Exam
Rak concentrated on the page before him, using a charcoal stick to quickly sketch what he
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