there been an account of a priestess before her that had moved the crystal by herself? Jewel’s brow furrowed as she struggled to bring the memory up. Yes, there had been, but she couldn’t remember the name…what had been the priestess’s name?
“I think perhaps I need to pray to Elahandra about this. She might have a solution for the problem.”
“I certainly hope so. I can’t imagine how we’ll get it back up that hill otherwise.”
“Logs and ropes and a hundred strong mules, belike,” Rialt suggested darkly.
Jewel, trying to imagine this, winced. I’m definitely praying for guidance. “Let’s not borrow trouble. I’ll ask Elahandra tonight before retiring. Shall we get up early tomorrow and go hunting for the crystal?”
“Eh, might as well. The sooner we do so, the sooner we can move to the next.”
“Then I’ll say goodnight.” She walked passed both of them into the house. Even after an afternoon of navigating the place, she still hesitated a bit before she found the stairs. Part of the cause to her hesitation lay in the fact that Rialt did not, by any stretch of the imagination, keep an organized house. After having a stream of visitors, the house was now a bit more topsy turvy than usual, to boot. Still, she found the stairs without tripping over anything and went up to the guest room on the right. Rialt’s house only had two bedrooms upstairs, and she had been given to understand that Sarvell would share a room with his host for the duration of their stay.
This room had its own hearth, well fed with burning logs. The room held nothing more than a washstand near the window, a chest near the footboard, and a bed that sat squarely in the center of the room. The bed had a thick, soft tick that threatened to swallow her whole. After nights of lying on damp stone floors or rocky ground, the bed felt like paradise to her.
She slid out of her clothes and shoes, laying them across the top of the chest. Clad only in a borrowed nightshirt, she dove into the bed and wiggled about until her legs were covered with the quilt. Comfortable, she clasped her hands together and bowed her head.
Elahandra, I am very blessed to have such good men as my protectors. Thank you for sending them to me.
“You are quite welcome, ” her goddess answered with affection. “ I am pleased to see that Ramath has shown you such warm hospitality.”
Yes, they’ve been very kind. A little too boisterous, but that is apparently their way.
“It is indeed. You have a question you want to ask me?”
When we find the crystal, how should we move it? I remember a story of a high priestess far in the past that had cause to move one of the crystals. She apparently did it on her own, but I’m not sure if that is an accurate account.
“Oh, the story is true enough. Do not worry, Jewel. When the time comes for you to move it, you shall be able to.”
That answered her question, and yet…didn’t. Hmm. Jewel frowned and tried rephrasing. That is very reassuring, but how?
“Don’t worry,” Elahandra repeated, voice rich with unvoiced laughter. “ When you find it, you will be able to move it.”
Obviously her goddess wasn’t in the mood to explain anything. Occasionally, Elahandra did things like this—gave her tasks that required she take a certain amount on faith. Her guardians wouldn’t be pleased by this vague reassurance, but Jewel had no doubt that Elahandra would be true to her word. When they found the crystal, Jewel would be able to move it. It might take that hundred mules, but they’d be able to.
I understand.
“ Sleep well, Jewel.”
Chapter Seven
They could no go directly out of the city, of course. As Jewel had warned them afore, they had to make a formal visit to the temple of the clan’s god and the Temple of Elahandra afore she could work any. They had already more-or-less spoken to Juven, so that temple they could skip. But the Temple of Elahandra still needed to be seen to, so after
“I think perhaps I need to pray to Elahandra about this. She might have a solution for the problem.”
“I certainly hope so. I can’t imagine how we’ll get it back up that hill otherwise.”
“Logs and ropes and a hundred strong mules, belike,” Rialt suggested darkly.
Jewel, trying to imagine this, winced. I’m definitely praying for guidance. “Let’s not borrow trouble. I’ll ask Elahandra tonight before retiring. Shall we get up early tomorrow and go hunting for the crystal?”
“Eh, might as well. The sooner we do so, the sooner we can move to the next.”
“Then I’ll say goodnight.” She walked passed both of them into the house. Even after an afternoon of navigating the place, she still hesitated a bit before she found the stairs. Part of the cause to her hesitation lay in the fact that Rialt did not, by any stretch of the imagination, keep an organized house. After having a stream of visitors, the house was now a bit more topsy turvy than usual, to boot. Still, she found the stairs without tripping over anything and went up to the guest room on the right. Rialt’s house only had two bedrooms upstairs, and she had been given to understand that Sarvell would share a room with his host for the duration of their stay.
This room had its own hearth, well fed with burning logs. The room held nothing more than a washstand near the window, a chest near the footboard, and a bed that sat squarely in the center of the room. The bed had a thick, soft tick that threatened to swallow her whole. After nights of lying on damp stone floors or rocky ground, the bed felt like paradise to her.
She slid out of her clothes and shoes, laying them across the top of the chest. Clad only in a borrowed nightshirt, she dove into the bed and wiggled about until her legs were covered with the quilt. Comfortable, she clasped her hands together and bowed her head.
Elahandra, I am very blessed to have such good men as my protectors. Thank you for sending them to me.
“You are quite welcome, ” her goddess answered with affection. “ I am pleased to see that Ramath has shown you such warm hospitality.”
Yes, they’ve been very kind. A little too boisterous, but that is apparently their way.
“It is indeed. You have a question you want to ask me?”
When we find the crystal, how should we move it? I remember a story of a high priestess far in the past that had cause to move one of the crystals. She apparently did it on her own, but I’m not sure if that is an accurate account.
“Oh, the story is true enough. Do not worry, Jewel. When the time comes for you to move it, you shall be able to.”
That answered her question, and yet…didn’t. Hmm. Jewel frowned and tried rephrasing. That is very reassuring, but how?
“Don’t worry,” Elahandra repeated, voice rich with unvoiced laughter. “ When you find it, you will be able to move it.”
Obviously her goddess wasn’t in the mood to explain anything. Occasionally, Elahandra did things like this—gave her tasks that required she take a certain amount on faith. Her guardians wouldn’t be pleased by this vague reassurance, but Jewel had no doubt that Elahandra would be true to her word. When they found the crystal, Jewel would be able to move it. It might take that hundred mules, but they’d be able to.
I understand.
“ Sleep well, Jewel.”
Chapter Seven
They could no go directly out of the city, of course. As Jewel had warned them afore, they had to make a formal visit to the temple of the clan’s god and the Temple of Elahandra afore she could work any. They had already more-or-less spoken to Juven, so that temple they could skip. But the Temple of Elahandra still needed to be seen to, so after
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