flavors and the sweetness of a liqueur rolled in her mouth. The wine packed a punch, opening her nostrils, leaving a blazing trail down to her stomach. She sipped it, eyeing the tray of food. Her appetite hadn’t returned, but it’d been more than a day since she’d eaten.
“Young phoenix, is your ingenium related to the flow or manipulation of energy, or do you have some affinity to heka?”
Doubt tightened her lips, but if Sothis had crossed the world to bring her here, she hoped Neith could be trusted. “I can project my thoughts and emotions.”
Neith leaned forward, keen interest twinkling in her otherworldly eyes. “How has it manifested?”
“I projected a realistic image of my father shooting himself while surrounded by humans. I didn’t understand what I was doing at the time, but they all thought it was real.”
The blonde woman stopped typing and stared along with Sothis.
“Continue,” coaxed Neith.
“When Cyrus and I…make love I generate an energy field. I lost control once and shattered windows.” That was a gross understatement. “And I killed a battle-guard of Sekhem.”
“How?” Sothis asked, twisting in her seat.
“I projected anger, my desire to see him suffer into a ball of energy. And he did suffer until his bloody carcass stopped flopping.”
The gaze of every warrior in the room fixed on Serenity.
“What else can you do, young phoenix? What is your secondary gift?”
Serenity shook her head. She was still coming to grips with the manifestation of her ingenium , but couldn’t think of any secondary gift.
“Ladies,” Neith said, pitch rising, “if this arrangement is to work, it will require complete disclosure. My patience is remarkable, but our time together is uncertain.” She looked at Sothis. “The Sodalitas hierarchy has always been a mystery. Are you a colony of Sekhem or a wing within?”
“House Sekhem is our beloved brother, not our great father. They have our allegiance. We often work in tandem, but we serve our own purpose.”
“Brothers so entangled in each other’s affairs you’re mistaken as one?” Neith’s brow furrowed.
House Herut and Aten had it wrong all these years. Not even the all-knowing Neith knew the truth about the Paladins.
“Sekhem has no hand in our affairs, but our leader has a seat on their Council.”
Discarding the feather, Neith rested her forearms on the desk. “Why would Sekhem give up one third of its controlling power to the Paladins when you’re not a wing upon its body?”
“It’s the price for our love.”
A chill nipped Serenity’s spine. The Paladins must be powerful indeed.
Neith eyed Sothis. “Do you serve the Paladins with a heart full of love?”
Serenity’s breath caught in her throat as she waited for the answer.
“I do.”
Heart squeezing, she rose and wandered to the open space where there should’ve been a window. She leaned against the railing. If all her mother’s love was for a pack of assassins, there was nothing left for her.
Fingers snapped in the distance. A warrior appeared at Serenity’s side, holding her backpack.
“Argyle will show you to your room.”
Serenity turned. “I’m not going anywhere. Apparently you’re the only one who can get this woman to spill her secrets. I intend to hear firsthand what the hell happened to my father.”
“You may read the transcripts at a later date.” Neith relaxed in her chair.
Sothis placed a hand on the desk. “I agreed to full disclosure to you, not my daughter.”
“Be at ease,” Neith said.
Serenity walked up to the desk. “I’m not waiting for transcripts that could mysteriously disappear. I’ve waited twenty-five years for answers. I can’t leave now.”
“It would be a mistake to confuse my kindness for weakness,” Neith said. “To have sanctuary is to follow my rules. Retire to your quarters. Join us tomorrow once you’ve rested.”
After supplicating for sanctuary, there was little room to maneuver. She
“Young phoenix, is your ingenium related to the flow or manipulation of energy, or do you have some affinity to heka?”
Doubt tightened her lips, but if Sothis had crossed the world to bring her here, she hoped Neith could be trusted. “I can project my thoughts and emotions.”
Neith leaned forward, keen interest twinkling in her otherworldly eyes. “How has it manifested?”
“I projected a realistic image of my father shooting himself while surrounded by humans. I didn’t understand what I was doing at the time, but they all thought it was real.”
The blonde woman stopped typing and stared along with Sothis.
“Continue,” coaxed Neith.
“When Cyrus and I…make love I generate an energy field. I lost control once and shattered windows.” That was a gross understatement. “And I killed a battle-guard of Sekhem.”
“How?” Sothis asked, twisting in her seat.
“I projected anger, my desire to see him suffer into a ball of energy. And he did suffer until his bloody carcass stopped flopping.”
The gaze of every warrior in the room fixed on Serenity.
“What else can you do, young phoenix? What is your secondary gift?”
Serenity shook her head. She was still coming to grips with the manifestation of her ingenium , but couldn’t think of any secondary gift.
“Ladies,” Neith said, pitch rising, “if this arrangement is to work, it will require complete disclosure. My patience is remarkable, but our time together is uncertain.” She looked at Sothis. “The Sodalitas hierarchy has always been a mystery. Are you a colony of Sekhem or a wing within?”
“House Sekhem is our beloved brother, not our great father. They have our allegiance. We often work in tandem, but we serve our own purpose.”
“Brothers so entangled in each other’s affairs you’re mistaken as one?” Neith’s brow furrowed.
House Herut and Aten had it wrong all these years. Not even the all-knowing Neith knew the truth about the Paladins.
“Sekhem has no hand in our affairs, but our leader has a seat on their Council.”
Discarding the feather, Neith rested her forearms on the desk. “Why would Sekhem give up one third of its controlling power to the Paladins when you’re not a wing upon its body?”
“It’s the price for our love.”
A chill nipped Serenity’s spine. The Paladins must be powerful indeed.
Neith eyed Sothis. “Do you serve the Paladins with a heart full of love?”
Serenity’s breath caught in her throat as she waited for the answer.
“I do.”
Heart squeezing, she rose and wandered to the open space where there should’ve been a window. She leaned against the railing. If all her mother’s love was for a pack of assassins, there was nothing left for her.
Fingers snapped in the distance. A warrior appeared at Serenity’s side, holding her backpack.
“Argyle will show you to your room.”
Serenity turned. “I’m not going anywhere. Apparently you’re the only one who can get this woman to spill her secrets. I intend to hear firsthand what the hell happened to my father.”
“You may read the transcripts at a later date.” Neith relaxed in her chair.
Sothis placed a hand on the desk. “I agreed to full disclosure to you, not my daughter.”
“Be at ease,” Neith said.
Serenity walked up to the desk. “I’m not waiting for transcripts that could mysteriously disappear. I’ve waited twenty-five years for answers. I can’t leave now.”
“It would be a mistake to confuse my kindness for weakness,” Neith said. “To have sanctuary is to follow my rules. Retire to your quarters. Join us tomorrow once you’ve rested.”
After supplicating for sanctuary, there was little room to maneuver. She
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