Chapter 48: Words of the Pontifarch (1)

Chapter 48: Words of the Pontifarch (1)

After they stepped out of the coffee shop, Katayoun linked her arm with Xerxes. It sent tingles down his arm and into the depths of his torso. As they wound their way through the aisles of the bazaar, he tried to clear his head and failed.

Okay, its around the next corner, Katayoun said quietly. You ready?

Ready, he said immediately, even though he didnt feel like he was.

Just pretend like youre bored.

But not too bored.nove(l)bi(n.)com

Right.

The corner led to a very small but uncrowded aisle that abutted a section of city wall. Like most areas in which the city and the bazaar met, the wall had shops built into it. They passed a tent-maker, a honey peddler, and a fletcher. Then came a sturdy wooden door, seemingly unmarked. However, at the edges of the lintel were scratches that might have seemed random to someone unused to neighborhoods like this. There were four triangular shapes in a row, followed by a rough circle.

Thats it, he murmured. Flower Villa.

Are you nervous? she asked.

He suppressed his instinct to say he wasnt. Yeah. You?

Same.

Well do fine.

They maintained silence for the final few steps to the door. He glanced over his shoulder and didnt see anything or anyone suspicious.

Katayoun knocked on the door, two times as the invitation indicated. Following the instructions, she waited for about ten seconds, then knocked again once.

More seconds passed.

Welcome, said the man in silk. Have a seat. Well begin in a minute. Were expecting one more attendee.

There? Katayoun whispered to Xerxes, gesturing at two chairs at the end of one of the rows, somewhat close to the man in the floppy hat.

Xerxes nodded and heaved a sigh. As they sat, she slipped her arm out of his, but snagged his fingers with hers.

Were holding hands, he thought, then immediately cursed himself for thinking something so obvious.

This whole thing was surreal. On the one hand, he was on Sin-Amuhhu with the girl of his dreams. At the same time, he was on a mission to infiltrate the Cult of the Eternal Father, which was involved in an unprecedented Abhorrent attack on the Pontifarchs empire.

Wait, the Pontifarch? He wasnt supposed to believe in the Pontifarch. So who exactly was he fighting for? He squeezed Katayouns hand, and when she squeezed back, all of the complicated thoughts vanished.

Just keep a cool head.

Minutes of silence passed by that were borderline agony for Xerxes. As Seers, he and Katayoun could communicate mentally by leaning their heads close to each other. But theyd been instructed not to. He tried to look bored, but not too bored. Whatever that meant.

He wondered what the others in the room were thinking. What would happen next? Would he and Katayoun be called out for being students at the Institute?

Alright! said the man in silk, his voice coming so abruptly that Xerxes twitched. He felt Katayoun nearly jump as well, and the man in the floppy hat looked like hed been startled as well. I guess our other attendee is a no-show. But thats fine. The more intimate, the better. Itll give us a chance to really get to know each other. And with no further ado welcome to this little meeting. The man sat up, resting his elbows on his knees and leaning forward. You can call me Navraj.

He looked over the assembled group, his eyes slightly narrowed, the faintest hint of a grin at the edges of his mouth.

Youre all here because you want to know more about whats really going on in this empire. The truth. About magic. About Sighted and Unsighted. About the Pontifarch. You see, what people widely believe to be a reality in these starisles is actually false. The truth is much simpler, but the Pontifarch he lowered his voice doesnt want anyone to know. Not even the Annunaki.

Bullshit, Xerxes thought. The Pontifarch himself was keeping secrets, even from the Annunaki, and this random fellow in a side alley of the Gula Bazaar knew the truth? It seemed ridiculous.

On the other hand, Xerxes found the mans words oddly reminiscent of sermons at temples of the One Faith hed attended since childhood. The One Faith taught there was a secret truth that only they knew about, while everyone else in the starsea wallowed in ignorance.

Keeping his fingers interlocked with Katayouns, he leaned forward.