Louise Cooper - Indigo 06 - Avatar (19 page)

Before long, she too slept.

Uluye’s quarters were located on the citadel’s second level. As befitted the dwelling of the cult’s High Priestess, the cave that housed her was larger than any other save for the oracle’s own, and signs and sigils had been carved over the entrance. Shalune glanced at these decorations as she approached the cave, and read the familiar messages that, like the oracle’s cave on the level above, proclaimed these quarters and their occupant sacrosanct and entrance forbidden to any unauthorized person. Her lip curled in a faint sneer at Uluye’s arrogance in placing herself on a par with the oracle, and ignoring the protocol that obliged her to call out meekly and await a summons, she thrust the curtain aside and walked in.

Uluye was sitting in an ornate chair, waiting for her—and behind her, face muscles rigid and eyes miserable, was Yima. Shalune knew instantly what her presence implied, and her heart sank. She avoided the imploring gaze that Yima directed toward her behind her mother’s back, and made a cursory formal bow.

“How is she?” Uluye’s eyes glinted in the cave’s relative gloom.

“Sleeping, as before. I don’t think she’ll wake for some time yet, but I’ve told Inuss to alert me if there’s any change.” Uluye hadn’t offered her a seat; Shalune took one anyway.

Uluye folded her hands with a slow and deliberate movement. “I have told Yima of the message that the Ancestral Lady imparted to us,” she said and met Shalune’s eyes intently. “You, I presume, also heard the oracle’s words?”

Again Shalune took great care not to look at Yima. “Yes,” she replied. “I heard.”

“There can be no doubt of the Ancestral Lady’s meaning, Uluye went on. ”So we must waste no time, Shalune. Yima’s initiation trial must take place as soon as possible.“

Shalune stared down at her hands where they rested on her knees. “I see,” she said, then looked up. “You
are
sure, Uluye? Sure, I mean, that Yima’s ready?” Now she did venture a glance at the girl, but it was brief and gave nothing away.

Uluye smiled with utter confidence. “Even if I were uncertain—and I presume to think I know my own daughter well enough—the Ancestral Lady herself clearly is not. Can you possibly doubt her message?”

“No.” Shalune had to admit it; she might wish that the oracle’s words hadn’t been uttered, but she couldn’t deny their validity or place any other interpretation on them. “No, I can’t.”

“Then I take it you have no objections?” Uluye’s tone suggested that any dissent would not be well received.

Shalune couldn’t dissemble without arousing suspicion, and that was something she dared not risk. She said, keeping her voice even, “None whatever.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Now; the moon is waning, and of course that isn’t auspicious. However, the coming new moon will coincide with a favorable seasonal augury. I will perform the necessary divinations, and if all’s well, the rite will take place on the first night after dark moon.”

Fortunately, Uluye was too preoccupied to hear Yima’s sharply truncated intake of breath. Shalune flicked the girl a rapid warning glare and said cautiously, “The first night after dark moon? That’s very short notice, Uluye.”

“Are you telling me you’re not able to make the preparations in tune?”

“No, no. That isn’t a problem. I was thinking of Indigo. Yima may be ready, but will Indigo?”

“Her only duty will be to act as Yima’s escort; she need do nothing more. Besides,” a small, surreptitious gesture conveyed a clear warning to Shalune to speak guardedly in Yima’s presence, “I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of our recent discussion, especially in the light of this morning’s events.”

So she
had
decided to put Indigo to the test. Shalune wasn’t surprised, though she didn’t like the prospect at all. She licked her lips. “I’m not happy about it, Uluye; not so soon. We’ve hardly had time to make any judgment—”

“That’s no longer relevant. The Ancestral Lady has made her wishes known to us, and it’s our duty to obey her.
She
will be Indigo’s judge. It is her will; that is quite clear.”

Abruptly Uluye rose to her feet. It was a signal, Shalune realized, that she had issued her instructions and therefore considered any further debate irrelevant. “A full gathering will be called this evening and I’ll tell the citadel of my decision then. In the meantime, I leave it to you to inform Indigo and to instruct her in what she’ll be required to do. If she wishes to ask me any questions, I shall be available.”

It was a dismissal, and there was nothing Shalune could say. She made her farewells, bowed and left the cave. Emerging into the full, searing heat and brilliance of the sun, she started along the ledge, then paused and looked up to the highest level of the cave system. She wanted to run up the staircase to Indigo’s cave, find Inuss and speak to her immediately, but a deeper instinct warned her against rashness. She should take time to think clearly and rationally before making any move, for her entire strategy must now change, and that meant a need for detailed and very careful planning. She’d take an hour to collect her wits and marshal her thoughts.
Then
she would speak to Inuss; not before. It was safer that way.

She walked to the end of the ledge and onto the next downward flight of stairs. She was almost at the bottom when, from somewhere overhead, a voice hissed her name. Shalune looked up and saw Yima on the ledge above her. The girl gestured urgently; the fat woman glanced down, then along the ledge at her own level. There was no one else about. Looking up again, she nodded quickly and beckoned.

They moved into the shade of one of the rough-hewn pillars at the staircase junction. It was cooler here and, more pertinent, anyone traversing the levels above or below would be unlikely to see them. Yima took hold of Shalune’s hand and clutched it, gasping to regain the breath drained from her by running in the heat. “Shalune—oh, Shalune, what am I going to do?‘

“Quiet, now.” Shalune extricated her fingers and laid a gentling hand on Yima’s shoulder to stem her trembling. “It’ll do no good to get hysterical. We have to think before we act.”

“But there’s so little
time
! Dark moon’s only nine or ten days away, and we’ll never persuade Mother to grant me longer. You know how she is—once something’s fixed in her mind, she won’t be swayed.

“I know, child, I know.” Shalune was frowning, thinking hard.

“Once the ceremony takes place, I’ll be lost!” Yima continued, on the verge of tears now. “I can’t let it happen, Shalune, I
can’t
! I’ll have to run away, I’ll have to flee the citadel—”

Shalune interrupted her emphatically. ‘ ’That’s out of the question. Your mother would miss you immediately and she’d order a hunt. She wouldn’t rest until you were found. There must be a better solution than that.“

“But
what
?” Yima shut her eyes tightly for a few moments, then quickly opened them again. “I could feign illness. Better still, I could
become
ill. You’re our finest healer, Shalune; surely you could give me a potion that would bring on a fever and force the initiation to be postponed?”

“That’s possible,” Shalune conceded cautiously. “But it’s an option I’d rather not take unless all else fails.”

“It would at least give us more time.”

“True, but I’m not anxious to risk your safety. The fever herbs aren’t to be trifled with, and something could easily go wrong.” Shalune held up a hand to silence Yima, as she seemed about to protest. “No, listen to me. I’ll speak to Inuss. It may be that we can make ready in time to fall in with your mother’s plan, and if that’s possible, it’s our best solution.”

Yima wasn’t happy with that. “It’s dangerous, Shalune. You’ll be putting yourself at risk, and I don’t want you to do that for me.”

“I have a selfish reason, too, Yima. Don’t ever forget that. It’s for all our sakes, not yours alone. Now, you’d best go before your mother sends for you again. You’ll have little time to call your own from now on.”

“But what shall I do about Tiam? I must see him, Shalune. I have to tell him what’s happened!”

Shalune shook her head firmly. “No, child, you can’t see Tiam again for the time being. Your mother will be watching you too closely. I’ll see to it that he knows what’s happened here ... and if there are arrangements to be made, I’ll make them. Trust me.”

Yima acquiesced, though reluctantly. “I do trust you, Shalune. I’ll do as you say.”

“Good girl. I’ll see Inuss, and I’ll speak to you again later if I can. Go now.” She patted Yima’s arm. “And try not to fret.”

She watched the girl hurry away. Her mind was clearer now, and she believed she knew what must be done. A lot depended on Inuss, but Shalune was prepared to gamble that her protegee would be willing and ready to act now. Whether she would prove able was another matter, but that was a perennial risk, and the date set for the ceremony could make no difference.

Running footsteps on the ledge above alerted Shalune suddenly, and she looked up to see Inuss herself at the top of the stairway.

“Shalune?” If Inuss was puzzled to see her mentor lurking inexplicably by the pillar, she didn’t show it. “Indigo’s awake.”

“Awake?” Shalune started instantly toward the steps. “How does she seem?”

“Well enough, though I think she’s a little confused. I left Grimya guarding her.”

“I’ll go to her right away.” Shalune ran up the flight as fast as her weight and the heat would allow. As she stepped onto the ledge, she caught hold of Inuss’s arm and added in an undertone, “Then I want to talk to you, Inuss. Privately.”

The slight tensing of Inuss’s muscles showed that she understood. However, she asked no questions but simply said, “Yes, Shalune,” and stood back to let the senior priestess pass. She watched as Shalune headed toward the upper levels of the bluff, and though her expression was inscrutable, her eyes and the sudden quickening of her breath betrayed her excitement.

As Inuss had reported, Shalune found that apart from some lingering disorientation, Indigo seemed to have suffered no ill effects from her seizure. With Grimya anxiously watching, Shalune carried out a brisk, efficient examination of her patient, pronounced her fit, then stood back and gave her a long, shrewd look.

“Well,” she said. “Do you remember anything this time?”

Indigo sighed. “No.” A pause. “Did I speak during the trance? What did I say?”

Shalune opened her mouth to reply, “Nothing of any significance,” but then wondered if perhaps it would be better to make Indigo aware of the truth without delay. It also occurred to her that Indigo might be an invaluable ally in the days ahead, and for a moment she wondered if she dared take her into her confidence. But the temptation was eclipsed by innate caution. Unless she could be certain of Indigo—and that was impossible—she should hold her tongue.

She said at last: “I’ll tell you exactly what happened, for what help it may be to you.” She went on to describe the choking fit, her own intervention, and the emphatic message that Indigo had uttered as Uluye crouched over the bed.

Indigo frowned. “ ‘Come to me.’ What does it signify, Shalune? Do you know?”

“Uluye believes she does, that’s for certain,” Shalune said a little grimly.

“I don’t understand.”

“No ... well, I suppose I’d best tell you, or you’ll hear it soon enough from Uluye herself.” Shalune sat down. “You know, don’t you, that Uluye wants Yima to be her successor in due time?”

“So I understand. She’s been trained for the role since childhood, hasn’t she?”

“Yes. But there’s more to it than mere training. Our High Priestess may nominate her successor, but her choice must meet with the Ancestral Lady’s approval. Therefore, before her final initiation and confirmation, the candidate is taken before the Ancestral Lady in person, to be tested.”

Indigo looked blank. “In
person
? How?”

Now it was Shalune’s turn to seem nonplussed. “Through the Well,” she said; then suddenly it dawned on her that no one had explained the Well to Indigo, for until now there had been no need. “Ah, of course; how could you know? The entrance to the Well is under the heartstone of our temple square on the cliff top, and it leads to the Ancestral Lady’s own realm.”

Indigo stared at her, not sure of what she meant by “the Ancestral Lady’s own realm.” Was this Well simply a deep shaft or tunnel, leading perhaps to some underground labyrinth beneath the lake; or did the priestesses believe that it was a gateway between dimensions, a gateway that could lead them into the Ancestral Lady’s physical presence?

Grimya, reading her thoughts and her confusion, asked silently:
If they do believe that, Indigo, could it be true
?

Could it? Could the door between worlds really be as simple and as accessible as Shalune implied? Choosing her words with great care, Indigo asked aloud, “Do you mean that the candidate ... actually stands before the Ancestral Lady herself? Sees her face-to-face, as we see each other now?”

“Of course.” The depth of Indigo’s ignorance quite disconcerted Shalune. “The Well’s rarely used, of course. That’s why the Ancestral Lady granted us the oracle long ago, to make her will known to us without needing to summon us into her presence. But in the highest matters, we must go directly before her.”

“And Yima will be sent down through the Well to be ... presented to her?”

“Yes. That’s what Uluye took your words to mean, Indigo. The Ancestral Lady has decreed that the time for Yima’s testing has come.”

Again Indigo detected a grim note in Shalune’s tone, and she said, “You sound ...” She hesitated, then decided that she had nothing to lose by being blunt. “The word that comes to me is
dubious
. Do you not agree with Uluye?”

Shalune studied her face, as though she were unsure of how to respond and was looking for some sign that might guide her. Then, after a few moments, she smiled a little stiffly. “You mistake me, Indigo. Of course I agree with her.”

Grimya said:
She isn’t telling the truth. I see it in her eyes.

Indigo saw it too but before she could decide whether or not to challenge Shalune, the fat woman spoke again.