Priestess of the Eggstone (27 page)

I held the Eggstone to the light of the setting sun. The crowd waited. Warmth and energy surged down my arms. A halo of light in a wavelength that humans could not see surrounded the stone. I sensed it echo through my borrowed memories.

“Hail the Priestess of the Eggstone!” the Dresh’Nikterrit of Kishtosnitass shouted. “Heshk Bashnessit! Sacred Blasphemy!” His voice echoed in the stone space, the harsh consonants of the Sessimoniss language scraping across my ears.

A single voice picked it up. “Heshk Bashnessit!”

Another voice joined in, then another and another. The plaza rang with the cry. The priests of Sekkitass did not join in the shouting. The noise died. I lowered the Eggstone.

*You can go in now. They have accepted you as Priestess. At least for awhile.*

I didn’t need the Eggstone to tell me twice.

The doors opened into a wide hall, its cool stone shade beckoned. I walked inside. The doors thudded shut with a bone-shaking boom, like prison doors slamming. I swallowed hard.

A squad of brown robed guards marched us into the temple. Soft white light spilled from a strip of stone blocks high on the wall, lighting the long halls with a steady glow.

I lost track of the twists and turns. We went up several staircases and down a few more. The guards stopped in a short hallway outside a plain wooden door in the middle of one long wall. Memory told me it was the quarters for the Priestess.

The others followed me through. The latch clicked firmly, the lock twisting.

The wide room had a low ceiling and a number of low couches, backless benches with thick cushions. Beyond the room, straight back through a wide arch, sunlight poured down the walls. A smaller arch to my right led into a tiny room. I turned that way.

The room was bare except for a large block of stone in the center. The surface was covered with shallow, round dimples about the size of my palm. I placed the Eggstone in a central depression. It gave a satisfied sigh. I stepped away, rubbing my hand.

The entire block was uncut skystone, an Emperor’s ransom.

“Just think what that would be worth.” Jerimon ran a finger along one edge of the altar.

“It won’t get us out of here.” I felt oddly naked without the Eggstone. The memories still whispered in my mind, just fainter without the contact. My fingers tingled, wanting the weight of the stone in my hands.

Jerimon fingered a depression. “What is this anyway?”

“The altar of the Eggstone. Leave it alone, Jerimon,” I said sharply as he picked at one of the depressions. I rolled my hand over the Eggstone.

“Skystone?” Tayvis leaned in the doorway, his arms folded. I knew he wouldn’t be far away.

They were like two cats, circling. I’d had more than I could stand on the ship, I didn’t want to listen to them now. I scooped the Eggstone off the altar, ducking under Tayvis’ arm.

The wide arch led into a courtyard. The walls soared fifty feet, unbroken only by a wide ledge about fifteen feet up. The top, open to the sky, held streamers of orange cloud trailing raggedly through hazy blue. Lush plants edged the courtyard, planted thickly along the base. A few sported small yellow flowers. They intertwined, straining against each other for the sun, reaching for the ledge.

Water gurgled. Tiny spouts on the ledge spilled waterfalls. It splashed across leaves for only moment. The air smelled of damp earth, stone, and flowers.

There were two other doorways in the courtyard, one to my right and another straight ahead. I crossed the smooth stone of the courtyard to the far door. Beyond that was a sleeping chamber, one wide wall covered by intricately carved screens. A huge pad lay on the floor, big enough to sleep six adults. Blankets made of a coarse fiber and woven with garish stripes scattered over the pad.

A hanging curtain divided the last room into two sections. A curved trough about knee high carried water in one side of the room and out the other. The other side held a large basin set in the floor and a smaller one near the door. Pipes trickled water into the basins. I scooped up a handful and drank. It tasted of stone.

Jasyn followed me into the room. She trailed her hand through the water. “What are we going to do now?”

“We try to find a way to get out alive. Sessimoniss do not tolerate outsiders,” I explained, trying to put into words the feelings and emotions from the priestesses’ memories. “No one has ever left the planet, except for Sessimoniss.”

Tayvis and Jerimon crowded into the bathroom.

“We steal one of their ships and leave,” Jerimon said.

I shook my head. “Even if we got that far, I doubt we could fly one.”

“Why not?” Jerimon crossed his arms.

“Their ships are ancient technology. The controls would be completely different.”

“And I have no idea where we are,” Jasyn said. “That makes it a bit hard to navigate.”

“Why are we here, Dace?” Tayvis studied me, asking questions with his eyes.

Someone knocked at the outer door. I crossed the courtyard, the Eggstone clutched in my hand.

“Ask the Eggstone,” I said as I opened the door.

*  *  *

Four skitarrit entered, bearing steaming trays of food. They set them on a couch; pale gray grain with kizzt, green thorny leaves, and fish in an orange sauce.

Jerimon took one look at the kizzt eyes and shuddered.

Jasyn poked the orange sauce. “Space flight but no eating utensils.”

“They stole the ships, centuries ago.” I cradled the Eggstone, feeling its presence watching us.

“Dace, what are you thinking?” Tayvis asked.

I absently stroked the Eggstone. “I’m wondering if their biology could be a key.” I couldn’t figure out how to explain it. I had Sessimoniss memories, but I wasn’t Sessimoniss.

The fish had a weird, sweet taste to it. Sessimoniss taste buds were definitely different. The leaves were crisp. Once we picked off the spines, they were actually quite good. We finished the food then piled the trays near the door.

“What now?” Jerimon asked.

I shrugged. “Whatever you want. I’m going to sleep.” I pulled a cushion off one of the couches, dragging it into the altar room. It just fit behind the altar. I set the Eggstone on the skystone block.

*They will come at moonrise for Council.*

I lay on the cushion, staring at the glowing row of stone high on the wall. “What is Council?” I asked, knowing the answer would probably involve a lot more information than I really wanted.

The Eggstone thought for a long moment before sending the memories.

Scenes of a round room, filled with Sessimoniss. Anger, betrayal, loss—emotions flooded my mind. Stone floor cool against my feet, my claws clicking over the surface worn smooth through centuries. Sight of black, priests of Sekkitass watching from across the Council circle. My crest rose halfway, angry and threatened by their dark presence. Thousands of years of tradition circled through my head.

I woke to a pounding at the door. I stood, rubbing gritty eyes and pulling the robe straight. I heard the Sessimoniss hissing. I scooped up the Eggstone and hurried into the main room.

The Dresh’Nikterrit of Kishtosnitass stood barely inside the room. Several more Sessimoniss, very young males, crowded behind him. The Sessimoniss hissed, crests rising as they reacted to the presence of humans. I stepped forward, pushing myself in front of Jerimon. They would have to tolerate at least one human in their midst. I kept the Eggstone in full view, cradled in both hands. The Dresh’Nikterrit glanced at it, his eyelids flickering sideways.

“You have been summoned to Council,” he said.

If I’d read the memories right, each clan was supposed to send a representative to escort me. I noted the lack of colored slashes on tunics, marking these as very low ranking males.

“Dace?” Tayvis stepped closer to me.

“Stay here. As long as you keep the door shut, they won’t bother you, not in the priestess’ private chambers.”

He hesitated.

“I’ll be fine, Tayvis. You may not be if you come.”

He relented, moving back to stand with Jerimon and Jasyn.

“You have been summoned,” the Dresh’Nikterrit repeated.

“I have been insulted.” I swept out the door then down the hall, walking swiftly, hoping I remembered the way.

The Eggstone’s guards closed in, boxing me so I couldn’t see. They led me through the temple, outside to the plaza.

Pale streamers of blue, green, and yellow poured across the sky, punctuated by three moons. I paused, looking up. It was the most beautiful sky I’d ever seen.

My guards shifted their feet, unwilling to touch me. They started walking again. I had to walk with them or be trampled. We crossed the stone plaza then entered the low mound of the Council chamber.

It was carved down into the bedrock. Tiers of stone circled an immense expanse, a giant’s staircase. Smaller stairs separated the tiers into sections. A wide flat space at the bottom held eight throne-like chairs carved from the stone. I took my time walking down the nearest staircase. I entered the circle, crossing to the empty chair.

I stood in front of the massive chair, studying the room and gathering my thoughts. Only a handful of sections were occupied. The chamber could have held over a hundred clans; less than twenty waited. Seven of the Council waited for me, sitting in the seven stone thrones, representing the most powerful clans of the Sessimoniss. Each held a long spear, symbolic of their status. They still had very big, very sharp heads on them.

The Koresh’Niktakket, clan leader, of Kishtosnitass was in the middle on my right. From the Eggstone’s memories, Kishtosnitass Clan might support me. They were most tolerant to change, to new ideas. In centuries past, theirs was the clan that provided engineers, those who could build and maintain technology. The two clans flanking him were lesser clans, also more moderate in their views.

On my left, Koresh’Niktakket of Risskaratass glared in open distaste. Next to him was Koresh’Niktakket of Ruskarinatass. The last one on my left was Koresh’Niktakket of Keristass. I recognized his tunic markings. A representative from his clan slashed my shoulder on the Twinkle. I wondered if he regretted his clan member not killing me then.

Across the circle, I faced the High Priest of Sekkitass. A full dozen of his priests stood behind his chair. Their black tunics stood out among the garishly bright tunics of the others. Slashes of scarlet, like fresh wounds, striped their tunics, denoting their status. The malevolence of their collective glares hit like a physical blow. They hated me, hated the Eggstone. My very presence was blasphemy.

“You scorn our escort?” Risskaratass demanded as the brown robes filled in behind me and the young males sheepishly rejoined their own clans.

“You insult the Eggstone,” I replied. “You send dreshtarrit. Only Kishtosnitass has done me honor this night.” The stilted formality of Sessimoniss Council sat oddly in my mouth. The words and phrases filtered through eons of borrowed memories.

Risskaratass lifted his crest in anger.

Kishtosnitass slammed his spear butt against the floor. The sound echoed in the huge room. “Council has been called.”

I sat, keeping the Eggstone in plain sight on my lap. My feet dangled above the floor. I felt like a child playing grownup.

“I call for Testing,” Keristass said, his gaze fixed on the floor.

The Sesimoniss fell silent. My future depended on the decision Kishtosnitass made. If he recognized the call, I was in deep trouble. Every immature female of every tribe would gather. They would pass the Eggstone, one by one, until the Eggstone chose one to be Priestess. The displaced priestess, me, would be sacrificed on the altars of the bloody temple of Sekkitass.

“Testing has been called,” Kishtosnitass announced then slammed his spear butt against the floor.

I swallowed, my mouth suddenly very dry.

*You have perhaps a week before they gather,* the Eggstone informed me.

Kishtosnitass pointed the spear butt at Risskaratass. “You have called Council. Speak your grievance.”

The Koresh’Niktakket launched into a very long, very detailed list of offenses committed by the Keristass clan against his own.

The Eggstone fed information into my brain while he talked. Any clan could call Council, but it couldn’t be held unless all eight chairs were filled. The Eggstone had disappeared over seventy years previously, taken by someone and hidden on the world where Jerimon had picked it up. Its memories were blank for those years, as if it had been hibernating until I touched it. With a priestess, no matter how unorthodox, Council could once again be held.

The Eggstone dumped the entire history of the feud between Keristass and Risskaratass into my head. Six hundred years ago, Risskaratass negotiated a marriage contract with Keristass. Another clan of higher rank offered a better alliance in return for the same female. Risskaratass broke their original agreement and accepted the other offer. Keristass retaliated by stealing a dozen drosht from Risskaratass. Drosht were herd animals, status symbols for the clan that owned them. Keristass had also made a better alliance without telling the Risskaratass. Both of them broke the agreement. Both of them claimed to be the clan insulted. They had been raiding each other ever since.

Risskaratass finally finished. Keristass responded with his own very long, very detailed list. Neither of them mentioned the original double deception. He finished and both waited, standing in the center of the circle of chairs.

“Decide.” Kishtosnitass pointed a clawed finger at me.

The word echoed through thousands of years of memories. The Eggstone Priestess gave a decision, then the High Priest of Sekkitass. The Koresh’Niktakket of each clan then chose sides. Majority ruled. It was binding. Clans had been disbanded and destroyed for ignoring the decision of Council. I stared at his finger and thought as hard and fast as I had ever done.

Risskaratass clutched the shaft of his spear, his claws leaving dents in the wood. Keristass watched me, his crest half-raised in threat. Ruskarinatass shuffled his feet nervously. His clan lived in the land between the two feuding clans; they had taken the brunt of the destruction.