Page 145 of A Queen's Game
At first, Marietta wished to throw open the doors and walk the rest of the way; yet, the slowdown meant she could inspect each place of worship as they passed. To one side sat a temple made of pale-yellow stone. Golden yellow banners stamped with a chimera hung between ornate columns. Like the other temples, this one had an extensive set of steps leading to the top, adorned with shrubbery and statues decorating the path.
The statue out front brought uneasiness to Marietta’s chest, the figure’s features obscured with what was carved to be a veil. She marveled at the sculptor’s ability to chisel fabric from stone, to look as if a body peeked through the veil—neither man nor woman. It was ominous, almost shifting.
“Oramytiz,” Amryth said. “Deity of reality and deception.”
“The statue is stunning.” Marietta placed her hand upon the glass, wishing to be closer.
“You should see the other side.”
Marietta turned her gaze to the temple across the way. Taupe-colored stone, much to the same style as the others, with light gray banners divided by a lightning bolt, rose before her. The statue was of a woman with curled hair twirling over herhead as if a gust twisted it up. At her feet was a false cliff face, the stone carved to look as if stones crumbled away from the base. A stirring woke in her chest, ever so slightly, like the goddess’ twisting hair.
“Seidytar, goddess of chaos and order.” Amryth leaned forward, looking to the following building. “And that,” she said, pointing, “is Kystrorgiste, god of creation and destruction.”
The vibrant red stone was shocking next to the gray, with the familiar flame inside a water droplet on crimson banners. Before them rose the statue of a long-haired god, one arm raised with water expelling from the hand, and the other curled below with flames. “I know this one.” A smile pulled at her lips, the memory returning a crackling, heated sensation to her heart. “I had a handful of friends sworn to this deity.”
Amryth snorted a laugh. “You had friends who were attendants, yet you never asked about their god or temple?”
Marietta shrugged. “I was never one for religion.”
As they neared the last temple before Therypon’s, Marietta marveled at the black stone temple, ominous against the bright blue sky. Statues of people in pain, of the elderly, of those collapsing into the arms of another, lined the steps. “Those are ghastly.”
“That they are. Zontykroi, god of life and death.”
A black crescent below a thin circle outline marked bright white banners that flapped in the breeze, contrasting with the temple’s dark facade. The darkness reminded her of the King’s eyes, yet they were missing the amber flecks. Marietta shook the thought from her head, startled it even came up. Thinking of the King when he wasn’t present was a habit Marietta didn’t want to make.
The statue before the building was plain. A man with short-cropped hair and made of white stone was stark against the dark stone structure. His face was handsome, austere yet solemn.A heaviness filled her, like a weight on her chest. From that distance, it was hard to see, yet Marietta knew she wasn’t mistaken. “They didn’t carve ears.”
“None of the deities’ statues have ears,” Amryth noted, “to show that the gods belong to no race. Plus, no one knows what they would be in a mortal form.”
“Do they have a mortal form?” Marietta squinted as they passed, her eyes scanning the temple.
“Some scriptures say they do but no one has ever seen them.” She shrugged. “Lastly, of course, there’s Therypon, goddess of healing and pain.” A smile lined her lips as she stood.
“Now that we brought up the ears, I can’t remember if Therypon had them during my prayer. I remember her dark skin and hair, but not her ears.” She wracked her brain, trying to remember.
Amryth’s grip stilled on the handle. She turned slowly, brows furrowed. “You saw the goddess?”
“Yes, last time when—”
Amryth silenced her with a hand, peeking out from the carriage. “Say nothing about this until we’re inside the temple.”
Curious, Marietta bit her tongue. Wishing to ask Amryth why, Marietta refrained as they left the carriage, and the guards closed in. Unlike last time, they escorted Marietta up the steps, only stepping away when she entered the antechamber.
The temple was peaceful, the chapel quiet, with pious folk sitting in prayer to the goddess. Instead of sitting at the benches, Amryth led her off to the side of a hallway. After a few turns, she stopped at the door, knocking.
“Come in!” called a familiar chipper voice. Inside, Deania sat behind a desk, her long, dark hair loose and cascading over her cerulean blue tunic. She bit at her nails, reading a paper before she finally looked up. “Oh! What a surprise,” she said, jumpingto her feet. She skipped from around her desk, embracing Amryth on her tiptoes to make up for her lack of height.
The cleric turned her bright eyes to Marietta, arms opened. “It is wonderful to see you!” She wrapped Marietta in a hug before she responded. All she could do was laugh and embrace her back.
“Deania, will you knock that off!” chided a voice behind her. Coryn stepped into the room with a half-hearted scowl on his face. “You’ll scare off another one.”
She released Marietta, spinning on the spot. “For the last time, I did not scare him off!”
Coryn gave a face that said otherwise.
“Trust me—she isn’t going anywhere.” Amryth flagged them in, her smile faltering, giving way to tight lips.
The office was roomy and bright, with white walls, a small window, and blue tapestries. Next to Deania’s dark wood desk sat a couch and few chairs, of which Amryth took a seat.
