Page 17 of Unlikely Omega

I may wonder why my mother left me here, why I never heard Artume’s voice and whether this is the right path for me, but I have nowhere else to go. Nobody to turn to. I have to make this work.

Catch up with my duties. Be quiet. Be good. Do what I am told. Forget I ever awakened.

Stop the damn dreams.

Stop kneeling in front of the unnamed god.

Be an exemplary acolyte.

But before I reach the Prelate’s door, I see two priests standing around a corner, talking, and I hesitate. I recognize a face as he turns and coughs into his fist.

High Priest Elegos.

Should I walk past them? What are they talking about like that, in the shadow of the corridor? Should I stay back and try to listen in?

Their whispering voices reach my ears in short waves, and I think I hear priestess Arleth’s name and something about a dragon, when I shake my head.

No, just walk on by, I tell myself. No eavesdropping. No bad behavior. What if you’re caught? You want to avoid any more problems, remember?

But Elegos’ eye is on me the moment I round the corner and his brows draw together in a thundercloud of a scowl. “Acolyte.”

“High Priest.”

“What are you doing here at this time? Cleaning should have been finished by the third bell.”

Shit. I glance at the other priest, who turns out to be the high priest of Veiove, and find no sympathy on his lean face. “My apologies.”

“Apologies won’t cut it for much longer, acolyte.” He takes a threatening step toward me. He towers over me—which isn’t all that hard, as I’m on the short side. “Where is your blind priest now to save you, huh?”

“He’s not my priest,” I point out.

“That’s right, he’s not. And you’re not his. You belong to me, to Artume, to our cult.”

“Elegos,” the other priest starts, a hint of hesitation in his voice, “maybe we should—”

“Think I haven’t seen you kneeling in front of that unnamed god?” Elegos takes another step, and I back up until my back is pressed to the wall. The pail and brush drop from my hands and clatter to the floor. “Think I haven’t noticed you skulking about, listening in, flaunting yourself?”

“Flaunting myself?” I breathe, unable to stop myself. “What do you think—?”

Something hits my head, snapping it to the side. My ears buzz, and black spots flash in my eyes.

Dimly, I realize that he slapped me.

“Elegos,” the other high priest says again, rebuke in his voice, “this isn’t proper in such a public space. Control yourself.”

“Councilor Kaidan said she looks Fae and it’s true. Look at her! Probably been putting spells on us all along, since she arrived here.”

What is he talking about? I feel the spike of fear like a stab in my ribs. I glance at the other priest, blinking the spots from my eyes. “Please. I haven’t done anything.”

“Sooner or later, you’ll slip up,” Elegos says, finally allowing the other priest to pull him back, his face twisted with anger like a wild animal’s. “Your blood will betray you and you’ll burn at the stake, as you should, as your entire kind should.”

I can’t speak. There’s so much cold hatred in his voice.

“Come, Elegos,” the other priest says, his expression troubled. “Don’t dwell on old history. The Fae are gone. Any similarity is coincidental.”

With a growl, Elegos shakes the other man off and stalks away.

“Keep your head down,” the priest says to me, and I wish I knew his name. “Don’t give him cause to punish you.”

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