Bryn recalled the dazzling light of the alabaster chamber filling her with visions; recalled that once she'd wanted to be a priestess more than anything.
“Before you answer,” the First Priestess continued, “ you should know that I gave Clea the choice to continue studying in the Temple if she wished. She has chosen to return to the Eastland. Though I pointed out the likelihood of civil war between our queen and her father now that his perfidy has been revealed, Clea was adamant. Therefore I have sent a message to the Temple so that Bolivar and several of his soldiers will meet us in Tunise and escort her eastward.”
Bryn's heart lifted. The Temple without Clea would be a much warmer place. Without Clea and the Master Priest.
In her mind, she heard Renchald's voice again: There she will be with others of her kind. She will serve the Oracle. Might those words come true at last? “Would I be welcome?” she asked the First Priestess.
“ You would be welcomed by the First Priestess,” Ilona answered.
“I would like to serve the Oracle, yes,” Bryn answered. “And carry on Selid's legacy.”
Ilona nodded her stately head. “And you, Kiran?”
Kiran lifted an eyebrow. “Bolivar might need convincing before he allows Brock and me within a mile of the Temple walls.”
Brock snorted. “Convincing is a kind word, First Priestess. Bolivar may have to be assigned to the Eastland permanently after you make him escort Clea back to her papa.”
“I will intercede with Bolivar,” Ilona promised. “The Temple has need of wise owl-chosen and swan-chosen prophets.”
“Where will you find a wise swan-chosen prophet?” Brock asked, and then ducked a punch from Kiran.
“But wait!” Dawn cried. “Where does that leave us? Bryn, you must agree to travel with the troupe every spring.”
“So you must,” agreed Avrohom, grinning mischievously. “We'll help persuade the new Master Priest— whoever he may be—that you are needed for inspiration to write ballads of courage and adventure.”
Brock slapped his forehead. “Master Priest,” he muttered. He pulled something from his pocket. “Sorry, First Priestess, I meant to give this to you sooner, for the next Master Priest.” He opened his hand. Glittering in his palm was the keltice ring.
Ilona drew back. “Only the Master Priest may hold the keltice ring.”
Brock hung his head. “I probably violated at least two dozen sacred laws when I took it, but I only wanted to keep it from Lord Errington.”
Ilona stared into the laughing black eyes of the smith's son. “I cannot take it from you. No one but the Master Priest may hold it.”
Brock lifted an eyebrow. “ You trust me not to lose it before another Master Priest is selected?”
Ilona shook her head. “If I were to hold the keltice ring, it would destroy my powers.”
Brock frowned in confusion. Ilona rose from her chair and bowed to him: First Priestess greeting Master Priest of the Temple of the Oracle.
Kiran thumped Brock on the back. “She means you, Owl-face.”
At Brock's dumbfounded expression, Avrohom flung back his head and gave a delighted ululating cry. Soon everyone in the room joined the merriment. Even Jack, curled next to Kiran, lifted his head and howled his imitation of human laughter.
Zeb began beating his drums with great jubilance. Jeffrey grabbed his lute, Negasi his lyre. And Avrohom sang.
“No one could guess all the places I've seen,
and no one believe where I've gone.
I wander in joy through the places you dream
And give you the heart of my song.”
When the other guests in the inn heard the music of the Gilgamell Troupe, they broke in on the gathering of friends, begging the famous musicians to play for them, too. The troupe good-naturedly agreed to move to the main room of the inn. Word spread like fire until half the town joined them.
Kiran and Bryn danced together, dances of pure joy. No curse interfered with the grace of her steps; she dipped and rose like a golden breeze, her feet keeping perfect time with the drum. This night, there were no interruptions from unwanted partners. For song after song, they glided around the room until she laughingly declared she had to rest.
She went to sit with Dawn, and Kiran stepped outside with Jack. He gazed at the stars, dazzling flowers of light in the quiet field of eternity.
Jack's nose prodded his leg. The dog sat with his tongue out, grinning. “All right,” Kiran said. “ You're allowed to be smug.” Jack, it's time I found you a lady love.
Jack snuffled, shaking out his fur.
“ You don't think I could do as good a job for you as you've done for me?” Kiran said.
The dog sniffed disdainfully. Kiran kneeled beside him. “Thank you, my friend. You chose well.”
* * *
Bryn sat next to Dawn in a corner of the crowded inn, watching a few determined dancers make their way around the floor. In another corner, four Temple guards, looking stiff and out of place in the gathering, guarded Clea.
“The Temple won't be the same without Clea, will it?” Dawn said, rolling her eyes.
Bryn shrugged. “It's her choice to go home. She'd rather be in the Eastland when civil war arrives than stay with us. Ilona said she could continue to study at the Temple if she wished.”
“Without the power to cast curses? That would be like asking a vulture to live without carrion,” Dawn replied. “Not in her nature.”
“As a favor to myself,” Bryn said with a wink, “I'm going to forget her.”
“That reminds me—when you see Eloise, blast the sneer off her face, will you, Bryn? As a favor to me.”
Bryn laughed. “May she meet with a cyclone.”
“I'm glad Clea can't curse anyone again, but she can still make mischief—she's rich enough.”
Bryn leaned forward to poke her friend's shoulder. “So are you. But what else have you got? Friendship, music, and adventure.”
“True.” Dawn's azure eyes sparkled. “Speaking of adventure, where shall we travel next spring?”
Bryn smiled. “There's a certain beloved sinkhole some call Uste that I'd like to visit. Beyond that, I want to go wherever the music is playing.” She stood. “I'm going to find Kiran.”
“I saw him go out with Jack.” Dawn pointed to the door.
Outside, Kiran stood with Jack. Bryn gave a little skip toward them. Jack bounded to meet her, barking joyfully, leaping up to lick her face.
“ You shouldn't let him paw you that way,” Kiran said, smiling.
The moon's crescent shone beside silvery stars. With one accord, they turned toward the inn's stable, where Obsidian would be. “When Avrohom makes a tune of your journey to the queen,” Kiran said, “ your courage will be sung throughout the world.”
Bryn shook her head, smiling. “Without friends I'd be a coward.”
“I don't believe you.” He stopped outside the stable door, and turned to face her. His arms went round her, pulling her close.
He leaned down. As she kissed Kiran, Bryn's heart danced like a breeze through green fields.
And above them, a plume of thistledown caught the light of the stars.
Glossary
abanya (uh-bon-ya) The abanya can be thought of as the territory of the mind. Most people—if they think of it at all—consider it to be a symbolic realm only. The abanya is where dreams occur. Unseen by most, it exists constantly, interpenetrating normal physical reality.
dream body The part of a person that travels through the abanya.
inner barriers The border of an individual's inner landscape; the barriers may be fortified and strong or relatively weak. Broken barriers bring about ill health.
inner landscape The part of the abanya that reflects an individual person's inner nature.
* * *
Ayel (ai-yel) A member of the pantheon of gods of Sorana. Ruler of battle and warriorship. Associated with a planet that appears red in the sky.
Ellerth A member of
the pantheon of gods of Sorana. Ruler of Earth and its creatures. Associated with the Earth.
Keldes (kel-deez) A member of the pantheon of gods of Sorana. Ruler of the domain of the dead. Associated with a large planet.
Monzapel A member of the pantheon of gods of Sorana. Ruler of intuition. Associated with the moon.
Sendral A director (male) of an aspect of Temple life; e.g., there is a Sendral of Acolytes, a Sendral of Horses, a Sendral of the Vineyard.
Sendrata A director (female) of an aspect of Temple life; e.g., there is a Sendrata of Handmaids, a Sendrata of the Dairy, a Sendrata of Kitchens. Solz A member of the pantheon of gods of Sorana. Ruler of light and life. Associated with the sun.
Vernelda A member of the pantheon of gods of Sorana. Ruler of justice and love. Associated with a very bright planet often seen on the horizon in the morning and evening.
Winjessen A member of the pantheon of gods of Sorana. Ruler of thought, learning, and travel. Associated with the planet closest to the sun.
A DAVID FICKLING BOOK
Published by David Fickling Books
an imprint of Random House Children's Books
a division of Random House, Inc.
New York
Copyright © 2005 by Victoria Hanley
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright
Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,
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www.randomhouse.com/teens
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hanley, Victoria.
The Light of the Oracle/by Victoria Hanley.—1st American ed.
p. cm.
SUMMARY: Bryn, the daughter of a humble stone-cutter, is chosen to become a student
at the famous Temple of the Oracle, a training school for future priests and
priestesses.
eISBN: 978-0-307-53771-3
[1. Fantasy.] I. Title.
PZ7.H196358Li 2005
[Fic]—dc22
2004010732
v3.0
Victoria Hanley, The Light of the Oracle
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