A Virtue of Child - Chapter 5

I had Garbhan take the lead on putting together a hunting party made up of clergy and wardens. If he wanted the experience and responsibility, I was more than happy to give it to him.

Once I finally settled in my office at Balance and drank my first pot of Jing black tea of the day, I summoned both Gina and Little Bear. From both of their expressions, Gina had warned my chief warden of my conversation with Brother Garbhan and Magistrate DiCook.

“May we simply address the reason we are here without the social niceties?” Little Bear grumbled.

“I find that odd considering you are usually the one lecturing me for not adhering to them.” I stared at them both for a moment before I added in a more gentle tone, “Is it as bad as people are telling me?”

Gina snorted. “Actually, it’s worse. He’s not even leading dawn services anymore.”

Little Bear shot her a warning look, but Gina raised her chin and said, “She needs to know as the seat of Balance. This isn’t about their relationship.”

Little Bear dropped into one of my visitor chairs. For him to breach decorum in that manner meant he was truly disturbed. “You need to go visit him, m’lady.”

“And do you propose I do that?” I waved in the direction of my bedchambers. “The tunnels are shut down, and we’ve disabled the Temple entrances to prevent anyone, human or demon, to get inside the city again.”

Except I made a new passage in my quarters to hide the demon grimoire I’d confiscated from my mother after I beheaded her. The voices in the back of my mind encouraged me to make the passage bigger. Then I could create a new passage into Light so I could visit Luc whenever I wanted. He owed me after all the time he spent with Claudia in his bed—

With a deep breath, I ignored the voices. I really needed to focus on getting Light functional again. Garbhan couldn’t do everything, no matter how much he believed he could.

“You might want to try the front door,” Gina said dryly.

“I did,” I snapped. “He refused to see me.”

Though honestly, Luc’s head of household Istaqa was rather embarrassed when he asked me to leave the four times I traipsed across the boulevard to Light last month.

“Chief Warden Nicholas will hold Istaqa out of the way if you wish to try again,” Little Bear said.

“Nicholas disobeying a direct order from the high brother?” I shook my head. “Another demon attack is far more likely than that.”

“Not this time.” Little Bear grimaced. “He showed me the empty wine skins and bottles. He’s worried. Shi Hua is bedridden. Jeremy’s frightened for her and still having nightmares from the loss of Tandor. Garbhan is the only functional Light priest we have at the moment.”

“And it’s probably not a coincidence this creature is killing humans when we are low on light capable clergy,” Gina added.

“So you are expecting me to fix the high brother? He needs someone from Child, not me.” If Luc blamed me for my mother killing his child, so be it. Our relationship was illegal prior to the new edict anyway. Besides, the bitch tried to abort me. She was the reason I couldn’t give Luc a child anyway.

I blinked to clear the extra moisture from my eyes.

Gina placed her hands on the back of the other visitor chair. “I understand why the two of you are uncomfortable around each other. But you’re also taking your uncomfortableness out on Sister Shi Hua. You haven’t even tried to visit her in the last two months. She can’t come here, and she needs all the support she can get.”

“The ambassador and his concubine have been—”

“But Yin Li can’t be there all the time, and—” Gina shot a glance at Little Bear who gave her a slight nod.

She sucked a deep breath and continued, “Justice Yanaba is restricted to Balance until she delivers.”

I jerked to my feet. “Is she all right? Her baby’s not in danger, is she?”

“Calm down, m’lady.” Little Bear gestured for me to resume my seat. “She’s quite well, and so is the babe. This is a precautionary measure.”

“This is because I asked for her help this morning, isn’t it?” I slammed my fist onto the top of my desk. “Devin was furious she helped me with the rewind spell, and this is his revenge.”

“No, m’lady. This has nothing to do with the Healers Guild, though Master Healer Bly was not happy that Yanaba exerted herself this morning.” Little Bear sighed. “After the incident with Sister Claudia, the chief wardens met concerning protection of the remaining three Light pregnancies.”

“Three?” I feigned innocence.

“Nice try.” Sarcasm laced Gina’s words. “It’s a matter of time before Cedar Grove starts showing. And after your rather bold announcement of Lady Katarina’s condition, we all know you can see a pregnancy before the mother’s even aware.”

I grimaced. My congratulations had put a crimp in the duke and his wife’s relationship since she hadn’t told him. It hadn’t been one of my finer moments in manners and etiquette.

After clearing my throat, I asked. “So what precautions have you wardens put in place?”

“We’ve put together plans for getting all three priestesses out of the Temples if there’s another attempt on their lives. And it’s on a need to know basis,” he added sternly.

“But Yanaba is my responsibility,” I protested.

Gina chuckled. “High Brother Xander said the same thing. Neither of you are asking the young justice’s opinion.”

I swore under my breath. “This is about the price on my head.”

“We can’t give the Assassins Guild two easy targets in Balance,” Little Bear said, confirming my fears.

“Like having Yanaba preside in court,” I murmured. “She’s going to think I’m punishing her.” Maybe she deserved to be punished. She made no secret the Reverend Mother sent her here to spy on me, and if necessary, replace me.

I rubbed at the ache in my temples. I was obviously too tired if I were allowing petty thoughts like that to cloud my mind. Except the voices confirmed that I was right to feel the way I did.

My stomach rumbled. I had broken my fast far earlier than normal this morning. And maybe the ache in my head would go away with a decent meal. It was only logical to take advantage of Light’s hospitality and their cook’s excellent cuisine during the midday meal.

“I’ll visit with Sister Shi Hua now, and attempt—” At my wardens’ pleased expressions, I held up my right palm. “—attempt to speak with the high brother. I make no guarantees.”

“Even an attempt would sooth Nicholas’s concern,” Gina murmured.

“I don’t think I will miss your nagging when you leave with Chief Justice Elizabeth,” I snapped.

Gina merely grinned. “I’ll miss everyone here as well, m’lady.”

* * *

Wardens Daniel and Ahiga accompanied me to the Temple of Light, even through it was quite literally across the street from the Temple of Balance. Ever since the Assassins Guild’s attempt to slit my throat on the steps of Light, my wardens wouldn’t let me travel outside our Temple walls without them. Since the renewed demon attacks, I could barely go to the privy without one of them either.

The Light warden guarding the main doors inclined his head to me and my escort. He didn’t bar me from entering the Temple itself.

My escort and I strode into the main sanctuary. Except for the crisp scent of incense from the dawn services and the orderly benches, it was empty. Not even one of the private consultation rooms were in use. The eternal flame at the base of the statue of Light glowed with its blinding white light.

One of the attendants entered the sanctuary and bowed to me. No doubt Istaqa sent his staff member out to meet me because the Light head of household was tired of dealing with my demands.

“I beg forgiveness, Lady Justice, but the high brother—” he began.

“I’m here for a social visit with Sister Shi Hua,” I said. “I regret I have been remiss in allowing my duties to interfere with our friendship.” My stomach rumbled again.

“She would be most pleased if you would join her for the noon meal.” The attendant bowed to me again before leading the way to Shi Hua’s quarters. It wasn’t like I didn’t know where they were, but caution reinforced the Temple protocols.

Warden Mateqai stood at attention beside the priestess’s door. He inclined his head and knocked on the lacquered wood.

“Yes?” Shi Hua called out.

Mateqai opened the door a crack and peered inside. “The chief justice is here to see you, m’lady.”

“Anthea! Come in!”

Mateqai turned to face me with a barely suppressed grin. “Sister Shi Hua will see you now, Lady Justice.”

I entered the priestess’s bed chambers. The tingle of light balls caressed my skin. Shi Hua herself was propped on a multitude of pillows on her bed to the extent she looked like a child’s doll. Her hair was loose and cascaded over her shoulders. Instead of a uniform tunic and leggings, she wore a cotton shift that accommodated her growing belly. Her bright smile lifted my own spirits.

“How are you doing?” I crossed to the bed and hugged her.

“I’ll be better,” she said. I released her and sat down in the chair next to her bed. She glared at Mateqai. “Once all the nosey wardens close my door.”

He promptly obeyed her, and her wards sprung up in the room the instant the door shut and latched.

I pushed back my hood and cocked my head. “Is that really necessary?”

She groaned, leaned her head back against the pillows, and closed her eyes. “You have no idea, Anthea. I never dreamed kindness could be used as a torture device. They treat me like a total invalid.”

“They’re concerned about your welfare and the babe’s,” I murmured.

She opened her eyes and glared at me. “If you’re going to nag me, too—”

“This is a social visit.” I waved in the direction of the door. “But aren’t you worrying your wardens unnecessarily?”

Shi Hua sniffed with contempt. “You think I haven’t had to do this before? The bedrest is bad enough, but the constant harping of every man here!” She shook her head. “They act like this is the first baby ever conceived!”

“Well, it is the first pregnancy for any clergy of the Orrin Temple of Light,” I retorted.

We both laughed long and loud.

Shi Hua wiped her eyes. “Thank you. I needed that. I’m assuming Garbhan shared our worries with you.”

I sighed. “The magistrate volunteered his two coppers before Garbhan did. However, I am remiss in not visiting you over the last several weeks.”

“Pfft.” She waved her hand dismissively. “You’ve had your own issues to deal with.”

“That’s no excuse.”

“Anthea, your mother consorted in demon magic, and you beheaded her.” Shi Hua reached over and took my left hand in her right. “Even for children raised in the Temples like us, that affects your spirit. If I was forced to do the same to my aunt or cousin in order to protect my child—” She shuddered and rubbed her swollen belly.

“The difference is you care about your birth family,” I muttered.

She shook her head. “I don’t need a truthspell to see you’re lying, Anthea.”

The voices murmured that they could take my pain away. For an instant, I wanted to believe them. I needed to change the subject before my emotions overtook me.

“If it’s any consolation, Yanaba is restricted to Balance as well.”

Shi Hua squeezed my hand. “Is that why you look exhausted?”

“I am not exhausted,” I snapped.

“Mm-hmmm.” She gave me a wry grin. “Why does the skin under your eyes look like you applied a thick layer of kohl?”

“All right.” I stuck out my tongue at her, and she laughed. “I didn’t sleep well last night, and I finish a rewind not long ago. I’d really love to take a nap, but—”

“You’ll just have more nightmares,” she said softly.

“Yes, but—”

Shi Hua’s warding spell muffled the knocking on her bedchamber door, but I definitely recognized the masculine roar of anger.

“Now, what’s got his small clothes in a wad?” I couldn’t help the thick layer of sarcasm in my words.

“Garbhan and the wardens won’t tattle on me, but Jeremy or Istaqa would,” she said sourly. “They all get angry if I ward my room for a little privacy.”

“I bet a silver on Istaqa tattling.” I grinned at her.

“I want a cocoa cinnamon pastry from the Meca place on Bakers street if it’s Jeremy.” Shi Hua’s expression lit up.

More pounding was followed by another roar of fury. There was a time when it would take far more than someone warding their bedchamber to anger Luc.

“Let me guess,” I said as I rose from the chair. “Istaqa has you on what he considers an appropriate diet for the child.”

Shi Hua groaned. “And the high brother threatened to lash Mateqai if he snuck anymore pastries into the Temple for me.”

That statement blew off the lid of my own rage. Mateqai would never do anything to harm Shi Hua or her baby. As long as he didn’t tell anyone the treat was for Shi Hua, it would be perfectly safe. And I couldn’t see him be anything but protective. Twelve blast it, he had been acting as her taster since the Assassins Guild tried to poison me.

At my nod, Shi Hua dropped her wards, and I yanked the door open. Sure enough, a guilty looking Jeremy stood behind his high brother. And Luc’s skin glowed a brilliant pink.

“What in Balance are you barking about?” I shouted. “Not every priestess wants to share every intimate detail of her body with a bunch of fishwives like you lot!”

Luc jerked back from the door and lowered his fist. The foul mix of unwashed body and alcohol fumes emanating from him made my eyes water. But even with my odd vision blurred by burning tears, I could see his blue hair stood at wild angles and blue stubble covered the lower half of his face. The only time he’d gone unshaven, a demon army laid siege to Tandor, and the city’s water supply had been cut off.

Behind him, both his wardens and mine tensed. However, Nicholas had a slightly smug look on his bearded visage.

“I gave her a direct order not to ward her room from the wardens,” Luc growled. “If a demon gets in disguised as—”

“Me?” I poked him in the chest. “The entire city knows you’re furious with me over the death of your child, but you’re taking it out on everyone else in this damn Temple. Enough is enough! Get a bath and sober up, or I will call a convocation on charges of dereliction of duty, High Brother.” I slurred his title into an insult.

“How dare you,” he breathed. His color flared to a deeper pink. “How dare you!”

“What are you going to do about it?” I stepped closer despite his awful smell until we were nose to nose. “Challenge me to a duel right at this moment?”

The muscle along his right jaw trembled. I didn’t need to touch his mind to know he was embarrassed I’d backed him into a trap. He was in no condition to fight me, even if he still had his left foot. He didn’t have any weapons on him. And he was barely upright on his crutches as it was.

“Are you going to draw steel on the chief justice, High Brother?” Nicholas asked. Given the circumstances, doing so would be a good way for Luc to lose his head.

Instead of answering either me or Nicholas, Luc turned and staggered back down the hallway. Mateqai and the new Light warden, whose name I couldn’t remember for the life of me at the moment, let him pass.

I glared at Luc’s second. “Jeremy, might I suggest that if you ever hope to share the sister’s bed again that you stop tattling on her? The high brother’s order against warding her own damn room is ridiculous, and you know it. Do we really want to cause a diplomatic incident with Jing?”

“No, m’lady.” The younger priest’s face glowed a brilliant crimson. Whether at my tongue-lashing or the fear he’d irreparably damaged his relationship with Shi Hua was up for debate.

I turned to Nicholas. “Chief Warden, please do everyone a favor.”

“Of course, Lady Justice,” he replied.

“When the high brother passes out, please get him into his bathing pool.” I shook my head. “Before his stench chokes all of you to death.”