Crisis of Faith by Benjamin Medrano (z-lib.org)

by Unknown

  As Diamond finished the last word of the spell, a symbol flickered in the air, then an illusion slowly formed over the table. It was a couple of feet long, and depicted a stone bier with a woman on it, one which caused Phynis’s breath to catch in her throat.

  The woman wore a simple white robe, and her wings were pure white. Her hair was long and almost like sunlight made into threads, glittering as the woman inhaled and exhaled slowly. She was an elf, but more like one of the foreign ones Phynis had met, pale-skinned and statuesque, while she glowed from within like the sun was embedded in her flesh. Looking at the woman, then at Tyria, Phynis realized that while she had been changed, the goddess still looked surprisingly like she had before, just with a different hair color, and a more muted glow to her skin. No, she also had somewhat more accentuated curves, Phynis realized a moment later, but it was a bit subtler of a change. There was also the amethyst gems set into her forehead and chest, of course, but those were obvious additions.

  “You’re beautiful,” Phynis murmured, looking at the illusion, then at Tyria.

  “Thank you, Phynis,” Tyria said, looking at the illusion thoughtfully, then nodded slightly as she added, “I suspect that Diamond is misremembering how much I glowed, however. That seems a lot brighter than it should be, as I don’t recall being on the verge of blinding others with my presence.”

  At that, Diamond’s cheeks turned pink, and Ruby laughed softly as Diamond cleared her throat and replied. “I did say it’s what I remember. I’ll fully admit that I might be idealizing things, or that my memories might have been… changed due to meeting you so many times since then.”

  “That seems likely, but still, thank you, Diamond. Have you seen enough, Sistina?” Tyria asked, looking at the dryad again.

  “Yes. The stones?” Sistina asked, touching her forehead, then the top of her breastbone.

  “Ah, if you could remove them, that would be ideal, yes,” Tyria blushed a little, reaching up to touch the gem set into her forehead, looking a bit self-conscious. “I forget they’re there, much of the time.”

  “Unsurprising,” Sistina murmured, nodding as she considered, then added, “Will prepare. Three days?”

  “That would be excellent. Thank you, Sistina,” Tyria said, and to Phynis’s surprise the goddess bowed deeply, prompting a soft inhalation from Diamond.

  “Do not bow,” Sistina scolded, shaking her head firmly. “Am supporting you. You choose your path. I will not dictate.”

  “Believe me, that’s something I have noticed and greatly appreciate,” Tyria said, straightening again and looked around the room for a moment before adding, “That said, I suppose I had best let you get back to your dinner. I hope all of you have a good evening.”

  “And you as well, Lady Tyria,” Phynis replied, nodding graciously, and with that the goddess went ephemeral again. Phynis sometimes wondered why she could see the goddess phase through the walls when no one else seemed to be able to, but she’d decided it wasn’t worth worrying about.

  “Well, that was certainly interesting,” Sapphire said, looking around the table thoughtfully.

  “Mmhm, but… what about dessert? We have one coming, don’t we?” Amethyst asked, her tone slightly hopeful as she looked at Phynis, and the queen couldn’t help laughing.

  “Yes, yes we do. It’s just fortunate that it is such a long climb down to Sistina’s cavern. Obviously, we need it,” Phynis replied in a teasing tone.

  “Hey!” Amethyst protested loudly, and that caused everyone to laugh, even Sistina.

  Chapter 29

  Wenris decided that she rather liked how Diane’s eyes sparkled in the light, as well as how different they were. A tiny part of her had been annoyed that Diane had chosen to change her eyes back, but that had faded quickly. In truth, the odd purple marking on Diane’s forehead and the purple eyes had shown her connection to Tyria more than Wenris, so the change was welcome, after a fashion.

  So was the way that Diane kept blushing, Wenris thought, smiling as she licked the cream off her strawberry. For someone so poised and experienced, it was entertaining to see how easily Wenris could embarrass her. Regardless, dinner was wrapping up, which meant they were going to be moving to the more enjoyable part of the night soon. With that in mind, Wenris bit into the firm strawberry, shearing it off just short of the stem and savoring its flavor as she chewed, while Diane looked down, focusing on the last bits of her strawberries and sponge cake.

  “Well, that was scrumptious,” Wenris said at last, smiling widely as she murmured, “I must say I do love how the gardens here can produce fruit year-round. Most regions, you only get things like this a handful of times a year, unless you’re using magic to get it from somewhere it’s currently in season.”

  “It is rather nice,” Diane agreed, finishing off another strawberry as she looked up, hesitating for a moment before she asked, “Can’t you get it from wherever you want, though?”

  “Me? Oh, no… my home is quite inhospitable for the most part. Few plants grow there, so the only vegetation is a handful of indoor gardens. Those take quite a bit of care, too,” Wenris said, thinking back on her palace, and grinning as she remembered how Ulvian had been running about frantically over the last few months, trying to get things up to her exacting standards. She didn’t say anything about that, though. “That said, I do believe it’s time to go, my dear. We’ve finished the meal, and I’m afraid there aren’t any good playhouses in Beacon yet, so we’ll have to call it a night.”

  The spike of pheromones from the elf prompted another smile from Wenris, as Diane swallowed hard, admirably hiding her anticipation as she spoke. “Ah, really? Don’t we need to pay for the meal?”

  “I paid in advance, primarily for privacy. That’s why we haven’t been disturbed save for when dessert arrived,” Wenris said, smiling more widely as she added, “I also paid quite generously, so don’t worry about them being upset. I suspect the gold will more than suffice to soothe their feelings.”

  “As you say, Mistress Wenris,” Diane acknowledged, the elf sounding and looking torn. She obviously was trying to decide what she really wanted, which was amusing to Wenris, since she knew what the elf wanted, and was going to give it to her.

  Wenris rose gracefully, taking a couple of steps around the table to offer Diane a hand. The elf took it and stood as well, obviously not sure how to respond, but Wenris didn’t do anything more than smile more as she led the way to the cloak rack nearest the door. That wasn’t usually in the room, but Wenris had paid the proprietor very well for the evening.

  She carefully settled Diane’s cloak around her shoulders, and the elf’s blush grew still brighter as she looked up at Wenris, her lips parted as she inhaled, then froze as she looked into Wenris’s eyes. Wenris paused as well, staring at her lovely elven queen, and after a moment her smile widened still more as she leaned in to kiss Diane.

  Diane didn’t resist at all, instead melting into Wenris’s arms, her own arms wrapping around the demon’s back, almost making Wenris gloat internally. She doubted that Diane did this for anyone else, and as eagerly as Diane accepted the kiss… well, it was all the succubus could do to keep from taking advantage of her then and there.

  At last Wenris broke off the kiss, reveling in the taste of Diane’s soul, so pure and bright, lovely to every sense the succubus possessed. It was something that didn’t last long with most mortals, and it was absolutely intoxicating. So Wenris breathed in deeply, then purred. “Oh, Diane… I would love to take you home with me. But you wouldn’t last long there, so I have to savor you. Now, do you want to come back to my apartment?”

  “I…” Diane paused, catching her breath, her eyes bright with desire, and the elf shivered before she breathed out. “I would very much like that, Mistress Wenris.”

  “Good,” Wenris purred, heading for the door.

  She almost forgot her cloak in her haste, in fact.

  Diane’s legs almost gave out as she reached the door of her manor, and onl
y Maria’s quick reaction kept her from falling anyway. The human quickly helped her up, speaking in obvious concern. “Are you alright, Lady Diane?”

  “I’ll… I’ll be fine,” Diane replied, her voice slightly raw after the previous night.

  It felt like all her muscles had been given an intense workout, and she’d wanted nothing more than to stay in bed that morning, cuddled into Wenris. It’d taken every ounce of control she’d had to force herself to leave, and the succubus had just given Diane a knowing smirk as she’d slipped out the door. That had nearly been Diane’s undoing, in fact. Fortunately, there’d been a carriage waiting for her or Diane wouldn’t have made it back at all.

  Worse still was how Diane felt, though. The previous night… she shuddered involuntarily as her mind shied away from it. Even the thought of how the moonlight had shone off Wenris’s skin, or the wild, triumphant light in the demon’s eyes sent a thrill of pleasure through Diane. She didn’t want to think about that, not now. Not that she could stop thinking about it.

  “If you say so, milady,” Maria replied, helping her the rest of the way into the foyer and closing the door behind Diane, giving the driver a nod. “You look like you just ran a marathon.”

  “I think a marathon would have been easier,” Diane said, smiling at her as best she could, though she suspected her voice was shaking quite a bit.

  “I’m not certain, but I’ll take your word for it,” another woman said, and Diane looked deeper into the house and blinked. Lirisel was present, as was Torkal. Lirisel had been the one speaking, and the woman looked rather concerned, while Torkal looked like he’d bitten into something foul.

  “Ah, Lirisel, dear… sorry, I didn’t realize you were here at first,” Diane said, looking at them and shrugging as she tried to stand up straighter. “I’m afraid it was… was a long night.”

  “I can only imagine. If I could do something…” Torkal began, but his voice trailed off as he rushed forward to support Diane. At the same time, though, Diane heard the undertone of his voice, realizing that he was both angry and jealous at the same time. She honestly couldn’t blame him, when she thought about it, but it made her… sad, after a fashion.

  “You can’t. No one really can… though I suppose that’s why Lirisel is here, yes?” Diane asked, looking up at the priestess expectantly, her nerves still feeling raw. She was also ignoring the craving in the back of her mind, whispering that she should go back to Wenris’s apartment.

  “That’s right. She came here early this morning with far more holy water than I’ve ever seen before,” Torkal said instantly, grinning as he added, “I don’t think most temples have that much on hand, in fact.”

  “You can thank the temple of Vanir for that. We’re helping them with a few things in exchange for the blessed water, which they have in abundance,” Lirisel said, a slight smile creeping across her face as she added, “They don’t have as many priests here as we do, and apparently they weren’t expecting as many pilgrims as have arrived.”

  “Ah. Well, I certainly need the help, considering everything,” Diane admitted, closing her eyes and fighting with her perceptions, trying to remember what it was like just after her second baptism. It took a few more seconds than she was comfortable with, but eventually she managed to speak, if rather slowly. “It’s… I can’t even describe this, but it was everything I could do to pull myself away earlier. I don’t know how I would’ve reacted if I hadn’t… hadn’t gotten help yesterday.”

  The others had just started moving her toward the back, but Torkal slowed a little as he asked, his tone growing a little more concerned, “It… was really that bad?”

  Fortunately for Diane, Maria spoke up at that point, preventing Diane from saying something foolish, even as a part of her mind flickered back to the middle of the previous night, heat surging through her all the while.

  “I wouldn’t say bad, milord, but I spent a little time with Wenris myself. I was under her control when Diane was imprisoned in Kelvanath, and I…” Maria paused, her voice breaking ever so slightly. Then she spoke again, almost breathlessly. “I can’t begin to describe it, milord. Succubi aren’t dangerous because they’re cruel, though they can be that. They’re dangerous because they know exactly how to target and use your desires. She shaped Lady Diane into what she wanted her to be in a matter of months, and could have done far, far more than that if she’d so desired. As powerful as she is now…”

  “She could convince me to beg her to take me away with her,” Diane admitted softly, opening her eyes to see the shock on Torkal’s face, and she smiled wanly. “She could do that in a matter of hours, dear. The others… they weren’t wrong when they said we have to keep from letting her realize what we’re trying to do. If she learns what we’re up to, I won’t have a chance to resist.”

  “Which is all the more reason to get you into the bath,” Lirisel said firmly, folding her arms as she looked at Diane in worry. “The sooner we get started, the less chance her power will have to spread. Now come along, please.”

  “Of course, priestess,” Maria said obediently, and Diane sighed, wishing her legs worked better as she was helped up.

  They led the way into one of the downstairs rooms, where a large tub had been set up and filled with water. She was a little too tired to care much beyond that, if she was honest, and sighed as the others hesitated, then began undressing her. Diane tried to help, but after fumbling with a button for several seconds she gave up and let them take care of everything.

  Soon enough she slipped into the water, and the touch of it against her skin caused her to hiss, shivering. The water felt cold against her skin, and the chill slowly penetrated deep into her body, quenching some of the embers burning within her flesh. It took a minute, then she murmured, “The water feels so cold.”

  “Well, it did have quite some time to cool off after I arrived. My apologies, but we didn’t know when you were getting back,” Lirisel said gently, though she didn’t sound quite as sorry as Diane might have preferred.

  “True,” Diane admitted, inhaling slowly, then holding the breath for a moment. After she let it out she opened her eyes, looking up at Torkal. She winced at the look in his eyes, and spoke after a brief hesitation. “Are you alright, dear?”

  “I… don’t think so. I want to pretend that I am, but what she’s doing to you… it’s all I can do to even pretend to bear it,” Torkal admitted, looking downward rather than meeting her gaze. “When you first came back, I was ecstatic. I was willing to put up with anything, because you were back, you were safe, or at least I thought I was. I thought I could deal with you having to be alone once a month, and put up with her potential visits. Now, though… it’s torture to be faced with it.”

  The room was quiet, and Diane saw Maria studiously look away, instead folding Diane’s clothing as if that was enough to take all of her attention, while Lirisel was watching the wall intensely. It wasn’t true privacy, but it was as close as Diane was going to get, she realized, sorrow surging through her as she took a deep breath, then let it out again.

  “I’m sorry,” Diane said at last, looking down herself, swirling the water anxiously as she began adapting to the cold at last. She wasn’t sure what to say, but she spoke anyway, unsure if what she said would be right, but at least she’d be honest. “I… don’t really blame you. I was afraid of what would happen when I heard her conditions originally, and I wasn’t sure how to react, especially with how you might react. I just… I didn’t know what else to do. I’m sorry, dear, and I wish I had an answer for you. If you want to leave, I won’t blame you.”

  “What? No, no, that isn’t what I meant at all!” Torkal exclaimed, his gaze jerking upward and sounding almost panicked as he looked at her. “I didn’t mean I wanted to leave you alone, dear, I just… just… I’ve been frustrated that I can’t do anything at all to help you. That I just have to sit here and do nothing while she… she…”

  Diane’s nervousness eased ever so slightly at that, and
she nodded slowly, smiling at Torkal as she let out a near-silent breath of relief. For a moment she’d been worried that he’d almost fallen out of love with her, and that… well, she wasn’t sure what she’d do. Torkal was an anchor for her, and without him… she feared what Wenris might be able to do to her.

  “It isn’t your fault, dear. If anyone, I think you should blame Sorvos. He was the one who put me in her hands, and led to all of this,” Diane said, shrugging gently. “If he hadn’t, we might still be back in Yisara, dealing with the nobility.”

  “Gods forbid that, considering how much trouble they were,” Torkal muttered, his affected outrage halfhearted at best as he smiled at her, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. Finally, the man admitted softly, “I’m sorry to drop all of this on you now, love. I didn’t mean to… but it just burst out.”

  “I don’t blame you, not in the slightest,” Diane replied quickly, shaking her head as she let out a soft sigh. “It’s… not a good situation, and you’ve been dealing with a lot of stress. Both of us have, and I’m just glad that Jaine seems to be avoiding all of it.”

  “From your lips to the gods’ ears,” Torkal murmured, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, then letting it out. “I just… hope we can get through this without any more trouble.”

  “As do I. Unfortunately, there are still those people who attacked Elissa, so I’m not going to be holding my breath,” Diane said, and her thoughts drifted off as she murmured softly, “I wish we knew what they were up to.”

  Chapter 30

  “I hate snow,” Bane growled, pulling his cloak close as they threaded their way past a couple of parked wagons. Alexander couldn’t help a laugh at that, though he couldn’t really blame his friend. A couple of their nights on the way to Westgate had been particularly cold, which hadn’t made the trip very pleasant.

  It didn’t help that Erin and Umira had pushed them to move farther each day, not giving as much time to set up camp as Alexander would have preferred. Their desire to get to Westgate had meant the group didn’t have nearly as good of a campsite on any night, and Alexander suspected that they’d done it on purpose, as Umira had an enchanted tent of all things, one which meant the two women had been comfortable, even if he hadn’t been. Still, he wasn’t about to stir up trouble with either of them, especially since they’d finally reached Westgate.