by T. G. Ayer
The woman’s eyes narrowed, making the thumbprint-sized dot in the middle of her forehead stand out. She glided closer and waited at the queen’s side.
“This is Kantha, my advisor, and the priestess of Kali who presides over all the goddess’s temples across the country.”
Allegra smiled and moved to hold her hand out, temporarily forgetting her own rules. The woman—Kantha—glared at Allegra’s hand as if it were a live cobra, then gave Allegra a disgusted look.
Max cleared his throat from beside Allegra. “Is there a problem?”
Kantha’s gaze shifted slowly to Max, and she studied him for a few seconds. Then she seated herself on the other side of the queen without the courtesy of a response.
Sonali leaned closer. “Don’t mind Kantha. She’s a priestess of the mother, and too many of them are raised in seclusion.”
“Seclusion?”
“Of men. And of others.” Sonali met Allegra’s eyes and smiled, her expression regretful.
Allegra nodded. Others as in other races.
Odd to find a racist in this part of the world, but if she was raised without access to other peoples, it would explain her hostility.
“She’s a priestess of Kali?” Sonali nodded. “And I’m a Priestess of Apollo. By virtue of my bloodline and my power.”
Sonali frowned. “It doesn’t make you enemies, Allegra. It merely makes Kantha a little too rigid for her own good.” She spoke in low tones, too low for Kantha to make out, for which Allegra was thankful.
The Senate was called to order and everyone paid attention as the Elder Senator opened the meeting, and formally welcomed Allegra.
Her stomach tightened and she inhaled slowly.
This is it.
Chapter 48
The Speaker of the Senate said, “My understanding is that the Pythia and her delegates have come with worrying information. Commander Maximus Vissarion, Guardian of the Pythia, will brief us on the situation.”
Max got to his feet as a dozen heads turned to study him, expressions varying from hostility to acceptance to curiosity. “Unfortunately, what I have to tell you won’t be easy to accept. There will be some who will reject my information, and I can understand that, but please bear in mind everything that is at stake. Nothing less than the survival of your entire country. And of us all.”
“Commander Vissarion, you are beginning to scare me.” Despite her words, Sonali’s voice held not a hint of fear.
Max smiled ruefully at the queen. “My apologies, Your Majesty, but the end of the world is a terribly scary thing.”
Allegra suppressed an eye roll. So much for being tactful and diplomatic.
Sonali, for all her shock, remained silent and calm. Must be the royal blood because Allegra herself was terrified.
Max looked at the worried faces around the table. “We have known for a while that in a few weeks’ time the world, or at least humanity, will come to a terrible end in the grip of a deadly pandemic.”
To their credit, everyone at the table remained silent and watchful, waiting to hear more, instead of turning into a shocked mob.
“Why have we not been told?” This time the Queen’s voice held an edge to it. One she was—in Allegra’s opinion—well entitled to.
Max faced the queen. “Would you have mentioned this to anyone if you thought it was inevitable? That nothing you, or anyone else, could do would change it. That the information would only cause mass panic.”
The queen pursed her lips as she considered Max’s words. She gave him the finest of nods, conceding to his point. “And you are revealing this to us today . . . why?”
Max inhaled and glanced at Allegra. “Because the Pythia had a vision pinpointing the origin of the breakout.”
“Is the disease identifiable?” Something in her voice made Allegra turn to watch her more closely.
“Not in a scientific sense. So far, all we’ve had to go on was the Pythia’s and other seers’ visions of horrible, painful deaths and a very specific timeline.”
“And something has occurred to change that?” Allegra admired the queen’s ability to remain so composed, when in fact she’d be the most terrified of all, especially when considering her baby.
Max nodded. “The Pythia has managed to identify the farm on which the mutation will first occur. It’s not a disease that’s in current existence. Not from what we’ve managed to identify. We narrowed it down to a possible mutation that will occur here in Indus.”
This time the gathered group erupted into worried murmurs and concerned glances. Kantha got to her feet and came to stand at the queen’s side, her features twisted in anger.
Her resting expression perhaps?
Allegra thought not. Their revelation was enough to upset anyone, but it looked like the news had angered the priestess.
“This is not right,” she said bending close to the queen’s side. “Please don’t tell me you are going to collude with them. You know what’s at stake.”
The queen looked at her, a little stunned, much like everyone else at the table. “What would you have me do? How can I ignore it?”
“It’s wrong, is what it is. We agreed we must not interfere.”
Allegra’s eyes widened. “You knew about this?” she asked, meeting the priestess’s gaze.
The woman gave her a look that said Allegra wasn’t even worth talking to, then turned her attention back to the queen. “The people of this country need your mind and heart in the right place. The gods know what is best for us. We cannot attempt to change fate. Nor should we allow outsiders to control what we do within our own borders.”
The woman’s voice had lowered to almost a growl, her lips twisted. Allegra was impressed—a little afraid of her passion. She glanced at the queen who was looking at the priestess, her expression worried.
But she was still silent, as if contemplating
Allegra leaned closer. “Sonali, we need to find that farm. The sooner we get there the better the chances are for saving all humanity. It’s not just your kingdom on the line.” Allegra sucked in a hesitant breath. “I understand your reluctance to leave fate in the hands of the gods, but why would they give us the ability to see future catastrophes if they did not want us to attempt to avoid them? It seems to me that should any of our gods prefer us to remain entirely at their mercy, they would never bless us with the power to foresee such things.”
After her speech, Allegra fell silent, feeling the weight of the room’s attention on her. She exchanged a worried glance with Max then returned her attention to Sonali.
The queen took a quick breath and patted her stomach. “I have to agree with Kantha. I think it may be wrong to interfere with fate.” Then she shifted her gaze to Allegra. “But I think it would be remiss for us to ignore the possibility that such god-given visions were meant to ensure we act to avoid catastrophe. Any warning of danger from such a source should be accepted, and acted upon, if possible. Then we hope and pray the threat is not real, or at least avoidable.”
Allegra nodded, impressed with the queen’s diplomacy and intelligence. The priestess, though, wasn’t impressed. She got to her feet and began to pace, the golden skin of her face now dark with anger.
She stopped and glared at the queen. “The gods will not take this well. I’ve told you there is a plan for everything.”
The queen shook her head. “Not for total annihilation, Kantha. We must help them. We must help everyone, including our own people.”
“But you don’t understand. We are not supposed to interfere. By angering the gods, we will bring more suffering upon our people.” She pointed at Allegra. “People like her . . . they think they are helping . . . desperately running all over the world, trying to prevent the inevitable.”
The priestess strode toward Allegra, her eyes blazing with anger. She stopped a mere foot from her. Max raised a hand in front of Allegra, but she gently pushed it away. She needed no protection from the priestess.
Kantha shook her head,
a mixture of sadness and anger in her eyes. “You are like a child, racing to offer help where no help is needed. Determined to do whatever you can to save a world that doesn’t need saving. That doesn’t deserve saving.”
Allegra took a step toward her and reached for her hand. Though the priestess tried to shove her off she’d come too close to Allegra to use sufficient force. Allegra’s fingers curled around the woman’s slim wrists.
The vision slammed into her so hard that Allegra could barely breathe. She had to force herself to concentrate on what she saw around her.
“There is a valley, with a temple set high on the mountains whose peaks are hidden by clouds. There is a river, filled with stones.” Allegra frowned. “No. Not stones. Carvings in the shape of the god of creation. There are so many they look like rapids on the water.”
Allegra heard the woman gasp but she continued to study her surroundings.
“A woman is seated beneath a great banyan tree, dressed in a white sari. Her arms are bare, tattoos cover her neck . . . A flock of tiny birds is flying across her shoulder.” Allegra frowned. “She will die soon. Her skin is covered in boils, and her breathing is hoarse.”
Allegra let go of her hand, vaguely aware that the vision continued even after she lost contact with the priestess’s hand. She felt the brush of Kantha’s arm as she walked past her, almost unconscious of her surroundings. “An old woman lies beside her, a rosary of dark beads in her hand. She has already passed. Beyond the banyan is an open field. Bodies lie lined up, ready for a pyre. Someone is burning the fires.”
Allegra let out a shocked gasp.
Even in her state of trance she could see the vision overlaid upon the reality and as she stared at the woman, her hair hanging over her shoulders, her white sari stained black with soot, a tattoo of the goddess Kali covering a back that was bare to the sun. A back that was free of any disease.
The shock threw Allegra out of the vision, and she found herself standing beside the window, staring at a stunned, silent room. She barely noticed them as she met the priestess’s eyes.
“Who were they?” she asked, her voice soft.
“My sister. My mother.” Kantha’s voice was dead, her eyes flat as she stared at Allegra. “Who was burning the fires?” the priestess asked.
Allegra shook her head. “I didn't see her face.” She wondered if anyone would see through that lie, but the priestess deserved the truth. However Allegra gave it to her.
She cleared her throat. “She had a tattoo on her back. From shoulder to hip. Kali in her gentle form.”
“Durga,” said Kantha softly.
Allegra didn’t need to say anything more. Even if the priestess accused her of making it up or lying there was way too much detail in that vision even for Allegra to doubt its validity. Like all her visions there was always something within them that pointed to its accuracy and its truths.
Allegra walked over to the priestess who now stood at the queen’s side, and held onto her shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
She wasn’t certain what she was apologizing for but it turned out her sympathy was unwanted. The priestess shrugged her off and walked to the window where she stood in the sunlight, staring out on the stunning palace gardens.
In the sunlight, she looked like something the heavens may have lost, like a goddess come to watch over them. Only she was human. A broken human staring reality in the face.
The queen watched her warily, as if wanting to comfort her but knowing the priestess would not take too kindly to revealing her weakness in front of others.
Sonali turned to Allegra. “We’ll provide whatever help you need.” She glanced at General Bhana. “Please see to it that the Pythia and her delegation receive every assistance? And please provide them with suitable lodgings.”
But Allegra shook her head. “I’m not sure that will be necessary. I apologize if I seem rude, but our priority is to locate that farm, and then return to the States as soon as possible.”
The queen got to her feet, her expression firm. “Nevertheless, we will still be providing you with a place to rest even if it’s just to freshen up before you continue on your mission.”
Allegra laughed softly. “Do I look that bad?” Despite the gravity of the meeting she enjoyed a moment of sisterhood.
Maharani Sonali smiled serenely. “Not that bad.”
Chapter 49
Allegra and the team were shown to rooms in the palace where they were provided with hot baths along with freshly prepared meals.
Despite feeling like she was wasting time treading water, she recognized that like the priestess, she was only human and she needed to take care of herself too. It certainly wouldn’t do to die on the job.
Surrounded by hand-woven, beaded silk, hand carved mahogany furniture, stunning sculptures and paintings, it was easy to forget, even if only for a short while, the stress she was under.
General Bhana arrived, having given them sufficient time to bathe and eat before he knocked. Max answered the door and ushered him in.
He gave Allegra a soft smile, a friend echoing her sadness. “So tell me where you need to go.”
Allegra nodded and looked at Max who tipped a chin at the sofa.
As she walked over, Bhana whispered to Corina. “What’s happening?”
The man needed to practice his whisper.
Corina had been studying a map of the Indus valley with Flavius who’d come up with a brilliant plan—to scry for Allegra using her hair, only this time attempting to combine his skills with Corina in order to scry the future.
He’d failed.
She paid Bhana no further attention as Corina ran him through the procedure.
Allegra lay down and waited for Max to put her under. She’d suspected that she really didn’t need the help, but she let him do it anyway. It helped soothe and ease her mind.
They had the process down and within seconds she was swimming in bright light.
Blinking hard, she quieted as the circle of light moved left to right. Chickens squawked around her and the odor of soil and wet poultry-feathers filled her nostrils. The lights bobbed again and Allegra understood where she was.
“Are you at the chicken farm?”
She nodded.
“Can you see anything distinctive?”
Casting her gaze around she studied the brick walls and wire-mesh fencing, the heaving throng of chickens writhing within each ten-by-ten-foot pen. Unable to identify anything helpful, she moved after the men and followed them outside. The sun was still bright outside, coming in low from the west.
Afternoon.
The men headed to a truck, a large name plastered on the metal sidings. Patel & Sons.
“Anything yet?”
She nodded, wanting to answer, but instinctively stopping herself. Then she stiffened. Only an hour ago, she’d spoken from deep within an uninitiated trance.
She glanced at Max and saw him overlaid against the truck, merging with the vision like a strangely taken photograph.
“They’re getting into a truck. Patel & Sons. That’s the name of the farm.”
As the truck pulled away, trundling slowly past a giant banyan in the back yard of the property, Allegra struggled to catch sight of the number plate, but only got the first letter.
Allegra sat up blinking hard. Thankfully everything was as it should be, with no overlaid visions. She glanced at Max whose face was a little pale. “I really have to get used to you talking in a trance,” he said.
“Did Aurelia never speak?”
Max shook his head. “No. Her translator Mara, always transmitted her visions to us. The old bat didn’t like us too much and toward the end I wondered if she’d taken the opportunity to send us on a few wild goose chases.”
“And did she really?”
“One or two. Which could easily have been due to Aurelia’s age.” Max smiled and then got serious. “So, anything else?”
“Just the letter R on the number plate. I couldn’t get anything e
lse because of the glare of the sun.”
Max and Allegra glanced up at Bhana who was staring at them as if they were welcoming him into a fortuneteller’s tent at a carnival.
He cleared his throat. “R. Number plate. Right.” He nodded a few times. “Rajasthan. But you said Patel and Sons?”
Allegra nodded, confident now. “That should help.”
“It would. If every man and his son weren't named Patel. It’s one of the most common names in the country.”
Deflated, Allegra sank against the backrest of the sofa. “Can’t we canvas the whole of Rajasthan? Find all the Patels who own chicken farms?”
Max shook his head. “That sounds like a witch hunt to me.”
Allegra shuddered. “We don’t want a repeat of the Apollo Priest Trials.”
Corina stepped closer. “General. Do you have planes at your disposal?”
Bhana gave the seer an impressed glance and reached for his phone. Much like Max’s, the general’s phone was attached to his waist-belt and must have been a real burden to lug around. Allegra sympathized with him.
He spoke on the phone, falling into Sanskrit. The language had remained the mother tongue of the Kingdom of Indus for the last two thousand years, uniting a population of billions with a single tongue. Allegra’s language was that of the New Germanic States as well as Brittania; a bastardized mashup of Latin, Italian, Greek and German. Listening to the beauty of the Eastern language made Allegra understand the ramifications of her words when spoken aloud. People around the world were depending on her and her team to save them.
Bhana rang off and gave them a lukewarm smile. “We have two planes scrambling. They’ll use a grid pattern and cover the entire kingdom of Rajasthan. Can you describe to me the layout of the farm? The pilots need to know what to look for.”
Allegra went with Bhana to the dining table and took the pencil and paper he offered her.
