Defenders (The Chaos Shift Cycle Book 2) by TR Cameron

Author:TR Cameron
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: MD Press
Published: 2017-10-01T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Kraada Tak watched as the cathedral filled, hidden from the congregants by the clever use of sequenced mirrors and a tiny port cut into a decorative piece in the worship chamber. It was his custom to stand here and watch his people assemble, taking the time to center his mind for the performance ahead.

And a performance it most certainly was. Not in the sense of false belief, but in using every tool at his disposal to convey the will of the gods to his congregation.

He’d been given a set of skills that rendered him uniquely able to connect the glorious visions provided by the gods with the life experiences of his congregation. He took the big and made it personal.

Today his message would get extremely personal. Drawing a deep breath, he rolled his shoulders to release the strain in them. His vestments felt twice as heavy as normal. With the highest echelon of each caste present to see and be seen, the emperor’s planned attendance must have been leaked. Perfect. This day would be pivotal in the history of the Xroeshyn people, and the more important the audience, the faster the story would spread.

Without taking his eyes from the mirrors, he acknowledged his majordomo’s entrance into the room. “I’ll need the heavy chain from down below, Daariel. Polish it with an oiled cloth, then bring it to me here. You have an eight.” Eight minutes wasn’t much time for him to make the chain gleam, but Kraada knew Daariel wouldn’t want to disappoint him.

The chain arrived with two minutes to spare, and Kraada gave his underling a nod of appreciation. He was in prime position to ascend to hierarch when Kraada set aside his mantle, but thankfully he wasn’t a threat to seize the title prematurely. The perfect servant, really. Kraada slung the chain around his neck, each heavy link the size of his hand. He shifted it a centimeter backward, settling the weight on his shoulders. Finally, he fluttered his wings to ensure he had full movement, and settled them with a practiced flick, aligning his feathers.

With a flick of his hand, the attendant that would officiate with him that morning entered to begin the service. It wouldn’t do for him to enter a cold room, so he’d chosen the most attractive of his attendants with deliberate purpose. The males in the crowd would pay more careful attention in her presence. One more tool with which to serve the gods.

As the time arrived, he positioned himself behind the double doors, which swung open silently in the hands of his attendants. He strode through. The chain dangled down his left arm, scraping against the floor, the links sending a hoarse rasp to echo among the statues of the gods above.

“Greetings, brethren, and a blessed eighth day to you,” his voice boomed, filling the room.

The dutiful populace responded, “And also you.” He nodded in acceptance of this minor tribute.

“Today, we must consider the rules the gods have provided that govern how we live our lives.

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