She Courts Darkness (Bartram's Maw Book 2) by Morgan Stang

Author:Morgan Stang [Stang, Morgan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-09-23T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

Kirby sat with the others at a table in the Desert Rose common room. Lantern light was low, and the murmur of voices fell over the room gently as patrons sat and drank and ate. She knew spending time in public wasn't a good idea, considering recent events, but their room had become small and stuffy for the four of them, and so they dared the excursion into the common room. She had a bottle of whiskey in front of her, and realized she was developing a taste for it.

“They're all mad, Sam,” said Victoria, looking quite satisfied. “You should see these people. The hours required of them to spend time at these communes, the donations, the ideas they have about things. They actually think they're the descendants of the original people who survived the Cataclysm all those years ago. They actually think they're going to bring back their goddess and cause a second Cataclysm.”

Kirby looked to Muck, whose face was that of shame. What must he think hearing about all of this? Victoria insults him with every word she says, or at least she insults who he used to be. He must feel so foolish.

“We haven't made any progress with the Speakers,” said Sam, her voice low so that the small crowd scattered about at other tables couldn't hear.

“Fuck 'em,” said Victoria. “You don't need to make any progress. I'm already in. In no time at all I'll be invited to their headquarters. I get some autonomy, Admassu trusts me, I get to maneuver on my own, and then I'll be able to explore the place and look for Punkin. Maybe I can even help bring this cult down from the inside.”

Sam wore one of her usual worried faces, the one where she wanted to tell Victoria what to do but wouldn't for whatever reason. Kirby had seen that one a lot lately on this trip. “I don't like how much time you've been spending with this Admassu,” said Sam.

A smile crept on Victoria's mouth. “Samantha Redwyne, are you jealous of him? Is that actual jealously I see?”

“Of course not,” she said, turning her head. “It's just dangerous is all.”

“We've already been over that.”

“Yeah but...it's just...”

“What? Out with it?”

Sam turned back to Victoria, her face sincere. “Have you ever stopped and wondered, what if some of this may be true?”

Victoria's brows rose in surprise, her smile growing larger. “You can't be serious. The Conclave of Ra-maa-ur-nefru? A cult that worships a goddess of death and destruction?”

“You never know. I mean of course it's doubtful they've got everything right. But what if it's...something? What if there's still something there, something unknown and unknowable that makes them dangerous?”

“Something supernatural?”

“Yes.”

“I don't believe in the supernatural.”

“What about things like the dreamweaver, back at Ulfar's Meadhall?”

“There was nothing supernatural about that. The thing was a woodland creature, just like our friend Faye the faerie. I have no problem believing there are any number of strange creatures out there in the wild and in the seas that we don't know about.

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