Quantum Shadows by L. E. Modesitt Jr

Author:L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

For all the vanity of light,

bare truth prevails in Raven’s night.

24

Once Corvyn woke, breakfasted, and readied himself, he set out for the cathedral in his own fashion. He emerged from the shadows at the base of the Avenue of Redemption. The long incline of the avenue traversed from the level of the rest of the city up the gentle north slope of the Mount of Faith to the Cathedral Los Santos itself. He considered whether he should walk, then shook his head and reentered the shadows, guiding himself to the anteroom to Jaweau’s private sanctuary, situated behind the Altar of Light that dominated the cathedral. The wall separating the two might well have resisted the powers of an ancient space dreadnought. While Corvyn could have entered the private sanctuary directly, he opted for a mannered approach and appeared in the anteroom.

The white-clad functionary at the white table desk did not seem surprised. “He’s expecting you, dark one.” As he spoke, the white door irised open.

“Thank you.” Corvyn stepped inside, into the momentarily blinding white light, and the door closed behind him.

The sanctuary of the White One was unlike any other in Heaven. The north half of the chamber held a simple altar with a shimmering white cross suspended in midair above it, and the south half held a white desk with chairs facing it.

As soon as Corvyn entered, he saw two, and only two, dark objects, one of which was the black trident burned into the white stone above the small altar on the north side of the room. He let his eyes fix on it, waiting to see Jaweau’s reaction.

“I assume that’s what you were looking for.” From where he sat behind the desk amid a cloud of light, now somewhat subdued, Jaweau gestured to the dark gray chair, the only such in the spotless white sanctuary that still felt more like an office or study to Corvyn. “Do you care to tell me why?”

“Because some power burned one into my study. The more I looked at it, the more it annoyed me. So I went looking to see if I had been singled out.” Corvyn seated himself.

“You obviously haven’t.” Jaweau gestured to the black trident, but his seemingly guileless blue eyes remained on Corvyn, his shimmering blond hair faultless.

“And you left it there?”

“For now. Until I’m ready to deal with all that lies behind it. Besides, the only ones who could discover that it’s here would probably already have been visited with their own tridents. Some force greater than mere powers or principalities is behind it.” He smiled at Corvyn. “You’ve obviously discovered something along those lines already.”

Rather than answer the question, even indirectly, Corvyn said, “I’m surprised you’re so accessible.”

“Only to you. Only because it’s far less trouble to see you immediately. If I refused to see you, you’d make your way here anyway … or skulk around Los Santos where your shadows would disturb people more.”

The absolute truth behind Jaweau’s words—not that Jaweau was seldom other

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