Hammer and Feather Ch. 58-64

Zyulla covered her mouth as she smiled. "Her vision is clear. I doubt the child has to scheme."

"We don't like being called children." He gave the older goddess a sour look and Cyran intervened.

"I don't mind. It's a reminder that I have more yet to learn, something I remember suddenly when I spend time with Syreilla." His rueful smile drew laughter from the two goddesses. "And I doubt Syreilla minds, underestimate her at your peril."

"She's like her father, she encourages it with one hand while using the other to show you why you shouldn't." Eludora waved her hand. "And you're both younger than the others. That you've learned things they haven't is impressive."

"I learn from Syreilla. She offered me an education once and I'm glad to receive it when she has time."

"They told us that opening doors couldn't be taught." Byrus folded his arms.

"I didn't think it could be." Eludora shook her head.

Zyulla nodded, "I believe Syreilla spent a great deal of time contemplating how to open the doors to escape from the black lake. It came naturally to us; we thought it would come naturally to the younger gods if they possessed the ability. It was far simpler to lend you our doors."

"When will she come? I want to ask her for an education of my own."

"When she's ready." Cyran shrugged. "My cousin does things in her own time. How is your mother?"

"She's struggling with the loss. My sister and I opened doors and that treacherous bitch took it out on mother's priests."

"She knows where she stands now." Zyulla shook her head. "I was fortunate that Syreilla took her brother to spare the last of mine."

"What of yours, Eludora?" Cyran studied the goddess curiously.

"I had prepared for an attack with slim jeweled daggers and a great deal of seduction. They hesitated and I only lost two. All five of the huntress' priests she'd put in my temple were slain. I told mine to close the temple and go into hiding. They'll seek out Odos and ask him to put them to use.

"Mabor..." She laughed and shook her head. "As soon as I told him we needed to open doors to aid Syreilla and Methar said he would join us, he had his priests poison hers. I would never have expected that of him."

"Neither did she, and that's the important part." Zyulla smiled wryly. "We need to be more unpredictable."

Cyran brought up something that Olthon had spoken of as the bird gave him a prompting look. "If she flouts the rules you all agreed on, are you truly bound by them when you deal with her?"

"Two wrongs don't make a right, dear Cyran." Zyulla arched her brow at him and then glanced at the white crow as it made an exasperated sound. "You can prompt him to be more like his cousin all you like, little crow. He's a god of mediation and healing, a god of truth who makes the world more bearable for those who worship him. Syreilla does it with fire and fury, he must do it differently."

"He's a clever bird, Grandmother. He asks questions that make me think. Is it truly wrong to repay someone in kind? When the lives of those who look to you are in the balance, is it just and right to bind your hands with a broken promise?

"I was not suggesting breaking all of the rules or suspending them in all cases, only in some with deliberation when you must deal with her. Nor did I mean to suggest that we do things that taint us. There must be a middle ground between holding our morality and embracing chaos."

Zyulla and Byrus looked thoughtful. But Eludora gave him a mischievous smile.

"She had Nimphon give you the bird to help with your education, didn't she?"

"I suspect she did." He smiled wryly and the goddess of love laughed. "When she isn't present she arranges teachers for me if she can."

"Who have your teachers been?" Byrus leaned forward.

"Eludora was one of them, Uncle Odos-"

"I? I was one?" The goddess beamed and sat up. "She didn't ask me!"

"She never asks."

Zyulla laughed and covered her mouth, her eyes sparkling, "So much like her father."

"My cousin was juggling events before she received her eye from Grandfather. She learned it by playing Massacre with Uncle Odos if I had to place money on where. The more I played with him the better I could see it."

"You can learn that from a dice game?" Byrus looked baffled.

"When you play against Odos, you can." Eludora shook her head with a smile. "It takes a skilled eye to see it."

"I don't remember the last time I played."

"Syreilla keeps a table for it." Cyran considered inviting him to the chamber to play.

"There's one here," Zyulla spoke up with a smile. "I can open those chambers. It might be good for us all to play."

"Father says it encourages deviousness, gambling, and decadence. It's for deviants and dissolute men." He smiled faintly, "But he's really very good at it."

The goddesses laughed and Byrus gave him a grin.

"Why are you all laughing?" Silfeya made her way into the garden with a grim expression and her daughter at her side.

"We were talking about dice games and the education that Syreilla gave to Cyran. It would be good for the children, and good for us, to play dice."

"Syreilla is the reason-"

"Your willingness to aid the huntress is the reason you're in pain." Ahevhethrah joined them and took a seat next to Zyulla. "She cares nothing for those who worship her or for those who aid her, only her own power concerns her. You chose to ally yourself with a traitorous, treacherous goddess and you are paying the price for it. Be grateful your price is not as steep as Rielle's."

"You would allow your evil-"

"My Golden Rook is not evil, but neither is she just. She is the goddess of righteous vengeance and until this war has been ended I have untethered her to do as she wills."

Silfeya stared at him silently for a long moment, "She was tethered when she stole my stone?"

"She did not steal it. Hevtos sent her to borrow it. Her intentions were not malicious and she remained unharmed by the stones she touched. It was returned to you with nothing taken from it.

"He did not send her lightly, and I did not untether her lightly."

The goddess of home and harvest closed her eyes and then inclined her head. "I understand. You're certain she'll allow herself to be tethered again when she's finished?"

"I am." The King of the gods smiled faintly, "She would be more content if I were Atos and Hevtos once more but she would prefer to roast in her own flames than to disappoint me. When I command her to cease fighting and to agree to the rules we have set forth, she will obey. But I will not tie her hands just yet. Soldiers are deserting and fleeing home or into hiding. Her tactics are effective."

"She's a vicious little beast. Imos said it well." Silfeya sighed and then nodded, "But she takes after you and only a fool would cross her. Even the huntress should have thought more carefully."

"I would have said she should have thought more carefully before crossing me, despite my Golden Rook pointing out that I'm not as clever as I thought I was. But it seems, neither is the huntress." His smile widened and Silfeya allowed herself a small smile.

"No, she isn't. She murdered my priests and there is no longer anything she can use to force me to obey or to persuade me. I don't believe she can kill my children. Cyran said that Syreilla destroyed the blade she used on Itia, and from what you tell us she did to Rielle, the huntress cannot duplicate it.

"It's a matter of time before Syreilla succeeds. If we aid you it will be done more quickly and you can tether your Rook again. I know that I would feel safer-"

"I want to learn from her. If she's tethered, can she still teach?" Byrus looked intently at Ahevhethrah.

"She can if she chooses to take more students. She has young Cyran and I believe she's offering Ezphine what she knows."

"She has Ezphine?" Silfeya blinked and took a step forward. "Then she's nearly won the war."

"Ezphine is older than she is by more than two thousand years." Eludora looked at the King oddly, "What can Syreilla teach her?"

"How to open doors." Byrus gave her a pointed look.

"My Golden Rook is still growing into her power. Ezphine was never permitted to do the same."

"I want that beast tethered before she grows too powerful." Silfeya clasped her hands.

"My cousin is only a monster to those who have earned her monstrousness." Cyran studied the goddess coolly. "With the innocent, she is as gentle as a lamb."

"My Golden Rook is a monster only monsters need to fear." Ahevhethrah chuckled. "Be what you were meant to be, Silfeya. Be a mother and a goddess of plenty. Give your bounty to those who work and your charity to those who cannot. The huntress never intended to share power and I believe she intended to try to destroy us all. She is the monster you should most fear."

"Mother?" Brinna laid her hand on her mother's back.

Silfeya shuddered and something like dust came off of her in Cyran's vision. "She was my first friend. I hear you, Ahevhethrah. I hear the truth in your words." Silfeya lifted her head and her words sounded different. Something indefinable about the woman had cleared.

"Mourn what is lost, no one will begrudge you that, but come back to yourself." Zyulla offered a gentle smile. "You will find you have other friends who will not be so harsh with you."

"I thank you, Zyulla."

Ahevhethrah frowned and then began to laugh, lifting his hand a door opened in front of them. Syreilla and the woman he'd seen with her before stepped through. This time she was much cleaner and carried a different hammer.

"Grandfather, I hope you don't mind us dropping in uninvited. Orsas fussed that I was bringing guests into his house as if it were mine."

The King laughed and beamed at her. "You are always welcome here, my Golden Rook. It is a pleasure to see you again, Ezphine. My grandchild has been looking after you?"

"The dwarves have. The Fellwives helped me get clean and into fresh clothing, Orsas let me use his forge and his tools to make a new hammer. I never knew they were so kind." She gave Syreilla an amused look. "Syreilla was in her new nest."

"Orsas told my dragon to try to-"

"Orsas cannot command Vedhethrah." Ahevhethrah arched an eyebrow. "Not even in jest."

"My dragon made a bargain. We were given a safe place to nest and he will help defend the mines when summoned. I'll help him organize his punishments so that he can step away from time to time. Syvezar will be offered a place among the elves as will Cyran, Vedhethrah-"

The King rose from his lounging position with a scowl. "Such things must be arranged with me. You may not do so on their behalf."

"I didn't. I have all three is it a surprise that-"

"I told you, you needed to tether her." Silfeya sounded smug.

Syreilla turned slowly and fixed the goddess of home and harvest with her burning gaze, the palpable threat of violence made Cyran close his eyes and bend his will to calming matters.

"Syreilla did nothing wrong," Ezphine interjected. "I spoke to Orsas and to Khiril. Vedhethrah came to them offering his service in exchange for a place he could safely father children with her. They said that her children were Syreilla Hammersworn's joy and they didn't understand why this was being denied to the Rook.

"Orsas said he might have offered it if she'd asked him for a safe place to nest but she's as proud as any dwarf and she'd carve out her own before she begged for one to be given to her. All of the dwarven gods have a home, now so does she. Her dragon may share it with her as he pleases and he will aid in protecting the mines when summoned."

Cyran opened his eyes and Ahevhethrah looked displeased but no longer furious. Syreilla stood with her arms folded.

"Vezar Edra had begged Hevtos to give him a place he could make safe for Syreilla to conceive and bear their children."

"Why didn't you give him one?" Zyulla looked up at him with shock. "Or Atos could have given them rooms here."

"He did not want Vezar to leave his duties, nor did he want her distracted from her own. If the huntress had captured Syreilla's child-"

"Then she would already be dead."

Syreilla's tone made Cyran shiver. The air felt frigid for a moment, and in his mind's eye, he had a glimpse of bare bones strewn among ashes.

"I would not have waited to be untethered and I wouldn't be playing nice by giving soldiers choices and juggling events to the desired outcome. There would be nothing left but soot and ash, scorched earth and charred flesh." She turned her burning gaze back on Silfeya and the goddess stepped back.

"You act as if I'm running mad and killing indiscriminately. I may be untethered but I'm being careful. I have no desire to harm those I love or to disappoint Grandfather. Beneath my feet is a knife's edge and my hands are moving quickly to keep things in the air. I do this for my family, for those who have whispered for vengeance in the dark, and for the innocents who suffer."

"If you have a child, Syreilla," Ezphine put a hand on her shoulder, "it will be safe. I will help to protect them."

"All of the gods should." Byrus inclined his head. "I want to ask you to give me an education, I can offer to help you build a safe home in exchange."

"That is not necessary." Ahevhethrah exhaled and frowned. "She may roost here or in the underworld. I cannot deny her a place with the elves or with the dwarves who worship her as I can no longer deny Syvezar or Vedhethrah but I am not pleased with this."

"Talk to Orsas and Nimphon, Grandfather. I am your Golden Rook, but I ask you-"

"I will not tie your hands in dealing with them, and I will not keep you from becoming a mother if that is your desire. We should have discussed the matter sooner." He held out his hand and Cyran smiled as his cousin darted over to embrace the King of the gods. "If I become Atos and Hevtos again half of me will weep not to have my Golden Rook perching on my statues."

Syreilla beamed, looking up at him adoringly and the gods all relaxed noticeably.

"On your statues?" Ezphine smiled looking at the two of them.

"She has no temples of her own. Hevtos placed a golden rook on his statue in her honor and that became-"

"She's like we are but she has more power?" Byrus frowned.

"I doubt it. I just use what I have in a way that makes it seem like I have more." Syreilla grinned, stepping back from Ahevhethrah as the god began to laugh. Her expression was suspiciously innocent and the words itched like half-truths.

"You push everything to its limits." Ezphine grinned, "your power, your talents, the goodwill of others..."

The half-elf goddess put on an expression of wounded shock as the others began to laugh. Ahevhethrah glanced away and then grinned viciously.

"The huntress attempted to open a door here and I was able to refuse her. Her power has weakened considerably."

"We met her on the field and she asked for a demonstration of why Ezphine is owed respect." Syreilla stretched and grinned back at him. "She gave a very nice one."

"And then you terrified them by raising your voice." Ezphine smiled. "They were fighting one another to escape the field. They would rather fight to the death than face the Golden Rook or her priestess."

"How is Nali?" Cyran smiled.

"She's well! She blistered the ears of the other priests there after they behaved foolishly. They almost took my Eye out to the huntress thinking that she would respect the traditions of war and meet peaceably before the battle. I lent Nali my fire and backed her miring wards. It was impressive."

"Why would they take your Eye to her?" Silfeya looked aghast.

"They use it to judge danger in the mines, to help protect themselves and seal up dangerous places. They thought that if they made Sirruil go with them he would see danger before it struck and it would be safer."

"She'd have killed them all for that stone." Silfeya shook her head. "She may still if she can get into the mine."

"My Nali is there, if she takes it up I'll know things are dire. She'll find her spells backed by my power and the fire I left as a display will be at her command. If that isn't enough, Vedhethrah can be summoned to her aid, Orefinder has competent priests who know how to use their talents well, and I don't think the remnants of the huntress' army really want to face an army of dwarves backed by Orsas Fellforger's blessings."

Cyran watched the vicious grin take its place on Syreilla's face, "Or did you mean she might try to get in herself? The Fellwives would send her running."

Silfeya inclined her head and then winced, "You think the dwarves are capable of repelling her and perhaps they are, but the elves aren't. You made her furious and she... She intends to have your stone delivered to her, whether you do it to spare your elvish kin or-"

Navisse! Olthon leapt from his perch and circled looking for a door.

"Go to Belthamdir," Cyran commanded and lifted his hand intending for the door to lead to her. The bird vanished.

"She wouldn't." Zyulla looked horrified.

"I told Nimphon that they wouldn't be safe..." Syreilla took a breath and then closed her eyes. "I have to go and deal with this. Ezphine... you can stay here and get to know them or you can come with me. I'll probably have to sit in a cell and pretend to be helpless for a short while."

"I'd prefer to stay here." Ezphine grimaced. "Be careful Syreilla. Stay safe."

"I've never been any good at that, Ezphine, but I'll do worse to her than she does to me."

Cyran blinked. The words itched like the half-truths he'd heard her speaking on the field. "Syreilla-"

She vanished and he felt Ahevhethrah's hand on his shoulder.

"Cyran?"

Byrus looked at him oddly. "You look... afraid."

"She mixes truth with lies and I can hear it, but I don't know what part was the untruth."

"And when she spoke of leaving nothing but ash if her child were harmed?" Silfeya looked at him curiously.

"That was the purest truth I've ever heard her speak." He shook his head, uncertain if he should try to explain that the words had felt as cold as death and her tone had brought to mind ash and bones stripped bare.

"Peace among us all should be discussed," Ahevhethrah spoke firmly. "We will find a way to quarrel that does not harm the children or the mortals."

"If it would keep Syreilla from being untethered again..." Silfeya nodded and gave him a nervous look. "I'll agree to it. I suspect the others will as well as long as whatever method you choose is fair."

"You're more concerned with tethering her when she's risking herself against Isca?" Ezphine scowled. "I was ignored and left to fend for myself when I should have been given aid. She's the only one who's helped me. You-"

Cyran lifted his hands and stepped forward as the forge goddess pulled her hammer free. "I love my cousin. Your support of her is kind and you are not the only one here who supports her, I promise you. Will you give me the chance to show you?"

Ezphine gave him a dubious look and then a curt nod. He held out his hand and smiled as she took it.

"Would you like to walk among the elves and meet her husband Syvezar?"

"No. I want them to stop bickering and support her." The goddess gave him a stern look and he felt his smile widen.

"We do." Zyulla came forward and placed her hand on both of theirs. "When she calls for us we will be ready to go to her and take back what is ours. We will stand with her."

*Sixty-four*

The smell of scorched earth struck Syreilla's nose as she crossed to Navisse's home. Under her breath, she muttered, "Nimphon, you need to come see this."

Humans with the False Rook's tawny banners were burning and hacking away at the temple. They hadn't yet seen her. But what caught her eye was Finwion coming out of one of the doors with a disturbed look on his face. Isca followed him.