Book of Trirealm. Master Of Elements [BL]

CHAPTER 4. How to deal with a mute Deity

The demons walked in silence for about three hours. Tens wanted to ask his companion many questions, but he had little idea how the Golden Deity would be able to answer them being mute. So he just looked at Veollys in confusion from time to time.

Why had he run away? When Tens had first met the priest six years ago, he'd envied the job at the Temple of Bliss: eating and drinking or having sex all night and sleeping during the day. Isn't that perfect? Everyone worships you, you get gifts and treats all the time. What a wonderful life!

But now that he was older, Tens realized it wasn't that great. What if you didn't feel like eating or drinking or socializing with all those guests? What if you didn't feel like sharing a bed with a customer? The priests of love had no say in the matter. They would sleep with whoever they were told to sleep with. And there were probably some rich perverts making advances, too. Not such a fun job.

Surely Veollys, like Tens, must have been indentured. He'd probably need a fortune just to get free. The High Priestess would hardly let such a treasure go. Tens had heard that this woman put the prosperity of the Temple of Bliss above all else.

So much for the question of why Veollys had run away. Though there might have been other reasons.

Tens heard the murmur of water. His companion stopped and gestured at him to head for the stream. The boy sighed. They shouldn't stop for long. But it certainly wouldn't hurt to wash the Deity of makeup and blood.

They made a short halt. Tens cleaned his knife and sat down to eat a sweet bun and a meat pie, while Veollys was washing his face long and thoroughly in the icy water of the stream. When finished, he took an ornate mirror out of his bag and studied his reflection for a long time.

He's probably in love with himself, thought Tens mockingly. He had last looked in the mirror at least a week ago.

But when Veollys turned to him, Tens forgot how to breathe, in astonishment. Who needed that makeup? The young demon looked much more handsome without it. Tens even stopped chewing. But then, remembering that he wasn't going to admire Veollys, he hastily looked away.

"Deity, my ass," he muttered grudgingly.

Veollys sat down across from him. With fingers that had never known hard work, he brushed away a few strands of hair that had fallen from under his black cap. Then he cast a dubious glance at the dirty buns in Tens's lap.

"Want some?" Tens offered reluctantly.

To his delight, Veollys refused.

"You don't eat dirty food, do you?" Tens grinned.

He didn't know that children at the Temple of Bliss were brought up not to shun dirt. Love priests were expected to put up with any kind of client's wishes. During training they sometimes were to sleep in a stable and eat from the same trough as the pigs. For educational purposes, of course. Veollys wasn't afraid of dirt on the buns. But, unable to explain it, he simply shook his head in response.

He pulled a hand-drawn map out of his bag and, spreading it out on the ground, pointed a finger at himself and then at a dot on the map. Tens perked up and leaned over to look.

"D'you want to get to the Healers Mountain?" Tens asked. "Why?"

The famous Order of Healers was located on that mountain. Rumor had it that they could cure any disease, and even raise the dead. Tens had also heard that all the members of the Order masked their faces and let no one go up the mountain. All in all, this order was considered one of the most mysterious in the world, and rightly so.

Veollys pointed to his mouth and his throat. He wanted to learn to speak. Tens nodded knowingly. It must be hard to keep silent all your life.

"I'm going to the Ghost Mountain, it's the same way," he said in turn. "It's not on the map, or it wouldn't be called the Ghost Mountain, would it?"