Ursula's Beginning

30. When I lived in the palace (continued)

Cosmas burst into the room.

"So now you show your face. How long as it been? Three weeks?" Ursula drawled.

"I know what you're doing, Ursula, and I don't appreciate it."

"The girls want training. I'm coordinating that."

"You're assigning four individuals to me, two of which don't even want to study divination!"

"I never really wanted to study it either, but that never dimmed your enthusiasm."

Cosmas furrowed his brow. "Then why did you tell Ephram you did?"

Ursula dismissed his question with the flick of a hand. "So when do they start?" she asked loftily.

"Alice and Wilhelmina can begin tomorrow, but I'm not forcing Bernhardina and Wemegreth to do anything. Especially when I suspect you'll claim to Ephram that I was too preoccupied with four students to teach you."

"Oh, please. This has never been about you being too busy," Ursula said, rolling her eyes. "Do I really have to explain to you that I'm in the midst of coordinating training and work schedules for almost 50 new practitioners? That I have to find space which doesn't actually exist in the temple to accommodate everyone? That I must take stock of our supplies and get approval from the royals for more resources? If your soothsaying were worth a damn, you'd have known I wouldn't have time to train with you while fulfilling this role!"

To his credit, Cosmas ignored the insult. He spoke in a controlled tone. "In the beginning I saw you working around the clock, so I understood. But now, you leave work at the same hour every afternoon. Let's be honest here. You have ample time to train with me and teach two cuttlemaids some healing spells."

"Don't presume to know what I have time for or what I'm doing outside the temple! Even if I'm choosing to rest, that's not something I have to justify to the likes of you."

"Rest? Ursula, great power comes with great responsibility—"

"Spare me, Cosmas. Spare me the lecture on a topic about which you know nothing."

Cosmas crossed his arms in front of his chest and sighed wearily. "I'm glad Ephram will be back soon. Maybe he can talk some sense into you."

"I'm glad too! I want to move on with my life."

"Meaning?"

"I don't want to be High Priestess forever. What, and have everyone think they can lay claim to my every waking hour? Ha! I don't think so. It's been fun, but—"

"You—you're not planning to remain High Priestess once Ephram returns?" Cosmas was shaking.

"No. I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear that."

"On the contrary..." Cosmas trailed off as he stumbled backward toward the door. "I hope you'll change your mind." Still trembling, he turned and fled.

Ursula rubbed her forehead. "Everyone's so dramatic today," she muttered.

***

After the fight with Cosmas, Ursula spent even less time at the temple. During her fifth month as High Priestess, it was hard to catch her at all—not that anyone wanted to. Word had spread about her temper and tentacled folk steered clear of her as much as possible. In a weird twist that annoyed her to no end, Bernhardina and Wemegreth decided to stay on with Cosmas.

Ursula instead spent time working with the nautilus and trying to win over Galataye; time truly was running out on that front. She also invested more time in the royal mother's closest confidantes: her daughters. The twins were already warm and friendly, but would Halimede and Psamanthe advocate for her once she and Triton announced their intentions? Ursula wanted to improve her odds. At least she could be certain that Ganeon would support her and Triton. He was one of her best friends by now.