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link to the gods and their Servants.
He opened his hand. On his palm lay a silver five-pointed star. A chain ran
through one of the points and was now spilling through his fingers.
Reivan reached out and picked up the star. It was lighter than she had
expected. Taking the chain, she lifted it up and draped it over her head.
My eyes, my voice, my heart and my soul are for the Five, she said.
May you serve them gladly and truly, Nekaun finished.
The young man who had been ordained before her now stood on the other side of
the star in the floor. Reivan moved to join him. As she watched the next
Servant-novice come forward to face Nekaun she felt a strange sensation.
Something was tickling her brow. She scratched her forehead, but the sensation
was coming from somewhere within her head. Closing her eyes, she concentrated
on the sensation. At once it became something she understood.
:Welcome, Reivan.
She opened her eyes and turned to stare at Imenja. The voice was definitely
that of the Second Voice, but she knew she hadn t heard it with her ears. The
Second Voice smiled.
:Yes, we can speak to your mind now.
Imenja s mouth had not moved.
:I& I can talk to you in return?
:Yes.
:So this is what using magic is like?
Imenja s smile widened.
:It is, and it isn t. Nobody is truly devoid of Skills, Reivan. The pendant
relies on you having some magical ability to work. Everyone has magical
ability, even those we consider unSkilled. You are not consciously drawing
magic or willing it to fulfil this task, and you have not needed to practice a
Skill in order to do this, so in that way it is not like using magic at all.
Reivan nodded.
:You could have warned me.
:About the ceremony? Then you would have had a sleepless night. I need you to
be awake and alert this afternoon.
:You do? What do you have planned?
:Oh, just another boring meeting with a Murian diplomat.
The last of the Servant-novices had received her star pendant. As she joined
the group around Reivan, Nekaun spoke again, welcoming all the new Servants.
When he had finished those standing around the room came forward to offer
congratulations. Though Reivan was welcomed by all the teachers she d worked
with, she noted there wasn t the warmth they offered to the other new
Servants.
There just hasn t been time to win them over, she thought wistfully. Even if
they didn t resent me, I haven t had the chance to make friends.
Then Imenja approached and she was amused to watch the change in their manner.
Some became quiet while others gushed. The Second Voice thanked them for their
hard work in teaching the Servant-novices.
Why aren t I intimidated by Imenja? she wondered.
:Because fawning isn t part of your nature, Imenja s voice said in her mind.
You re much too clever for all this nonsense.
:If everyone was the same you d never get anyone to follow your orders.
:No. So why do you follow my orders?
:I don t know. You re a Voice. You re wise and, er, sensible. You d burn me to
a pile of ashes if I didn t?
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Imenja chuckled, mystifying the other Servants. She said something about
needing Reivan s help and somehow neatly extracted them from the crowd. As
they left the Star Room Imenja chuckled again.
I think you follow my orders because I am the closest thing to the gods you
have, Imenja said quietly. You are drawn to the gods not just out of a wish
to serve, but because you are or were a Thinker. Mysteries fascinate you.
Reivan nodded. I guess it s a good thing that I can t solve this mystery or I
might get bored and look for something else to wonder about.
Imenja s eyebrows rose. Indeed.
But I d still& Reivan stopped. Something stirred at the edge of her mind,
distracting her. She wondered if she imagined it even as it resolved into a
distinct feeling of another presence. A presence that she did not recognize.
:Welcome, Servant Reivan.
In the next moment the presence was gone.
Wh& what was that?
She looked around the room, then at Imenja. The Second Voice was staring at
her in surprise. Surprise was not an expression Reivan had often seen on
Imenja s face.
I believe Sheyr just indicated his approval of your elevation to Servant,
the Second Voice murmured.
Sheyr? One of the gods spoke to me? The corridor seemed to tilt, then right
itself. Reivan looked at Imenja. She felt utterly overwhelmed. What does this
mean?
Imenja smiled. I think you may need a little celebratory drink. Let s find
ourselves a domestic and send for a bottle of Jamya.
Jamya? I thought that was only served during ceremonies?
And sometimes after ceremonies. With one hand still resting on Reivan s
shoulder, Imenja steered her toward the Upper Sanctuary.
20
F or a long time now Imi was sure that something had changed. The ship no
longer rocked as much and she had bailed all but a shallow puddle of water out
of the hull. The muffled shouts of the raiders were different. They held a
note of anticipation.
Wondering and listening had taken her mind from the ache in her arms and
shoulders. Yet she feared what the change meant, and instead of boredom and
exhaustion making the hours turn gradually, fear and anxiety now made their
passing unbearably slow.
Suddenly the ship lurched. She dropped the bucket and fell to the floor. The
seawater was warm, but welcome. Closing her eyes, she gave in to weariness.
She must have fallen asleep. When she woke again the piles of boxes and large
pottery jugs stored in the hull were gone. She listened to rapid footsteps and
shouted orders above. By the time the sounds subsided the patch of sky she
could see had changed from blue to orange to black. It was quieter than it had
been in weeks. She felt herself drifting toward sleep again&
& then she jerked awake as light filled the hull. Dragging herself up, she
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