Bones of the Dragon - Margaret Weis [184]
Skylan alone was not surprised. He had guessed Treia was angling for the leadership, though he still could not understand why.
“Treia loathes me,” said Skylan. “Why would she want to be my wife?”
“She doesn’t,” Wulfe called out.
The three young men turned to stare at him. Though Wulfe was almost always present whenever they were together, he had never before joined in their conversation. Bjorn jokingly termed the boy Skylan’s pup, claiming that Wulfe was always to be found curled up at his master’s feet.
“I suppose the naiad told you all about it,” Skylan said with a wink at his friends.
Wulfe carefully placed a fourth dragonbone onto his little tower. “If Treia is named Kai Priestess, your cousin, Raegar, will challenge you to something called a . . . a . . .” He shrugged. “I forget.”
“That’s nonsense,” said Bjorn, laughing, as did the others at the ridiculous notion. “Raegar doesn’t have any reason to call for a Vutmana. No one would accept his right to issue such a challenge.”
Skylan joined in the laughter, but his mirth was hollow. Raegar did have a reason to challenge Skylan. Raegar knew the truth about Draya’s death.
“Still, it’s a clever scheme, if you think about it,” Bjorn said when the laughter had died down. “If Treia becomes Kai Priestess, she can determine the winner of the Vutmana.”
“Torval determines the winner,” Skylan said.
“That’s true, of course.” Bjorn gave a sly grin. “Yet the Kai Priestess can see to it that the god votes her way.”
“I don’t think you mean that, my friend,” said Garn quietly.
Bjorn suddenly realized what he’d been saying. He looked stricken.
“Skylan, he’s right. I didn’t mean—,” he protested.
“I know you didn’t,” Skylan said tersely, and he changed the subject. “What did the Kai decide? Is Treia to be Kai Priestess?”
Bjorn shook his head. “The Kai are split. Some want Fria to be Kai Priestess. Some want Treia. And there are some who don’t want either of them.”
“So what happens now?” Skylan asked.
“The Kai wait for a sign from the gods.”
“What is the sign?”
Bjorn shook his head. “No one knows. With Draya, the sign was a comet streaking across the sky. The Kai before Draya, the sign came when Torval swallowed the moon.”
“When will the sign be given?”
“Whenever the gods see fit to give it, I guess. Then, once they have the sign, the Kai must meet again to determine if it really was a sign and what it portends.”
Skylan began to breathe easier. Nothing was going to happen immediately.
“In the meantime, Fria will stay in Vindraholm to minister to the people and Treia will sail with us,” Bjorn stated.
Skylan thought of living in the close quarters on board ship with Treia, her squinting eyes always watching him, and he gave an inward groan. Raegar would be on board the ship, as well. Ah, well, as Norgaard always said, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Wulfe picked up the dragonbones and put them away and then went off to curl up in a corner to take a nap. Skylan poured another round of ale. He was bringing the drinking horn to his lips when he realized that Bjorn looked uneasy. He held the horn in his hand, his ale untasted.
“What’s the matter?” Skylan asked. “Why aren’t you drinking?”
“Something else happened in the Kai Moot,” said Bjorn. He didn’t look at Skylan as he spoke. “It’s about Aylaen.”
“I know already,” said Skylan. “She asked to be made a Bone Priestess—”
“You need to hear me out, Skylan,” said Bjorn. “The Kai refused. They said she was too old. She would have to be an acolyte, and that would take years and—”
“They can’t do that!” Skylan said, leaping to his feet. “I’ll force them—”
“Listen to me!” Bjorn said urgently. “Aylaen told them there was a way she could become a Bone Priestess without having to be an acolyte first. She claimed there was historical precedent.”
Bjorn paused at this