Mistress of the Night - Don Bassingthwaite [115]
The floor outside Roderio's laboratory was still stained. Keph looked away and hurried on down the corridor's length, passing other doors: Malia's laboratory, shared with Krin; Dagnalla's workroom; the arcane library shared by all of the wizards; and at the end of the hall, Strasus's study. Keph stopped in front of the study door. When was the last time he'd entered the study? Years ago. Had he ever tried to enter when Strasus wasn't there? He couldn't recall. He didn't think so. But Roderio and Malia did it all the time. Taking a deep breath, he reached down and squeezed the door's ornate latch.
It was locked by a plain mechanical lock. He could feel the metal bolt clicking and pulling with each squeeze of the latch. Keph's lips twitched. So much panic, only to be stopped by a humble lock? He groaned and slapped at the wood of the door in frustration.
Something seemed to crawl across his hand. The latch appeared to shift slightly.
Keph started, pulling his hand away. The crawling sensation vanished and the latch stiffened once more. He frowned at the wood, then slowly pressed his hand back against it. The strange sensation returned, playing over his hand like a dog snuffling at his scent. Keph's breath hissed. He kept his hand in place. Another ward? The answer came in a heartbeat as the latch gave way to his grasp. The crawling sensation disappeared.
It couldn't be that easy, could it? Cautious, Keph pushed open the door.
On a perch just inside the study, a strange bird croaked and stirred, turning its head to look at him.
He froze. It was no bird. Its feathers were burnished copper, its head and wings cast to resemble a stylized hawk. Its eyes were fashioned from chips of sapphire- exactly the same glittering blue as the sapphire that decorated Quick's hilt.
The copper hawk had something else in common with Quick, too. Still staring at Keph, it rattled its wings. Sparks flashed between the thin metal plates of its feathers.
"Oh, Beshaba's ivory arms," Keph cursed.
–®- -
The stone, mortar, and wood of Moonshadow Hall tickled at Feena as she rose slowly up through the temple's structure. For a long moment, it seemed as if she were everywhere within the old walls all at once. She stood among frightened novices as elderly priestesses tried to calm them in spite of being terrified themselves. She stood within the gates as younger priestesses and priests gripped maces in preparation for battle. She stood above the gates as acolytes rang alarm bells to alert the city guard to danger. She passed through the infirmary where Chandri spoke desperate prayers of healing over Mifano. She passed through the archives, through dusty storerooms, and through the cold vaults and crypts that lay beneath the temple.
And as soon as she wondered at the wash of impressions and the miraculous vision, she realized what was happening.
Moonmaiden's grace, she cursed, I'm dead!
"Feena! Feena!"
Julith's voice. Where was she? Feena tried to call out, to turn around and find the younger priestess. There wasn't time. Suddenly, irresistibly, she was outside of Moonshadow Hall and gazing down upon it.
Clergy crawled around the ring of the temple roof. Moonshadow Hall had known nothing but peace for generations, but abruptly Feena could see that it had once been intended as a solidly defensible building. The walkway that circled the roof was protected by parapets. Above the false, decorative gates that marked the outer walls, guardhouses stood out, additional protection for defenders. The temple's original windows faced only inward-attackers would have to storm the main gates or climb the high, smooth walls to gain entrance.
At least they would have centuries ago. Generations of alterations had weakened Selune's temple. The wall of the kitchen garden looped away from the temple like a bubble. The slope