Mistress of the Night - Don Bassingthwaite [30]
"Mother Dhauna-"
Dhauna lashed out with a cane as soon as Feena came within reach. The blow had little force behind it, but Feena still gasped and stumbled back. Dhauna tottered after her, cane flailing.
"You stupid girl!" she screeched. "What are you trying to do? What are you trying to do?"
A wild swing threw the old woman off balance. Feena stepped in and caught her, holding her upright. From around the courtyard and within the cloisters, an assortment of clergy, acolytes, novices, and visitors to the temple were staring at them.
"Dhauna," she hissed. "What's wrong?"
"You!" spat the high priestess. "Running around the city in your wolf form! I read your message-what were you thinking? I promised your mother that so long as you were at Moonshadow Hall, I wouldn't let you out of the temple in anything but your human shape."
Feena's eyes went wide. "I'm… I'm sorry, Mother Dhauna," she said. "It won't happen again."
An apology was the only thing Feena could think of. She swallowed and wrapped her arm around Dhauna's thin shoulders.
"Here," said Feena, "sit with me and we'll talk about it."
She nodded to the worn stone rim of the sacred pool. The High Moonmistress relaxed a little and followed as she drew her along. Feena glanced around and caught the eye of the nearest novice.
"Find Julith!" Feena hissed. "Quickly!"
The girl nodded and sprinted off. Other priestesses were gathering, concern on their faces. Feena warned them away with a shake of her head. She eased Dhauna down. "You made that promise a long time ago, Mother Dhauna," she murmured. "My mother brought me to Moonshadow Hall as a girl."
Dhauna stared at her a moment then grunted, "I know that." Her voice was soft. Feena hoped that she was finished shouting. "I'm talking about last night. You said you encountered a follower of Shar."
Feena clenched her jaw. Like a cloud passing over the sun, the High Moonmistress seemed lucid again.
"Maybe it would be better to discuss this somewhere-" Feena began.
Dhauna knocked her cane against the ground impatiently. "I came looking for you, didn't I? Tell me now."
Or not so lucid after all. Feena swallowed. Maybe it was better to humor her. None of the other priestesses were close enough to overhear their conversation.
"I did encounter a Sharran," Feena said cautiously. "I thought maybe there was a cult at work."
"Impossible," Dhauna said without hesitation. "We would have detected a Sharran cult before now."
Feena held back a grimace.
"Velsinore and Mifano said the same thing," she said. She hesitated for a moment, then met the old priestess's gaze, and asked as gently as she could manage, "But what about your dreams? The darkness you described. Do you think it could be a warning about Sharran-?"
Dhauna stiffened, silencing Feena. "Selune's warning is clear," said the aged priestess. "It's not Shar we need to be concerned with."
Her voice threatened to climb once more.
"Mother Dhauna, please…" Feena said soothingly.
Dhauna grabbed her hand. "Sister, against sister" she said urgently. "Temples divided." Her eyes darted toward the priestesses gathered nearby. "One of them working against us. Or all of them." She glanced back to Feena. "But Shar? No, not Shar. Not this time."
She looked up again and smiled just as Julith pushed past the gawking priestesses and hurried over to them.
"You keep finding me here, Julith!" Dhauna called.
"You should tell me when you feel like going for a walk, Mother Dhauna," Julith said with brittle levity. She reached out and helped the High Moonmistress stand then glanced at Feena. "Feena…?"
"I'll tell you inside," Feena murmured as she stood.
"No," Julith said, "it's not that. I was looking for you, too. High Luck Shoondeep from Ladysluck Tower is here with an officer of the city guard Jhezzail is holding them just inside the outer gate. They're asking to speak to the High Moonmistress."