Mistress of the Night - Don Bassingthwaite [64]
"Ah."
Variance turned and began to close the books on the table. Keph clenched his jaw.
"I'm sorry, Variance!" he blurted. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-"
She turned on hini sharply.
"Now," she hissed, "you dishonor Shar! The agony of an enemy's spirit, that is joy to the Mistress of the Night. Regret-" She slammed the cover of the final book. "Regret is no honor. Especially false regret." She glared at him. "Everything that you did to Lyraene, you did deliberately."
Keph stumbled back. "No…" he gasped. Variance raised her eyebrows. Keph's hands curled into fists. "I mean, yes. Yes, everything was deliberate. But I didn't mean to dishonor Shar!" He sank down to his knees. "Please, Variance. Forgive me!"
Variance's pale face was cold. "Shar does not forgive."
Keph felt his heart drop out of his chest.
"But," added Variance, "she does teach." She reached down and offered Keph her hand. He took it and rose. "If you wish to truly honor Shar, Keph, you must be patient. The Selunites would erase us from Faerun, just as Selune tried to erase her sister's darkness. Think… if you had been patient, if you had taken Lyraene somewhere else…"
"The priest of Selune wouldn't have found us," Keph said. He clenched his teeth and looked at Variance. "But he did find us. Variance, the Selunites-"
The priestess silenced him with a gesture and said, "The Selunites don't recognize Shar's hand in what you tried to do."
"But Lyraene or her friends must have told someone what happened," Keph protested. Variance tilted her head.
"Is this the first you've thought of that possibility?" she asked.
Keph blinked, and flushed. Not one guard had so much as come calling on Fourstaves House since his attack on Lyraene. He'd been so terrified by Variance's rage that the fact hadn't crossed his mind.
"Yes," he admitted in a whisper.
"And how would you have dealt with her accusations if you had carried out your revenge to its fullest extent?"
He swallowed and said, "I didn't think of it."
Variance slapped him across the face.
"Shar favors you more than anyone could have guessed!" she cursed. Keph hung his head. Variance forced his chin up. "I have visited Lyraene," she said. "Shar grants me certain powers over the minds of the weak. Lyraene recalls the duel and her injury, but not your malice. She bears anger for you, but not outrage. You're fortunate I was able to reach her in time."
Keph stared into the priestess's cold eyes, then glanced away.
"Thank you, Variance," he said.
"Patience and subtly, Keph," she said, and she finally released him. "Bolan doesn't believe you have the potential to become a priest."
Keph bristled at the comment. "I-"
"Hush." Variance silenced him again. "I don't share Bolan's opinions. Shar has great plans for you, Keph. I'm certain of it. Perhaps they will be revealed soon. Until then, you need to bide your time. Let the spirit inside you burn, but give no one cause to guess your true allegiance. Shar's worship prospers in secret-this is the Dark Goddess's lesson. Do you understand?"
He nodded. She touched her fingers to his forehead in silence, then stepped back.
"You have seen me again. Know Shar's favor once more."
It felt like a yoke had been lifted form his shoulders. Keph gasped in joy.
"Hail to the Mistress of the Night!" he sighed.
Variance gave him a cool smile and folded her hands.
"Go," she said. "I told Jarull to await your return."
Keph bowed low before her and turned, walking through the door and back out into the Stiltways. His heart felt as light as it had after his initiation, but without the sense of invulnerability that had led him astray. A mistaken invulnerability! He breathed a sigh of relief for the second time that night.
Jarull was leaning back in a shadow just where Keph had left him. He started upright as Keph approached- and his somber expression was shattered by a grin as he saw Keph's face.
"She forgave you!" he whooped.
"She taught me," Keph said, but he returned Jarull's grin and