Capítulo 39: Adonal Virgin

Four days remain before the Sacrificial Ceremony.

Laemno stared at his silver-carved calendar, preparing himself for the day's endeavors.

His breathing accelerated when he heard his chambers' door open, and he saw one of his new caretakers, an Adonal Virgin in her late twenties, entering the bedroom.

She had strands of deep gray amidst luxurious black hair, and her eyes were dark enough that Laemno couldn't distinguish the pupils from the irises.

"Good morning, Honored One. I brought your breakfast," she said, putting a tray full of grain-based pastries on the marble table.

"Good morning, Maia." Laemno greeted her with a smile.

He raised his arm, attempting to grab a book above his reach on the shelves. "Could you please help me with his? I'm afraid I'm not tall enough."

"Your wish is my command, Honored One." Maia bowed before credulously approaching the cabinet.

"Thank you."

As soon as she had her back turned trying to help him, Laemno smeared a tar-like, transparent substance over her revealed forearm. It had no consistency and quickly merged with her skin, disappearing within moments of its application.

"Obey," Laemno said in Heriperan, completing the pseudo-ritual for hypnosis spellcraft.

"Hm?" Maia turned around. "My apologies. Have you said something, Honored One?"

Laemno showed her his palm, revealing a spiraling symbol drawn in black ink. He repeated with a clear voice, still speaking in Hierapetra's occult language. "Obey."

The hypnotic cue immediately activated, stifling Maia's wits and dimming the faint light in her gaze. She fell on one knee, genuflecting to Laemno.

"With body and soul, Honored One."

Laemno, whose heart had begun thumping madly, finally caught his breath. Had he failed, he didn't know what would have happened to him.

The trailing anxiety turned into a warm feeling of triumph, and his lips curved into a smile.

"You will now answer me with the truth and only the truth. First, who are you?" He asked in a commanding tone.

"My name is Maia, born Canace. I am an Adonal Virgin under the service of Her Divine Majesty, Hierapetra's Hallowed Sovereign, the Goddess Adonaios."

"What happened to Aspasia and Charis, my previous caretakers?"

"They were replaced after the incident with Father Agathon. I do not know anything further, but I believe they were sent back to the Caphygae Palace."

Maia's voice was monotonous and eerily calm, betraying no signs of having been bewitched by a spell.

"There was another Adonal Virgin with you. Why didn't she come today?"

"We were ordered to limit the number of people interacting with you at one time in fear of infecting you with the Pale Malady."

"Pale Malady?" Laemno frowned as his thoughts raced. "Is it tied to that pillar of light yesterday night?"

"I'm inclined to think so, Honored One." Maia maintained her posture, not willing to move an inch. "From what I understand, a group of Priests and Novices clashed against Profaners in the slums at night. It sparked an obscure phenomenon that greatly hastened the spread of the Pale Malady. Measures are currently being taken to prevent an epidemic, but there's rampant panic in the streets."

Laemno cursed his bad luck. "Will I be confined in my chambers until the Sacrificial Ceremony?"

"We have received no order of the sort, Honored One," Maia said. "Although the usual rotations for the clergy posted here have been suspended until further notice. Movements in and out of the Inner Monastery are also restricted."

This... may work in my favor, Laemno pondered. If there's a guarantee of no movements or transfers of clergymen between the Inner Monastery, the Outer Monastery, and the Luminous House, I can set up my hypnotic spells with a far lesser chance of them getting discovered.

The problem is the magi stationed here. Bishop Antenor, Priestess Lyra, and Novice Stolos—three headaches, each one bigger than the next. While they can't see traces of spellcraft in me, they most likely can notice it in hypnotized individuals.

Movement is heavily restricted within the Great Sanctuary, meaning any abnormality can be easily linked to me.

I'll need to use my spellcraft carefully. The ideal would be to avoid people that often interact with the magi. They won't necessarily be hunting for signs of hypnosis, so as long as I keep low and don't draw attention to myself during the next two or three days, it should go well.

Laemno adjusted his tunic and the clinking vials underneath. "Are the guards outside submitted to the same restrictions?"

Maia nodded. "They are."

Laemno's smile widened, a plan slowly forming in his mind. "I see. Do you know the current location of every clergyman and woman right now?"

"Bishop Antenor has been moving between the Inner Monastery and the Luminous House since yesterday night. He's the only one allowed to do so. Priestess Lyra Elcmene and Novice Stolos of Priene are in their chambers, mourning their fallen comrades. Adonal Virgin Egina should be having breakfast in the solarium at the moment. For the others, the only one who knows is probably Father Phineus. He's responsible for assigning the daily tasks and coordinating everyone else's schedules."

"Excellent," Laemno picked a pastry from the table. "By the way, are you aware of any hidden passageways underneath the Great Sanctuary?"

Laemno asked the question out of caution, though he had no hope that an Adonal Virgin would know of such an important secret. However, her answer nearly made him choke on his barley cake:

"Yes, I do, Honored One." It echoed loudly in Laemno's ears despite her soft voice. "Adonal Virgins often use them to travel between Mount Eurymedon and Priene."

He threw the pastry back on the plate, fighting to calm his palpitations. "Do they only lead to Mount Eurymedon? Are there no other paths?"

"I've never used them, but I've heard of some. Rumors say that the furthest one leads past Mount Eurymedon, opening to an abandoned ritual site near the Valley of Eventide... It's a forbidden place, Honored One. All who serve the Mother of Dawn shun it."

Laemno recalled the vision shown by the triangular mirror—himself, cradling his notebook as he sat in an open valley under the pitch-black moon's serene gaze.

"That's it," he whispered, his eyes vacant. "That's my destination."

He then regained his focus, glancing at Maia. "Do you know the way to the underground passage?"

Maia nodded once more. "I do... Honored One. There should be a few members of the Gilded Watch guarding it at all times."

"No matter, we'll deal with them in time." Laemno gained a certain spring to his feet, tapping the table as he led the way out of the chambers. "For now, let's visit Father Phineus."

"As you wish." Maia rose from the ground, head still bowed.

Strands of meticulously braided black hair danced before her eyes, hiding a flickering phenomenon that Laemno failed to notice—a bleeding silver eye glimmering like a light-made tattoo on her forehead moments before it vanished from existence.

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