The woman turned to Egil. "Well?"
"Indeed, Lady, send someone to fetch our companions, for 'tis the Dylvana who should speak of our mission."
"Dylvana? An Elf?"
At Egil's nod, the woman turned and commanded, "Maftuh ilbauwabi!" As the portcullis began clanking the rest of the way upward, she motioned to a young woman and said, "Kawam, Jasmine, jab iljauz kharij." The acolyte bowed to the elder and spun on her heel and hastened toward the rising bars and the passageway beyond. "Kanma fiz 'an!" the older woman called out after her, then she turned to the foursome. "I told her to be not afraid, for she may think the Dylvana a djinn."
As the elder woman gave her attention to the foursome, Ferret asked, "Are all of you priestesses of Ilsitt?"
At the naming of Ilsitt, on each hand the woman ritualistically touched forefinger to thumb to make small circles, as did all the women within earshot, as well as the sword-bearing man. "Indeed we are. All but Burel, here." She turned a hand toward the big man. "Though he is a keeper of faith as well."
Delon stepped forward. "We are forgetting our manners. My Lady, may I present Lady Ferai of Gothon, Lady Aiko of Ryodo, Master Egil of Fjordland, and I am Delon of Gunar."
As they were introduced, Aiko and Ferret pulled down the scarves veiling their faces. The priestess inclined her head to each, her eyes showing some surprise at Aiko's golden hue and tilted eyes.
"I am-" She turned to the man and spoke rapidly in Sarainese.
"Abbess," he replied.
"I am Abbess Mayam, and this is Burel, who has no title, though his father was known as, um"-again she turned to Burel- "ya sidi? Ya sidi Ulry?"
"Sir," rumbled Burel, leaning on his sword. "He was Sir Ulry, of Gelen."
Behind them they could hear camels complaining at being coerced through the tunnel. Shortly Jasmine appeared, hauling a string of four of the recalcitrant beasts behind, followed by Arin tugging four more, and then came Alos after, four grumbling camels in his wake, the old man complaining as well. As the last camel emerged, the portcullis was lowered in its track to bottom out in socket holes in the stone.
Arin and Alos were introduced to Mayam and Burel, the abbess clearly dazzled by the diminutive Dylvana, though she tried to conceal her fascination.
"You must be hungry," said Mayam. "Come let us go to a place where, after vespers, we can sup and talk, and you can tell me why you have journeyed here."
At a nod from Arin, the abbess turned to the waiting women and spoke in Sarainese, and acolytes came forward to take the camels away. Then the abbess and Burel led Arin and her companions angling across the great, sheer-walled basin as twilight began to fall. And nearly all the women followed.
Ahead, they could see a great portico, with columns carved into the vertical face of the looming wall. Soon it was clear that this was their destination. As they drew closer it also became clear that this was not a full portico, but instead was sculpted in high relief. Two acolytes bearing tiny oil lamps emerged from the central opening, a doorway into the stone, and they set the lights upon free-standing pedestals, then went back inside.
Toward this light Mayam led them, until Arin and her companions were close enough to see carved in the red stone lintel above the doorway the words:
??? ????
"Ah, luv!" cried Delon, grabbing Ferret about the waist. "You were right!"
And he took her up and spun 'round and 'round and kissed her soundly on the lips.
Of a sudden he stopped turning and set her down, puzzlement in his eyes. And then he kissed her again, this time gently and long. Surprised, at first she stood rigid, then less so, then melted into his embrace and clasped him tightly. Finally, lingeringly, he released her, and held her at arm's length and looked at her in wonderment, just as she looked stunned at him.
And in that moment there came a horrid, prolonged howl, as if some hideous creature were loose within the bounds of the great basin.
Alos screamed and bolted for the doorway, and Aiko's swords flashed into her hands. Egil drew his axe from his belt and turned this way and that, seeking the direction of the yowl but failing as echoes slapped and reverberated among the high rock faces. Delon gripped his rapier, and a dagger was in each of Ferret's hands. Arin held her long-knife, her eyes searching for foe.
"Oh, my," declared Mayam, as the drawn-out juddering cry diminished, the echoes dying as well, "I should have warned you."
"Warned us?" hissed Aiko, yet searching for foe.
"Put away your weapons. There is nothing to fear. It is just our demon."
Arin looked at the abbess, the Dylvana's eyes wide. "Your demon?"
"Indeed. Though its roots are true, the demon itself is entirely false. Its terrible roar nothing but a many-chambered horn blown by great bellows driven by a rather large weight raised by a windlass and dropped. Twice a day we sound it: at eventide and in the mid of night." The abbess glanced at Arin and winked. "It keeps the zealots of Rakka out of the maze altogether… as well as others."
Arin sighed and sheathed her weapon, as did the rest. Then the Dylvana said, "Would that we had known the peril was false."
Aiko shook her head and tapped her chest. "The peril is not false, Dara."
The abbess looked at the Ryodoan and said, "Indeed, I do agree. Yet it cannot enter here."
They followed Mayam through the doorway and into the temple, Burel coming last. They passed through an entrance hall-a narthex-and stepped into a large oval nave, a high-vaulted ceiling above the chamber of worship, a polished floor below, the place aglow with the soft yellow light of sconced candles ringing 'round. Benches sat against the smooth curve of wall, arcing to left and right. At the far end they could see a high altar, a circle of life carved upon its outward face-the symbol of Ilsitt, of Elwydd in her many names. In the center of the floor another circle of life was inset into the stone. Mayam paused at the entrance and bowed in obeisance, her forefingers touching her thumbs to make small circles. Beyond the altar, two acolytes knelt at each side, their voices low, pleading. Mayam started across the space, stepping wide of the circle of life embedded in the polished stone, as did those who followed her. As they approached the altar, they could hear someone hissing and babbling: it was Alos, huddled down against the floor behind, gibbering of demons and monsters and Trolls, while the acolytes speaking in Sarainese tried in vain to soothe him.
"Well, someone should have told us it was nothing but a horn," snapped Alos, glaring 'round the great stone table. "Scaring people half to death like that, springing such a thing upon them unannounced."
They waited in an alcove somewhere beyond the sacristy behind the altar and nave. Egil and Arin sat side by side, his fingers interlaced with hers, both gazing about, surveying the room, though there was little to see. Aiko sat opposite Alos, staring impassively at the oldster, her disgust lying just below the surface of her gaze.
Ferai and Delon also sat on opposite sides of the table from one another, their eyes would meet and then glance away, avoiding contact, as if frightened by what a kiss had revealed.
And drifting through the stone passageways, they could hear the evensong carols as the followers of Ilsitt celebrated their faith.
Egil smiled and looked at Alos and shook his head. "It was a startlement, indeed, Alos, coming unexpected as it did."
"Unexpected?" said Burel, entering. From the nave the sound of singing went on.
"The demon horn," replied Egil.
"Oh, that. As Mayam said, it keeps the Fists of Rakka at bay." He stepped from the chamber into a side room, and they could hear a dipping and pouring of water, and the clang of a kettle on a grate. Above these sounds he called out, "But horn or no, it did not stop you from coming." Shortly he returned, bearing a tray of cups, only to disappear again.