Harvest of Dreams (The Gods' Dream Trilogy) by Debra Holland Page B

into Ontarem’s territory.
    The possibility had him jumping to his feet and pacing the chamber. “But Indaran might be alive. I need to help free him.”
    I think you tried that once before and look what happened. Ontarem enslaved your mind. The Goddess’s tone was not unkind, but the truth of the statement hit him nevertheless.
    Thaddis took a seat on the slab. He set his elbows on his knees and lowered his face to his hands.
    Your place is here, Thaddis. At least for now. Your test lies before you. If you emerge from it, you’ll be free to fight against Ontarem. But first, you must emerge. Else you’ll be returned from whence you came.

 
    CHAPTER FIVE
     
    Pasinae began her first day in exile by standing on the black rock balcony of her suite, watching the sun rise over the ocean. The breeze blew over her, bringing the fresh scent of the sea and the fragrance of the spiky blue flowers growing in the ground below. The wind pressed her sleeping robe against her body and whipped tendrils of hair that had escaped her braid across her face. Some strands tangled in the pearl of power she wore in a circlet on her head, the gem gleaming in the center of her brow.
    Her home was situated just below Ontarem’s temple but still perched over the rest of the town. The mountain loomed above the temple, the steep sides ripe with jungle growth too thick and dangerous to walk anywhere but on the stone-lined trails.
    She wrinkled her nose at the purple-shelled seasnail sliding along the top of the railing. The annoying little creatures were all over the place. With a flick of her fingers, she sent seasnail tumbling over the edge and moved to a spot where she wouldn’t accidently touch the slime trail left behind.
    Below her, the town stirred to life. But her mind was too preoccupied to pay attention to the goings on of islanders she didn’t care about. Instead, she inventoried the tasks that lay ahead of her, beginning with checking on the strength of the prison containing Yadarius, SeaGod. After a visit to observe Him, she needed to choose new crystals and have the villagers haul each one up to the tip of the mountains and set them in place—an arduous job, and one she dreaded.
    As she stood on the balcony, Pasinae could feel the strength of the SeaGod as he battled to free Himself. His efforts sucked at Ontarem’s energy. Even in her sleep last night, the struggles, magnified by the crystals that pulsed around the island, pulled at her. The fight hadn’t made for a restful night.
    “Trine Priestess,” a voice behind her quavered. “I’ve brought your breakfast. Where would you like me to serve you?”
    Pasinae recognized the voice as belonging to the girl assigned as her maid. She turned and looked at the young woman, who possessed a delicate beauty. She must have had Seagem blood in her, or maybe Ocean’s Glory, for auburn streaked her dark hair and her eyes were a blue-brown color, although they looked red and puffy as if she’d been crying. Probably one of my brother’s lovers. “Leave the food on the table in the main room. And do something about these snails. I saw some in my rooms and in the temples. Get rid of them and scrub away those slime trails.”
    The girl looked shocked and stepped back. “But Trine Priestess, the seasnails are a blessing. To harm them would anger the mother seasnail Qwetaret. A soft expression crossed her face. “And they are a symbol of fertility. I wouldn’t dare remove them.”
    Pasinae narrowed her eyes at the girl. “You dare to contradict me?” she said in a cold voice.
    Fear leaped into the girl’s eyes. She jerked a short bow. “It will be done as you say, Trine Priestess.”
    Good. Pasinae turned back to contemplating the view.She touched the pearl on her forehead and sent her awareness across the sea to Ontarem. Though their connection had compacted to a thread instead of the once-robust channel, she could still tell Ontarem focused His attention on His enemy, Arvintor.