The Paladin's Odyssey (The Windows of Heaven) by K.G. Powderly Jr. Page A

the older woman’s grip and darted out of the academy wing into the sunlight. She preferred the outdoor amphitheater dialogue classes to sitting before the orb. Taanyx joined her from behind some bush; a small red winged serpent in her mouth that looked well played with and relieved to be out of its misery.
    “I see you’ve found yourself a little friend,” Pyra said to the sphinx.
    Taanyx scooted ahead into the girl’s path, turned, and reverently dropped the dead thing at her mistress’ feet.
    Pyra paused and stooped down to face the slender young feline. “You offer me prey—the brightest and best —h ow sweet.” She scooped the tattered carcass up in the lower half of her wrap, careful not to touch it directly, and equally careful to treat it with reverence for the token of friendship and trust that it was.
    They walked together back to the dorm, where Pyra left Taanyx outside to chase butterflies in the sundial court. Once indoors , she quickly disposed of the carcass down the nearest waste shoot, carefully watching to see that Taanyx didn’t follow her in and see her. Then she washed her hands and touched up her cosmetics for the next session.
    The striped sphinx joined her in front of the glass just as she finished applying new lip pigment.
    “That was a yummy little dragon, Taanyx. I think from now on though, you can have them all to yourself, to enjoy as you like.”
    The sphinx winked and made a short chirrup in her larynx.
    Pyra stowed her cosmetics and left at a brisk pace toward the outdoor academy forum for the dialogue gathering. Most of the other initiates were just finding seats around the small amphitheater when she arrived. Taanyx disappeared into the green belt around the academy wing just as the instructor descended to the central podium.
    Mnemosynae , Mistress of the Soul and the sacred mysteries of dreams and memories , w as Pyra’s favorite teacher. Statuesque and treacherously stunning as any goddess, her large violet eyes had a way of seeing through people as though they were glass statues. R umors told how Priestess Mnemosynae once consorted directly with Tsey’Us , who supposedly relished the company of dark-haired women with rare eye-colors. Nine daughters were born of this “ Temple Law union , ” if not in trans-biological fact, each of whom had grown to be great musicians, poets, and storytellers. One, Khallio’Phe, had taught Pyra to play the lyre.
    Pyra hoped to model her own career as a priestess on the mentorship of Mnemosynae . While many of the sacred sages, like Pandura, saw the root drives of human nature as determined by bodily humors, animal impulses, and the creation codes, Mnemosynae felt there was something deeper and closer to the gods. Her uncanny ability to draw hidden memories from people’s dreams and to create new healing memories in her subjects through enchantments of controlled suggestion had won her an important place on the High Council. Not even Pandura interfered with her lightly.
    Pyra took a seat as close to the front as possible , and with a short incantation of openness under her breath , prepared her mind to receive divine wisdom . Taanyx’s little love offering had helped relax her after her encounter with Harachne. Otherwise , she would have had to repeat the meditative words much longer to achieve inner harmony .
    Mnemosynae mounted the central platform, allowing her odd purple eyes to rest on the learners. “Today’s discussion will explore our own existence and the value we place on ourselves. Fertility worship is not simply a way to renew Mother Earth and Father Sky’s primordial union—that is only the surface understanding for those outside the Temple complex.
    “By interpreting the dreams and desires of your patrons, you will guide them to know the self and to appreciate it better. A society of people who feel good about who they are , is a society able to realize its own growing divinity. Growth has obstacles to overcome, however.