She nodded. “In destroying him with the power of the sun, Milithia bequeathed the serpent with dominion over daylight and doomed herself to the night. But he did not inherit the fire with which she defeated him, for he could not contain it. The serpent is a creature of the sea, and the fire would not go to him.”
I toyed with the band of iron hidden in my pocket. “So he became a god?”
“Yes. And his first act as the newly Divine was to banish Milithia from her homeland, for it was an island.”
“Land an’ sea,” Josh breathed, his dark eyes glittering in the half light of the caves.
“Heartsick and full of rage, Milithia tried to shift back, to become the woman she’d been so she could crush the serpent beneath her heel and reclaim her power—but that too was forbidden to her. She was trapped in the form of an owl, for that was the form she’d taken upon her death, and was, therefore, the only one left to her upon rebirth. Left with nothing but fire and wind in her belly, Milithia took wing, seizing the serpent in her mighty talons. The men among her followers saw her intention to exact vengeance upon the serpent, and where Milithia saw a cheat and a thief, the men saw ingenuity and a fierce determination to win, whatever the cost. They were besotted with the serpent, and for her love of them, Milithia could not do it. She could not take something that inspired such love and devotion. No matter the great personal cost. So she fled, and the Priestesses with her.”
I rubbed at my throat, abandoning the ring, arms crossed over my ribs. “That’s so sad.”
The High Priestess touched my elbow, shaking her head. “Hers is a story of perseverance, Mila. Of forgiveness and rebirth.”
“What happened to th’ serpent?”
“He still rules the land and the sea, of course.”
Josh made a sound at the back of his throat. “Fire an’ wind are a better combination anyway.”
“I’m glad you think so. Now. Time is wasting. Let’s move along to the labs. There are a few things down there I think you’ll enjoy.”
Josh straightened, head snapping to the side. “Glaith prototypes, Your Grace?”
A sly smile stretched across her lips. “Possibly.”
He rubbed his hands together, grinning. “Ah, now you’re speakin’ my language, Your Grace.”
Lips pursed, the High Priestess returned his smile, and guided us from the caves. “Do you know much about the Glaith, Josh?”
“Aye,” Josh replied, falling into step beside her. “My father owns a share in th’ mines, and my brothers support their families on mine wages.”
“Then I expect you’ll enjoy this most of all. Now you can see the sum of all their hard work and what we’ve managed to do with it. Ah, here we are.” With practiced ease, she pressed her palm to a Glaith panel, stepping back as a set of double glass doors parted before her. Inside, I counted a dozen Tritan and Eloran heads bent over workstations, all focused on strange looking devices, wrapped up in conversation, or mixing colorful chemicals in delicate tubes. “Please don’t touch anything unless I tell you otherwise.”
Josh flashed his palms. “Count on it.”
The High Priestess caught my eye. “Thank you, Josh, but I’m afraid I wasn’t speaking to you.”
I averted my eyes, left hand dipping back into my pocket—but nothing would ever be able to prepare me for the shock of touching the virgin Glaith, no matter how many times I did it.
Nodding, the High Priestess turned to a large bronze cylinder. “This is something I know you’re already familiar with, though you may not have seen it like this.”
Josh didn’t hesitate. “Oh, aye. I recognize it. And seein’ as I pilot one most days, Ishould.Glaith engine, yeah?”
The High Priestess clapped him on the shoulder. “Indeed it is, Josh. Well done.”
It was his turn to blush. “Aye, well…” He cleared his throat, scrubbing at the back of his neck. “Da always said t’know your vehicle. I couldna stand not knowing how it worked. ‘Course, that doesn’t mean I figured it out.”
The High Priestess winked. “Good. Must keepsomethingfor propriety’s sake, hmm? And don’t worry, Senator,” she added, smirking. “It won’t be long now before we’re ready to reveal the next line of Glaith engines for you to stick in a ridiculously over-priced coach.”
“More efficient and capable of greater speeds than the last?”
“Naturally,” she replied, then waved at a tall Tritan man. “Ancaster?”
He dropped what he was doing, and said, “Your Grace?”
“This is Mila,” she said, pulling me front and center, her fingers tight on my shoulders.
“Have we a new Priestess?” Ancaster asked, scrubbing at his cropped silver-blond hair.
