That, with the disdain that drips from the Learned’s words has me drawing up to my full height.
“I need to bake bread to live,” I tell her quietly.
And becausesheknows I do not say things I don’t mean, Learned Muka freezes.
And then, to my absolute shock, falls back into her seat.
“Damn it,” Learned Muka mutters. “You picked a hell of a time for this.”
I don’t pretend to misunderstand her.
But I do crouch down in front of her as I ask, “Did I?”
She grunts.
Iamsurprised she’s not fighting me on it.
And I think I may also be angry, that if she thinks making a different choice is merited, that she didn’tprepareme. Thatwasher job.
Unless there is an irreconcilable difference between that, and making a sage effective—and safe—for the priesthood.
“You know I’m against the fear-based decisions the priesthood is making now,” Learned Muka says. “I advocated to give you space—”
“And you advised me how to weather the storm,” I agree, “but not how to break it against me.”
Learned Muka sighs and looks at me with concern.
But she won’t touch me to anchor me. Not like Tasa did.
“This way is much harder,” she tells me. “Be sure.”
At that, I let out a humorless laugh. “I’m sure ofnothing.”
“Then get sure fast.” Her voice is hard. “Because you’re risking more than yourself.”
Specifically, I realize, I’m risking her. “You can report that you didn’t find me.”
“You just told me you don’t know what you want. If you decide to come back, what then?”
Then I’d make a liar of her. And if she is forsworn, that would mean death.
Damn it.Damnit.
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” Learned Muka says. “You need time to get your head on straight, and I can’t stay here and help you. If you want both of us to not die, we give them the dragon.”
Now it’s my turn to freeze. “What?”
“Think, Sage Kovan. I tell them I found dragon scales.” Learned Muka holds one up—charred; wounded. “It’ll redirect attention away from this movement toward controlling sages to fighting dragons. The priesthood will assume you’re dead, and you’ll be left alone.”
Leftwith Tasa, in peace.
For the price of the brethren of the dragon who rescued me from my own people.
“I don’t like this,” I tell her slowly. “We shouldn’t be redirecting persecution toward a different target; we should be stopping it.”
“And are you prepared to stand against the entire priesthood?” Learned Muka returns without pause. “All your fellow sages? Is that what you want? Youwilldie then, Sage Kovan. Just like the Sage of Wrath did.”
Yora isn’t dead.
