Martin focused all his attention on his spread palm. A tiny blue flame sprang to life, withered, and died. Although Dmitri backed him in several demon fights, Martin best not to lay all cards on the table at once by showing his full strength. However, his efforts failed to pay off. For a moment, he remembered his mother entertaining him with her own flames.
“Concentrate, Martin. You seem distracted today.”
So like Dmitri to notice. Martin closed his hand. There’d be no conjuring with so much on his mind. “Father, have you ever done anything you regretted?” Not that Martin regretted his time with Peter. Far from it. But to now know the man’s taste, the feel of him…
The dark hood swiveled Martin’s way. “We all have regrets, have done things we’re not proud of. Learning from our mistakes is how we grow.”
“Have you… have you ever wanted someone? I mean, for more than one night? The Father’s priests are allowed lovers, right? Like the Lady’s are?”
Dmitri stayed silent a long moment before answering. “My sect doesn’t encourage taking others casually into our beds or hearts. Any we bring there must be… special.”
Oh, really? “Was there someone special to you?” Martin saw priests as truly spiritual beings and hadn’t expected one to confess to such baser emotions as love.
Dmitri let out a sigh. “There was.”
“She’s not with you now?” Yes, Martin asked rude questions but needed to know.
“Why do you say ‘she’?” Again, no humor, no condemnation, simply a question.
“Your religion frowns on two men or two women, or so I’m told.” Though the gossip from Esmerla Enys and her sister-by-bonding didn’t count as reliable information.
Good women, both, but far too prone to chin-wagging. Of course, they probably got their information from Enys himself.
“Yes, it does. But while the Father’s servants do their best to follow his teachings, we’re still mortal. The heart travels of its own accord.”
“So,he’snot with you now?”
“No.” Dmitri’s brown hood swept back and forth.
“Do you regret it?”
“I regret how I lost him.” Dmitri rose abruptly and strode away.
What? A holy man? Martin hurried to catch up. He passed other priests and their novices, working in appointed places throughout the room. A silencing spell hid their murmurings from Martin’s ears.
He caught Dmitri at the door, barely remembering to swipe his hand over the lintel runes before slamming into an invisible wall. It only took twice for him to learn.
Martin followed his mentor into a courtyard far less lavish than the Lady’s. Dmitri sat on a plain wooden bench, patting the spot beside him.
Martin sat.
For several long moments, the silence lingered. Then, finally, Dmitri said, “We all must choose our own path. The Choosing is days away when your friend Cere hopes to be called more deeply into the Lady’s service. Once one gives themselves to her care, there is no going back.”
Martin winced. “Should I try to discourage him?”
“He, like you, has the right to determine his own path. He would not listen.” Dmitri shrugged. “What can we offer him? He also has a destiny to fulfill. You turned down any chance to serve her, and while you’re welcome to join the priests here, I see you traveling a different road.”
”Is it the same way with the Father? The permanence.”
“No. His servants are free to come and go as they please. Were I to suddenly take a notion to try my hand at farming, I’m free to do so with the Father’s blessing. However, like you, I have a destiny.”
Destiny? Now Dmitri sounded like the card deck from the Stone’s Throw.
“Have you ever thought of leaving?”
Dmitri hung his head. “After I lost my first love, I met someone I might have had a second chance with. After I’d sworn myself to service many seasons ago, I rescued a man attacked by demons. Because he’d seen them, I couldn’t simply return him to his home. He’d been injured, so I found a cottage and nursed him back to health.”
Martin had never heard of anyone besides a hunter surviving a demon attack. “What happened then?”
