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It’s also a problem for tonight.

To my surprise, the temple isn’t empty when I enter. A short, ancient woman waits for me, her skin so pale it’s almost translucent and her hair and eyes colorless, her robes seeming to glow gently. Or maybe they’re white and reflecting the glow of the walls and ceiling. She smiles when she sees me. “You did well.”

Her voice is instantly familiar. It’s the one that instructed me through the process of bargaining with the Moon. “You were the one speaking to me before.” Not the voice in my head, though. I’m still half certain I imagined that part.

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you show yourself?”

“Tradition.” Her peaceful expression shutters a bit. “The priests are not to meet their respective champions until after the first sunrise of the Trials.”

I almost ask why, but the bitterness in her tone suggests it’s not her decision. That means the choice lies with the Minor Court, like so many others around the Tarot Trials. It’s passing strange they’re so involved in a process that doesn’t serve their gods, but what do I know of politics? “Do you know why the Moon chose to deny me offensive powers? I thought the old gods want to give their champions the best chance to win.”

The priestess’s expression doesn’t flicker. “The Moon does everything for a reason. Adjust your plans accordingly.” She smiles sweetly, making her face crease with wrinkles. “And it may very well be that you simply haven’t plumbed the depths of your gifts.”

Maybe. Maybe not. I won’t live long enough to plumb the depths if I die tonight because I have no offensive powers. Instead of arguing—what would be the point?—I look around. The space is much the same as it was when I first walked in. “Where is the door to the lower level?”

Surprise flares in her pale eyes. “You are familiar with the layout of the temple?”

“My mentor knew a past champion. He passed on all that information to me.” Mouse has long since cautioned me not to tell people the last Moon was my mother. Almost no one wants to ally with me, even if I wanted it, because of the disgrace still clinging to the role of the Moon’s champion. If they knew I shared blood with her? They might go from ignoring me to banding together to target me. “Did you know her? The last champion of the Moon?” She must have. She certainly looks old enough to have been alive during the last Trials—and maybe even the one before.

Her expression shutters. “It’s forbidden to speak of her.”

“You spoke of her when I was waiting earlier.” Does it count, though? Those answers were deeply unsatisfactory and generic.

The priestess won’t quite meet my gaze. “There was no telling if you would survive the night. You have, and the rules must be observed going forward.”

Damn it. “Why?” Except I know, don’t I? The same reason I had no competition to become the Moon’s champion. The same reason the other champions clearly have no intention of looping me into their budding alliances. “Because she was accused of treason. And it’s said that her powers drove her mad.” I take a deep breath. “The rest of the city may believe that, but surely you don’t. Earlier, you said she was the perfect champion. How can that be if she truly did everything they say?”

“It’s forbidden to speak of her.”

“Surely that doesn’t hold here, in the Moon’s temple?”

The priestess lifts her hand as if she’ll press it to my mouth, but aborts the motion halfway through. When she speaks, her voice is so low, I can barely hear her. “That may have been true in the past, but the Minor Court’s reach has increased dramatically since the last Trials. Speaking of her is forbidden, Champion Moon. I won’t endanger myself—or you—by further violating that rule.”

I bite down a sigh. I misplayed this. I should have waited a few days for some trust to build between us before broaching this subject. The possibility of answers was just too seductive to pass up. In an effort to change the subject, I say, “What’s your name?”

“Priests have no names. Not for these gods.” She smiles. “This way. I’ll show you to your room.”

Allowing the priests access to the champions is a calculated risk, but a necessary one. There must be neutrality among the Minor Courts and guilds; they cannot provide attendants to the champions. Even should the five winners become true converts to the old gods, they will not gain so much power as to turn the masses against the primordial elements.

—EXCERPT FROM THE MAJOR ARCANA: A TREATISE ON THE HISTORY OF THE OLD GODS

CHAPTER EIGHT

I FOLLOW THE PRIESTESS to the back of the room to a cleverly hidden door. I glance at the back wall, searching for the door I left through last night, but it’s smooth and shows no signs that one even exists. Impossible to tell if it’s some kind of strange magic that makes the walls move … or just someone who knew what they were doing when they built this place.

She starts down a curved set of stairs, leaving me to follow. I swallow past the strange thickness in my throat at the realization that I survived the night. I have no idea how I’ll continue to do so. I wish I could talk to Mouse. He’d have some ideas about how to turn the reality of the situation to my advantage. I miss him terribly. I clear my throat. “I know you said you don’t have a name, but surely there’s something I can call you?”

She smiles slowly. “Priestess works well enough.”

I take a breath, but don’t press her further. “I’m Kestrel.” She already knows my name, but it doesn’t hurt to be polite.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Champion Moon.”

Okay, then. We reach the bottom of the stairs and she leads me down a short hallway with three doors. Our destination is the door on the right. “This will be your room for the duration of the Trials. I’ll wake you when it’s time to prepare for tonight’s events.”

I want nothing more than to slip into sweet oblivion for a few hours, but there are too many questions bubbling up inside me. I’ve never been closer to the truth of my mother, and yet the knowledge continues to dangle just out of reach. If the priestess won’t talk to me about her, maybe there’s another way. “Are there records kept here? About the Moon’s past champions?” About my mother and her predecessors, one of whom possibly had the same powers I do. “Or about the other champions?” Judgment’s magic seemed identical to what he wielded during the Culling, but that’s anecdotal at best. Death killed the Hanged Man, but I didn’t see it happen so I have no idea if he used his powers—or if they are the same ones he possessed in the last Trials and the years since. Vesper mentioned getting used to their powers, so there’s also the possibility that I really haven’t delved into everything the Moon gave me yet.