Page 86 of Daughter of Garnet

"Hierophant Caius was very devoted to his journal. This is only one of the many he amassed during his fifty years of tenure in the role. But I do find this one the most interesting." He climbs to his feet and moves to the lectern, placing the book on it before he begins to speak.

"'There has not been a time in history like this one. My pews are overflowing, and the Institute is at capacity; for all intents and purposes, this is a wonderful era for the Blessed. But I cannot shake my concern for my deacon, Robie. Robie has not reported for his duties for a fortnight, and when I went to the Director, I was informed that he met his pack and withdrew his enrollment. There is no policy I can recall that removes someone from the Institute if they find their pack.

"'The sudden exit is unlike Robie, who had no intention of finding a pack, preferring to be fully dedicated to the cause of his Goddess, Ilota. When I interrogated some of the instructors about his absence, a few reported that their assistants, all Omegas Blessed by Ilota, had met their packs and been dismissed from the Institute. The coincidence is concerning, and, in truth, so is the lack of dragons and phoenixes in the sky.'"

CHAPTER 41

Zoe

The silence that blankets our group is heavy, like each word landed on our shoulders as it left Cameron's mouth. Viv sniffles and discreetly wipes her cheek.

I wish I could lean around her and see the look on Ray's face, try to understand how these words hit him, but I can't without making the truth obvious. Though this is supposed to be a sermon about Ilota, the words feel so pointed to me and my situation that I fear there is no chance the importance of it being lost on him.

Cameron closes the book and leaves it on the lectern before sitting on the edge of the pulpit again. "Any questions?"

"Dragons and phoenixes?" Ray's voice is tight. "They're not real."

"And who is to say that? We are also told that there are no records of Ilota's Blessed, and yet here is one." Cameron fiddles with his shock collar under his robe, and again I am struck by the profound sadness that he is cut off from his beast in that manner. "Caius mentioned Robie several times before this entry. Would you like to take a guess at his shifted form?"

I don't need to say it aloud. I already know. Viv is the one to answer.

"A dragon?"

Cameron nods. "Yes, an Omega dragon. It sounds almost unbelievable."

"It is unbelievable." Cliff's voice is thick. "But just because we've been taught not to believe something doesn't mean it's not real."

"You mean to tell me that you think Ilota Blessed Omegas to be dragons and Alphas to be phoenixes?" Ray sounds incredulous, and I don't blame him. If I couldn't feel my dragon purring inside me right now, I probably wouldn't believe it either.

The Hierophant shrugs. "Possibly. But I read every entry of his journals, and saw no reference to Fire Alphas at all."

"Ilota? Do you not Bless Alphas?"

Her answer is almost immediate.

"No. My Omegas were a gift to the realm."

I wonder if the five of us being in a holy place and talking about her is giving her more power, because her voice is stronger now than it has been in the past. I ask her as much.

"Yes, as belief in me grows, so does my strength. I was unaware, when I began withholding my Blessings, that it would remove all faith in me. I fear it is partially my fault that things have gotten as bad as they have."

"The other Gods are withholding their Omega Blessings too, aren't they?"

Ilota doesn't answer my question, and while I don't know what that means, it cannot be good.

I don't know if the aching in my gut is anxiety or if I'm getting sick. I lean against Cliff for support, and he wraps an arm around my waist.

"You need rest." He touches my forehead with the back of his hand. "I think you're getting a fever."

I push my rice around my plate with my fork. "I cannot get sick right now. I've got my final for Menagerie Management tomorrow. There is no way Dominic is going to go easy on me."

My first quarter at the Institute is almost over, and the air has begun to take on a chill as autumn bears down on us. I simultaneously feel like I've been here forever and that I just got here.

"All the more reason to rest right now, while you can."

"Will you come with me?" On the surface, those words could seem seductive, but they're not. Cliff and I still haven't slept together, and when I'm under the weather, it's not the time. It may be silly, but I want it to be special.

Ray's plate clatters onto the table in front of me. "Tell me you guys have heard."