“She sounds like one of those evil stepmothers you hear about in legends sometimes,” Roke remarked.
“I certainly thought so,” Elli admitted. “But it was my own fault, really—a moment of indiscretion changed my whole life.” She looked up at Roke. “And then another indiscretion—with you at the Christmas party—changed it again.”
He shook his head.
“I’m sorry again, little priestess. I didn’t realize how strict your order was.”
“The Ascending Priestess Superior is exceedingly strict,” Elli informed him. “That’s why she decided to send me to the Priory of Extreme Atonement here on Pok. Well, that and so she could say that she’d asked the Tenebrians for a piece of their Healing Lattice when she actually has no intention of even trying to get some in order to save the old Priestess Superior.”
Roke frowned.
“So her plan is to let her predecessor die? Even when she knows what can heal her? She sounds as evil as your stepmother!”
“They’re certainly cut from the same cloth,” Elli admitted. She had often thought that the Ascending Priestess Superior reminded her of her stepmother.
“So the Priestess Superior sent you off here and you decided that instead of going into that Priory of…”
“Extreme Atonement,” Elli supplied.
“Right. Extreme Atonement. So you decided instead to go on a quest and get a piece of the Tenebrians’ Healing Lattice yourself?” Roke asked. “But how do you expect to manage it?”
“I don’t know,” Elli confessed. “From what I’ve heard, you either have to pay an exorbitant amount of credit or do a personal service for the Crown Prince.” She lifted her chin. “But I’ll find a way. I’ve come this far and I’m not going back to the Mother Ship without a piece of that Lattice!”
“Well, you’re determined—I’ll give you that,” Roke murmured. “And I give you my word, I’ll do my best to help you fulfill your quest.”
“You will?” Elli looked at him uncertainly.
“It’s the least I can do after I fucked up your life so royally,” he growled. “Yes, little priestess, I’ll help you get a piece of that Lattice if it kills me.”
“Hopefully it won’t come to that,” Elli objected. “I believe I’ll find a way to get a piece of it once I—we—get inside.”
Roke gave her that one-sided smile again.
“Well, I’m glad you’ve actually accepted me as your partner. And now, here comes the food.”
He nodded at the waitress who was bringing two plates piled high with fluffy honey cakes. As the sweet, spicy, delicious scent drifted towards her nose, Elli’s stomach growled again. She’d thought she would never taste the food of her home world again, after being sent off to the Mother Ship. How glad she was for the flavors of home!
As soon as the waitress put the plate in front of her, she slathered the top honey cake with the spicy nut chutney and dug in.
“Mmm, so good,” she nearly moaned as the familiar taste hit her tongue.
“Is that how you eat it?” Roke also slathered his top cake with the chutney.
“It’s a bit spicy,” Elli tried to warn him. “So if you’re sensitive to peppers or—”
“I can handle it.” He took a large bite and his eyes widened as he chewed. “That’s…” He wheezed a bit, his face going slightly red. “You were right—it’s spicy.” His voice was tight.
“Just the way I love it,” Elli said, smiling. “All the food they give us on the Mother Ship is so bland. When I go back, I’ll have to see if I can smuggle some peppers with me.”
“Well, you won’t have to bring many if they’re as hot as this.” Roke took a big drink of his roozle sparkle and surreptitiously scraped some of the spicy nut chutney off his cakes.
“This would probably last me for a while,” Elli said, nodding and taking another bite. “Mmm, I never thought I’d get to taste the food of my home world again! Or work with zorels either—I’ve missed it so much.”
“That’s something I’ve been wondering about—how do you get them to listen to you?” Roke asked, taking another bite himself. “I mean, the minute you looked that big beast in the eye, it calmed immediately. How did you do that?”
“Well…” Elli looked at him, wondering how much to reveal. Would he think she was crazy if she told the truth?
“Go on…” He made a gesture with his fork, urging her to continue.
“It might sound strange but…the minute I can get a zorel to look me in the eye, I have a kind of…instant connection with it. I can…feel what it wants—what it needs.” Elli shook her head. “I know that sounds strange…”
“Not strange at all,” Roke countered, surprising her.
“Really?” Elli looked at him uncertainly. “You don’t think it’s…odd?”
“The tonga herders on Feebish Five are said to have a telepathic connection with their beasts,” Roke said. “And the people on R’opp have an entire subset of priests dedicated to communicating with the Holy Olaph—a huge animal as big as a building that they worship as a god.” He shrugged, his broad shoulders rolling with the gesture. “So why shouldn’t you be able to talk to zorels?”