“Yes, it is warm here,” Tyen agreed.
“I guess if I could choose anywhere to build a temple, I’d choose somewhere nice,” said Joi, the chatty one. “It hasn’t rained once since we arrived. But there’s a lot of water about, so it must some time.”
“At night mostly.”
“And as it’s called a temple city, I was expecting something… something more city-like.”
Tyen chuckled. “Me, too.”
The temple of Aei was a great sprawl of low buildings, each house set amid gardens and small fields, threaded through with streams artfully diverted to supply all houses with water and made to look natural with careful planting. Once away from the main temple complex, the city didn’t appear to be highly populated, but in reality the place was teeming with people.
Most were ordinary people, from the families that ran the boarding houses for pilgrims and worshippers, to field workers, to the men and women who provided goods and services around the city, to most of the priests and priestesses who ran the temples. After so long living in a school of sorcery, Tyen had almost forgotten that most people had no magical ability. Here only the upper hierarchy of priests and priestesses were sorcerers. The rest lived without magic in their lives, except for when visitors had the ability to use it.
Fortunately the priests and priestesses of Aei were too busy with temple business to pay attention to pilgrims, and those of other worlds were so busy taking care of the visitors they brought to Aei they spared little attention to anyone else. The rebels had been able to settle safely in the boarding houses without raising suspicion. All in eight days.
“I didn’t see anywhere big enough for everyone to meet,” Joi reflected. “Are there fewer of us, ah, followers left? Did some change their minds?”
“We’ve lost some and gained some.” Tyen glanced at the young man following behind them to make sure he was still there. “No more than twenty people can stay in each boarding house, and we had to take what was available, so we’re scattered all over the city. We’re moving people when rooms are available in order to occupy whole houses, but staying in small groups does have advantages.”
Joi nodded, and Tyen saw that he understood. A big group might draw attention.
“Everyone is undergoing training,” Tyen added, “to learn the rituals required when visiting the main temple.” Joi’s nose wrinkled, but he didn’t object. If the rebels didn’t participate it would be obvious they weren’t really there on pilgrimage.
“What do these rituals involve?” the other man asked.
“Offerings, prayers, readings by the hosts of the boarding houses. Some pilgrims come here to make a request of Aei or seek advice from the priests and priestesses, others simply to purify their souls.”
“Offerings?” Joi said, frowning and thinking that he didn’t want to waste his limited savings on a religion he didn’t follow.
“It is what pays for your food, clothing and bed.”
Joi looked down at Tyen’s clothing. “If the quality of what you’re wearing is an indication, someone’s profiting from that.”
“They ask that you contribute only what you can afford, but in return you get exactly what everyone else receives. All people are treated the same way here, whatever their status at home. You’re meant to be equally humble in the presence of Aei. Or at least appear to be.” Tyen shrugged and looked down at the simple trousers and vest he’d been given to wear. “They’re actually very comfortable and most pilgrims do wear them.
“Most? That means some don’t.”
“If they aren’t wearing these, they are adhering to the stricter customs of modesty of their world. Which means they do tend to stand out from other pilgrims.”
Joi nodded again. “Not a good idea for us, then.”
“No.” Tyen said. “Now remember: no mind reading. I will be watching the both of you.”
They’d arrived at a single-level house built of thick reeds as strong as wood. The host family for this house was led by a woman, currently occupied in trimming a small tree overhanging a path. She looked up and smiled as she bent in a half-bow. Tyen stopped to return the gesture, his companions following suit, then ushered the two newcomers inside. A corridor ran down the centre, and he glanced through the open doorways on either side as he passed, nodding to the rebels occupying them. They appeared to be contemplating the view outside, but were actually keeping watch for anyone lingering nearby who might overhear their leader’s conversations. He stopped outside the only closed door. At his tap a familiar voice called out.
“Come in.”
He pushed through. Yira was sitting on a deep, low bench, her long legs tucked in under her. She looked relaxed and calm, as though she had been in Aei for weeks, when she had only been in the temple city for eight days, and had moved constantly from house to house so that only Tyen knew where she was to be at any time.