“I haven’t ‘sworn’ to anyone or anything,” Justin said.
“No.” Geraki sighed. “Which is a shame. You won’t be able to learn the full extent of his wisdom or grasp your power until you accept him. He’s already accepted you. You even have his mark.”
Geraki pushed up his sleeve, and Justin’s heart nearly stopped. There, tattooed in blue, was a symbol identical to the scar Justin had received in the fire, that same odd F-shape.
“Where,” Justin breathed, “did you get that?”
“From a tattooist on Brooks Street. Oh. The idea? Our god sent it to me.”
The room swayed a little, but Justin’s bourbon was only half-gone. “This is impossible.”
“Is it?” Geraki’s eyes seemed to see right into Justin’s heart. “He’s marked us both. I hear his voice, and you will deliver it. Everything I’ve said about the powers returning to the world…you know it’s all true. I know you feel it. You can feel you have a role to play. So why won’t you choose a side? How did you even reach this point with the ravens and a divine mark if you haven’t sworn fealty?”
“Because your master slipped up and gave me the goods before I had to pay for them.”
Geraki leaned across the table, face speculative. “You must be clever if you outwitted him. But you’re not in the clear, are you? He wouldn’t still be interested in you if you were. The ravens would have left. Instead, he’s biding his time…waiting for the inevitable. What is it? What line are you dancing on that’ll eventually bring you to his service?”
A woman among women.
“One I’m not going to cross.”
Geraki slumped back. “Why are you fighting it?”
“Because gods do terrible things to people.”
“And incredible things. You must know that. Haven’t the ravens taught you wonders?”
Justin thought back on the past four years. “You mean their constant nagging about my choices and personal life?”
I think you mean advice, not nagging, said Horatio.
“I mean the runes and spells and other knowledge key to your path.” At Justin’s silence, Geraki looked uncharacteristically dumbfounded. “How…what kind of deal did you make? Didn’t you promise to learn his ways?”
“Only if I swore myself to him.”
Seeing Geraki stumped was almost making this trip worthwhile. “Someone as egotistical as you isn’t interested in learning the secrets of one of the wisest, cleverest gods? If you had even a taste of his power, you’d want to follow him.”
“A god whose name I don’t know.”
“You have to learn that for yourself. It’s part of a wise man’s path.”
“Convenient. And I don’t suppose he’ll come talk to me himself?”
“I thought he already did.” Geraki looked legitimately surprised. “In a dream?”
“A dream doesn’t mean anything. I dreamed the other night that I went riding on a dinosaur.”
“He doesn’t just appear in the physical world at a man’s whim,” said Geraki, echoing what the ravens had once said. “To simply hear his voice alone, I have to fast and meditate and endure all sorts of torments.”
“Right. No alcohol. No sex.” Justin brought up the bill. “This is no different than any of the other religions I’ve looked at over the years. Maybe there really are gods in the world, maybe there’s one who thinks I’m his elect. But for beings that want worship, they sure do make things hard for their followers. Not much in the way of concrete answers or guidance. It’s just left for mortals to figure it all out.”
“Wise men don’t need concrete answers. By definition, they need wisdom, which you’re lacking in.” It was exactly the same kind of nonsensical commentary Justin had heard before, and he was surprised to find he was disappointed.
“Wise men thrive on concrete answers! I’m not going to learn from—let alone swear myself to—someone so nebulous. Someone whose face I haven’t seen. Someone whose name I don’t even know.”
Geraki looked exasperated. Justin might have broken him. “Really? He spoke to you in a dream, sent you the ravens, and put an extraordinary woman in your path. But that’s still not good enough? You need a face and a name before you’ll start learning his ways? That’s what it’ll take?”
“You bet,” said Justin, feeling triumphant at seeing Geraki squirm. “Think you can make it happen?”
“I have limits,” he admitted. “So does our god.”
“That’s exactly what I thought.” Justin swiped his ego and stood up in disgust.
“Wait.” Geraki had gotten control of himself again. “Maybe you can dodge everything else, but there’s one thing that’s unquestionable. Yielding the stars and flowers for the clever compromise. You promised, and even if you won’t follow him, I know you believe in him and his power. Breaking your word is a grave thing.”
Justin stilled. “If I do it, it’ll be going against something else he wants. It’s a contradiction.”