I wonder if his hatred makes the fire burn hotter. “Now you want to take down the priests before the Valtia is in control again.”
He lets out a humorless grunt of laughter. “I’ve wanted that for years. Give me one good reason why they should remain in power. Explain why they geld and shave and torture just to bend young wielders to their will. Explain why they keep the Saadella and the Valtia from mingling with the people. Explain why they use the Valtia until her body is destroyed, while they live long, long lives. And then,” he says, his voice a flame unto itself, “tell me why magic wielders can’t choose the lives they want. Tell me why we, of all people, are made into slaves.”
I frown. “The apprentices and acolytes seem happy enough with their fates, and so do the priests.”
Sig’s fingers burrow into the sand. “Then explain why there are exactly thirty priests, all of them men, and exactly thirty apprentices to replace them—and yet there are a hundred or more acolytes at any one time, with more being brought to the temple every month. Have you ever seen an old acolyte?”
The winter wind buffets my back. “No, but they’re cloistered after a certain age. They live in quarters within the catacombs.”
“Mmm. Just a different kind of cave dweller, then.” His eyes narrow. “And how many of them do you think there are now? Five hundred? A thousand? More than that? How do that many people live in complete isolation? How much food would be required to feed them all? Do you really believe that’s what happens to them?”
A chill rattles in my chest, and it has nothing to do with the cold breeze. “What do you believe?”
He shakes his head. “I couldn’t say, but I will tell you that I wandered that underground maze for hours, looking for a way out. I saw chamber after chamber filled with copper ore and bars, baubles and coins, but I never once came upon a single cloistered acolyte, let alone quarters meant to house hundreds of them.”
I cross my arms over my chest and rub my hands up and down my sleeves. Sig starts to scoot closer, but I put my hands out to stop him. His eyebrow arches. “Just offering a bit of warmth.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m fine.”
“I’m trying to be nice. Don’t flatter yourself.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I’m actually relieved to hear the disinterest in his voice. “And no matter your complaint against the priests, the Valtia is the one person who could change anything. She’s the one—”
“Since when has any Valtia lifted a finger to help the acolytes—or any magic wielders?” Sig barks.
“Maybe she doesn’t know what’s happening!” I surely didn’t.
“Or maybe she’s a puppet.” He stands up, dusting sand from his trousers. “If she’s truly in charge, why aren’t there female priests? Why would a woman with such power allow other women to be shaved and shut away?” He offers his hand.
I knock it aside and get up on my own. My head’s still aching, but I’m so angry I barely notice it. “The Valtia is not a puppet,” I snarl.
“So she’s evil, then? That’s the only other explanation I can think of. Either she’s under the control of the elders, or she’s as bad as they are.”
My hands become fists. “How dare you.” I’m trying to find my words within a forest of new doubts that have sprouted in my mind. “The Valtia is a queen willing to sacrifice everything for the good of her people. And if they’ve found her, you’d be wise to drop your plans to attack the temple.”
Sig grins down at me, his short, pale-blond hair ruffled by the wind, the fire in his eyes once more. “Fair enough,” he says, his voice shaking with a strange, manic energy. “If they’ve found her, I’ll do exactly that.” He offers his arm. “Elli, would you care to attend the royal coronation with me?”
If I go, I could see the Valtia for myself. Maybe I could find a way to talk to her. Raimo said she’d be powerful, but that the stars created me to keep the balance. She might have risen up to lead the Kupari, but perhaps she needs me. What if I could save her from Sofia’s fate? Will she listen to what I have to say?
Even if she won’t, even if the elders drag me away and cut my throat, it will be worth it—they won’t have any reason to send more priests to the caverns in search of the lost Valtia. Oskar will be safer, as will all the cavern dwellers. He’ll have the peace he craves, and I want that as much as I want to help the true Valtia.
Either way, my journey ends where it began.
I take Sig’s arm. “When do we leave?”
CHAPTER 19