The Light of the Oracle by Victoria Hanley

Author:Victoria Hanley [Hanley, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-307-53771-3
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2005-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

Summoned to the Master Priest's sanctum late that afternoon, Kiran gazed through the window at the sunset flaming the skyline outside. Failing red light clung to the heavy drapes, dulling the cords that bound them; it spread onto the Master Priest's robes, washing the gold embroidery at his collar and cuffs with darkness.

This time Kiran was invited to sit.

“It's time you took your rightful place in the Temple,” said the Master Priest.

“Rightful place?”

“ You're a black swan prophet, Kiran. I would like to begin training you in the techniques of paired prophecy.”

Kiran tensed. Paired prophecy was such a secret technique, he had heard only rumors of it.

The growing shadows seemed to transform Renchald's lean face into that of a gyrfalcon. “ You're a gifted prophet, Kiran, though you hide it well. The Temple needs you. Your prophetic powers will begin to decline in less than ten years. By pairing with another whose powers are also at their height, you can bathe in the brilliance of the Oracle's light, walk at will through the future. You can travel effortlessly wherever the Oracle sees fit to take you. Your mind will fill with insight and become a thousand times more powerful.”

Fill with insight. Kiran thought of Bryn. Might Renchald be able to teach him something that could help her? “What is paired prophecy?” he asked cautiously.

“A method for linking with the mind of a prophetess.”

“How would I learn it?”

“Report to me for evening study. A class of one.”

Could Kiran bear Renchald's company—alone? Could he endure learning from the Master Priest, while watched by a vulture statue and a tapestry of Keldes?

“Because the pairing techniques are so secret,” Renchald continued, “ you will be required to give your solemn word not to reveal what you learn and not to discuss that we are meeting.” He laced his fingers together, his two hands like one large fist. “If you begin, you must agree to complete all the lessons I set for you.”

Kiran's mind churned. I swore to help Bryn. What if this is my chance? He took a deep breath. He nodded reluctantly. “I agree. I give you my word.”

The Master Priest leaned back in his chair, face inscrutable. “Because the black swan is your choosing bird, you'll have an extraordinary aptitude for learning to link with a prophetess.”

Kiran glanced at the vulture statue, so smooth and darkly shining. He felt suddenly cold. “Which prophetess?”

“Clea Errington.”

Kiran gripped the arms of his chair.

“As her prophecy partner,” the Master Priest's relentless voice went on, “ you will have firsthand knowledge of all her clearest visions. You will see them too.”

Kiran remembered Bryn's dream of Selid. If Clea had seen that vision, the Master Priest would have been told of it instantly. Kiran ground his heel into the carpet. Clea bore watching, but the idea of linking with her mind revolted him. He crossed his arms. “Will she know my thoughts?”

“No. You have powerful inner barriers. Besides, she will not be trained to form links herself. She will have to rely on her pairing prophet for that.

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