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What is a mortal to a fallen god?Let’s focus on Kallamar for a second. It wouldn’t be his first time answering it, of course. There obviously wasn’t a universal answer, it varied from one asking to another and he wouldn’t hesitate to inform you about it. It also varied for Kallamar, because if he was asked specifically about his spouses at the beginning of his reign, he would simply answer “everything”.It would be true. He was the kind of man who would give up everything for someone he loved.A few centuries later, it would be a “loss”. The greatest loss, the biggest and heaviest, but still a loss. He grieved, he cried, he begged, but what is a loss if not a hole in one’s heart, deep and black like the depths he used to rule? If you were about to ask now, the universal answer would be much closer to Kallamar’s understanding though - a mortal would be mostly a nuisance for a fallen god.Any fallen god.And any mortal.“This is not how you do this.”Kallamar sighed. It wasn’t the first time his hut had been considered abandoned and chosen as a place for trysts. The fence around Bishop’s square not only did nothing to stop people from trespassing, it actually helped them as a cover: with the fence on their right, the wall of the Cult behind their back, and Kallamar’s hut in the front in surely worked wonders for those avoiding curious stares and gossip. It wasn’t like Kallamar was going to say something to anyone, too, right?“This is not how you do this.”The emphasis on ‘not’, and the distinctive growl in the person’s voice finally made the squid realize who was behind his hut this time. Kallamar looked at the wall with horror. Narinder? Of all people, for god’s sake, the former Embodiment of Death behind his hut?For a moment, Kallamar considered himself mistaken. It was Narinder, after all. He wouldn’t be there for something as indecent as a tryst. There was surely a bloody murder about to happen. The former god of blight relaxed on his bed and closed their eyes again, ready to continue a very-needed nap. That was alright. Murder would be welcome, actually, Kallamar would be happy to witness it, then, it was a moment since the last sacrifice.“Narinder, what the fuck. Don’t you see I’m in the middle of something?”The squid sat on his bed, both started and shocked. Lamb? The Lamb, here? Yes, well, no, Kallamar would have been deaf, but even he heard the rumors about the habits of the murderous little leader. The squid stood up, pissed, and took the sword out of the wall, revealing an amulet stuck to the wall. It would be the second time this week he had to remove the amplifying barrier! At this point he would as well just stop putting them on!“Whatever you are going to do it’s not going to end up doing her-” the words drowned in the endless tingle of the disability.Kallamar felt the paper cramping and falling apart in his hand, turning into dust just like other remnants of his divinity.Well, at least the nap would be easier now.He came back to bed, waiting for the night to come.+++A touch.Neither gentle nor forceful, just a touch strange on their arm shot Kallamar awake. He didn’t realize when the sword he took from the wall ended up in his hand, two others stretched and ready to cast. The stranger’s form froze, hovering above them, but so did the former Bishop finally realizing where he was.The village. The cult of the Lamb.There were no more curses to cast and killing a villager would be punished with a death sentence he wouldn’t survive anymore. Kallamar sighed, but silence in his ears wouldn’t echo it into his mind.The villager moved, his hands on his hips, but if he was talking, then Kallamar neither heard it nor saw it in the darkness of his hut. The former bishop raised the hand that didn’t hold the sword to stop the intruder from continuing."You shouldn’t have been entering my home unannounced, the Lamb has been clear about it.”The villager huffed and moved, reaching for the candle left on the table. He found something in his robe and, oh, Kallamar now knew who he was. That disciple that liked to be prepared. No one else would carry a box of matches in their pocket.A pungent smell of sulfur later, Kallamar got a confirmation of his thoughts. In the dim light of a single candle stood a blue lemur. Or rather, The blue lemur. The head disciple of the Lamb, keeping himself straight and proud, was now surely annoyed. That would explain his presence here. If there was a single villager allowed to break the Lamb’s orders, it would probably be him.My apologies, Lemur bowed a bit. You didn’t show up on the night duties and I heard no answer when I knocked.“I overslept,” Kallamar finally put the sword away, ready to change. “It won't happen again.”The head disciple nodded, saying something Kallamar couldn’t see. It probably didn’t matter that much; disciple Mermer left the hut anyway. The squid looked after him, doors closing softly. They knew each other, but barely. The head disciple left him gifts from time to time, wood chisels and knives, nice logs, and crystals, he also woke him up and tended to the basic needs, like taking Kallamar’s laundry and bringing him food, so he could help with anything that was currently needed. He also ignored Kallamar’s disability with all his furry might, talking way too fast, and looking around while speaking. The squid saw enough to know that it wasn’t exactly spiteful, just… perhaps coming from the disciple being surprisingly scatterbrained.Kallamar wouldn’t exactly say that he liked Mermer, but… Maybe he didn’t have any bigger negative feelings towards him. Just like this.+++Mermer didn’t exactly dislike Kallamar. He didn’t exactly like him either. You know what people say, the opposite of love is not hate, but disinterest. He was just one of the followers, slightly needier when it came to their attention, but considering the other bishops, Kallamar was surely Mermer’s favorite.Take Leshy, for example. The wedding preparations were a stable point on everyone’s list for at least a month, everyone knew about it and was perfectly aware there shouldn’t be any unplanned sowing on the fields. Apparently, it wasn’t obvious for Leshy, who instead of planting camellias, put tons of berries into the ground. Mermer sighed, noting on the list. Berries itself wouldn’t be that bad, they would just have a delay, but no, Leshy not only made them late, but when Lemon pointed out the ‘mistake’ Leshy decided to devour the whole seedlings, but also ground through the whole field, making an enormous mess, pushed the previously planted camellias seedling between the older ones, and in the end called it all “soil aeration”.Mermer would love to snap his back if he only knew if the damned worm even had one.“I know it’s not always easy, especially when you want to stay on good terms with the person you need to reprimand, but it’s crucial for our survival to have everyone on the same boat. Please, especially before the rituals, we might be tight on bones and I’m sure you wouldn’t like to be sent on a mission right before the wedding!”Mermer looked up, the pulpit now taken by the Lamb. The mighty leader looked tired; like before every single wedding they hosted. Ever since the events ten years ago Lambert looked exactly like this, like an abandoned puppy punished for something they didn’t do. Mermer hated seeing them like this. He would rather ask the Lamb to call every single wedding until the end of the time than watch them like this. Unfortunately, Lambert refused every time, as stubborn as a ram he surely was.“Yes?” Lambert asked someone in the crowd. Lemon was raising his hand high.“Is it, uh… Because of Leshy?” he asked.Mermer snickered. Lamb above the altar, yes, of course, it was because of Leshy! Who else would be able to eat a whole field in one go! They were tight on bones too, so if this mess caused any delays, they would be forced to send people on missions and Lambert refused to do so before celebrations!“Well, I suppose Leshy is a force of nature at this point, so, no, I’m talking mostly about the recent games around the pillory and the problems with the kitchen.” the Lamb waved their hand. “Ah, apropos, do we have the wedding cook team ready?”Mermer shook his head. The Lamb was too kind. They all knew the purgatory problem was nothing in comparison to the field’s mess, but bishops always had an easier time with everything in the village. Two of them basically didn’t work. Kallamar just slept through the whole day, while Shamura’s only duty was to help with crops from time to time. Leshy caused bigger problems than he was of help, and the only person Mermer could actually respect would be Heket… If she only didn’t rampage through their supplies at least once a month.There was also the last looming problem.Mermer peeked at the slender figure hovering between the lower disciples. Narinder looked deadly bored. Intimidating in a completely useless manner. The head disciple despised this bastard from the very first day, and no, it wasn’t even because of the battle between the One Who Waits and the Lamb, even if images of that day haunted him in his sleep. Mermer never told the Lamb he was the one who found the two of them behind the Leader’s tent.The head disciple shook his head, trying to focus on the meeting.“.... Have we had any questions about new rituals lately?” Lambert asked, his slightly anxious expression seen even all the way in the Temple.“Only the vacation one,” Maon scratched his head as he talked. “People are tired from the preparations and getting the Cult running, so I suppose we can think about it.”“That would take more preparations,” Lambert frowned. “Unless… we could perform both rituals on the same day, so the break would happen right after the wedding?”Mermer looked down at his list. The wedding already stopped a few of the crucial tasks in the cult. They will soon be short on lumber and stone, the crops were focused on flowers instead of food, and they needed fish and new space for the graves, so Lambert wouldn’t be forced to butcher the bodies that will surely accumulate more soon enough. Vacation? Now?“We also had an ask for the Ritual of Lust,” Mermer folded his arms, the list hidden. “Wouldn’t it be more in the mood of the union?”Oh, he knew this face on the Lamb. This was the look he used after he got hit on after the ritual. Yeah, scratch that, it was a stupid idea.“I’m afraid we need to take care of food first, before adding other people to the community,” they said instead. “The people found on crusades are still the priority, but we can check the food supplies and come back to this problem in later terms.”The head disciple clicked his tongue. The leader was right. They already had a problem with too many refugees needing a place to sleep and food to eat. One day wouldn’t change a thing in the never-ending list of tasks, but new kids would make it longer.The rest of the meeting went fast, with nothing but the usual; shit, food, and alcohol sometimes felt like problems that were meant to be never resolved. Mermer added a few notes to the paper and left, not minding the smaller matters of the other disciples. As long as Puma was in the room, they had nothing to be concerned about. Besides, he still needed to leave the notes in his tent and come back, so they would be turned into a demon before the evening crusade. The way to the tent was fast; the way back was even faster. Mermer waited in front of the Temple for a hot minute before they started circling around.Maybe they should ask if they needed help on the fields. Or check on Lambert again? They surely had a few extra matters to solve, so taking that from their plate would-Marmer blinked.The same squid they had to wake up for the evening duties was now walking in the broad light of the village, heading to the kitchen. Their eyes met for a moment; two curious gazes of people of very different social circles. Well, Mermer couldn’t deny him some charm.“Disciple Mermer!” he heard, looking away from the squid.Oh, Maon was finally available.“Yes?” Mermer looked back at the young disciple.“I just talked with Hanor,” Maon gestured at the grooms near the kitchen. “Or rather, I just eavesdropped on Hanor, you know how it is. There’s some discussion about an Anura’s ritual you probably might want to know about. There’s some kind of dance they want to add to the ceremony, and since you are in charge of the grooms I thought… That you wanted to know.”Mermer looked back in the kitchen direction. Kallamar was out of sight, but both, Hanor and Arjul still chatted in front of the entrance.“We will wait,” the head disciple decided. “Hanor will have to ask the Leader himself, so maybe he could change his mind. There’s no need to panic.”Maon nodded.“Sure,” he agreed. “By the way, Bergul apparently tasted the sweet mutton a few days ago. I watched if she didn’t try to repeat the attempt, but it looks like the Leader managed this one on their own.”Lamb above, he needed a break.“Any others?” Mermer asked like he wasn’t burning inside only at the thought of anyone else putting their dirty hands on the Lamb.“Merhil. This one might be a problem.”“Did he…?”“I don’t know,” Maon rubbed his neck. “From what I heard from Hanoi he was spooked by Narinder, of all people, and he’s rather salty about it.”Mermer raised his eyebrows. Narinder? Well, in his case, he would just pass by, and the effect would be the same. Still, it was a good thing.“I will take care of it after I will come back,” Mermer dismissed the younger disciple. “Thank you for your work, Maon.”“Ah, one more thing!” Maon mentioned. “Kallamar was asking for holy paper. Would you be so kind and drop some at his hut?”+++
In the end, Mermer decided to check on the Lamb before waiting at the demon circle. The Temple’s doors were heavy in his hands, the last words of the Lamb’s conversation hushed. The inside of the shrine smelled like incense and candles, but Mermer couldn’t help a feeling that there was also a very subtle scent of lanolin in there.Lambert cleared their throat.“...Besides, aren’t you still healing?”The head disciple peeked inside. The atmosphere changed, and Narinder and Lambert stared back at him. Mermer blinked. What was Narinder still doing here? He was always the first one to leave! Was it about that situation with Merhil?That was… Weird.“Ah, am I interrupting something?” he asked, frowning. “I wasn’t sure if I should help with the preparations or wait at the demon circle, my Leader.”Silence.The cat looked pissed, but even for Narinder, he looked slightly different. More… annoyed. Disturbed. Usually, the former god looked like he had been insulted rather than troubled. Another variable, unfortunately, this time only for the Lamb. Besides, what healing? Was he sick? The former bishop looked like always.“I suppose Leshy, Lemon, and Butter need some help with the crops, thank you, Mermer. I’ll find you when I’m ready.” The leader bowed. “And I’m sorry I had you waiting.” Uhuh. Leshy and Lemon only needed help when the former was wreaking havoc, but so be it.“There’s no problem,” Mermer glanced at Narinder, a scowl slowly forming on his face. Yeah, this guy was getting too much of their leader’s attention. “Is disciple Narinder taking too much of your time?”“I’m happy to accompany each of my disciples, but thank you for your vigilance, Mermer,” Lambert smiled. “Now go, I’ll find you soon.”A dismissal.Mermer ground his teeth and bowed before closing the doors again. A poor one, too. The cult had so much on its plate and he was dismissed to the fields. Mermer shook his head, ready to execute the order, but a hand on his arm stopped him in place. The head disciple turned around, startled.“My apologies,” the squid raised all of his four hands, while Mermer tried to decide if he should hold his heart with his. “I have been informed that most of the disciples are not allowed at the temple repository, and the matter I’m trying to fix is rather pressing. Would you be so kind to-”“I’m afraid the Temple is occupied by a meeting between disciple Narinder and the Mighty Leader,” Mermer scowled. “I will be happy to help, but…”“I see,” Kallamar grimaced.Mermer looked at the squid again. He had better things to do, to be honest. Being an errand boy was, actually, in his scope of duties, but it should only contain the Lamb and not every single follower in this village. Kallamar still had that annoying aura of someone used to power despite the good five years he spent in the cult; something that ired Mermer, but also was too close to what he liked in the Lamb to simply dismiss him.“Meet me after I come back from the crusade,” Mermer stated, finally. “You don’t sleep at night and don’t have any regular duties anyway. I’ll… I’ll get you some paper if that matter is that pressing.”The thankful, minimal bow from the squid made a surprisingly nice impression on the head disciple.+++
Kallamar knew how to use the time he had.It meant many things: from weird hobbies to research, to environmental awareness, but also art and music, but also slightly more evil stuff. He and Narinder weren’t that different, if he had to focus on it (he rarely wanted to), but, contrary to his younger brother, Kallamar had some dignity when he made people suffer.Disciple Mermer had no dignity when he made people suffer. Despite Kallamar waiting all night for the disciple to come, the Lemur simply waved the Lamb goodbye and entered his tent like he had nothing else to do. The squid watched him with disbelief. He barely noticed Narinder standing at the border of the village, waiting for the Lamb to come with him. So! Some of them were very clearly able to tend to their duties even after coming back from the crusades, but the head disciple wasn’t professional enough, so to say!The nerve!Kallamar left his hut, heading straight to the disciple’s grounds. It wasn’t that much different from the Bishop’s square, fenced and full of flowers, but, contrary to the rest of the cult, the Lamb and their most loyal used thick tents instead of houses. All of them were made of thick wool mixed with cotton and insulated with straw, making the design surprisingly effective and pretty. Mermer’s home was even made with the same colors as the Lamb, the deep red shining with the lamp burning inside. Unfortunately, before Kallamar was able to reach the tent, the lamp was blown away, leaving the squid in the dark.The former bishop hesitated.It would be rude to bother someone after they retired for the night, after all. Even if Mermer was rude first by ignoring the meeting. Kallamar clenched his teeth, his tendrils swirling anxiously around as if he wasn’t able to control them. He wanted to finish a new song tonight. It could have waited, of course, or he could just write the notes without testing the melody but having the array back would be preferable. It was only a short walk, wasn’t it? It wouldn’t take the head disciple more than ten minutes and Kallamar would continue his work.Right?Kallamar shook his head and came closer to the tent, firmly knocking on the wooden frame. Here. The wood was hard enough under his knuckles, so it surely had to be heard inside. The former bishop waited a moment, without much success and then repeated the knocking. And again. He turned around, ready to leave, when he saw someone at the border of his vision.Another disciple. A deer.What was his name? Trenor?“Yes?” Kallamar asked, annoyed.You need to enter and wake him up, the disciple said, slowly articulating every word, to Kallamar's reluctant gratitude. He snores. He’s asleep.The squid peeked back at the tent and once again, at the disciple.“Do you have access to the Temple’s storage? I need some blessed paper for my work.”Oh, Trenor lowered his ears. I do, but not at night. You would have to ask the Lamb, or, well. Wake up Mermer. It’s okay, he will help you if you tell him you don’t want to bother the leader.Kallamar nodded in thanks. The disciple bowed slightly in return and passed the biggest tents only to slip into the third in the row. Third in command, then. He probably knew what he was doing, then.Kallamar raised the curtain and entered the head disciple’s quarter. His eyes needed a moment to get used to the darkness inside but adapted quite well. The tent was larger than his hut, but simpler: nothing was hanging on the walls, the desk was tidied, with a chair tucked neatly under the countertop. A simple rack with books and notes was built to match the angle of the tent, and a single basin was standing on top of it. Then, a few boxes with candles, a few robes hanging from hooks driven into a wooden structure of the tent, a woven carpet, and a bed, currently occupied by the owner of the room.Kallamar came closer, only to see a half-open mouth of the lemur. When Kallamar looked at him without the noise of the Cult, the head disciple looked… tired. Not bossy, not annoying, and certainly not as efficient. If he focused, Kallamar could almost smell the distinctive fragrance notes of devotion around; something his dull, mortal nose almost forgot, but was strong enough in this room to be obvious even for him. The Lamb has chosen his first in command well. The man in front of the squid had to be one of the most devoted he met even in his long life.He wasn’t also that bad-looking either. Without the ever-present costume of the most effective person in the village, Mermer looked soft with his stripped fur and firm chest. He had nice hands, quite big and ending with neatly finished, now dull, claws. Only the deep, dark circles under his eyes weakened the effect. Disciple Mermer surely needed his sleep.Kallamar sighed quietly and left the tent, deciding that his music might, in fact, wait until the next day to be finished.+++The former Bishop of Blight has not been woken up by disciple Mermer the following day. He wasn’t woken up by anyone, opening his eyes to the warm light of the sun slowly setting up. The former bishop whined, mostly to feel the vibrations in his throat than to let go of any deeper emotions and dressed up to visit the kitchen.He has been told that disciple Mermer was occupied. By what, or, most importantly, where, was unknown to everyone in the kitchen. The sun was already setting up when the squid tried to enter the Temple again on his own; without effect.“Leshy!” Kallamar wayed at the worm leaving the fields with the yellow cat. “Did you know where Mermer went? The blue one? Constantly stressed, reeking of devotion?”Leshy stopped, looking in the general direction of the former bishop of blight.The fuck do you need him for? Leshy crooked his head, his head still wrapped in a bandage. Isn’t it the damned Lamb’s squealer?“The very same, but I need him,” Kallmar cut the questioning. “Can you sniff him?”What? No, he’s running errands everywhere, and everything around smells like him, I wouldn’t… What is it, darling? Leshy looked at his arm being pulled so the yellow cat could whisper something into his ear. Ah. Yeah, fine. Lemon says he saw him getting a tour to a new follower. He says he was showing him the statue of the Red Crown outside.Kallamar frowned. The statue was outside the village. What was Mermer doing there, and with a new follower, at that?“Thank you both,” Kallamar nodded, heading to the entrance.+++“So, where did you come from, exactly?” Mermer asked, smiling politely, trying not to stare at the spider.“Anura,” the newcomer smiled back. “My family migrated after the fall of Heket, by I was raised in Silk Cradle.As hell you did, Mermer thought. He was on the last crusade with Lambert and they didn’t find anyone new. This guy waited for the Lamb to leave and sneaked in, not knowing the head disciple knew exactly about everyone new.“What is happening there?” the spider pointed at the fields.The Cult was tirelessly working with the crops and sowing, so the Ritual of Harvest would be held early. The future grooms, Arjul and Hanor worked alongside Leshy and Lemon, with Butter somewhere in the background, to prepare as much of the stuff as they possibly could, helping the Lamb.“We are preparing a wedding for two of our followers,” Mermer mentioned, just in case the investigation will prove him wrong. Mermer doubted it. “Arjul and Hanor will be wed in about two weeks, but the ceremony will be grander than usual and we need to take care of it much earlier. They are currently preparing the grounds for a ritual.”“I see,” the spider nodded.“Excuse me, I didn't catch your name,” Mermer stretched out his hand, leading the spy to the kitchen.“Geron,” the newcomer said a little bit too fast.“Geron,” Mermer repeated, catching a curious gaze of Lemon. The head disciple waved at the yellow cat. “Would you like to eat something?”“No, thank you, but it’s very nice,” Geron glanced at the toilet standing surprisingly close to the entrance of the kitchen and the, now not used stoves. “But I would love to see the Offering Statue! I would love to share what I have as a thanks for saving my life!”Mermer nodded, slowly.The classic.Well, if this isn’t what he was the head disciple for. The Lamb had the harvest and the Ritual to lead, and as much as Mermer wouldn’t love to witness his god blessing the ground with their miracle, he had his responsibilities to do. He nodded, still smiling nicely, and led the spider to the entrance, but stopped by the figure of the Lamb standing nearby.The spider looked, curiously, as the head disciple knelt on one knee and hung his head with devotion in front of the statue.Make my hand stable and my blade sharp, Mermer prayed. May the death come swiftly and the enlightening will lead this soul to Your domain. May the clatter of lambs' hooves be the first thing he hears after your kind welcome him Above, and may the stars smile upon his arrival. May my love for you make his departure gentle. I pray for you, my Lamb.Geron bowed to the statue, making Mermer briefly smile. Good. That would probably make his death easier.“Let’s go,” Mermer waved at the woods.“There?” Geron frowned. “Why would you make an offering statue outside of the village?”“Oh, because the presence of the One Who Waits was the strongest in there,” Mermer used the usual excuse. “The Lamb is a god for only ten years, but the village is about two hundred years old. It’s a long time, and, believe me, it’s hard to break a habit out of someone older than a hundred. Even if the Lamb is actually rather graceful about it.“You say it like you met more people older than a hundred years old!” Geron laughed.“Oh, I did!”And they are a huge pain in the ass! Mermer didn’t add.“How come?” Geron frowned.“Well, there’s Sozo, of course, you must have met Sozo. Midas, of course. But we also have all five, starting from Narinder to, you know, Shamura.”Geron stopped, looking at Mermer with hesitation in his eyes. The Crown was already visible between the branches.“What do you mean by Shamura?” the newcomer looked around, suddenly a bit spooked. “You have a follower named as the fallen Bishop? Isn’t that… blasphemy?”“No, not really,” Mermer continued walking, feeling the knife hidden deeply in his sleeve. “We wouldn’t name them that, of course. They came with this name and the Mighty Leader simply decided not to strip them from it.”“It’s very nice,” the spider slowly followed the head disciple. “But, you know, maybe I don’t need to see the statue after all. You surely have smaller ones in the village?”“We do,” Mermer nodded casually. “But you wanted to offer something for your rescue, right? This is where we do it, you can’t use anything smaller for such a grand occasion. That would be rude.”“I see, I see,” the spider nodded. “But I surely can do it during the day. Isn’t it dangerous at night? The heretics are everywhere! There might be someone dangerous out there.”“No one would be more dangerous than Narinder, believe me,” Mermer muttered, sourly. “Besides, both, Leshy and Heket will be using the kitchen soon, so we can as well stay here for a moment, you don’t need to witness this carnage so early.”Geron laughed nervously, now walking faster than Mermer. They entered the Crown Square when the sky was already colored like deep indigo, stars hanging high and bright. Mermer quietly took the dagger out of his robe, letting the spy reach the crown.He was ready.“That’s so funny,” Geron breathed out, placing his hand on the statue, “One would say you really have all of them in there-”Mermer swung widely, his hand drawing a clean arc in the air only to land precisely at the level of the heart. The spider cried, freezing in place, so the disciple pulled the knife out and caught the neck of the spider to cushion the fall. Blood started flowing fast, wetting the grass in front of the statue and Mermer’s shoes, but for now, the spider was a greater priority.Geron whizzed, trying to catch air when Mermer placed him on his lap.“We do,” he smiled, gently pointing the knife into the heart, and looked back, at the path leading to the cult. “Bishop Kallamar actually-”He pressed the blade into the sacrifice’s chest before he could think.Kallamar was standing right in the center of the path.+++It’s been five years since Kallamar joined the village and those five years made him understand a few things. First, the Lamb was terrifying, indeed, but only outside of the Cult. The little wretched god was the wooliest, weakest thing when anyone was watching, so everyone in the village had to behave the same. Second, his disciples had actual power; they were not only able to sense devotion but also manipulate it for the Lamb to feed on it. They were no witnesses, though. Until now, Kallamar was perfectly sure they were unable to fight and only some of them were useful in the demon form. Third, there were no sacrifices. None of them. Never. No matter how much the village struggled, Lamb let every single one of their flock live their lives to the fullest, longest self.It was new. Wasteful. For the bishops, kind of boring and monotonous, but Kallamar could have admitted that it had some kind of appeal in the long run, even if he dearly missed the rush of adrenaline a good murder provided.And now here he was, standing frozen at the border of the forest, witnessing his name on the lips of the head disciple of another god, sacrifice in his hands.To say it was attractive was like saying the Lamb liked their flock. The Lamb loved their flock. They loved hoarding them, feeding them with only the best dishes to the point when everyone was tired of it, dressing them, healing the smallest wounds, leading them, and even tending to their desires, much to Kallamar’s incomprehension. So well, saying the Lamb liked their flock was a huge understatement.And so was saying Kallamar thought Mermer was attractive at that moment when he felt like they would jump on the moon with how fast his heart was beating.

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Mermer froze.The dying body shivered in his hands, the convulsions shaking the limbs of the spider. Mermer couldn’t care less. It wasn’t the first time he had been caught, actually, but Trenor was reasonable enough to not even think of questioning the actions of his superior. Kallamar was a different matter. No matter how much he disliked the Lamb, he would snitch.The head disciple slowly pulled the knife out, the dead weight heavy on his lap. He tried to think fast. From what the Lamb said, the former bishop was a mortal now, but without an element of surprise… The disciple cursed under his breath. Even Lambert had a problem defeating him. Mermer couldn’t just swing a knife on a man who had been a master of weapons for millennia, and hiding his body would be insanely hard. What if someone saw the squid leaving?Kallamar surprised him, shaking whatever shock was written all over his face, and ran closer, completely ignoring the knife only to hold the convulsing body. Mermer jerked his head up, for the first time so close to the squid.“Careful, he might hit you,” Kallamar pressed the body down, stopping part of the uncontrollable movement. “We used to tie the sacrifice before the act for this reason, but I suppose you wouldn’t have access to the sacrificial stone here.”Mermer opened his mouth in shock. What?No, seriously, what? Did he just compare Mermer’s self-will to the act of ritual? Was he nuts? Sacrifices have been banned! It’s been hundreds of years since they dropped the savage ritual, who was he taking him for? A heretic? Indignation filled the lungs and throat of the head disciple like air might inflate a balloon.What an insult it was!“I didn’t sacrifice him!” Mermer yelled. “I murdered him! Shouldn’t you know the difference?!”Kallamar paid him no mind, examining the wound instead.“What a beautiful, clean cut, too,” he muttered. “I admit I doubted Lamb’s competence as a god, but they clearly were up to something when they chose you as the head disciple. You would be a great witness.”Only then Kallamar looked up, at the enraged disciple’s face.“You must know it’s a blasphemy against your god, though. Was it worth it?” he asked.“What?” Mermer blinked, his vision almost red with how enraged he was. “What do you think I did here, came on a walk? Of course, I know it’s blasphemy! Oh, get out of here, you-”Mermer shook the squid’s hand out of the body and stood up, his robes now wet and heavy with blood, but it wasn’t the reason why the head disciple was shaking.“What do you want,” Mermer barked at the former bishop. “Because I have no doubts the first thing you’ll do will be threatening me for your-”“Disciple Mermer, please. Let’s calm down here for a minute, everything I need is the blessed paper,” Kallamar adjusted his robes and took a step back. “I understand why you might have wanted to keep something like this quiet but believe me, I no longer expect such grand gestures. It’s also dangerous for me.”Mermer frowned. What nonsense this man was spitting again?“What grand gestures?” he asked.Kallamar waved at the body.“Sacrifices,” he pointed at the spider. “I prefer more quiet methods these days. Food, for example.”Mermer took a deep breath. Like… poisons? The head disciple didn’t want to admit it, but it actually made sense. People were dying because they were sick, after all. All he had to do was to wait for the Lamb to go on a slightly longer crusade and he would no longer have to bother with the body. It didn’t change the fact that Kallamar acted rude, expecting the head disciple to sacrifice anyone. Finally, he sighed.“I will think about it,” he tried. “But now, move, I have to do something with the body.”“Would you like me to help you with the butchering?” Kallamar asked, politely.“And bother washing your robes too? No,” Mermer shook his head. “Besides, the Mighty Leader is counting bones, they would notice and question the extra ones.”Kallamar nodded, watching the disciple lifting the spider, but not helping. Mermer wanted to whine. Why, of all people who could catch him red-handed it had to be one he couldn’t take in a fight? Why it had to be Kallamar? Mermer almost… Almost liked this guy!“Follow me,” Mermer muttered, gesturing with his hand in the direction of the Silk Cradle’s gate.+++
Kallamar knew what the grounds in front of the cult looked like. He made it, a few hundred years ago, or rather, accepted the plans and funded the construction. He was there, sometimes, at the Imprisonment anniversaries. Left the flowers at the Crown and didn’t mind the place longer, but since he settled in the village, he discovered some people were bargaining here. The Lamb’s order was clear: don’t go to the Crown Square, unless you have a necklace. If you do, never talk with anyone you meet there. Once you pass the gates to the domains, you are no longer protected.That’s why the former bishop was slightly surprised when the head disciple went straight to the shady spider hovering at Silk Cradle’s gate. He was guarding an empty nest, probably resting before he went back to domains.Mermer dropped a body in front of him.Well, if it isn’t my favorite member of the herd, Spider greeted the disciple. I was getting hungry!Kallamar didn’t see what Mermer said back, but the disciple looked annoyed. The spider did a weird expression, probably clicking his tongue.Your little sheep decided I’m strictly prohibited from speaking with the flock, but you’re not only coming here, endangering me, but you’ve also brought a comrade, Spider crossed his arms. That will be twenty more.Mermer gestured, now angry, so Kallamar had to guess fast.Was that some kind of a regular occurrence? It surely looked like it. It was hard to guess how many more sacrifices disciple Mermer had to handle, but it surely wasn’t the first, so he had to have some kind of a system of body disposal.If the man was prohibited from interacting with the flock and asked Mermer for payment for his silence, then he surely knew the head disciple shouldn’t be here. It was worth this gold. The former bishop reached for a pouch and stretched his arm, handing his coins to the man.“We were never here,” Kallamar stated, firmly. “and if you think you can sell us, I would advise against getting back into the Anchor Deep. Some of my friends you would like to avoid.”The spider hesitated, but in the end, smiled, taking the offered gold, and mockingly bowed. Kallamar would have him tied up and placed on a stone for such a gesture in his domain. Living under the Lamb has made him weaker. It’s not like he was that smitten by the blue handsome thing beside him, but he… appreciated the image of the sacrifice on his lap. Kallamar was merely paying for the right to witness the pure art.Disciple Mermer clearly couldn’t comprehend it. He grabbed the squid’s tunic and dragged him out of the spider’s gaze, leaving the corpse behind.Why, he asked, his expression angered. His silence wasn’t worth that much! If the Lamb wanted to know, they would search his mind anyway! He would actually think about it twice and demand even more next time!“There will be no next times, disciple Mermer,” Kallamar stated. “I understand your mistake, but it is, indeed, not necessary for you to take part in such dangerous activities. You are risking your position as a disciple for such actions. Even among my siblings such acts of devotion of a disciple toward another god would be punished by the death of said disciple.”What act of devotion, Mermer waved at the statue. What another god! There was a spy in the village that had to be removed! I simply did what I had to do!Kallamar looked back, surprised. Oh. So, he misunderstood. It was a simple murder instead of a sacrifice. Maybe disciple Mermer decided to call upon a different god, so the power wouldn’t be wasted and it simply happened to be Kallamar. That was indeed a bit disappointing, but the squid still felt a bit warmer inside knowing the disciple Mermer would call upon his name of all the bishops in the village.That was very kind of him.“Alright,” he agreed, simply. “That would explain it, head disciple Mermer. I’m glad for your insight then, and please excuse my assumptions.”Mermer visibly deflated upon hearing those words, something he probably caught up from the Lamb. He only shook his head, defeated, and headed back to the village.Kallamar waited. The lemur waved at him, inviting the former bishop to join.I need to change, the head disciple stated, looking back at the squid. I’ll meet you in front of the Temple after the Ritual’s end. Wait for me. +++It was a shitty day for Mermer. Even shittier night. The ritual of Harvest dragged well after midnight and Mermer couldn’t help but feel annoyed by it, especially with his fur still stuck and rigid because of blood he didn’t have time to wash off. Lambert needed to be prepared for the short crusade the next morning, he had to wake up early, and instead, Mermer had to wait who knows how long only to get some sacred resources to the man who would probably blackmail him without it.It was still better than the other option, right?Mermer bit his lower lip, once again thinking of how defeating Kallamar really was that far out of his reach. The resurrection was to be performed only with the bones of the deceased, and bishops should be easy to set up for a defection. A poison, suggested by the squid might have been more effective. The only problem was, that Mermer was the only one bringing Kallamar food. It would be too obvious to check his mind first, even if it was only for a routine check-up. Who knows if the Lamb would ignore not only this but every other misdemeanor?The Temple’s doors finally opened, letting out a crowd of tired and grumpy villagers who wanted to help with the Ritual. No one expected it to happen this late at night and the voices around weren’t overly happy; the garner might have been full, but tomorrow the whole situation would need to be repeated, this time with flowers.The Lamb looked slightly panicked, running out of the doors.“My Leader?” Mermer asked, coming closer.The guilt and worry weighed his bones when he looked at the Lamb’s face.“Mermer!” Lambert smiled, but their posture revealed how overloaded he was. “I’m so sorry but it looks like Arjul will need your help tomorrow, the poor thing looked like he was going to cry during the Sermon.”The groom. The otter, from what Mermer remembered. Yes. He had to take care of the village instead of dwelling on the squid. He already handled Hanor, so his partner probably wouldn’t be that much harder to take care of.“You can count on me,” Mermer nodded and took out a note out of his robe. His fur felt disgusting under a clean robe. He felt disgusting. “Anything else? Do you have everything for the crusade? Do you want me to wake up Puma tomorrow?”“No, no, it’s okay, just take care of the groom,” Lambert looked around, confused. “Did you see Narinder?”Mermer blinked.“Narinder?” he repeated, surprised. “Why? He’s probably asleep?”“He was at the Ritual, but I missed him leaving,” The Lamb looked almost worried. “I need to speak with him.”Again? At this hour? Mermer felt a bit confused.“I suppose I could wake him up, my Leader,” the head disciple lowered the notes. Narinder? He had to also worry about Narinder now? “If this is everything you need for tomorrow…”“No, no, nono, it’s okay, thank you, Mermer,” Lambert smiled brightly despite the heavy shadows under his eyes. “It’s not that urgent, but thank you. I suppose I’ll just go to sleep.”“You need it,” Mermer agreed, finally hiding the notes. “Please leave me a note if there will be anything more I could help you with.”“Aren’t you going to sleep too?”“I need something from the storage and will be right back,” Mermer smiled, his own expression relaxing and warming up. “Please, sleep.”“I will!” Lambert waved him goodbye. “I will see you tomorrow!”Mermer waved at the Lamb briefly, but his mind was somewhere else. They looked so fluffy. That smile was always so bright. Mermer would look at them for hours, kill for them, die for them, whatever Lambert needed, honestly. Maybe the leader would let him wash their fleece soon, too. He loved the lanolin’s smell on his hands. But, Narinder? Why Lambert would need Narinder at this hour?“Ekhm,” someone cleared his throat next to him.Mermer raised his gaze at the former bishop standing right beside him. Right. His future doom needed his ransom. This is why both of them were here. The head disciple sighed. Narinder could have waited.“Follow me,” he invited the squid.+++The Temple was dark at this hour. The steps of both, the disciple and the former bishop echoed within the walls, but Mermer’s vision was good enough to move in the dark without many extra problems. He headed to the altar and climbed the stairs, finally reaching the storage hidden under the window.He liked it here in the dark, to be honest. The smell of the incense lingering in the air did something special in his mind. Mermer used to spend hours as a disciple here, waiting for the Lamb to be noticed. It was strange, somehow, to share this dark space with someone who wasn’t Lambert, who wasn’t other disciples and fresh recruits. The safety of the Temple felt, somehow, agitated, like a sea that used to be calm becoming rough at the sight of its bishop.“You seem to be close with the Lamb,” Kallamar mentioned, following him.Mermer rolled his eyes. Oh, yes. Kallamar was like a storm for sure.“Yeah, almost as if we are the head disciple and a god,” Mermer muttered, reaching onto the shelves. “Who would have thought?”A pause almost made Mermer believe that Kallamar took the memo and finally closed his mouth. He didn’t.“Did you say something?” Kallamar asked, confused. “It’s quite dark in here.”“What does darkness have to do with hearing?” Mermer looked at the squid for a brief moment, but he came back to the storage when his fingers finally hit something feeling like the paper. “Oh! There it is. How much do you need?”The former bishop stood in his place without reacting. Mermer grabbed the paper and looked at him again, confused.“Kallamar? Former Bishop Kallamar?”“Did you find it?” the squid finally looked at him.“Yes, I asked how much do you need?” Mermer repeated.“Ah, excuse me, I can’t see you clearly in this darkness,” Kallamar came closer, surprising the disciple. “Can you repeat?”Mermer blinked. Huh? He knew every bishop had been disabled, yes, the Lamb said so when they brought them for the first time, but… Mermer thought it was taken care of. Every one of them had their little mission with the Lamb and Mermer was under the impression that it was gone. Heket was talking quite quietly, but clearly, Leshy was wreaking havoc too well to not see what he was doing and Shamura needed a lot of rest but otherwise was one of the sharpest people Mermer ever met. How was Kallamar any different?“You still can’t hear me?” he asked instead.Kallamar clicked his tongue, annoyed. Mermer frowned, grabbing a few sheets instead. Outside would be brighter, so whatever the bishop did to hear better, probably would work again once they were out. He was ready to stand up when Mermer felt Kallamars fingers on his face; a surprise, even if the touch was barely noticeable. It was burning his lips.“E-excuse me, disciple, but can you repeat?”“I-” Mermer stumbled, shocked.The touch was so gentle. Mermer would expect a merfolk to be cold and slimy, but Kallamars hands were surprisingly warm and silky. His tendons would, probably feel different, but the fingers resting on his lip were nice. A touch he would expect from the Lamb, and not from the sworn enemy of the Cult.Mermer’s mind short-circuited a little.Wait, that was helping him hear? How… What? How would that help? What he was doing, trying to read the lips by the touch? It made no sense. What was wrong with this man? How could anyone do something so careless for someone they barely knew? Even the Lamb never did to him anything like this.“I’ll find a candle!” he yelled instead.Kallamar squinted, shocked.“Yeah, I could have thought of it myself,” he muttered.“Oh for fuck’s sake, so can you hear or not?” Mermer grabbed a candle and reached for the matches hidden under the pulpit.Silence made the head disciple whine again when the first of the matches broke under his fingers only to be replaced by another. It took a few seconds to light up the space, but for Mermer it felt like too long anyway, especially with the former bishop’s shadow looming in the darkness.“So?” he finally asked, the light painting Kallamars skin almost green.“Oh, thanks Firsts, I couldn’t see you,” the squid nodded apologetically. “My apologies, I thought the window would give up enough light.”Mermer shook his head.“Can you hear me or not?” he asked.“Oh,” Kallamar frowned. “I thought every disciple has been forewarned about my state. Unfortunately, I am not.”“The Lamb didn’t take you on that trip?” Mermer blinked. “I thought all of you had-”“Yes, well, unfortunately, ears have limited ability to regenerate. My siblings relied on the method that would speed up the process, but there wasn’t much for me to speed up. I am quite skilled in reading lips, of course, if I see them and the person I try to talk with speaks slowly.”Mermer dropped his gaze.“I wasn’t aware.”“It’s of no problem, disciple Mermer,” Kallamar almost smiled. “That paper will actually give me back part of my abilities as long as I remain in my hut. I can use it the similar method my crown granted me back in the days, of course, if you would be so kind to lend it.”Mermer closed his eyes for a moment.If that wasn’t explaining Kallamar’s perseverance, then probably nothing would. He needed the paper. Followed Mermer everywhere, because he was the only person able to receive it. Saw his a bit more murderous side and accepted it in exchange for the paper.“How much do you want,” Mermer repeated for the last time.+++Since Kallamar got his paper, Mermer’s day became much easier. No squid in the corner of his vision. No Lamb around. Nothing, but a usual mess of the village, only now sprinkled by the groom's drama. The harvest of camellias was almost tranquil with everyone focused on cutting the flowers, and, for once, even Leshy acted like a sensible part of society.„Head disciple,” Trenor smiled sourly, reaching for the Lemur. „Arjul seems to need assistance from you.”Mermer looked heavily at the deer.The groom was staring at the flowers in his hands, unmoving. There was something like dread forming in his eyes, when he crumbled the fresh camellias between his fingers, and Mermer felt like he wasn’t ready to face it yet.„Speak normally to me, for fuck’s sake,” he murmured.„Get your turquoise ass to the groom or I’ll ask the Lamb to do it,” Trenor laughed. „By the way, what did Kallamar want from you?”„Just some paper,” Mermer shook his head. „Nothing extra. Why?””You probably made some kind of impression on him, he’s asking around about you,” Trenor gestured at the kitchen. „Should I know something about it?”„He walked on me yesterday with that spider,” Mermer clenched his jaw. „I’m not sure if he’s going to snitch, but I might need some poison soon.”Trenor laughed loud enough to gain some unnecessary attention from the other followers. Only when everyone came back to their duties Mermer looked at the third in command with a slight annoyance.„What,” he hissed.„You weren’t born in the domains, so I kind of understand the sentiment, but you can’t try to poison the Bishop of Pestilence,” Trenor looked at the head disciple with pity. „Whatever he saw, you better make him quiet differently. I heard all of them are old enough that their perception of time is a bit crooked. Just, I don’t know, make a deal with him that he will keep it to himself for like a century or so. I’m sure he wouldn’t even bat an eye.”Mermer hummed.Maybe that wasn’t that bad of an advice.Unfortunately, he also had other things to take care of, considering the groom.“I’ll think about it,” Mermer promised. “And what about Arjul? Rainy day in heaven?”“No, it’s just, you know,” Trenor cut another flower. “People started talking about adding a dance to the celebration of the wedding and he’s terrified. I thought it would die out, but looks like Hanor is excited about the whole thing and the Anura’s part of the cult also misses it. It’s like a snowball effect, at first it was just an idea, and then the frogs started talking about how nostalgic it was for them, youngsters got interested and now Arjul feels pressed to perform even if everyone knows how it is.”Mermer added the last flower to the ones he already cut and called it a day.“I will take care of it,” he promised. “I will see you later.”Trenor waved at him, focusing on the harvest, so Mermer turned around and left the flowers to be carried to the Temple. Arjul was still standing in the same place, the flowers in his hands forgotten and slightly crumpled.“I think we are long overdue for a break,” Mermer smiled, taking the poor camellias out of the future groom's embrace. “Are you alright?”Arjul blinked, startled by the head disciple.“Yes, head disciple Mermer,” the otter bowed deeply, an ashamed blush spreading all over his face. “I’m sorry I dozed off, I swear it wasn’t on purpose.”“It’s okay,” Mermer patted him on the back, encouraging the villager to straighten up. “I can see something is bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?”“Oh, no, I wouldn’t take your time,” Arjul looked around, probably searching for his future husband. “It’s nothing serious.”Mermer hummed, lightly pushing the otter in the direction of the kitchen.“I heard the disciples mentioning something about a dance. Is it true?”Arjul laughed sourly.“So it’s already a topic between the higher-ups too?”“I wouldn’t call it that, but Trenor surely wouldn’t complain,” Mermer shrugged. “I, on the other hand…”Arjul sighed.“I know people are excited, but it’s a lot of work for only a short moment. I don’t think I could ask so many people for help, we would need a bigger dancefloor, music, there would be someone who already knows how to dance to teach us… It’s… too much.”“Is the group dance not considered, then?” Mermer asked, not without a bit of hope in his voice.“Please don’t mention it,” Arjul hid his face in his hands. “That would be even more to do.”“For the record, I’m also not overly excited by this idea, but you might be thinking too much about it,” Mermer sighed. “Everything we do in the village requires some kind of work. It is annoying, of course, but in the long run, it’s also monotonous. It’s okay to try something different from time to time, even if we are not the best at it at first.”Arjul raised his eyebrows.“Is the head disciple also interested in dancing?”“Absolutely not!” Mermer laughed. “Trenor once said I move like I forgot I had bones, jiggling from point A to B. I think lemurs aren’t good at this by default, you know? I would never be a king of a dancefloor.”“Then why?”Mermer shrugged.“It’s a challenge? But also seems to be a good idea to show how you feel without making it explicit. Hanor seems to be a man who likes gestures like this.”“He is,” Arjul admitted, dropping his gaze at his paws. “I’m just not sure I’m… never mind.”Mermer looked at his, curiosity stronger than his common sense.“What is it?” he asked.“I mean, how far should you go for someone you love?” Arjul looked at Mermer with hesitation. “Everyone keeps telling me that it’s okay to pass and drop this idea, but I see him talking about this dance and it’s like I’m looking at the best version of Hanor. He’s so happy when he remembers the early years in his home in Anura. How would I take it from him only because I don’t feel confident?”Mermer placed the flowers for the other disciples to pick later and thought about it for a moment.“I think if someone loves you, they should respect your boundaries. If you say it’s too much for you, then they have to come to terms with it,” Mermer took a short look at the villager and slowly headed up to the kitchen.“Yes, but, would you do it?” Arjul pressed. “You don’t like to dance either. Would you do it for someone you love?”Mermer blinked, surprised.Would he do it for Lambert? Yes. Yes, of course he would. They would take all the laugh of the world it that would mean the Lamb would look at him and smile. Gods, Mermer wouldn’t even think twice about it, he killed for the Lamb, and he would as well die for them. What was a single dance in comparison?“It’s not the same,” he shook his head, finally.“How is it different? No one likes to be mocked. So? Would you?”“Yes,” Mermer admitted, finally. “But it doesn’t have to be the same for you. You are going to be married soon. You are already partners. I would do everything for them only to be acknowledged, while you and Hanor should be equal, so-”“So I’m a bad fiancé,” Arjul sniffed, tears pooling in his eyes.“What?” Mermer looked at him, shocked. “No! Of course not, you-”“I don’t want to do this for him even if I know it would make him happy,” Arjul was now openly crying, the dread on his face proving further how much was he spiraling. “How is that not making me a bad fiancé? We are so different, so… So mismatched, and some so many people would make him happier while I can’t even force myself to… to do something so stupid!”“Then don’t!” Mermer raised his hands, trying to calm down the future groom. “It’s okay! I swear it will be okay! Look, isn’t thinking this way making Hanor a bad fiancé for placing you in this situation in the first place? How is your part wrong, but not his?”Arjul only started crying louder, drawing the attention of people around.Mermer barely surpassed the need to facepalm.“Arjul…” He pleaded.“What’s happening?”Mermer looked around, only to see a black cat slowly walking in their direction. Puma looked tired, weariness heavy on her bones as the second in command got closer.“Nothing, really,” Mermer looked at her helplessly. “The wedding is getting stressful, I will handle it. Is the Lamb back as well?”The other disciple nodded.“Yes, I saw them with Narinder just a moment ago. Can I at least get you some water?”Narinder? Again?“Yes, please,” Mermer looked at the direction she just came from. Lambert usually avoided Narinder much more before the weddings, and he saw them together what, twice already?“I’m sorry,” Arjul wiped his face, clearly trying to calm down. “I’m not sleeping well, and I suppose I’m a bit cranky because of it. I’m… I’m sorry.”“It’s alright,” Mermer smiled softly. “It must be stressful. It’s okay to cry, but it might be better if you would talk with Hanor about it, I’m sure he would understand.”The next thing Mermer heard was the hoofbeats on the stone and quiet whisper of the fleece. Mermer was barely able to turn around before Arjul started crying again, now at the view of the Lamb.“My leader,” he whined. “I’m so sorry, I-”“I’ll take it from here, thank you, Mermer,” Lambert smiled, dismissing the head disciple. “Please eat, I’m sure you skipped every meal today while I was gone, and please shoo Puma to sleep as well.”Mermer swallowed the plea to let him handle this. The Lamb was still slightly dirty after the journey, but the bright smile on their face made the lemur reconsider how much he was needed in this situation. He… Did make the villager cry. Nothing he said helped. Lambert would probably handle it better. They would soothe every soul, after all. Mermer had nothing to add to this perfection.“As you wish, my Lamb,” he bowed.Because, really, how would he be of help to the literal godly being?Mermer didn’t hear any of the cheerful words Lambert said to the future groom, but he sure as hell saw Narinder watching the whole situation with a scowl.+++“-and then I felt like I’m losing my mind because of all this darkness, and, you won’t believe it, I put my hand on his face,” Kallamar whined. “Like it was supposed to help, somehow! What did I had in mind?”“Putting hands in his mouth, clearly,” Heket cackled. “I thought you were too old for it, you bastard!”“I beg your pardon, Shamura is older than me, and did you see how they are looking at that purple gentleman invited by the Lamb? It’s not like I compare both situations, of course, but we are hardly too old for things.”“Like hell you aren’t,” Heket laughed.“I’m not taking fancy in the Lamb’s head disciple! That would be outrageous! A pure scandal!”Heket hummed, the sound close to a growl.“Just like you did with that young witness of mine after my fifth wedding?”“It was different,” Kallamar folded all four of his arms. “It was a love at first sight.”Heket only sighed.“This way or another, I’m glad you got that paper. I’m enjoying my conversations with Shamura, but I can’t shake the feeling they are growing weary after them. I would miss gossiping with you.”“I would simply ask the Lamb next,” Kallamar clicked his tongue, looking at the paper stuck at the level of his stool.“Of course you would,” Heket shot him a heavy glance.“Yes, I would. I don’t enjoy talking to them, but such a simple ask isn’t above my abilities.”“I wasn’t talking about abilities,” Heket shook her head. “But whatever you say. I’m merely surprised the first person you actually liked here is the most devoted believer of the Lamb.”Kallamar thought for a moment, remembering the head disciple with the knife firm in his grip.“Who knows if he’s really that devoted,” he wondered.A soft knocking broke the conversation. Kallamar raised his eyebrows only to see the tired look on Heket’s face. She merely shook her head.“Come in, Hanor,” she invited the newcomer.The doors opened, revealing a shy figure of a villager. Kallamar peeked at his sister again, this time with much more questions in his eyes.“Kallamar, this is Hanor, our future groom,” she introduced the villager. “Hanor, you surely know who Kallamar is. I thought you were going to come at sunset?”“Yes, but Arjul took that proposition badly,” the future groom admitted. “I came to thank you for your advice, but we won’t be proceeding with the dance. I’m afraid I put too much pressure on my fiancé and the last thing I want is to stress him even more. I’m just… grateful you took the time to tell me about it. That’s it.”Heket nodded, accepting it, but Kallamar frowned.“A dance?” He asked. “What dance?”“I wanted to know about the wedding tradition in Anura,” Hanor explained. “My family is from those grounds, but I joined the village as a very young adult, so I remembered only a few things. I thought I could ask someone who would know everything about it.”“And it’s called off because of your fiancé?” Kallamar had to be sure. “Why?”“He’s too scared of dancing in front of everyone, so…”Kallamar looked at Heket again, a stern look on her face telling him not to suggest anything unnecessary. Too bad Kallamar actually missed this little tradition and his new notes were only waiting to be used.The former bishop of blight smiled, ignoring her warning look.“I might have a proposition for you, then,” he smirked.

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There was a commotion in the village. Not an obvious one; Mermer needed a moment to realize something was happening, but when he shooed a third pair of followers who were whispering to each other instead of working, he knew something was in the air. What exactly was still a mystery to him, though. There were no newcomers, no new rituals planned, no one got sick, and no one made a fool out of themselves. That meant two things: either Kallamar relaxed his tongue about the events in front of the crown statue, or someone new tried their chances with the Lamb.The other option seemed to be more likely. Not like Mermer trusted Kallamar that much, but he saw the second situation often enough that it was familiar; first, someone makes a move on the Lamb, Lambert uses them to gain devotion, and then the gossip starts, either about Lambert’s technique or simply bragging about a conquest. It was normal. It was annoying. None of the followers ever realized it was pity intimacy. None of them considered that Lambert just leveled their devotion through it. It was sad, watching them bragging about something like that, it was like gloating about being an idiot. Mermer actually pitied them, explaining the situation: people were either enraged or ashamed after the talk, cutting the gossip’s roots.It still needed to be resolved, though.And Mermer was at a loss as to where to start.„Trenor?” Mermer waved at the third-in-command. „Can I ask for a minute, please?”The deer smiled at the older giraffe he spoke to and came closer to the head disciple. His hands folded behind his back and the doe's eyes crinkled in a nice smile would never make you think this man was the head of intelligence between the villagers. Not like the Lamb needed it, of course. They barely allowed it. Mermer was the one here without mind-reading abilities.„What is it?” He asked.„Is there anything I need to know?” He asked, his hands folded behind his back as if he were trying to mimic his former assistant.„If you are asking about the commotion, then I’m working on it.” Trenor looked at the older lady. „But my informers seem to know nothing yet.”Mermer looked at the head of the lady, slowly disappearing in the crowd. If that was the case, then maybe Kallamar indeed said a word too much to someone he shouldn’t have. The head disciple mindlessly touched his lips, tracing the place Kallamar’s fingers rested so recently. He was reckless. Acting before he thought. It was possible.„What is that look?” Trenor asked. „Do you know something about it?”„No,” Mermer admitted, reluctantly. „It’s more like… excitation, not a juicy mystery. Do you think it’s still about that dancing practice? I know Hanor shooed everyone from bothering his grom, but it’s awfully similar to what we saw in the last week.”“I told everyone to mind their business.” The deer looked around. “Personally. People know it’s canceled because Arjul felt uncomfortable with the idea. Why would they keep gossiping? I would rather expect them to have a few mean words for the grooms than ignore the situation altogether.”Mermer sighed.“Maybe we can leave it be this time,” he mentioned. “Let them have some fun.”Trenor raised his eyebrows, surprised.„Is it about what the Mighty Leader told you yesterday? Or the situation with the squid? Because I don’t necessarily think you did something wrong.”„I’m not feeling down if this is what you’re asking about,” Mermer snickered. „There’s simply a lot on our plates this time, and the Leader might need something to focus on before the wedding. If that follower didn’t know anything, and Arjul occupied the Lamb last night, then I doubt it’s another one of our bragging problems.”Trenor looked at him searchingly.„I don’t think I can agree on an action that might be considered manipulating towards our god,” he admitted, not without hesitation. „We are to resolve problems, not to keep a blind eye on them.”„Find the cause then,” Mermer decided. „And prepare the blueprints for the decorations before the evening. I need to visit the other one of our problems.”Trenor grimaced.„This is an order,” Mermer stated, not without satisfaction.+++Kallamar looked as disheveled as a squid possibly could be, waking up in the middle of the day. Mermer felt little to no sympathy towards him.„Former Bishop Kallamar,” Mermer smiled politely. „Can I please enter? I have a question to ask, in private.”Kallamar opened the doors wider, a yawn splitting his face vertically. Mermer spared a look around, only to see every littlest space in the hut taken by trinkets. Or, well, Mermer would call it trinkets if he didn't bring part of those things here. Tools, crystals, blocks of wood, and weapons took up all the visible space, making the hut look like a nest of the legendary Kudaai. The mere difference was probably the color, more blue than yellow.The squid gestured at the bench against the wall and sat back on his bed.„At this point, people would start talking if they see you with me so often,” he remarked.The head disciple ignored it.„Did you talk with anyone about what you saw under the crown statue?” Mermer looked at him firmly, but the lowered voice betrayed some of the tension he tried to hide.Kallamar opened his eyes, surprised.Oh, yes. Mermer completely forgot about his condition.„I asked if you talked with anyone about-””I can hear you now,” Kallamar gestured at the wall. „I fixed the array yesterday. I’m merely surprised by the question.””So…” Mermer hesitated.„No,” Kallamar shook his head. „If I wanted you caught, I would go straight to the Lamb. If it’s a problem, the information didn’t go out because of me.”Mermer folded his arms. Kallamar looked perfectly relaxed, so he either didn’t lie or was insanely good at it. This way or another, Mermer had no proof the commotion in the village was even caused because of this matter. He sighed instead.„I only needed a confirmation,” Mermer admitted. „There’s a… situation in the village, and I’m checking the obvious options first.”„Oh, that’s not good,” Kallamar yawned again. „That would distract people from the first dance, and we need to gossip as much as possible before tomorrow's announcement.”Mermer blinked, surprised.„Who are we?” He asked.“What was he called… Hahor? Hator? The future groom?”“Hanor?” Mermer asked weakly. “Wasn’t he going to give up on that idea already? I thought his future husband was distressed by that whole thing?”“Oh, yes, he was.” Kallamar rested his head on his hand. “Looks like they had a problem communicating. His fiance felt ashamed of dancing alone in front of the whole Cult, but it looks like he doesn’t mind doing so with everyone else. We just needed others to get interested in this idea, in case the village wouldn’t like to join.”Mermer already felt a headache creeping on him.“Does the Leader know about it?” Mermer pinched the bridge of his nose. “I thought I was clear that the matters of the wedding are to be reported to me and to not bother the Lamb.”Kallamar squinted.“You are mad,” he noticed.“Of course I am mad!” Mermer snapped. “I understand that you might have had good intentions, but Hanor should have known better than this! I am in charge of the grooms! How do I not know about any of this?”“The village isn’t low on funds,” Kallamar frowned. “It’s not an economic problem. Heket already said she would take care of the teachings since her only job was to be a bartender. How is that a problem? Do you…”“We already invested a lot of funds and effort into this wedding.” Mermer clenched his jaw for a moment. “Also, the Mighty Leader wishes to limit their involvement in the ceremony.”“That would greatly boost the devotion, and it’s an easy way for others to step higher on their steps to the discipleship,” Kallamar argued, watching Mermer more carefully. “Why to-”“Because I said so!”Kallamar folded his arms.The silence between them was deafening.“I see,” he remarked, finally. “Now, head disciple Mermer, we have two options. You go out these doors and tell everyone the first dance is canceled. The devotion will plummet, and it’s rather obvious that the Lamb won’t be too pleased about it. Your other option is to think about a possible good reason as to why I should help you and convince Heket to refuse to teach the groom so the whole situation would be resolved quietly. I admit I don’t enjoy being treated the way you just did.”Mermer shook his head.“I don’t need your help. Not when I can just order you to do what needs to be done.”“Then the doors are open,” Kallamar smiled flatly.“This is your doing, so you are to fix it,” Mermer pressed. “I don’t see why the Lamb should suffer because you decided to do things on your own.”“Oh, thanks Firsts, this is not my problem, but yours.”Mermer wanted to strangle him. Put his hand on the squid’s collar and pressed until those eyes became red and bloody. Too bad Kallamar was right. He had no other option than to play this game because handling it with Trenor’s net probably wouldn’t be as effective as canceling it all from the groom. Mermer was the Lamb’s voice among the villagers. If he said he couldn’t dance, it would mean the Lamb forbade it, and that would plummet devotion. On the other hand, if he went to the Lamb to speak on Kallamar, he would checkmate him by possibly telling the Leader about the murder.It was merely an illusion of choice. Mermer had to do as the squid pleased, but perhaps, he could play by his own rules. Bullshit his way a little.“I can’t dance,” Mermer admitted.“Oh,” Kallamar blinked. “So all of this only because you were ashamed? It’s no problem; Heket is a great teacher. Besides, you wouldn’t have to join the crowd unless the Lamb would specifically ask for you as a pair. It’s possible, of course, since you are the head disciple, but-”“The Lamb can’t dance either,” Mermer deadpanned.“Well, that is unfortunate, but, as I said-”“They would ask for me, and we not only can’t dance, we are the worst laughing stock of this village. No matter how good of a teacher Heket is, it wouldn’t do!”“Well, I would show you a move here and there too,” Kallamar rolled his eyes. “And to be frank, I danced better than my sister, she just didn’t want to admit it. Now, is there a better reason, or should I go and mention a few things about this fun little activity to the bathroom workers? I’m sure they would be delighted to move their bones once in a while.”Mermer looked at the wall. Maybe he could use one of those bigger swords and then pretend it was an accident… Lamb, how he regretted the resurrections were a thing. He could have almost understood why Narinder was so despised in his days.The matter of Lamb’s hesitation towards the weddings was easy to understand, but it didn’t mean Mermer wanted to share it with just anyone. For now, only Puma knew what happened, and even Mermer based mostly on assumptions and his memories. It wasn’t his story to tell, really.“I can’t… Tell you the real reason,” Mermer admitted. “It’s not my secret to share.”Kallamar looked at him searchingly. The silence dragged on until the squid finally went closer to the fireplace and caught the kettle resting over the wood. He checked on the water, placed a few camellias inside, and crouched to put on the fire. Mermer waited.„Can I get anything to work on?” He prompted.Mermer looked at him, striking a match.„Let’s say the Lamb hates weddings because of something that happened ten years ago. I handled all of them since Narinder joined the village, and the Leader is only taking care of the wedding sermon and the speech. Nothing else. We are allowed to party, of course,” Mermer waved his hand. „But it’s also on me. They are usually out for a crusade right after the sermon.”Kallamar looked at the water boiling, thinking.„The Anura’s tradition would require their presence, otherwise, we would be committing the sin of idolatry.”„And this is why you can’t dance,” Mermer summed it up, sour. „But the other reasons still stand. I can’t dance, the Leader can’t dance, and, to be frank, the whole village isn’t that much better than us.”Kallamar grabbed the pot from the fire and hummed, taking two of the many cups standing above the fireplace and using tendons to move things from his way to the table. Mermer took a deeper breath.„Will you help me solve this matter or not?”Kallamar poured the tea into the cups.„You must excuse me, I have only camellias here, it helps a bit with a headache,” he nodded at the pot. „And, to be frank, I must think about this matter.”„While you think the gossip spreads,” Mermer opposed. „There’s nothing to think about; you either sin or help me put out the fire.”Kallamar clicked his tongue.„It’s clearly something correlated with Narinder,” Kallamar noticed. “And that means I need to consider if I want to help you, or him.”„Your brother is a pain in the ass,” Mermer hissed. „Why would you consider helping him? I surely wouldn’t. He’s taking too much of Lambert’s time, he’s getting too close for someone his rank, and he thinks he’s allowed to hush the Lamb’s suitors and do as he pleases. He deserves to be ignored.”Kallamar blinked, warming his hands against the cup and sitting down on the stool.„Lambert?” He noticed.Mermer hesitated.„I’m the head disciple,” he reminded the squid. „I am allowed to use their name.””I’m not talking about that,” Kallamar squinted.Mermer looked away, slightly blushing. Great. Another thing the squid could use against them.Kallamar laughed.”I see I’m not the only one about to commit blasphemy!””Don’t compare your pagan antics to the actual devotion I share for the Lamb!” Mermer got indignant. „It’s nothing like whatever you have in common with your disciples, I assure you-””I wouldn’t dare,” Kallamar laughed louder. „You are right, your customs and culture are nothing in comparison with the Witnesses we treated like princes and princesses of the Domains. You are nothing but drudges we use for the simplest tasks. It’s such a waste of your potential.”Mermer nearly suffocated from anger.„Don’t you dare!””Speak the truth?” Kallamar looked at him calmly. „Because this is true. Your role here is, indeed, different from what my disciples, my witnesses, carried. It doesn’t change that your love for the Lamb is a blasphemy.”Mermer only gritted his teeth, making Kallamar sigh again.„But I suppose your little god has different doctrines than Narinder, or even us,” he continued. „I had an unfortunate fate of seeing them with some of your flock, and while I doubt any love was involved, it still looked useful for them. This is closer to what my brother did for devotion in his days, but I suppose you don’t share that kind of intimacy.”„Of course not,” Mermer huffed. „I’m the head disciple. It would not only be unprofessional but also make others think I’m treated unequally. I’m not ignorant.””But you want it,” Kallamar stated.Mermer started to be tired of this conversation.„What I want is of no matter, and I don’t think you are the one I want to discuss it with,” Mermer tried to finish the discussion. „Will you hush the gossip or not?”Kallamar took a sip from his cup and thought about the whole situation a little longer. Mermer waited, annoyed but patient, giving the squid time. He wasn’t as experienced as Kallamar. It would be hard to outsmart him, and surely hard to check any of his moves now, when he learned what Mermer just did with the spy. The head disciple surely knew better than to risk angering the former bishop, even if it made him insanely mad.Kallamar finally rubbed his temple, still staring at the cup.”I think you should not only help them spread but also get them as wide as possible,” he admitted.Mermer blinked.„Did you not listen to anything I just said?”„I did. This is why I think you should go with it. Look,” Kallamar glanced at the lemur. „You want to protect your bish-, scuse me, your Lamb, from discomfort. I understand it well, but in the long run, it’s pointless. Gods are built on sacrifices, either their own or their followers; it’s obvious what kind of them is the Lamb. They won’t notice a single unpleasant activity, especially something as meaningless as the dance. They might not even realize it’s unpleasant. You, on the other hand, not only won’t gain anything from saving them from it, you won’t ever give yourself a chance to face that heart of yours and either fight for them or move on.”Mermer frowned.„Yes, I do like the idea of getting back to one of the activities I enjoyed, don’t get me wrong,” Kallamar shrugged. „But it’s not that deep. I just think it’s stupid to call it out, but I can do it. I won’t gain anything, the Lamb will clearly lose, and you will be stuck in whatever limbo you are now. Isn’t it… More interesting to close your eyes for once and just this time try something else?”Mermer rolled his eyes.„And how, please tell, would that even work?” He asked. „It’s not exactly my wedding, that for first, and second, I’m awful at dancing. If you want to see how I make a fool out of myself, then-””Dance is an art, but it’s also a tool you can use to show your feelings.” Kallamar let go of his cup and waved his hand. „I don’t care if you would make a fool out of yourself, I just want to test my new song and try how much I forgot from my last ball. Look, I think you have small chances, but good training wouldn’t hurt. It’s fun. Did you have fun once in your life, disciple Mermer?”+++Mermer needed time to think about this question.The sun outside Kallamar’s hut was so warm on his fur, but for some reason, his bones felt heavy. Why was all of this happening? This whole situation was nothing but a routine event, everything should be under Mermer’s control, and somehow, not only did he feel like things were slipping between his fingers, but also the room for any maneuver shrunk in every minute. The squid was a problem. He read the head disciple like a book, something even the Lamb couldn't do well.Mermer sighed. They had to talk with Trenor.And perhaps, reconsider keeping the status quo that weighted their bones from the inside.+++The knocking on the Heket’s doors sounded way more hollow than it should. In fact, it somehow sounded like knocking into a coffin, and Kallamar’s knuckles hurt like he just hit a stone instead of a fairly soft wood. It felt ridiculous.Heket’s face also somehow didn’t match the knocking. She was mostly surprised to see him in the middle of the afternoon instead of in the evening.„You are ea-,” The former bishop of hunger hesitated. „You look like shit. What happened?””Nothing.” Kallamar squeezed his tendons between her body and the doorframe, trying to get in. „I didn’t sleep well.”It wasn’t a lie. After Mermer left, Kallamar wasn’t able to go back to sleep, both annoyed and disappointed by how the conversation went. Was it logical? Certainly not! Still, something in Kallamar withered at the thought of such potential as disciple Mermer being hopelessly stuck in a romance to nothing but a false idol. One that treated him so badly, at that.„You look like someone died,” she noticed, looking at him.„It’s just my pride rolling in its grave,” Kallamar muttered.„The one killed by the Lamb?” Heket had to make sure.”The very same. Killed for the second time, on top of that. By the same culprit.”Heket barked out a laugh.„What happened?”Kallamar passed his younger sister and sat at the stool with a heavy sigh, waiting for Heket to bring whatever she tried to brew for the evening. The squid rested his head on his hands, annoyed.„Did you talk with that... Hahor? Today?””Hanor,” Heket corrected him. „No, I think he’s busy. His future husband is still hesitant, but surely warming to the idea.””I had a discussion with the disciple Mermer about this matter today, and it looks like we might be stopped from making it happen in the end.”Heket poured two glasses of a weirdly green thing into the glasses and sat in front of her brother.„Is this why are you sulking? I thought it wasn’t that big of a deal.”That was the thing. It wasn’t that deep. He barely yesterday heard about the whole commotion and merely fit his whim between the other. What it was about then? What he was sulking so hard about? Disciple Mermer slapping his wrist for doing something behind the Lamb’s back? Was that a matter of pride? Surely not.„It’s not,” Kallamar shrugged, watching the glass in the evening light. „What is it?””A drink with cranberry. I found some today.””Mn,” Kallamar looked at the drink as if it was sour before it hit his tongue. „Why is it green?”„I used the tonic made of herbs, but the fruits were fresh and mostly dried, so they didn’t give much juice,” Heket gestured at the glass. „Now, you talked with mister Stick In His Ass. I suppose it wasn’t only about the wedding?”„You should stop spending so much time with Leshy,” Kallamar muttered before tasting the liquid. „Oh, it’s dry. Quite good, but putting the cranberry in juice would make it better.””I already prepared some, but they would need a moment to get some flavor.” Heket waved her hand. „Kallamar.”Oh, there was that pressure in her voice. The one she used to drag the information from him in the most annoying way. Fine, then. There was a matter in all this mess he came to discuss anyway, so why wouldn’t he raise the problem anyway?”He’s in love with the Lamb,” Kallamar whined, a sound much more lamentable than he intended it to be.The former bishop of hunger blinked twice before letting out the most obnoxious, husky laugh Kallamar heard in a while. Heket croaked after that, surely trying to refrain from continuing to make fun of her brother, but it came out ridiculous enough to not only pull a snort from Kallamar but also make Heket laugh again.The squid took a deeper sip, watching his sister get calm again.”I thought you knew,” she took her cup and tasted the drink, still smiling. „It’s not exactly a secret in the village. He’s having a talk with everyone who tries to fuck the Lamb. An angry one.””I didn’t know,” Kallamar rested his hand on his forehand. „I mean, I knew he’s the most devoted here, but he acted so… Inviting towards me! Bringing me what I needed personally, slaying that poor idiot in my name, waking me up nearly every night, bringing me gifts…”Heket blinked.„Are you sure it wasn’t ordered by the Lamb?”„I’m not sure of anything right now,” Kallamar shook his head.„How did you figure it out?”Kallamar looked down at the cup in his hands. The green alcohol mixed nicely with the parts of the red berry. It looked like Leshy in some ways.„He came asking for clearance about the gossip and tried to manipulate me into hushing it all in the Lamb’s name,” he admitted. „He knows he can’t demand much of me, but… Looks like he really needs that help.””Then you have all the cards,” Heket noticed. „We can just proceed with that song if you want to. If you wish, we could even make him help you with this one.”„I… know,” Kallamar hesitated. „I know, just-„It wasn’t a matter of the song he was working on. It was something else. The curiosity the weird disciple raised rubbed Kallamar in the weirdest ways.”You like him,” Heket deadpanned.„I’m not saying I don’t, but it’s clearly something I not only shouldn’t get involved into, but also I’m clearly not invited to make any moves, considering the obvious yearning that happens here. I can now see why Narinder despises him so much.”Heket hummed, but Kallamar’s mind was already somewhere else.To be perfectly honest, Kallamar still hadn’t gotten used to life in the village. People were loud, culture was almost nonexistent, his hut was small, and the respect he got from everyone else was close to none. He missed the days in his domain, even if nothing he knew, nothing he loved, still stood. And it was all the fault of the Lamb and Narinder’s actions.„Maybe I could help this little disciple if only that would mean I could ire Narinder this way.” Kallamar traced the edge of the cup with his finger. „Put someone between him and his precious vessel.”Heket looked at him, puzzled.”At this point, you should know better than this,” she noticed. „Besides, the best thing standing between our brother and the Lamb is their own relationship. They barely talk anyway, and disciple Mermer, indeed, would mess it up, but I doubt he would do so in a way you think about.”Kallamar looked up at her.„What about a good deed towards the little hard-working follower?” He asked.„You will earn the Lamb’s ire instead of Narinder’s, and you know how that ends,” the frog warned him. „Do you need entertainment this badly?”Kallamar shrugged.„There's nothing else to do here,” he admitted. “Besides, it’s just a thought. It’s not like I have any real power over him.”„It’s surprisingly malicious of you. I thought you fancied this little blue disciple,” Heket watched him, curious. “That would break their heart.”„Or win him the Lamb, wouldn’t it?” Kallamar relaxed in his seat. „Isn’t it a gamble worth taking? The most powerful being, a god, in exchange for a little favor?”Heket sighed, finishing her drink.“You should sleep, Kal,” she waved her hand. “And stop playing matchmaker to your conqueror. I’ll give you something to do with the music, so just… Don’t make a mess with that disciple. The Lamb would destroy you for real if something happened to him.”The sun was indeed still high in the sky. Maybe Kallamar was a bit cranky because of the lack of sleep, and his head started giving him the weirdest ideas. A short nap surely wouldn’t hurt, and the conversation with Heket actually helped him ease the feelings rumbling in his chest for no reason.“I’ll think about it.” Kallamar stood up, ending the drink. “Will you speak with that groom today?”“He should be here in a moment, yes,” she looked out the window. “Do you want to stay?”“No, I believe you would handle it better than me.” Kallamar turned around and opened the doors. “I will see you tomorrow, but please let me know if there would be any changes to the situa… oh,” Kallamar looked at the person standing in front of the doors. “Hanor!”Another look told the squid that the groom wasn’t alone. Two other people stood beside him, an unfamiliar otter and the very head disciple, patiently waiting in front of the hut. Mermer didn’t look overjoyed by his presence there, contrary to the almost vibrating Hanor.Haket stood up, surprised.“Arjul, Hanor” she croaked. “What is it?”The otter dropped his gaze.“We talked and… I would like to hear some details. The head disciple also happened to discuss the matter with us, and I think my idea of ​​the situation was a little bit too complicated,” he admitted. “Could we please… come in?”Kallamar smirked, letting the villagers into the hut, leaving it at the same time. Heket shot him a short gaze before she looked at the head disciple still standing awkwardly at the entrance.“Head disciple Mermer, you are also invited.” She waved her hand, a gesture hard to ignore. Mermer did it anyway.“I merely waked out my charges, thank you,” Mermer bowed slightly. “I would like to talk with the former bishop Kallamar.”Heket looked back at the squid, her gaze now hard and warning.“Of course,” she agreed, not taking her eyes from her brother. “I’ll leave you two to it, then.”“Have a good evening,” Mermer smiled warmly, waiting for the frog to close the doors.Only when she did so, did Mermer look at the former bishop and fold his hands behind his back.“I thought about our conversation this morning,” he stated. “And decided to make an exception this time, considering that, indeed, the Lamb would gain more from this activity than lose in case we failed in clearing the situation. I’m only afraid I can’t do it entirely without compensation.”Kallamar already felt like he won; the whole sulking instantly disappeared from his soul, leaving him with nothing but sparkling excitement.“And what could I offer in exchange, head disciple Mermer?” he asked, smiling.“I’ll require your assistance in helping me fix my eventual mistakes in the arts,” Mermer stretched out his hand. “Do we have a deal?”Kallamar wasn’t able to hide his delight and openly grinned, squeezing his hand.“I’ll eagerly wait for the announcement of the first dance,” he declared.

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In his long life, Kallamar rarely had time for himself, even if his Domain changed its purpose over time. From a traveler to an artist, the embodiment of Blight always had his hands full; unfortunately, most of it contained the effects of the core of his power. Kallamar didn’t rest often.And then, surprisingly enough, it all ended with the arrival of the Lamb. One day, he was heading to another battle against the false idol, and the next, he was closed in a loop of his own death. One shock was replaced by another, pain replaced by a brief relief of his head torn open, and here he stood, ready to fight again only to relieve everything again and again.The first days in the village felt like a dream. It wouldn’t be possible to just stand up and be again if not for his younger siblings. But then, the weeks passed, then months. Knocking on his doors made his eyes open, and the rest of the village needed his activity, mostly at night. It matched the quiet surrounding him like waves of his domain, overflowing and almost shy. It took him a year to realize he was free, somehow. His legacy was dead, his domain empty, with only a few golden skulls still wandering between the seaweeds to face the Lamb even after so many years.The setting sun at the beginning of his other day felt different, though.Something was sparkling in his veins when Kallamar sat down at his bed and looked around, the swords hanging on the walls, crystals sparkling on the shelves. He had something to wait for, again.It felt like it was the first time in forever.+++Hanor waved at him widely, standing in front of Heket’s hut. Kallamar smiled, seeing the groom so excited. There were also a few other people around, clearly waiting for the former bishop to arrive.“Am I the last one?” Kallamar asked, coming closer.We are still waiting for head disciple Mermer! Hanor grinned. But hungry Heket asked you to speak with her in private before he shows up. It’s about your brother.“What is it this time?” Kallamar asked flatly. “Did Leshy eat the fence again?”I’m not sure, the groom gestured at the doors. But people are coming in, and we were told to wait before you could talk about it, so…“I’ll try to make it quick,” Kallamar promised.There were, indeed, a few people here. That doe disciple, Trenor, too. It didn’t sound like Mermer would be late, but maybe there were other things he had to attend to as the head disciple. The former bishop of blight shrugged, entering the hut.The moment of entering the array was almost unnoticeable. A cold feeling of clarity, nothing more. If he hadn’t been focused on it, he would never have gotten the difference in a quiet room. Heket was standing in the middle, deep in her thoughts.“I was told you waited for me?” Kallamar asked, closing the doors with a soft click. “What did Leshy demolish this time?”Heket looked at him, confused, before she shook her head.“It’s not about Leshy,” she walked around the table and sat on her bench. “I had a visit from Narinder this morning before he attended his duties as the disciple.”Kallamar frowned.It wasn’t anything new that his younger brother was up to something with that weird idea of becoming a disciple. Serving his former vessel surely wasn’t something Narinder would agree to do without a plan in mind; Kallamar knew him enough to know it wasn’t something that would change only because of some chains and an eternity in the Below. What was new was the visit. Narinder avoided the rest of the former bishops like plagues, changing the paths he walked only to avoid them, never eating with them, and so on. They lived in different places, they rarely talked, and if they did, it usually ended in a short, dry conversation about the duties they needed to fulfill. Narinder never came to any of them to gossip. Having him here, at his sister’s doorstep, must have been a shock.“What did he want?” he asked, careful.“Sit down, because even I’m not sure what it is about,” Heket croaked and sighed. “He asked about the dance, for starters.”“Did he?” Kallamar was dumbfounded.“He came here, saying he heard the rumors,” Heket folded her arms. “And that he knows it’s our fault. I thought he would try to blackmail us somehow, but he asked to use his wedding waltz as the dance instead.”The silence was more than telling. Kallamar blinked, surprised.“He… asked for it?” he had to make sure. “Only this?”Heket relaxed her hands, looking at her brother with patient curiosity.“I know I just said the best obstacle between him and the Lamb is their own relationship, but maybe I was too quick in that observation.”Kallamar shook his head.“It doesn’t have to mean anything. Narinder isn’t the kind of person who would show vulnerability to anyone, and we both know it. If he came here, asking you for something, it probably means he wants to use us against the Lamb. Don’t… Don’t do it.”Heket hummed.“There are too many followers here to use this kind of dance anyway. I told him so. I thought that maybe we could split the grooms and disciples from the rest of the cult, so he would use his dance while we would also have some kind of excuse in case he’s planning something dangerous.”“It doesn’t change that it might endanger us,” Kallamar pressed.“The only person endangered here will be your favorite little murderer,” Heket clicked her tongue. “Don’t you see that whatever Narinder is planning will eventually hit the head disciple? If he’s as obsessed as you said, he will throw himself at whatever obstacle Narinder will set up for him, and that, in the first place, might be used against us.”Kallamar closed his mouth. She wasn’t wrong. Even if Narinder’s plan wasn’t set against Mermer, the head disciple will be involved as soon as he figures it out. There were enough people outside knowing that Mermer was involved with both Heket and Kallamar by now, so if anything would happen to him…“What do you suggest?” he asked, eventually.Heket sighed.“Let’s do as he pleases. In case something happens, the Lamb will read our minds first anyway, and while I would be careful about the whole thing, I also don’t see a clear reason as to why should I refuse that request. But I would have an eye on that disciple.”Kallamar raised his gaze at her.“Then maybe my little idea isn’t wrong,” he mentioned. “Maybe we should place him in the loving embrace of the Lamb. There’s no safer space in the village than beside them, and if Mermer can seduce Death itself, then whatever Narinder is planning would easily backfire.”“Kallamar-”“Where is he, anyway?” Kallamar looked at the doors. “Shouldn’t he be here already?”Heket leaned over the table, looking intently at the squid.“Kallamar,” she pressed. “You will promise me to not stand between Narinder and his plan again, do you hear me? And you will not endanger that disciple for whatever idea you have.”“Do you want me to guard him?” the squid snickered, mocking her. “We both know I lost to Narinder once, and I would do so again.”The former bishop of hunger hesitated.
“I… do, actually,” Heket blinked, surprised but pleased by the idea. “I will handle the Lamb, but if Narinder is planning something, we will have to keep watch over him. Besides, didn’t you plan to train him? That would be a natural way to spend some time with him.”Kallamar closed his mouth, shocked.What? Yes, sure, he liked the head disciple, and spending some time with him wouldn’t hurt, but… guarding him? Wasn’t it a bit too much?“I mean, he only asked to use his waltz,” he tried to back out.“And we know our brother enough to know he didn’t do it to test a choreography,” Haket deadpanned. “I need to think about it, but the best we can do is to do as Narinder pleases for now. Give him that dance and set him with the Lamb. Or, if that will be too hard to do, set up Mermer with the Lamb, so he will be out of our plates. Either option will require keeping an eye either on Narinder or the head disciple, and I find it hard to imagine you following Narinder.”Kallamar grimaced.The frog coughed briefly, tired of talking.“Now, let everyone in. I’ll start explaining the situation,” she waved her hand. “And find that Stick in the Ass before Narinder does so first.”+++To be perfectly honest, Kallamar was a coward. An overthinker and a panicker, the very first to lose his head. He felt the urge to prepare for every possibility all the time, sure, but even in his mind, some things were hard to believe. Mermer arguing with Narinder in front of the Lamb, for example. Aggressively.They have a name, Mermer barked, getting so close to the cat that he looked like his words would spit on him. I know you are allowed to use it, so maybe remember it before you address your Leader like some kind of a tool.Kallamar felt like he was about to pass out.Was this man insane? Was his mind completely fucking gone? Did they not teach the children about the Black Cat of Doom, who would drag their little bodies Below if they didn’t behave? What did Mermer even have in mind to challenge Narinder, of all people? The squid froze, watching his younger brother grimace. He said something to the Lamb instead, completely ignoring the head disciple, and oh, Mermer was now looking at him.Kallamar swallowed, looking at the head disciple now frowning in his direction.Was he… Was he expecting something? Should he come closer?Watching from afar probably wasn’t the best thing he did. Should he have tried to help the disciple? Stand against Narinder?The Lamb squeezed the disciple’s fingers, probably dismissing him, and there Mermer went, bowing his head for the last time as if he didn’t just challenge the Grimmer.I’m late, am I? Mermer looked at the pair for the last time, completely calm. Why didn’t you just send Trenor?Kallamar opened his mouth and then closed it.Were they not going to talk about what just happened? No? Wonderful! What a delightful way to start an evening, indeed!
Ah, excuse me, I forgot again, I said-
“It’s alright, disciple Mermer, it’s bright enough,” Kallamar stopped him.He didn’t notice, then.“We are waiting, indeed, but I believe this matter was also important. I simply needed to meet you before everyone.” Kallamar mindlessly mentioned.Why? Mermer looked at him weirdly.To check if you are not getting murdered by my younger brother, Kallamar couldn’t say. He blinked, only now realizing he needed an excuse for not sending the deer.“I, uh,” he tried to find the answer. “I wanted to ask about the time of our first lesson. I believe we could start today, after the meeting.”I might be busy, Mermer frowned. The meeting might take a while, and the Mighty Leader might need my assistance after the healing session, so…“Healing session?” Kallamar looked after the Lamb and, uh. He was focused on the disciple’s pair instead of the Lamb, but even from a distance, the bruises were clearly visible. Another proof of the god’s hedonistic nights.The Lamb looked chewed on, which, even for them, was surprising. Narinder, walking on their side, seemed to be stoic, but something in his posture vaguely reminded Kallamar of the old, old times when he bungled something he shouldn’t. A… guilt. Expression Kallamar missed on his brother for more than a millennium.Disciple Narinder claims he can fix it, Mermer squeezed his nose. I talked with the Mighty Leader as maybe they should have asked another Bishop, but they didn’t want to listen. I might be called to assist in the bath anyway, so, I’m sorry, but-“I understand.” Kallamar watched his brother and his former vessel disappearing between the buildings. “I’m afraid none of us would be willing to assist in such a ritual anyway.”Mermer looked at him sourly.
Not helping an enemy?
“That too, yes, but I meant the character of the act.” Kallamar gently pushed the disciple towards his sister’s hut. “The Lamb is hardly our enemy now, but it’s something reserved for the closest disciples and the most trusted fellow gods. I wouldn’t dare to impose my presence in such a moment. It is also unlikely The Red Crown would let me guide them.”Mermer looked in the same direction, slightly annoyed.I understand, he stated. Let’s make a use of us in a different form, then. Shall we?+++“I’ll need people in the lumber mill, at least three extra.” Mermer placed his hands at his hips. “Another three in the refinery. The Lamb might order more, mind you, so you not only will have to work harder but also attend the rehearsals.”The crowd in front of Heket’s house whispered, but the excited looks already told Mermer that he could order them to fight the heretics themselves, and they would agree.“The Lamb will be unavailable too,” he continued. “An event like this will force them to gather more resources, so if any of you get charmed, you will have to wait until they come back. I need you to be extra careful.”Someone raised their hand, making the head disciple focus in that direction.“Can we at least choose our pairs?”“I don’t know that,” Mermer shook his head. “I’m sure the Lamb will take your pleas into consideration, but they are the one to guide us and decide what is the best for everyone. What’s your name?”“I’m Nano,” the villager answered, and only now did Mermer realize it was the green rabbit that always tried their chances at the biggest bear they had in the Cult.“I’m sure the Leader will know your prayers and react accordingly.”Another hand.“Yes?” Mermer asked a bull.“Shouldn’t we invite the Lamb already?” he asked. “Or do we want to choose the volunteers before that?”“I’ll go for the Leader in a minute, I’m simply waiting for them to finish their healing session with disciple Narinder,” Mermer answered. “But we will find the volunteers now, yes. Does anyone have any more questions?”“Who is going to dance with the Lamb?”Mermer had to turn over to look at the yellow fox on his left. Merhil rested his back against the fence, his arms folded against his chest. The head disciple blinked at the question. What was he supposed to answer?“I’m sure the Mighty Leader will choose accordingly to their wisdom,” he tried.“So you think it’s going to be someone from between the disciples, isn’t it? You, perhaps?” Merhil raised his eyebrow. “It surely couldn’t be one of the Bishops, but maybe the Lamb should, for once, choose by their desire and not by wisdom.”Mermer blinked, watching other cultists exchanging surprised looks. The head disciple looked back at the fox.“Why wouldn’t it be the same thing?” he asked.The fix only smirked.“Gentleman,” Kallamar stepped between them. “The night is getting dark, and I’m afraid we are all occupied by our duties. I’ll take on myself the responsibility of inviting the Lamb so you can decide which ones of you would rather carry the heavy work and who would like to take care of music. Because we still need to take care of music, don’t we, disciple Mermer?”Mermer barely spared him a glance.“Would you like to join the sawmill, Merhil?” he asked instead.“I’m afraid I’m better at the flute,” the fox deadpanned.“We have our first performer, then!” Kallamar placed his hand on Mermer’s shoulder, finally making him focus on the squid.Kallamar looked… firm. Something in him reminded Mermer of how Lambert stood between fighting followers. He wasn’t even that much higher than the fox, but something in Kallamar’s presence made him simply… easy to listen to. Maybe it was this charisma Mermer heard he had.Well, maybe this once he would just let him do as he pleases.“You will be noted as a musician, then,” Mermer nodded, looking back at the villagers. “Is anyone else willing to be counted for the music team?”+++Second time a day.Kallamar walked to the bathrooms slightly annoyed. The night started so nicely, and it wasn’t even two hours before he made himself a coward twice. The “cowardly Kallamar” ringed in his mind in the Haro’s voice like a mantra, hard to be ignored, making it almost impossible to focus on anything else.Maybe the head disciple didn’t notice how the fox challenged him. Maybe he ignored him intently, but it didn’t look like that. It looked like the cult was underestimating him, and Kallamar did nothing to react.He was deep enough in his thoughts that he noticed something was off only when he stood in front of the disciple’s bathroom tent.It was too empty. People were avoiding this place, leaving the nearby tents free and choosing the ones on the other side of the clearing. Kallamar frowned, looking at the silk tent, the candles lit inside, revealing one head in a bath and a figure of his brother outside.This is why he didn’t want Mermer here. The healing left the god almost unguarded. If Narinder was planning a coup, this moment would be one of the best to do so. What was the Lamb even thinking about by asking him to attend themselves? If they needed the help so badly, a simple crusade would suffice!Kallamar clicked his tongue.Whatever Narinder was planning was going to backfire. The squid turned around and waited, watching for people around.+++“Is that it?” Trenor looked at the former Bishop of hunger inside of her hut and the list in Mermer’s hand.After Kallamar left, they found enough people to help and were now waiting, idly, for the Lamb to come. The lemur looked at the list and finally hid it in his pocket. He probably should have left to not make an impression like he directed this little thing.“I hope so,” Mermer nodded. “We should leave it in Hanor’s hands for now, I think. Whether the Lamb agrees or not depends on him.”Trenor looked at him weirdly.“You act differently,” he admitted. “I didn’t expect to see you calming down after Kallamar got between you and Merhil, and now you are leaving this dance thing to a villager?”“Let’s say I’m tired,” Mermer avoided the deer’s gaze.“You haven’t been tired in ten years,” the doe noticed. “What happened?”“Nothing,” Mermer finished the questioning. “I’m just not as invested in this whole thing to need to control it that badly.”Trenor grimaced.“The squid told you something, didn’t he?” he asked.Mermer gave him a heavy look.“Are you insinuating something?”“My job is to read people, and I followed your orders because I trust you are the most devoted believer of my god.” Trenor looked right ahead but hushed his voice. “My loyalty rests heavily in their hands but also in yours. The latter might change, though. What did that squid do to you? Blackmail you?”Mermer smiled.“I can and will die for the Lamb because of their whim. What do you think Kallamar can say to put any weight on me?”“I don’t know,” Trenor looked at the other followers, now cheerfully waiting for the leader. “That’s why I’m asking.”“He didn’t blackmail me,” Mermer admitted. “I suppose he tried to manipulate me, but he’s not the only one underestimating my position. Are you?”Trenor scoffed.It was okay. It’s not like Mermer needed anyone besides the Lamb.+++Kallamar wanted to whine. He already called off the workers nearby, trying to minimalize any victims in case Narinder would really try something, but the cat merely entered the bath in the meantime. Kallamar watched the curtains, at first annoyed by the Lamb's behavior and then stressed when he saw Narinder’s figure hovering above his former vessel. Was he going for their neck? Shouldn’t that be a fast death? What was his brother even doing so long, count the cervical vertebrae to break the best one?Kallamar sat on a rock again. At this point, he would believe anything, really.The Lamb surely wasn’t screaming in pain, that much he would hear.In the end, painful cries tended to be rather high noted.The former bishop of pestilence looked at the shaky light of the tent again, frowning this time. It took too long. It meant either Narinder hadn’t tried to assassinate the Lamb, or he had done it slow enough for Kallamar to stop it. Not like he really wanted to do it, really, but at this point, someone would get interested in what took him so long. It would, probably, be the head disciple.Kallamar wanted to start praying the moment he saw Narinder leaving the bath. The Lamb looked alive enough for him to decide to enter, and so he did, slipping between the silk walls.He didn’t need to hear to know what had happened here, immediately understanding that both he and Heket were completely wrong.The air was thick with devotion, greasy like a heavy cream, charged with power. His brother looked unbothered, but whatever might Narinder still had in him, was now in the air and sparkling in the Lamb’s veins instead of his soul. Kallamar rested his back against the tent support and folded his arms. Magnificent. If Mermer would see this charade, he would probably faint into that pool.Narinder shot him a single gaze before turning back to the Lamb.Do you really think someone heard it? they asked, surprisingly unaware of Kallamar’s presence.The former bishop rolled his eyes. This is why gods needed a good guard while healing. The poor thing didn’t even notice him in that mist. Kallamar wouldn’t even break a sweat before killing them now, even in his mortal form.Performing a sacred ritual right in the open, they had to be insane.
And who taught you something like this, though?
“His disciples.” Kallamar gazed at Narinder now.It was the first time, probably. Kallamar grimaced, trying not to think about it too deeply. “We all used this method, but I am surprised to see you performing it of your own free will.”Narinder flinched, and Kallamar squeezed his tendons at this gesture. What was that, a shame? A guilt? Performing a ritual that submissed the whole soul to one’s god? Oh, how low had his brother fallen, then. Serving as a snack, giving up both, body and soul. What was this even for? Gaining Lamb’s trust? Taking the place of another? It was a job of the closest witnesses, for Firsts’s sake, and not for a former god! An honor of the head disciple, not a humiliation of such as them!If I didn’t know how your hearing works, I would say you were eavesdropping, Narinder said, slowly, as if he wanted Kallamar to read every word.“I sent the workers home when I saw you through the walls,” Kallamar said instead, trying to dismiss the silent accusation. “You are insane for doing it here, of all places. Do you have any idea how unhygienic it is for you? Or for the others? I hope we still have that strong alcohol because I won’t get closer to this bath until it is scrubbed, washed, and then disinfected twice.”I’ll ask someone to do it, Lambert raised their hand as if they tried to cover for him. It was a… last-minute decision.Kallamar looked at him in disbelief.“Last mi- are you insane?!” Kallamar yelled, coming back to Narinder. “Did you even have condoms? I don’t care if you, of all people, will get the-”Enough, Narinder shot him a glance. Why are you here, Kallamar?To check how much of a bloody work you would do, Kallamar thought, but only huffed instead, the spent Lamb too vivid in his memory. It was insane how mistaken they both were, he and Heket. Ridiculously, even.“Hanor is in dire need of his Leader, and I was told I’d find you here,” Kallamar lied, but the words got almost stuck in his throat. “I thought you might be interested in your soon-to-be-groom, considering his partner’s breakdown. He’s in Heket’s hut now.”Heket? Lambert asked, looking at Narinder.His brother looked back at the Lamb but came back to Kallamar soon enough. The former bishop knew this look well.Get dressed. Narinder dropped his towel and helped the Lamb out of the water. Kallamar left the tent, ready to come back to the village, but Narinder came out after him only to catch his wrist.The former bishop looked away, as pity as it was. Narinder didn’t let go.“What?” Kallamar finally snapped, growling at his brother.This is not what it looks like, Narinder grimaced, visibly angry.“Too bad I can’t listen to what it sounds like, considering my state,” Kallamar tore his hand away. “But I have a feeling that I wouldn’t like to know.”Narinder grit his teeth, looking right into Kallamar’s face.He should have backed out. His ears were still bleeding after the last time he had stood against the Grimmer. His whole being was still shaking inside at the look of those red eyes, but frankly, dying over and over at the hand of someone else made Narinder a little bit smaller in Kallamar’s mind. The look in Narinder’s eyes was also much different than the one he remembered: pleading instead of hostile. Pressing.The Lamb shot from the tent, closing the collar in the run. They waved to them, cheerful, even if clearly tired, and before Kallamar was even able to say anything, the Lamb yelled something in the manner of “Have fun with condoms!” and disappeared between the trees leading to the village.Kallamar clapped his mouth, shocked. Narinder, on the other hand, didn’t even bat an eye.Kallamar, he tried again.“Why?” the former bishop looked up, facing the former Death. “You had a clean cut in there, the Crown would probably give you a few minutes. Why do you play with them like that? Because of revenge?”Narinder grimaced.That’s why I said it’s not what you think it is, he tried.“What it is, then?” Kallamar demanded an answer. “A plan to humiliate us again? There’s no need for it, and you should know that by now. Or, let me guess, you got jealous of those little pests getting a taste of what is rightfully yours, and you slipped-”Kallamar stopped mid-sentence. Narinder's expression was more than telling. The scared, wide open eyes, ears lying flat on his head, and the clenched jaw were obvious. The squid, on the other hand, blinked in shock.“You fell in love with thhhmff?”Narinder placed a hand on his mouth, muffling the next words.Not a word more! he hissed.Kallamar froze, feeling Narinder’s hands on him again. The cat slowly let him go.Not a word, he warned him, furious. Not even to Heket. And especially not to the Lamb, unless you want to repeat what happened on that hill again.“You are insane,” Kallamar stated. “I know where you were for the last thousand years, but only now did I realize how crazy you are! They are your vessel! Your usurper!”I don’t… care anymore, Narinder admitted, not without hesitation in his posture.“How can you not care?” Kallamar took a step back. “You? Of all people, how can you not hide resentment? Who would ever believe you?”And, oh. Kallamar could just as well slap him. The light that only a minute ago was still in Narinder’s eyes simply vanished, replaced by a dull, dead expression. If it wasn’t Narinder, Kallamar would feel bad for him. He didn’t.“Whatever you put yourself into, this is a grave of your own making,” Kallamar stated. “And I swear, I wouldn’t be happier if you would just lie in it.”Narinder took a deep breath before he looked back at his brother, calmer this time.
Just… Keep it to yourself. Just this once.
Kallamar closed his eyes, defeated.“You are asking for awfully lot lately.”I’m not doing it to endanger you if this is what you insinuate, Narinder sighed. I don’t… I just don’t. Sometimes, I don’t even know what I want anymore, but this isn’t it.Kallamar knew this feeling. It might have vanished this evening for a reason, but maybe it was gone only for today. Maybe Narinder found a way to shush it for longer. Considering disciple Mermer, he wasn’t even alone in that solution. Kallamar wouldn’t know it for himself, the Lamb was not really in his type.“You owe me,” Kallamar demanded. “And you better not make our lives harder than they already are.”Narinder only clenched his jaw harder in response, and Kallamar let go of the air he kept in his lungs. The cat looked at him again.I’ll try, he promised.