The Broken Song

Chapter Twenty-Five

—Lower Town, Kiverryn—

It was disgusting to watch. Lulu sat on the dirty cot, her arms resting on her bent knees, eyes narrowed to small slits. Her injuries had been healed away, but she was still exhausted from both encounters. It was only through the sheer force of her hatred that she was still awake. As long as the Path of Light fuckers were moving about as if they had singlehandedly won the battle for them, she would be awake to set the record straight.

The regular members of the clergy were doing little more than helping the injured, however. They seemed unconcerned with lauding the church's praises for the moment. The Voice, on the other hand, was making his sentiments known. He followed Ori around with the proud gaze a father might show his child, leading her through the throng of people who had gathered to see her. He never strayed from her side, undoubtedly eager to soak up the praise she was receiving.

It made her furious to watch him leading her cousin like a pet, as if she had only succeeded because of him. Lulu grumbled loudly when The Voice deviated Ori from a young child toward a couple of noble birth. Gods only knew how many donations the Path of Light would receive after his public display.

"They've done a lot of good, you know," Thancred said quietly at her side. Lulu turned to her companion. He sat on the same cot, his back pressed against the wall of the building, eyes closed and head tipped back. "They've been the only force standing against the Sorceress. They've sheltered the sick and the dying. They've fed the poor."

"Yeah, that's what they like to do," Lulu nodded as she shifted so she sat beside him, her shoulder brushing his. "They come in, make a show of helping people, make you feel guilty because you haven't done more, recite a few verses from their stupid, bullshit text, and then, before you know it, they're sacrificing babies at the altar, and anyone who doesn't believe in the Creator is labeled a heretic to be burned alive."

Thancred shrugged. "The only one murdering children and burning people alive here is the Sorceress."

"Just wait. They're bound to do something terrible eventually."

"Why do you hate them so much?"

"They stole my dad."

Brow furrowed, Thancred opened his eyes and glanced at the rogue making his way toward them. "I thought that was your father."

"Fair enough. They stole both of my fathers. A girl can have more than one, you know. Don't be so closed-minded. They made one a zealot and trapped the other in another plane. I'd say my hatred is justified, Thandy."

"Lulu," her father sighed with relief as he knelt in front of her, taking one of her hands in his own. "Creator be praised, you're alright."

"You want to thank someone, thank Ori. She's the one that saved me. Twice, actually."

Her father nodded gravely, his blue eyes shining with concern she tried to ignore. "I have thanked her. I wish to offer my gratitude to this young man as well." He bowed his head to Thancred, clenched fist placed over his heart in the Valdornne fashion of gratitude. "You protected my daughter, and for that, I can never repay you."

"Just doing my duty, Shadow," Thancred inclined his head.

"What are you doing here?" Lulu asked. "I thought The Voice's new mission was in Esktier, teaching those blatant multi-god lovers the error of their ways."