Priest (Ratcatchers Book 1) Read Free Page B

drawing the word ‘romantic’ out to make fun of Heden. “She’s got a niece she says would play your organ like a fife if you’d but loosen your belt.”
    Heden looked at the ceiling and blinked as though asking Cavall for strength.
    Domnal chuckled at Heden’s reaction and this made Heden happy. “She don’t know you,” Domnal concluded.
    Heden waited a moment and changed the subject.
    “Did you know Teagan was a ratcatcher?” Heden asked, guessing at the new guard’s old profession.
    “What?” Domnal said. “Teagan? ‘Course I did,” he said, frowning. “Everyone does. You know what it’s like here, no room for secrets.”
    Heden did know what it was like there and knew there were more secrets than Domnal would let on.
    “He’s good,” Heden said. Domnal was impressed with Heden’s evaluation.
    “He’s a mare,” Domnal grinned.
    Heden frowned. “He’s a what?”
    Domnal sat back in his chair, his grin turning into a smile.
    “Fancies men,” Domnal said.
    Heden’s face went blank for a moment as he absorbed this. “Hm.” He shrugged to himself. “Well he’s that good in a fight, he can do what he wants with his prick. Who was he with?”
    “The Sword of Silver,” Domnal said raising his eyebrows and pronouncing the words with exaggerated precision. Most people thought company names were absurd.
    “Really?” Heden said. “They were good. They recovered the Blade of a Thousand Years. I always thought ‘The Immortal Blade’ would have been a better name for them after that.”
    “Ah it’s all crap,” Domnal said.
    “True,” Heden said.
    Domnal remembered something, and threw a sharp glance at Heden for a moment. Then, seeming embarrassed, cast his eyes down.
    “Listen, Heden,” he said, screwing his face up with reluctance. Heden could tell his friend was embarrassed by something and for some reason Heden was in no mood to let him off the hook.
    “Uh, listen,” Domnal said again lowering his voice, seeming to shrink as he asked a favor. “I was wondering if you could, you know after everything that happened this morning, if you could…say a blessing for me?”
    Heden frowned and looked Domnal up and down as though he were being tricked.
    Domnal seemed anxious and ashamed. Heden shrugged. “Okay,” he said. Domnal was immediately relieved. The two men got up and approached each other.
    Domnal straightened up, eyes closed. Heden grabbed his amulet with his left hand, held up his right, palm out, and prayed to his saint, Lynwen.
    Both men stood there, eyes closed, as Heden spoke his prayer in the First Language. As he did so, Heden caught a fleeting glimpse in his mind of two eyes, a woman’s, rolling with amusement. Heden felt his hands grow warm and knew Dom was feeling the same unnatural heat.
    The prayer was not ceremonial, it was purifying. It was effective in proportion with how just and fair the subject was, as was Cavall’s will, but Heden prayed to Saint Lynwen, who had her own agenda which none but Heden understood. The prayer would strengthen the body and cure small ills. And reveal any physical problems with the supplicant.
    Heden’s eyes flashed open, angry at the secret Lynwen had revealed to him even as she cured it. Now he knew why Dom was ashamed to ask.
    “You fucker,” Heden said.
    “Heden!” Domnal said, flinching at his friend’s judgment.
    “You know I’m going to have to pray over Megan now, too.”
    Domnal half turned, picked up a proclamation off his desk. “Well you can do that when you come to dinner.” He avoided Heden’s gaze and pretended to read the document.
    “You complete shit, you know she dotes on you. Brags about you.”
    “Should I tell her, do you think?” Domnal asked, his face pained, his voice quiet.
    “Should you…no you should not tell her, you should be faithful to her! You should go to the church and ask Cavall and Llewellyn for forgiveness!”
    “Am I going to be alright?” Domnal asked, stung by his friend’s