in his story. "And wizards used the gifts She had given them to kill Him."
The Scholar nodded. "She blamed Herself, and She blamed us." He closed his eyes briefly. "She was so angry. While Hinnum prayed, he heard others enter, but until the Owl spoke he didn't realize who had come into the Raven's temple. It was the first time he'd seen any of the other gods."
He sat down beside Seraph, taking her hands in his own. "The Owl was... was like your husband. Even frightened as I was I could not help returning Her smile. She lifted me to my feet, and I saw the Others." He paused, and Seraph decided not to point out that he'd claimed to be Hinnum again. She would wait until he was finished with what he had to tell her. Hinnum, she thought, Hinnum would know how to save her husband and how to kill the Shadowed - and somehow this illusion was Hinnum.
"The Hunter was not a big man" - the Scholar was saying - "nor did He speak much, but when he was in the room, I was always aware of him, even in the presence of the other gods. The Cormorant looked just like the statue in His temple - they all did really - but the Cormorant looked as though a smile belonged on His face. He wasn't smiling, but I could see that was the expression he was most comfortable with. I didn't like the Lark. I don't know why. Maybe it was the way that She held the child who slept in Her arms, the child who bore the rage and power of the god of war - as if she were a stone or rock, not a child who suffered for other people's sins."
The Scholar pulled his hands away from Seraph's and covered his face. "The Owl called my Lady, and forced the Raven to come to Her Call. Ah, Raven who was, that I could have died before that day."
He sighed and let his hands fall limply to his sides. When he spoke again, he continued his story with more dispassion.
"When the Raven came, the Lark showed Her the sleeping child, and said, 'I am no more powerful than your consort was, Raven. In another month I shall not be able to hold His anger asleep in this child. And then his power will ravage this world, and nothing will be able to hold it in check.'
" 'This isn't about the child, or about the Eagle.' said the Cormorant. 'It is about the Weaver and the Stalker. The Eagle's death has weakened the binding that holds them. We must restore the balance.' "
The Scholar looked down at his lap. "Then the Weaver spoke. I don't know what he said because his voice overwhelmed me, and I fainted. When I came to myself, only Raven was there, sitting beside me and stroking my hair."
Tears fell again down the Scholar's face, but he seemed not to notice them. "The Raven told me, 'We give mortals small pieces of our godhood all of the time: you call them gifts: the toddler who can sing a song note perfect; the warrior whose reflexes are faster than most; the midwife whose patients never die of birthing fever.' " The Scholar stopped speaking because his voice grew too thick to continue.
"She killed the other gods," said Seraph, stunned as she realized what must have happened. "Ellevanal said that the Travelers killed their gods and ate them - and he was right."
"We killed them, the Raven and I," agreed the Scholar. "They chose to die because it was the only way to save the All of Being. They sacrificed themselves and their souls flew free, leaving only their power behind. The Raven showed me how to divide the power and bind the Orders so when the mortal who bore them died, they would find another Order Bearer."
"But the Eagle's power was corrupted," Seraph whispered. "He was not a willing sacrifice and would not leave His power." Oh my poor Jes, she thought. "Empaths. You gave empaths the power and rage of the war god's ghost."
When Hennea rushed out of the library, she didn't know what had upset her, just that she could not bear to hear one more of the Scholar's words. The flood of anger, of pain, was so strong - she had no idea where it had come from.
She walked rapidly with no goal other than to wear out her