Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X #1)(77)
Author: Richelle Mead

“Probably not,” he said. Mae wondered if he’d used his brilliant deductive skills to come to that conclusion or was simply too blinded by her.

Callista chuckled, though there was no amusement in her eyes. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. And no, I don’t know about this. I have no reason to kill patricians.” Her eyes rested meaningfully on Mae as she said that. “I don’t know of any other group who’d do something like this either…but I’d be very interested in finding out more. There’s power in blood. You could be dealing with a very, very strong deity.”

“So you favor a cult over a vengeful geneticist?” he asked.

“Why are they mutually exclusive? I wouldn’t mind a few genetically perfect followers. The gods are choosing their elect. You think they choose randomly? There’s a reason you were chosen. Both of you,” Callista added reluctantly.

Mae couldn’t take it anymore. “Are you seriously saying these make-believe entities of yours are part of this case? That they’re interfering in our lives? It’s insanity!” She could perhaps understand it from Callista, but Justin? That was still the mind blower, and Mae secretly hoped to find out everything he’d said was just part of a clever ploy to reel the other woman in.

“You of all people should take this seriously,” said Callista. Her condescending tone irritated Mae further. “And if you don’t want anything to do with this ‘insanity,’ you need to break out fast. Find out who’s trying to control you and sever their power.”

“How?” asked Justin, as though that were actually a real thing.

“Gods consolidate their power in places and people. Breaking belief is the biggest way to hurt one. You do that by disbanding their followers. Gods need people to believe in them. Could be as simple as someone like you revoking a license.” Callista considered. “Or it may take more drastic means. Destroy their place of worship. Take out some of their leaders. Once the followers start to stray, the god weakens. It’s why they’re all scrambling right now to build their power—and followers.”

“Enough of this,” said Mae, unwilling to hear more. If Justin wasn’t going to do his job, then she would do it for him. “Can you or can’t you give us any leads on this killer?”

Callista shot her a glare. “I told you: I don’t know who would do this. No matter what you believe about the faithful, most of us don’t embrace bloodshed. Those who do wouldn’t share that fun fact with others. I don’t think it’s that far-fetched that a god would want genetically superior servants. I do think it’s weird that he or she would then kill them off.”

“You said blood is power,” Justin reminded her.

“Yes, but the choice of victim is a waste. A god could take a sacrifice from any number of other sources.”

Justin caught his breath. “Like a bunch of plebeians.”

He met Mae’s eyes, and for a moment, she forgot about all the reasons she had to be upset with him right now. If Callista was right, if crazy groups sacrificed for imaginary power, then Justin might very well have one piece of the puzzle.

“Do you know any groups, any at all, that could be worth checking out?” Justin asked, his voice urgent. “Ones I wouldn’t know about.”

The unlicensed ones, Mae realized. The ones that operated in the shadows. Like this one.

Callista met his gaze levelly. “Justin, there are a lot of groups you don’t know about. There’s been a surge in them over the last few years. I could give you at least two dozen groups with ties to the moon and some obsession with blood and silver. You think you can check them all out in the next week and a half?”

“You could if you turned the list over to SCI,” said Mae pointedly. “They could send out other servitors.”

“And pick me up along the way, no doubt,” said Callista.

Justin shook his head. “We won’t do it that way. Send me what you can, and I’ll see if I can make any connections between that and the other evidence. If I get any hits, can you help me find where they’re hiding?”

“Some of them.”

“Okay. We should go.” He stood up and glanced at Mae, who immediately rose as well. “I think we have a lot to talk about. Thank you for your help—and, uh, timely intervention.”

Callista joined them and caught hold of Justin’s hand. “Be careful. There are dark forces at work, and I’d hate to lose my favorite servitor.”

“You know, Geraki calls me that too. I’m glad I have such a great reputation.”

“Geraki…” Callista arched an eyebrow. “I haven’t heard from him in a while. He might have some answers for you.”

Justin grimaced. “Mostly all he’s got are riddles, though he was the one who gave me the clue about Nadia. It is too bad about her. Shitty luck.”

Callista smiled in a way that made Mae tense for danger. “Luck had little to do with it. I was the one who suggested she go on her vision quest.”

“What? I thought she was your friend.”

“She was. She is. But we were starting to disagree on how to run things. So, when I encouraged her little journey…I mentioned that Amarantha would prefer she do it unchipped. Don’t look at me like that,” she told Justin. “I’ve made inquiries. She’s fine. And with the way the RUNA’s spreading, the territory she’s in will be annexed soon anyway. Besides, things are a lot smoother now that it’s just me running the faith.”

“Aside from when her family—who blames me for what she did—decided to take some sideline revenge,” he reminded her.

“I saved you,” said Callista. “And I’ll keep them in line. They’re all still unruly and half-provincial, but they fear Amarantha.”

Justin seemed to accept this, which just increased the absurdity of this night. That kind of behavior—dissension in groups that made them turn against each other—was exactly the reason religions weren’t supposed to grow.

Callista caught Mae’s sleeve as she started to walk past. The flirty, irreverent nature was gone. “You need to deal with your problems,” she hissed. “Until you do, you’re a danger to yourself. And to others. And to him.”

Mae jerked her arm away. “Fiction offers no danger. Only its followers.”

One of Callista’s lackeys delivered Justin and Mae back to their hotel. It was a long, awkward car ride in which neither said anything. When they made it back, Justin told her good night and headed for his room. Mae, aghast, grabbed him in the hall and pulled him to her with more force than she intended. He stumbled and put a hand on her shoulder to steady himself, triggering a jumble of emotions in her as she tried to figure out who he was. Romantic confidante? Schmoozing womanizer? Secret zealot?