Derzina hurried from the palace, weaving past its guards, and only slowing when she noticed Mostanto approaching.

“How was it?” he asked, walking with her.

“Even worse than your master led me to expect. Were she not a god and were this not her city, I would have something unkind to say about her manner.”

“It’s probably for the best that you don’t, at least not while there’s a chance of her servants overhearing you.”

“I doubt it would make much difference; she already ejected me from the palace.”

“You’d be surprised,” Mostanto said, with a sly smile. “She has a particular dislike for people speaking ill of her behind her back and there are far worse fates than simply being barred from the palace.”

Derzina’s first impulse was to insist that even going that far was unfitting for a guardian of humanity, but Inea’s priorities didn’t seem anything like what Derzina would have expected of a god. After having met Inea, it was entirely possible she might punish Derzina over a slight. Imagined or otherwise.

“You’re right. Thank you for the warning; I shall watch my words more carefully.”

“Good, doing so can only be to your benefit if you choose to remain here. Incidentally, what are you planning on doing next?”

“Waiting for Araveena, I suppose. Her pet told me she’d return to her tower tomorrow; I should be able to meet her then.”

“Then you have nothing further planned for today?” Mostanto asked.

“I only came here to find Araveena. So no, I have no other plans. Why do you ask?”

“I hoped you might allow me to show you around the city, if you find that agreeable.”

Derzina shrugged, she had nothing better to do as she’d just told him. If the citizens of Inea’s city were anything like its ruler, then she had little desire to meet them, but her aversion was not so great that she’d prefer to stand around doing nothing. Besides, the city itself was far from unpleasant to look upon and she wouldn’t mind seeing more of it. It had to be a lot more pleasant than Merstaneon.

“Sure, lead on. What is there to see around here? Other than the palace, of course.”

“It is quite a sight,” Mostanto said. “I’m afraid there’s nothing that can match the palace’s grandeur, but there is still ample charm and beauty to be found within these walls. Especially now that you’ve chosen to grace us with your presence.”

Derzina missed a step and tried to conceal the resulting stumble as best she could. The compliment threw her completely off balance, particularly as it was delivered in such a suave manner.

“Um, thank you?” Derzina said, her mind devoid of meaningful responses.

“You’re welcome,” Mostanto said, laughing before continuing smoothly along like nothing happened. “Now let’s see, I suppose the closest place worth seeing would be the palace gardens. How does that sound?”

“That sounds fine to me.”

After a quick stroll down the wide street before the palace, the garden came into view. Between the expansive size and its perfectly manicured appearance, it had much in common with Inea’s residence. Amongst the shrubs and flowers, Derzina couldn’t find a single leaf out of place in the ordered rows.

There were several people working at various points in the garden, a testament to the sheer work required to maintain it. They pruned and swept, paying no attention to the garden’s only two visitors.

“Why isn’t there anyone else here?” Derzina asked. There was still plenty of daylight left and this was the perfect place for people to enjoy lunch amongst the greenery or for children to frolic.

“Lady Inea takes quite a dim view to people disrupting her garden, as she does for everything that belongs to her, and most people would rather stay away then risk her wrath.”

“And are we unlike most people in that?” Derzina asked. Their aversion seemed perfectly reasonable, and she’d rather not upset Inea any more than she already had.

“I am, at least.”

“Why is that? Do you not fear her?”

“I do have a healthy respect for her power and authority,” Mostanto said, bending over to pluck a flower, “but I trust Xanathel to protect his servants from her when it comes to such a minor matter. Besides, she barely pays her garden any attention. I can’t even remember the last time I heard of her leaving the palace.”

He handed the flower to her, a wide-petalled purple specimen.

“Thank you,” she said, feeling silly for not having any better ways of replying. “Why does she even have a garden then? I imagine it’s a lot of work.”

“To be frank, I have no idea. I do not claim to understand the workings of her mind or her heart, they both seem utterly unknowable.”

They walked through the garden’s lanes, where at the end of each stood a stone likeness of Inea in a variety of heroic poses. Whatever Inea’s intentions, it was clear she had a lot of regard for herself. Were all gods like this? Ortesia had always struck Derzina as humble, but maybe she just hadn’t known the goddess well enough. After a moment’s thought, she shook her head. Even if Ortesia had been vainer than Derzina knew, there wasn’t the slightest chance she was as bad as Inea.

It wasn’t long before Derzina tired of touring the gardens. They were too ordered for her tastes and knowing what she did about their owner, she found it difficult to appreciate them.

“I’ve seen enough,” she said, “what else is there?”

“Brtet still possesses a great many wonders; you have but to follow me and I shall show you the city’s magnificence in its entirety.”

Though Derzina’s limited enthusiasm was waning, she didn’t object to Mostanto’s suggestion. Maybe one of the other locations would be more palatable. They surely couldn’t all be testaments to Inea’s vanity. Departing the garden, Mostanto showed her an array of masterful artworks and magnificent buildings.

Despite their beauty, they served only to convince her that she’d underestimated Inea. From the innumerable statues and the ever-present depictions upon stonework, she could find no escape from the goddess. This was truly her city, through and through.

“Does Xanathel live within the city?” Derzina asked.

“Of course.”

That was what she’d assumed, but it was hard to tell from looking. Despite the exceptionally excessive proof of Inea’s presence, nothing within the city bore Xanathel’s likeness or symbol.

“I suppose he doesn’t care much for statues and the like? I haven’t seen a single thing of his thus far in your tour.”

“He has little interest in such displays,” Mostanto said, “preferring instead to devote his time, and that of his followers, to more gainful endeavours. Though it must be said, Inea is undoubtedly the far more popular of the two.”

It made sense when Derzina thought about it, presumably those who’d made all of Inea’s decorations were followers of hers, but it still surprised her to hear it.

“She is? Xanathel wasn’t exactly overflowing with charisma when I met him, but why would anyone want to follow Inea?”

“For all her flaws, she has done a lot for the people of Brtet. That, and I believe the dominion she enjoys over the city is at least somewhat attractive to most people. It’s better to be part of something powerful, even if you don’t necessarily agree with what it’s doing, right? I think that’s how her followers must see it.”

“And what about you?” Derzina asked. “How do you see it?”

The concept of people choosing a god to follow. and their reasons for doing so, was far more interesting to her than any of the places they’d visited. Of the options she’d seen so far, she would certainly have chosen Ortesia, but the very idea of having an option was new to her. Everyone in Ortesion had been a follower of Ortesia, even if some were not as devote in their service.

“I have no desire to besmirch her past deeds, I’m sure she was once a fine leader. But her mind is firmly rooted in the past. Xanathel, however, cares about what the future holds for this city and its people.”

Derzina had little difficulty believing Inea was stuck in the past, she was willing to believe a great many negative things of the goddess at this stage, but she’d seen little evidence of Xanathel’s supposedly better intentions.

“Not to be rude, but if Xanathel is working towards that, how did the current state of the city come to be? Everywhere I look there seems to be only decadence born from wasted effort. Has he done nothing to keep that in check?”

“He’s tried. Inea can be exceedingly difficult to work with, as I’m sure you realized from your meeting.”

“Has he truly?” Derzina asked. “Lurking in armouries to warn others of Inea’s unpleasant nature doesn’t exactly strike me as very proactive.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Mostanto said, smiling. “My lord does greatly prefer to do things in a roundabout fashion wherever possible, often to his own detriment. I may serve him, but I’m well aware of his flaws.”

It was strange for Derzina to hear someone speak so frankly of a god, particularly one they claimed to serve, but she appreciated the honesty. Whatever his god’s faults, Mostanto seemed to have a good head on his shoulders.

“Good. Then I wish you both luck in improving your city.”

“I take it you don’t have much of an interest in our cause then?”

“To be frank,” Derzina said, “no, I don’t. Laudable a goal as improving the city is, my task is far more important to all of humanity. Once it is done, and assuming I survive to see the end, perhaps I may take more of an interest in your city. Until then, well-wishing is all I can offer you.”

“Disparate as our objectives may seem, I think you’ll soon come to realize that they’re quite closely related.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Mostanto said, with a smug expression that quickly degenerated into laughter. “I fear I’ve spent too much time in Xanathel’s service; I’m even starting to sound like him.”

“Speaking of Xanathel,” he continued, not giving Derzina a chance to press him further on what he’d meant, “I assume you don’t have anywhere to stay tonight?”

“That’s correct. Why do you ask?”

“Well it’s getting late, so I thought it would be a good time to extend to you the hospitality of Xanathel’s temple.”

Derzina didn’t feel much like sleeping, but the sun was low in the sky and she had little intention of wandering the streets at night. Hopefully Xanathel’s temple was as understated as his appearance; the gold in which so much of the city was bedecked was starting to give her a headache.

“Very well, you may show me to this temple. It seems I’ll be in your care for a little while longer.”

“Then I am truly blessed,” Mostanto said, turning on his heel and striding off through the fading daylight.