Free Martyr (The Martyr Trilogy) by N.P. Beckwith Page B

was
touched.  In a matter of weeks all but a very tiny portion of the world’s
population was dead.  It was the greatest tragedy in the history of the
world.   Only the strong survived, those who had some kind of natural immunity
or resistance to the bug.  I’m guessing this didn’t happen in your world?”
     
    “No,
thank God,” I said.  “Not yet, anyway.”
     
    Reya
continued, “A broken people who had trusted in science now turned once more to
religion for answers, for hope.  Many trusted the Deity of ancient times, the
One believed to have made the worlds.  We know him as Chaer-Ul.  A few chose
rather to blame him for what had happened.  So it is to this day.  Magus was
one who preached a new religion.  A religion of his own making.  He proclaimed
that Chaer-Ul had not only permitted the disaster to occur, he had actually
initiated it, a sort of population control plan.  He discovered old and
forbidden ways of reaching into the realm of spirits.  He spoke with lesser
gods and they lent him their powers.”
     
    “This
explains a lot, but what does it have to do with your daughter?” I probed.
     
    “I
was married years ago, before I met Tal.  I came to trust in Chaer-Ul, but my
husband did not.    I persuaded him to let us join with a resistance group for
mutual protection.  In those days, as now, most of the resistance consisted of
Chaer-Ul’s faithful, but some number simply wanted to be free, and saw Magus’
cult as the greater threat to that freedom.  My husband was a natural leader,
and easily rallied men who were willing to fight – and die if necessary – to
remain free.   Our camp grew too large, and eventually attracted the attention
of Magus’ spies.  When he learned that my husband was amassing a small army,
Magus made him a prime target of his offensive.  He reserved his greatest
hatred for the followers of Chaer-Ul, but would tolerate no form of heresy.”
     
    “Which
he defined as any deviation from his teachings,” I offered. 
     
    “Exactly,”
she replied.  “He sent assassins – fiercely loyal members of his cult, whether
from faith or fear – and attempts were made on my husband’s life.  He managed
to evade them at first, but they were persistent.  Ultimately, one of his own
inner circle betrayed him, and he was slain one moonless night.  Shortly
afterward I discovered I was pregnant.”
     
    “With
Maya,” I said.
     
    Reya
nodded.  “The attacks didn’t stop, and when they realized I had assumed the
mantle of leadership in the wake of my husband’s death, I found myself in the
crosshairs.” 
     
    “I
think I’m starting to understand,” I said.
     
    “The
idea of being away from my baby was unthinkable.  But Magus’ spy network was
extremely efficient, and as the months passed he came to be aware that I had
had a child.  One night we captured one of his men inside the camp.  Not here,
but an earlier camp, farther to the east.  He carried blankets and changing
cloths.  It was a kidnapping attempt.  He hadn’t been able to find Maya, but it
was too close.  I was forced to consider the fact that this child would ever be
in danger as long as she was near us.  I had family living just outside one of
the great cities to the south.  It was a quiet place, quite secluded.  I
brought her there to live, and my family raised her as their own.  She was to
learn nothing of us, the resistance, or Magus.  But as she grew, she proved to
be an exceedingly clever child.  And Magus’ infamy grew; it was impossible for
her not to learn of him, and of the good people who refused to submit to his
new law.  She knew nothing of me or of her father, but when she came to be of
age she joined her local resistance movement.” 
     
    “She
is a remarkably bright girl,” she went on.  “My family has sent me regular
updates over the years.  And a few times…,” here her voice was thin, cracked a
little, “…I traveled there and watched