Free The Inner Circle: Holy Spirit by Cael McIntosh Page A

distance. ‘I followed those men in Setbanana . . .
Set--Setbrana! They wasn’t there for you all. They was there to
have chats with the king.’
    ‘ What did they want?’
Seteal asked.
    ‘ I couldn’t know.’
Seeol looked at the ground and pecked at a passing beetle. ‘But
lots of scary men with swords and guns left and followed
Far-a-mael’s friends.’
    ‘ He’s formed an
alliance with Garrishnell.’ El-i-miir put a hand to her mouth. ‘I
can’t say I’m surprised. Garrishnell is the only country with which
the Elglair have maintained good relations throughout the
centuries.’
    Ilgrin whistled. ‘Veret will be
conquered.’
    ‘ Not necessarily,’
El-i-miir replied. ‘There have been rumours for some time of the
development of a mighty Jenjen army, much larger than anything the
Elglair have managed to form.’
    ‘ The Elglair have their abilities.’ Ilgrin didn’t
sound convinced.
    ‘ Even so . . .’
El-i-miir trailed off. ‘I have little concern either way. The
Jenjen are a horrid people. They hate everyone not living in
harmony with their precious Holy Tome. And that pretty much
includes all of us.’
    ‘ What do you know of
their industry?’ Seteal enquired.
    ‘ Not much.’ El-i-miir
shrugged. ‘I hear they’ve developed some kind of explosive. They
have pistols and guns, too.’
    ‘ There are more
coming,’ Seeol informed. ‘They is travelled behind you.’
    ‘ We’re sandwiched
between two armies?’ Seteal raised her eyebrows. ‘We’d best keep
our distance from the road.’
    ‘ Agreed.’ Ilgrin
nodded.
    At some point in the days that
followed, they crossed the border into Jenjol, always making sure
to keep as far from the road as possible, while still being able to
keep tabs on Far-a-mael’s progress. When farmland and small towns
began to crop up to the left and right, Seteal decided that it was
too dangerous to travel any farther by day and that they should
continue into the night, hoping to find somewhere to rest the
following morning.
    At around about midnight, Seeol’s claws
dug uncomfortably into Seteal’s shoulder. ‘Is a big owl!’ He
exclaimed.
    ‘ What?’ Seteal asked.
A tall dark shape loomed up before them.
    The object stood at least twenty
strides high. It was painted and carved after the fashion of a
colourful bird that bore a striking resemblance to a horned owl.
‘What is it?’ Seteal asked, turning to El-i-miir.
    ‘ It looks like a
totem,’ she replied.
    ‘ Obviously.’ Seteal
rolled her eyes. ‘But what’s it for?’
    ‘ How should I know?’
El-i-miir shrugged.
    ‘ It’s an idol,’
Ilgrin answered from behind them, before heading passed and putting
his hand flat against the object. ‘The Jenjen worship owls. They
believe that they’re messengers from Maker.’
    ‘ That’s ridiculous,’
Seteal sighed.
    ‘ Of course!’
El-i-miir exclaimed. ‘I remember now. They take the Scriptures
literally in believing that Maker’s Holy Spirit will come to them
in the body of an owl.’
    ‘ Why an
owl?’
    ‘ I don’t know,’
El-i-miir shrugged. ‘Probably because of the anointed.’
    ‘ The what?’ Seteal
probed, feeling no less confused by El-i-miir’s
explanation.
    ‘ You really don’t
know anything about the Scriptures do you?’
    ‘ No.’
    ‘ The story goes that
when Maker anointed the first Elglair, they had a vision of the
Holy Spirit descending in the body an owl.’ El-i-miir’s voice
revealed how much stock she placed in the story.
    ‘ If Maker chose to
anoint your people, why do the Jenjen hate you so much?’
    ‘ They believe that
we’ve strayed from the path of righteousness,’ El-i-miir replied
sarcastically, ‘and will face Maker’s wrath on Judgement
Day.’
    ‘ Maybe Seeol is
Maker’s Holy Spirit,’ Seteal murmured with a wry smile that caused
the others to laugh. The only exception was Seeol, who probably
didn’t understand what they were talking about.
    ‘ There is a big
building to sleep in for the