Aiden knew to keep his eyes to the floor, not because he'd ever been summoned to the Laionai before, but because of all the times he'd heard Garren reliving his first encounter with them. Aiden knelt down before them, his whole body tense with apprehension.
As the Laionai entered the room, a thickness entered with them. It was a corpulent dripping thing, tainted with the odor of decay. He felt his stomach turn. The closer they came to him, the more pressure he felt building up in his lungs, but he didn't dare breathe.
"And what of the girl?" The voice dumbfounded him. He raised his head enough to affirm his suspicions.
"But… you're… you're dead. I saw the blood on the ground where you were slain." The words fell clumsily from his mouth.
"Such little faith, Aiden. Did you think an ordinary Ereubinian would be able to gain favor with their eminence? With the Goddess? Did I not grant you back your speech by their power?"
"But – I don't…"
Tadraem rushed Aiden, grabbing his shirt, and pulled him within inches of his face. Aiden could see the sweat pooling in beads along the hardened lines of the priest's skin, the leathery look of his neck.
"Enough of your insolence," Tadraem growled. "You're blessed to be in this position, far more than you know. Why did you not tell me about the girl?"
"I was held in my chambers by Garren's men. I couldn't…" Aiden sucked his breath in, trying to control his shaking, as Tadraem pulled a blade from his belt and held it against Aiden's throat. The smell of urine flooded his nostrils and Aiden realized he'd wet himself.
Withdrawing the dagger, Tadraem kicked Aiden in the chest with the sole of his boot, sending him sprawled to the floor. Above him, Tadraem spit, smiling as the Ordakai chattered and laughed.
"Dim, priggish, spineless and arrogant, you should count Garren's death as more than providential. I would kill you, but you serve too useful a purpose for now. Get up."
Aiden crawled to his knees, covering his crotch with his hands in vain. "Thank you, my Lord."
"Don't thank me. You may decide you would have been better off dead." Tadraem paused, and Aiden heard the dagger being re-sheathed. "You'll be granted Garren's title of High Lord Commander. But hear this – you answer to me and to their eminence."
"Yes, my Lord."
"Tomorrow night, as you are dedicated to the position of High Lord, all of Eidolon will see you bring me back from the dead, leaving no one to question your authority as the chosen one."
"You… planned on dying?"
"I'd planned," Tadraem spat, "on Garren killing me. Not on the arrival of his burdensome little friend. Alas, dead is dead. Now, get up!" He waited for Aiden to find his feet before continuing.
"Until then, see that the human army is gathered as their eminence has decreed. I have a feeling Adoria will be too distracted with Garren's execution and celebrating its victory to ready their forces. Such a shame, I was looking forward to at least some resistance. No matter – they will find themselves slaves to the Goddess either way."