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Cybele was angry with Attis. Apart from Cabirius, he had been the only one on the whole Isle she truly felt she could trust. And now, he was threatening her. Warning her that she must tell no-one that they were attacked in her very hut. She felt like such a liar, meeting with the panel into the deaths on the Isle without making mention of this new attack. Surely there could be contained there the one thing, the one clue they needed to unmask the cult of Cerridwen. Unmask. Oh, if only she had been able to unmask one of those attackers last night. Still, it was lucky she had managed to throw Attis the charm just in time, or they may have both been killed as surely as the other victims. Cybele went over the attack in her mind as she walked toward the Temple to meet with the panel. She had awoken to find Attis bound, and hooded figures all round them, holding them down. She had struggled against them, and they had pulled her away. Attis had been awake, but did not struggle or resist them at all. He was bound, yes, but he could have resisted if he had tried. He certainly could have resisted arousal by their caresses, but he had seemed compliant to the hooded figure who had pulled up their gowns and lowered herself onto his erection. Cybele had called to him, cried out to him to try to reach through his trance. Just as the woman had ordered her to be killed, Attis's trance had broken, and he had pulled away from the woman who straddled him. Cybele had thrown him the stone, and he had invoked a spell which had driven them away. Perhaps she should not be so critical of Jenna's magick in future. Jenna would be at the panel, thought Cybele. Perhaps she could speak privately to her of last night, for it was her spell that had saved them. But Attis had ordered her to tell no-one. Ordered her?! What right did he have to order her? What right did anyone have to order her, Ceres' Chosen One? But then, what right did anyone have to kill her, and last night, that had been the clear intention. Cybele was torn between trusting Attis or no. Lately, he had seemed more and more distant from her. She worried that he was being filled by the third face of the Goddess. He possessed far more of the Crone in him than she did herself. Cybele wanted to believe that she bore none of Cerridwen in her own soul, but she knew that was not really true. The Goddess would always have three faces, and death cannot be denied. But Cybele could not bring herself to believe that it need be worshipped and encouraged, either. The Temple of Ceres seemed bare and empty when there was no ceremony. It was the largest building on the Isle, and far in excess of what was required for a meeting of a panel of nine, but Cybele had decided when they had first convened that the Goddess was most likely to assist them to solve the crimes if they met in her most holy place. She was late, and all were there already. Oannes, Ria, Dreeana, Jai, Melissa, Bron, Galatea, and the Healer. She had not yet had a chance to notify the others that Jenna was taking Attis's place on the panel, but Jenna had told them herself already, it seemed, and no-one raised any protest about the matter to Cybele when she arrived. Cybele asked Dreeana to light the holy lamps and uncover the altar and statues. As the cover was pulled back off one statue, there was a collective gasp. The large Herm had been vandalised. His huge phallus had been broken off, and his grinning face smashed in. Cybele stared, shocked. "This is too much!" protested Ria. "They have defiled now our very Temple!" "It is war, then," said Oannes simply, as a statement of fact. Cybele would never have expected him to feel so strongly about the defence of Ceres, but then every person was capable of surprise. "Against whom, though?" Dreeana asked. "Have we no further clue at all who follows the Crone?" asked Melissa, the beekeeper. It seemed that everyone was staring at Cybele. Did they all know of last night's attack somehow? She felt a little flushed. "Were you not attacked by them in the forest three days ago?" asked Bron, Cybele's cook. So that is why they looked so expectantly at her. Of course! "Not really attacked," Cybele explained. "Poisoned. I saw not any clue as to whom, or why." "The why is clear enough," said Ria. "They want you out of the way, for you defend the phase of the Second Face of the Goddess. You should be very careful, they will probably attack you again." Ria's tone sounded almost accusatory. Was Ria trying to get her to admit last night's episode, or was it just simple concern? Cybele was beginning to wonder just who she could trust, if anyone. She knew somehow that Attis was speaking wisely when he told her to say nothing to anyone. The panel discussed the evidence already collected at some length, going over the few small shreds they knew. It was not much, and they all knew it well. It seemed to Cybele that they span in circles over and over again, and got nowhere. Through the chattering voices, Cybele suddenly heard Attis's call. It had no sound, but rang clear and true within her head. She stood up and spoke without waiting for a break in Oannes's conversation. "I must go now...." she said. They all looked at her, but made no protest as she wandered out the door. She went straight back to her hut. Attis sat at the table, waiting for her. He smiled at her, knowing that she had heard his summons. Neither of them still bore the anger of their argument, as though all was forgiven without need for mention of it. "Cybele," he said deeply, and stood up at the table. She crossed the hut and kissed him passionately. "How was the.." he started, but was stifled by her heated kisses. She led him by the hand, then kneeled with her back to him on the bed. He understood well, and pushed her head down as he slipped his hand up under her gown. Her entrance was well ready to accept his Herm-hard phallus, and he held it with his hand and slipped it into her from behind. As he thrust into her, he leaned forward and held out his clenched hand to her. "Take it." he said to her. She turned back to him, and wondered what he meant. She reached back and held out her hand. Attis dropped the coin into it, then clasped both her hips with his hands and pulled her back to thrust into her all the harder. She was suddenly filled with a rushing vision. The throbbing pleasure of his phallus within her was swamped by images sharp and clear that left no room for anything else. "You know it, don't you?" she whispered to him as he pummelled into her. "You know what I have seen, do you not?" He said nothing, but thrust his huge erection in and out of her. "My parents, I saw them. Cenbert and Cecilia. You know it." Attis still did not speak, except to make a deep breath that meant he was about to spill. Never before had Cybele known him to do so so quickly, but she knew the reason. "Brother...." she whispered in a harsh hiss as he let out an anguished roar and gushed his seed into her.
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