I sat there, watching the two men reach a stalemate. The idea of the nobility, the government, coming to a faceoff with the priesthood was a nightmare for any city. The priests could strike, refuse to provide the services that kept a city alive. And this was even worse; I was not so sure that Baltizar had the support of the nobles in this conflict. Some, maybe many, maybe all of them were offended and unsettled by my presence and success in The Choosing so far. If he went to war with the priesthood, brought the city to a standstill, Order and Entropy unmanaged by their rituals in the tower, our other Griidlords unsupported... how long would it take before a knife found its way into Baltizar's back, or poison into his food?

I steeled myself, swallowed the morsel that had rested in my mouth unchewed as I watched the two men go back and forth. I spoke up, but my voice was barely audible. I mumbled, "I demand that we consult the Oracle."

The Bishop snapped his head toward me, as though at a sound so faint he wasn't sure it had been made. He looked annoyed at my intrusion. "What did you say, boy?" he demanded.

I spoke again, a little louder, "I demand that we consult the Oracle."

The Bishop grew flustered at my words. "You demand... you demand..."

Baltizar was quick to join in, "I didn't want it to come to this either, but in a matter of such importance, with so much contention..."

The Bishop tried to act disinterested. "The Oracle is not a toy or a scrying orb. The Oracle is the very being that holds our world together, that made our world as we know it. The Oracle is not simply to be consulted over whimsy."

Baltizar said, "This is hardly whimsy. This is about the future Sword of Boston, about the very future of The Choosing itself."

The Bishop said, "This matter is below the Oracle."

I could see the Bishop was trying to hold onto control over the conversation, but I could also see that he was losing and he knew it.

Baltizar said, "The people can't be allowed to believe that something so important was decided without the Oracle being consulted. If you want to have any gravity to your decision, then you will need the Oracle behind you."

The Bishop stared at him for a long time. I observed that look that passed between them and decided there was a threat in the words of the Lord Supreme, an implication that if the Oracle was not consulted, then word would somehow get out that the Bishop had refused to do so. The silence hung heavy.

The moment stretched on, tension palpable, until the servants swept in, removing platters and replacing them with an array of sorbets. The freezers used to make the ice were only available to those in the tower and the most inner section of the city. As the servants left, the Bishop said, "Very well. If that's what it will take for you to accept the decision, then that is what we'll do. But I hope you understand the Oracle will agree with the priesthood, and all you will have achieved is wasting the time of our great protector."

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The Bishop got up and left the room. My emotions were a swirling mix of relief, fear, and uncertainty. Baltizar leaned closer and spoke low, "I was hoping to avoid this. I had hoped to negotiate a way out. You might have fired your powder a little early, but we were probably reaching the point where we would have to insist on the Oracle being brought in."

I said, "Why would we want to hold off on the Oracle, my lord?"

Baltizar said, "Well, boy, we don't actually know what it will decide. If the Oracle does, in fact, agree with the priesthood, then that's all she wrote."

My blood grew cold, realizing it was all coming down to this. Baltizar rose and said, "As Lord Supreme, I am allowed to be present as an observer. It's not really necessary—even those slimy bastards wouldn't lie about the words of the Oracle—but for the sake of ceremony, I will attend. You wait here. There will be more courses. Fill your belly, build your strength. Hopefully, you'll need it tomorrow."

Baltizar rose, trying to give me a reassuring look, and then left the room. I was alone, a swirl of feelings consuming me—uncertainty, anxiety, hope, and dread. Almost immediately, the voice was back.

"Good, I don't know why you all wasted so much time dickering. The Oracle will put this whole silly lark to bed."

I felt my nerves tighten at hearing the voice outside of the suit. I spoke low, "Baltizar said the Oracle may decide against me."

The voice dismissed my concern with a casual tone. "Oh pish on that. The Oracle will decide for you. It will be fine. It might even slow the forces that be from trying to stack the deck against you so hard. They can't be seen to target you after this."

I demanded, "How can you possibly know what the Oracle will choose?"

The voice giggled, "How can I possibly be talking to you right now? Aren't you freaked out to be hearing me in your head even without the helm?"

I stuttered, "I tried to ask you that already, but you keep playing your damned games."

The voice said, "Oh, getting titchy, aren't we? The stress getting to you, Tiberius? You'll need to master that along with some other things."

The servers came in again, removing the sorbets and laying out new delicacies. The spread was mouth-watering: roasted duck with a honey glaze, platters of thinly sliced beef carpaccio, bowls of creamy risotto with truffle shavings, and a selection of fine cheeses. The scent was intoxicating, and despite everything, my stomach growled.

Once the servers were gone, I said, "Why won't you tell me what you are, how this is even possible? Am I going mad? Is the suit penetrating my brain? I don't understand."

The voice replied, "We have a long road together, I think, you and I. There will be plenty of time for sharing secrets. For now, you should eat. You will be competing tomorrow, trust me, and you will need your strength."

Feeling like I was in a drug haze, I reached out and started eating the duck and some of the rice. I was still ravenous, and eating seemed to distract me from my failing mental health. It grounded me a little. As I ate, the voice spoke again.

"They're up there right now, near the top of the tower, all gathered around their precious Oracle. It's all lights up there, Tiberius, a real show of magic and miracle. The voice will be talking soon, booming and otherworldly. You'll see it yourself one day."

I gulped, almost choking on a piece of duck. "You think I'll see the Oracle with my own eyes?"

The voice replied with certainty, "Of course, when you're The Sword."

I sighed, "That's not a given."

The voice cackled with glee, "Isn't that what makes it so much fun though?"