Chapter 278: Secrets
We remained in the meadow for some time, slowly catching up. She was eager to hear my story, keeping me on the defensive for almost an hour before letting me take a breath. After hearing of the wedding, she clapped her hands together, eyes lighting up.
"Do you think she’d let me come?"
I thought about it for a second, rubbing my horn. "Probably. She did say that if inquisitors were going to attack, she’d make them sit patiently until it ended."
Korra laughed, a bell-like sound I never tired of hearing. "I find myself like this Tana more and more. I might just take her up on that."
After the longest time, I gathered enough courage to look at her blood-stained cloak. "Korra...what happened to you? And why are you an inquisitor?"
The question cut through her levity like a dull knife, and her smile faded. After a deep breath, she flicked the hair out of her eyes and said, "It was the only way to find you. After that bastard stole you away, I spent days trying to find out where, but the church kept a tight lid on things. Anytime I asked, they’d just tell me it was for the good of the world, and I should focus on getting stronger and breaking through to eighth level."
"You tried to save me," I said suddenly, remembering the battle at the Divine Throne. "And nearly destroyed the Divine Throne. One time, I, um, accidentally killed a few priests in self-defense, and they...they...Weren’t there consequences for that?"
She shook her head, a shadow crossing her expression. "It was reported to the public as a training accident, and I never heard a word. The moment you were gone, the Pope and another ninth-level mage showed up, and that was it. Their auras were overwhelming, stronger than anything I’d felt before, and it was all I could do to remain standing. They kept us there for an hour, just shaking their heads in disappointment, before just leaving. The next day, craftsmen and mages showed up and began to repair the Divine Throne, and it was like nothing ever happened."
"Oh." The blatant disparity in treatment shouldn’t have surprised me, but it couldn’t stop my tail from drooping. The collateral damage must have been devastating, and yet they earned barely a slap on the wrist.