Secret Sacrament by Sherryl Jordan Page A

service, all secrets told to me, and all matters concerning those I heal, shall remain with me alone. I will never do anything to any person without his or her permission, or the permission of relatives. Above all, I swear that I shall do my best to love every one I meet as if that soul were myself.”
    As with one voice, the Grand Masters chanted their own vow to love and serve and support him. The parchment was taken out of his hands, and the seven Grand Masters came up one at a time, introduced themselves, and said a few words to him. They all were elderly, all smiling and warm and unassuming. He had the absurd feeling that they were honoring him, not he them; and hewanted to bow low in front of them, but instead found himself shaking hands with them in the Navoran way, with his right forearm raised and crossed with theirs at the wrist, and with hands clasped tight.
    The Grand Masters were all dressed, as he and Salverion were, in long crimson robes embroidered heavily with gold about the hems and short sleeves. But over the red the Grand Masters wore knee-length white tunics, embroidered on the chest and back with the seven stars of the Citadel. They wore different-colored sashes, and Gabriel guessed there was a color for each of the seven Wisdoms. His own sash was green, the same as Salverion’s: the color of life and healing. The other initiates were also in crimson, one with a silver sash, and one with a sash of turquoise. Gabriel wanted to go and greet them, but they were engrossed in conversation with their Grand Masters. He began to feel cold, and was shivering as the Grand Masters drifted away, the other new disciples with them, leaving him alone with Salverion beside the pool.
    Narrowing his eyes against the light, Gabriel gazed at the vast library all around him. “There’s so much wisdom here,” he said, marveling.
    â€œAll the wisdom of human souls,” said Salverion. “This is the greatest library in the world, Gabriel.”
    â€œHow is it that there’s so much light? It’s unreal.”
    â€œThe light that comes down through the tower is concentrated,” explained Salverion. “Our astronomers designed a series of large lenses and mirrors, and placed them high in the tower, in such a way that the sunlight is caught and magnified and reflected down. The pool diffuses the heat, though the water gets very warm in summer. The light is always intense, aside from in the darkest days of winter. This harnessing of the natural light saves our having to burn lamps except in the dimmest corners of the Library, and reduces the risk of fire.”
    â€œFire would be fatal, wouldn’t it?” said Gabriel, gazing about him at the untold rows of priceless scrolls.
    â€œIf there is a fire, of course the pool itself is a ready supply of water to quench the flames,” said Salverion. “Within this Great Library there are actually seven libraries, one for each Wisdom. I’ll show you the libraries and how they’re arranged; then I’ll show you the rest of the Citadel.”
    For several hours Gabriel followed the Grand Master through the libraries, along corridors, up winding stairs, and through ancient doors into rooms that overwhelmed him with their vastness and beauty. The Citadel was built entirely ofwhite stone, and everywhere were carved pillars and vaulted ceilings so lofty and graceful they seemed almost fragile. Every building was designed to catch the solar light; brilliant rays poured down from unexpected places, and Gabriel glimpsed small windows high in the curved ceilings and guessed there were mirrors placed there, too, to reflect down the sun. The soaring walls, the spacious rooms, the statues and artworks and painted frescoes, were all radiant.
    The buildings were arranged around a central courtyard garden. On one side was the Great Library, on the opposite side the living quarters and administration rooms. The connecting buildings were