Was it likely? Solomon considered the Temples. Their arrogance. Their certainty. Their fear. He considered how much they disliked others knowing their internal beliefs and systems. He considered the control they deemed necessary over every single member of their organisation. How he had been accepted only because of his faith, even while his autonomy had been considered 'dangerous'.
Even if Ireland's Sanctuary could take down Ireland's Temple quick and relatively painlessly, the other Temples would consider it an action requiring response. They wouldn't accept a governing body targetting even one of them like that. Even if they knew how wildly Tenebrae had misjudged Vile's ability to be controlled, they would consider it their purview to judge and punish--not the Sanctuary's. Anyone who thinks they can control the Temple needed to be sent a message. It had just been a while since any Sanctuary dared it.
And that wasn't even taking into account how well individual Sanctuaries worked together. Which they didn't. Especially not at the behest of Ireland, not now. Not after everything Ireland had faced and, in the others' eyes, only just barely averted.
Cold chills trickled from Solomon's head down into his belly. What had he begun? All he'd done was leave the Temple, and its magic, for his own sake. But if Saffron was only the first, and Quiver would encourage others ... it would turn into an avalanche.
"If things continue as they seem to be, it's likely," he confessed, his grip on his cup tightening as if he could get back the heat it no longer had. "If people begin leaving the Temple here, Tenebrae will tighten control. If we try to help them, we'd wind up in conflict. Ireland's had too many close calls lately. The other Sanctuaries will notice. If we win, they'll want to know we can still stand strong against our internal affairs. If we tell them why the Temple was uprooted, enough of them will take action against the Temples on their own soil. And if we lose ... someone will step in. America, or England. Ireland won't belong to Ireland anymore."
He shook his head, laughing quietly and bitterly. "The best chance we'd have is if none of them believe the Temples are really out to murder three billion people to 'save' the rest. And some will. A lot of Sanctuaries wouldn't mind any chance to come down on Necromancers. It's why they keep things so close to the chest."
It wasn't until a few seconds after that that he remembered he had never actually told Paddy what the Passage involved. His expression blanked and he looked down into the cup he couldn't see, trying vainly to pretend he hadn't essentially confessed what his own intent had been. "There's no need for you to be involved in all that."
no subject
Even if Ireland's Sanctuary could take down Ireland's Temple quick and relatively painlessly, the other Temples would consider it an action requiring response. They wouldn't accept a governing body targetting even one of them like that. Even if they knew how wildly Tenebrae had misjudged Vile's ability to be controlled, they would consider it their purview to judge and punish--not the Sanctuary's. Anyone who thinks they can control the Temple needed to be sent a message. It had just been a while since any Sanctuary dared it.
And that wasn't even taking into account how well individual Sanctuaries worked together. Which they didn't. Especially not at the behest of Ireland, not now. Not after everything Ireland had faced and, in the others' eyes, only just barely averted.
Cold chills trickled from Solomon's head down into his belly. What had he begun? All he'd done was leave the Temple, and its magic, for his own sake. But if Saffron was only the first, and Quiver would encourage others ... it would turn into an avalanche.
"If things continue as they seem to be, it's likely," he confessed, his grip on his cup tightening as if he could get back the heat it no longer had. "If people begin leaving the Temple here, Tenebrae will tighten control. If we try to help them, we'd wind up in conflict. Ireland's had too many close calls lately. The other Sanctuaries will notice. If we win, they'll want to know we can still stand strong against our internal affairs. If we tell them why the Temple was uprooted, enough of them will take action against the Temples on their own soil. And if we lose ... someone will step in. America, or England. Ireland won't belong to Ireland anymore."
He shook his head, laughing quietly and bitterly. "The best chance we'd have is if none of them believe the Temples are really out to murder three billion people to 'save' the rest. And some will. A lot of Sanctuaries wouldn't mind any chance to come down on Necromancers. It's why they keep things so close to the chest."
It wasn't until a few seconds after that that he remembered he had never actually told Paddy what the Passage involved. His expression blanked and he looked down into the cup he couldn't see, trying vainly to pretend he hadn't essentially confessed what his own intent had been. "There's no need for you to be involved in all that."