Wheeling Gull Isle but sleep won't set me free

jaes, she fair whispered, and ramesses answered with a look that meant to be more knowing than he could possibly engender, having only met the palescar. deformed. he did look toward her flaws now, but with the disdain carefully tucked back inside his chest.
he had heard of such things, unfit children given in payment to the priests. or perhaps in glory. they would be reared as neophytes inside darkened temples, bound by the god to whom they had been granted as sucklings.
the path to High Priest was filled with obstacles, and yet it was one of the only roles that was not familybound. one might buy his way higher than other priests, but the people chose the Most High to govern their religious matters.
"we have a god, Bes. he adores the infant, he guards the birthing chamber. but Bes saw that many babies were stolen from life too soon, and so he made himself ugly. warped. deformed," pharaoh echoed. "all so his gruesome face would scare away the clutching spirit, the black dog who waits to devour the innocent hearts. his sacrifice was that even now the children whom he means to protect fear his features."
ramesses adored the long tales; he had reclined many a night after a feast, listening to the tales of those who had traveled many places.
"i serve Amun. The Obscure One," the firelander mused, enjoying the sound of the title. "we do not understand how life truly begins. how it continues. this essence is Amun, and he became Amun-Re, Creator God of the Universe. Amun-asha-renu. Amun rich in names."
maegi's breath settled like softsalt in his nostrils.