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‘I have been busy。’
‘So have I；’ Verna snapped。 ‘For the last twenty…odd years。’
‘Apparently not busy enough。 We seem to be having difficulty with a boy you collected； who you should have taken to task before he even arrived。’
Verna’s face turned scarlet。 ‘Had you not forbidden me from doing my duty； using my skills； I would have done so。’
‘Oh？ Are you so barren of resourcefulness； Verna； that you could not function with minor restrictions？ Pasha； a mere novice； seems to be having better success； and she functions under the same restrictions。’
‘You think so？ You think he is under control？’
‘He has not killed anyone since Pasha took over。’
Verna stiffened。 ‘I think I know something of Richard。 I would advise the Prelate caution in her confidence。’
Ann looked down； moving papers about； as if devoting attention to words she was not seeing。 ‘I will take your advice under consideration。 Thank you for ing； Verna。’
‘I’m not finished！ I haven’t yet begun！’
Her eyes came slowly up。 ‘If you raise your voice to me again； you will be； Verna。’
‘Prelate Annalina； please forgive my tone； but there are matters of grave importance I simply must raise。’
Ann sighed； feigning impatience。 ‘Yes； yes； then please do get to it。 I have much work to do。’ She folded her hands on the desk and gave Verna a blank look。 ‘Go on then。’
‘Richard grew up with his grandfather。 。。。’
‘How nice for him。’
Verna paused in annoyance at the interruption。 ‘His grandfather is a wizard。 A wizard of the First Order。 His grandfather wanted to teach him。’
‘Well； we will see to his teaching。 Is that all？’
Verna’s eyes narrowed。 ‘I do not need to remind the Prelate that it is a direct violation of the truce to take a boy from a wizard who would teach him。 I was told that there were no wizards left in the New World to teach boys。 I was lied to。 I was used。 We have been stealing boys。 You made me a part of that。’
Ann smiled indulgently。 ‘Sister； we serve the Creator； so all may learn to live in his light。 Now； in view of our duty to the Creator； what is a truce with heathen wizards？’
Verna was struck speechless。
Dear Creator； I like this woman so。 Please give me the strength to break her。 Nathan had added his snowflake； she had to add hers。
‘I have been sent on a twenty…year chase； without knowing the reason； I have been deceived； my two panions died； one at my hand； I have been forbidden use of my power to do my job 。。。’
‘Do you think I forbid your use of your power capriciously？ Is that what’s bothering you； Verna？ Very well then； if you must know the reason； it was to save your life。’
Verna stiffened in caution。 ‘If I remember my lessons in the vaults； there is only one reason such restriction would save my life。’
Inwardly； Ann smiled。 Verna wanted it spoken aloud。 ‘Indeed。 Richard has Subtractive Magic。’
‘You knew that？ You had one with Subtractive Magic collared？ You would risk that？ You would have him brought here； to the palace？’ Her hands unfolded and she leaned in a bit。 ‘Why？’
Ann held the other’s gaze。 ‘Because there are Sisters of the Dark in the palace。’
She didn’t twitch。 She knew。 At least； she suspected。 Bless you； Verna； you are a bright one。 Forgive me for what I must do。
‘Is this room shielded？’ Verna asked in an even tone。
‘Of course。’ She left unsaid that her shield would not protect against these Sisters。
‘Do you have proof of such an accusation； Prelate？’
‘I do not need proof； right now； because this conversation is restricted。 You will not speak of it。 Unless you plan to bring charges。 If you do； I of course will deny it； and say a bitter Sister was trying to accuse the Prelate of blasphemy for personal gain。 And then we would have to hang you。 Neither of us wants that； now do we？’
Verna sat stiff and still。 ‘No； Prelate。 But what does that have to do with bringing Richard here？’
‘When your house is overrun with rats； the only thing you can do is bring in a cat。’
This cat sees us all as rats。 Maybe with good reason。 Some might say that perhaps you were not bringing in a cat for your rats； but bait。 Richard is a good person。 I would not like to think he is being sacrificed。’
‘Do you know why you were selected to go after Richard？’
‘I had thought it was your vote of confidence。’
Ann shrugged。 ‘In a way； it was。 Although I’m not sure that there are Sisters of the Dark in the palace； and I have no idea who they are if it’s true； I had to assume that if it is true； then since Grace and Elizabeth were at the top of the list； they would be Sisters of the Dark。 I knew from prophecy； that only my eyes have seen； that Richard probably has Sub…tractive Magic； and further； that he would refuse the first two offers。 I knew the first two sisters would die。
‘If the Nameless One’s disciples knew any of this； they would want the third name on the list to be one of theirs； too。 I used my prerogative as Prelate to pick the third Sister。’
‘You chose me； because you had faith that I was not one of them？’
What Ann wanted to say was I have known you since you were a child； Verna。 I know your quick mind； your heart； and your soul。 You； of all the Sisters； were the one I trusted with the fate of the world。 I knew Richard would be safe in your hands。
But she could not say that。
‘I chose you； Verna； because you were far down on the list； and because； all in all； you are quite unremarkable。’
The room rang with silence for a long moment。 Verna swallowed。 ‘I see。’
Ann affected dispassionate objectivity。 Inside； her heart was breaking。
‘I doubted you were one of them。 You are a person of little note。 I’m sure Grace and Elizabeth made their way to the top of the list because whoever directs the Sisters of the Dark considered them expendable。 I direct the Sisters of the Light。 I chose you for the same reason。
‘There are Sisters who are valuable to our cause； I could not risk one of them on such a task。 The boy may prove a value to us； but he is not as important as other matters at the palace。 He may be a help。 It was simply an opportunity I thought to take。
‘If there had been trouble； and none of you made it back； well； I’m sure you can understand that a general would not want to lose his best troops on a low…priority mission。’
Verna’s breathing looked forced。 Her voice sounded it。 ‘Of course； Prelate Annalina。’
Ann shuffled her papers impatiently。 ‘I have important matters to get back to。 Is there anything else； Sister？’
‘No； Prelate。’
When the door closed； Ann lowered her face into her shaking hands。 Tears dripped onto her papers。
She appraised his eyes for a long moment。 Richard didn’t know if she would say yes or not； but he had had to tell her much of what he had learned just to get her to agree to listen to his plea。 He couldn’t afford to fail。 He needed help。 He had to trust someone。
‘All right； Richard。 I will help you。 If half of what you say is true； I must help you。’
Richard sighed as he closed his eyes in relief。 Thank you； Liliana。 I’ll never forget you for this。 You’re the only one around here who will listen to reason。 Can we do it now？ Time is critical。’
‘Now？’ she whispered harshly。 ‘Here？ Richard； if what you say about you having Subtractive Magic is true； it won’t be a simple matter to remove your Rada’Han。 I will need to retrieve an object of magic that the Sisters keep guarded。 It’s an aid； used to amplify power。 Maybe through that； and with your help； it will be enough to get the collar off。
‘Not only that； but if the Nameless One is involved； there is no telling what ears； or Han； might be paying attention。’
Then； when？ Where？ It has to be soon。’
She wiped her fingers over her eyes as she considered。 ‘Well； I think I can retrieve the object before tonight； so we could try tonight。 But where？ It can’t be in the palace。 It would be too dangerous。