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‘Sister Verna； what’s wrong？’ He took her arm and led her into his room。 ‘Here； sit down。’
She sank to the edge of the chair。 Richard knelt in front of her and took her hands。
‘Sister Verna； what’s wrong？’
JI’ve been waiting for you to return。’ Her puffy； red eyes finally sought his。 ‘Richard；’ she said in a subdued voice； ‘I could really use a friend right now。 You are the only one who came to mind。’
Richard hesitated； she knew his condition； though he now knew she couldn’t get the collar off。
‘Richard； when Sisters Grace and Elizabeth died； they passed their gift to me。 I have more power than any Sister at the palace； any normal Sister。 I know you won’t believe this； but I doubt even that will be enough to remove your collar。 But I wish to try。’
Richard knew that she couldn’t remove it。 At least he was told that she couldn’t。 Maybe Nathan was wrong。
‘All right。 Try then。’
‘There is pain involved。 。。。’
Richard’s brow drew together in a suspicious frown。 ‘Why do I not find that surprising？’
‘Not for you； Richard。 For me。’
‘What do you mean？’
‘I have discovered that you have Subtractive Magic。’
‘What would that have to do with it？’
‘You locked the Rada’Han on yourself。 It locks on by using the magic of the one it is attached to。 I have only Additive Magic。 I don’t think that will be sufficient to break the bond。
‘I have no power over your Subtractive Magic。 It will fight what I try to do； and that will hurt me。 But don’t be frightened。 It won’t hurt you。’
Richard didn’t know what to do； what to believe。 She put her hands to his neck； at the sides of his collar。 Before she closed her eyes； he saw a glazed look he recognized。 She was touching her Han。
Muscles tense； with his hand on the hilt of his sword； he waited； prepared to react if she tried to harm him。 He didn’t want to believe Sister Verna would harm him； but then； he hadn’t thought Liliana would ever hurt him either。
Her brow wrinkled。 Richard felt only a pleasant； warm tingle。 The room vibrated with a dull hum。 The corners of carpets curled up。 Windows rattled in their frames。 Sister Verna shook with effort。
The standing mirror in the bedroom shattered。 Panes of glass in the doors exploded as the doors to the balcony banged open。 The curtains billowed outward as if in a wind。 Plaster fell from the ceiling； and a tall cabinet toppled over with a crash。
A low moan of pain issued from her throat as the flesh on her face trembled。
Richard seized her wrists and pulled her hands from his collar。 She sagged forward。
‘Oh； Richard；’ she said in a mournful voice； I’m sorry。 I can’t do it。’
Richard took her in his arms and held her tight。 ‘It’s all right。 I believe you； Sister。 I know you tried。 You have found a friend。’
She squeezed him tight。 ‘Richard； you have to get away from this place。’
He sat her back in the chair as she wiped her fingers at the lower lids of her eyes。 Richard rocked back on his heels。 Tell me what’s happened。’
There are Sisters of the Dark in the palace。’
‘Sisters of the Dark？ What does that mean？’
The Sisters of the Light work to bring the light of the Creator’s glory to the living。 Sisters of the Dark serve the Keeper。 It has never been proven that they even exist。 The accusation； without proof； is a crime。 Richard； I know you aren’t going to believe me。 I realize this sounds like I’m just …’
‘I killed Sister Liliana tonight。 I believe you。’
She blinked at him。 ‘You did what？’
‘She told me she was going to take my collar off。 She had me meet her in the Hagen Woods。 Sister Verna； she tried to take the gift from me； for herself。’
‘She can’t do that。 A female cannot take on the gift of a male； or the other way around。 It isn’t possible。’
‘She said she had done it many times before。 It seemed possible to me when she was trying。 I could feel her pulling the life； the gift； right out of me。 She almost succeeded。 I came close to death。’
She brushed back her curly hair。 ‘But I don’t see how 。。。’
Richard pulled out the statue。 ‘She was using this。 The crystal started glowing orange when she was doing it。 Do you know what it is？’
Sister Verna shook her head。 ‘I think I’ve seen it before； somewhere； but I can’t remember。 It was so long ago。 Before I left the palace。 What happened then？’
‘When that didn’t work； because I used my power to stop her； she called a sword from the shadows。 She wanted to wound me。 She said she was going to skin me alive； and then steal my gift for herself。 She tried to cut off my legs。 Somehow； I got her first。
‘Sister Verna； she had Subtractive Magic。 I saw her use it。 Not only that； but someone else is trying to kill me。 I loaned my red coat to Perry。 They just dragged his body out of the river。 He had been stabbed in the back with a dacra。’
She grimaced。 ‘Oh； dear Creator。’ She twined her fingers together in her lap。 The palace knows you have Subtractive Magic。 They’re using you to flush out the Keeper’s disciples。’ She took his hand。 ‘Richard； I’ve been a part of this。 I should have long ago questioned things that were wrong； but I didn’t。 I instead did as I thought was right。’
‘Questioned what？’
‘Forgive me； Richard。 You should never have had a Rada’Han put around your neck。 It wasn’t necessary。 I was told there were no wizards in the New World to help boys。 I thought you would die without our help。 Your friend； Zedd； could have kept the gift from harming you。 The Prelate knew there were wizards to help you。 She let you be stolen from your friends and loved ones for her own selfish reasons。 You didn’t need the Rada’Han to save your life。’
‘I know。 I talked to Nathan。 He told me。’
‘You went to the Prophet？ What else did he say？’
‘That I have more power than any wizard born in three thousand years。 But I have no idea how to use it。 And that I have Subtractive Magic。 He said that the Sisters could not remove the collar。’
‘I’m so sorry I brought this upon you； Richard。’
‘Sister Verna； you were deceived； as was I。 You’re a victim； too。 They’ve used both of us。
‘There is worse trouble。 There is a prophecy that says that on winter solstice； Kahlan is going to die。 I must stop that from happening。 And Darken Rahl； my father； an agent of the Keeper； is in this world。 You saw the mark he burned on me。 He is an agent who can tear the veil if he has all the elements in place； though I doubt he does。
‘Sister Verna； I have to get away from here。 I must get through the barrier。’
‘I’ll help you。 Somehow； I’ll help you get through the barrier。 Your problem will be the Valley of the Lost。 I don’t think you can get through the valley again。 Now that the collar has helped your Subtractive Magic grow； you will call the spells to you。 The magic will find you； this time。’
‘I might have a way。 I must try。’
Sister Verna thought a moment。 The Keeper would want to stop you； if there is a possibility for this prophecy about his agent to e to pass。 The Sisters of the Dark will work to stop you。 I am sure Liliana wasn’t the only one。’
‘Who placed her as my teacher？’
The Prelate’s office assigns teachers。 But the Prelate probably wouldn’t have done it herself。 Such matters are usually handled by her administrators。’
‘Her administrators？’
‘Sisters Ulicia and Finella。’
‘I thought they were her guards。’
‘Guards？ No。 Maybe in a bureaucratic sense。 The Prelate has more power than they。 She doesn’t need guards。 Some of the boys think of them as guards； because they are always turned away from the Prelate’s door by the two Sisters。 They do some of their work in the Prelate’s office； and they have their own offices where they handle a variety of administrative tasks。’
‘Maybe the Sisters of the Dark came after me； decided they had to act now； because they had been discovered。’
‘No。 The Prelate told me no one but she knows。’