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ed。’
‘No。 The Prelate told me no one but she knows。’
‘Could anyone have overheard？’
‘No。 She shielded the room。’
Richard leaned in。 ‘Sister Verna； Liliana had Subtractive Magic。 The Prelate’s shield would not have worked against that。 One of those two administrators assigned Sister Liliana to me。’
She drew a sudden breath。 ‘And the other five。 If one or both of those two in the outer office heard what the Prelate knows； then the Prelate 。。。 Sister Ulicia’s office … that’s where I saw that statue！’
Richard grabbed her wrist and yanked her from the chair。
‘e on！ If they tried to kill me； they may try to kill the Prelate before she warns anyone else！’
The two of them raced down the stairs and out of Gil…laume Hall。 They crossed the lawns in the darkness； ran down halls and through passageways。 Kevin wasn’t there； another guard was on duty； but he didn’t stop them； as he； too； knew Richard； and Sisters were not restricted。
Richard knew they were too late when he saw the charred doors to the Prelate’s office broken from their hinges。 He slid to a stop on the slick marble floor of the hall。 Papers and ledgers were scattered out into the hall。
Sister Verna was still running down the hall as he went into the office with his sword drawn。 It looked as if a thunderstorm had been turned loose inside。 What was left of Sister Finella lay on the floor behind her desk。 The rest of her was splattered across the wall。 He heard Sister Verna gasp as he kicked in the door to the Prelate’s office。
When the door swung back Richard dove through and rolled to his feet with his sword in both hands。 The Prelate’s room was more of a mess than the outer room。 Papers were nearly a foot deep over most of the floor。 It looked as if all the books from the shelves had exploded； throwing the pages everywhere。 The heavy walnut table was in splinters against the far wall。 The room was in near darkness。 Only the doorway behind and the open doors to the moonlit garden let in any light。
Sister Verna lit a bright flame in her palm。 In the sudden illumination； he saw a form at the far end of the room near the overturned table。 The head came slowly up。 The eyes locked on his。 It was Sister Ulicia。
Richard dove to the side as a bolt of blue lightning blasted through the room； ripping open the wall behind。 Sister Verna returned the attack with a searing gout of yellow flame。 Sister Ulicia dove through the doorway into the courtyard to avoid the fire。 Richard went after her。 Sister Verna ran to the overturned； splintered table； pawing scraps away。
‘Duck！’ Richard screamed back to her。
A twisting rope of the black lightning sliced through the walls right over his head as he flattened to the floor。 Severed bookshelves crashed down。 He could see through the void sliced by the black lightning into the next room； and the rooms beyond。 Plaster and lath and stone collapsed down； raising boiling clouds of dust。
In a fury； without thinking； Richard came to his feet when the black lighting ceased； and ran outside。 He saw a dark form running down the path。
Again； black lightning arced from the shadows。 The snaking void raked the courtyard。 Trees toppled over； limbs snapping and popping as the trees fell。 A stone wall collapsed when it was sliced in two。 The noise was deafening。
When it stopped； Richard sprang to his feet again。 He was just about to start running down the path to find her； when an invisible hand snatched him； yanking him back。
‘Richard！’ Sister Verna’s growl was as strong as he had ever heard it。 ‘Get in here！’
He returned to the Prelate’s room； panting when he stopped over Sister Verna。 ‘I have to go 。。。’
She shot to her feet and grabbed his shirt in her real hand。 ‘Go what！ Go get killed？ What good will that do？ Will that help Kahlan？ Sister Ulicia is a master of powers you cannot even imagine！’
‘But she might get away。’
‘At least you will be alive when she does。 Now e help me with this table。 I think the Prelate is still alive。’
Hope leapt to life in him。 ‘Are you sure？’
Richard started pulling the broken pieces away； throwing them behind。 He found the body at the bottom of the debris。 Sister Verna was right。 The Prelate was alive； but looked seriously hurt。
Sister Verna used her power to lift heavy pieces of the table and bookcases clear while Richard carefully pulled lesser chunks off the small woman。 She was wedged into the bottom bookshelf against the wall； and covered with blood。
She groaned when Richard gently put his hands around her and drew her out。 He didn’t think she was long for this life。
‘We have to get help；’ he said。
Sister Verna’s hands played over the Prelate’s body。 ‘Richard； this is very bad。 I can feel some of her injuries。 It’s more than I can help with。 I don’t know if anyone will be able to help with this。’
Richard lifted Ann in his arms。 ‘I can’t let her die。 If anyone can help her； it’s Nathan。 e on。’
Guards and Sisters came rushing； having heard the deafening roar of the power Sister Ulicia had unleashed。 Richard didn’t stop to explain as he made for Nathan’s pound。 He tried to hold Ann gently as he ran； but he knew by her groans that he was hurting her。
Nathan came in from his courtyard when he heard them call。 ‘What was all that noise？ What is it？ What’s happened？’
‘It’s Ann。 She’s been hurt。’
Nathan led him into the bedroom。 ‘I knew that stubborn woman was asking for trouble。’
Richard laid Ann gently on the bed and stood near as Nathan experimentally glided his spread fingers over the length of her。 Sister Verna waited and watched from the doorway。
Nathan pushed up his sleeves。 This is serious。 I don’t know if I can help her。’
‘Nathan； you have to try！’
‘Of course I do； boy。’ He made a shooing motion with his hands。 ‘You two go wait out there。 This will take a while。 At least an hour or two before I know if what I can do will help enough。 Leave me to it。 You can be of no help。’
Sister Verna sat with her back stiff while Richard paced。
‘Richard； why do you care so much what happens to the Prelate？ She had you taken when she shouldn’t have。’
Richard bed his hair back with his fingers。 ‘I guess because she had the chance to take me when I was little； and she didn’t。 She let me grow up with my parents。 She let me have their love。 What else is there to life； but the chance to be nurtured by love。 She could have taken that； too； but she didn’t。’
‘I’m glad； then； that you are not bitter。’
Richard paced and thought。 He didn’t pace for long。
‘Sister； I can’t sit here doing nothing。 I’m going to talk to the guards。 We need to know where those teachers of mine are； and what they’re doing。 The guards will find out for me。’
‘I suppose it couldn’t hurt。 Go talk to the guards。 It will make the time pass more quickly。’
Richard strode down the dark； stone corridors； deep in thought。 He needed to find out where Sisters Tovi； Cecilia； Merissa； Nicci； and Armina were。 Any … or all … could be Sisters of the Dark。 Who knew what they were planning next。 They could all be looking for him。 They could all be 。。。
Stunning pain hurled him back。 It felt as if he had been whacked across the face with a club。 He staggered to his feet； the world spinning and tipping。 He dumbly felt for blood； but there was none。
Another blow smashed into the back of his head。 He pushed himself up on his hands； trying to decipher where he was。 His thoughts came thick and slow。 He struggled to understand what was happening。
A dark shadow stood over him。 With an effort； and halting movements； he came to his feet again。 He groped for his sword； but couldn’t remember which hand to use。 He couldn’t make himself move fast enough。
‘Out for a walk； country boy？’
Richard looked up at a smirking Jedidiah； standing tall with his hands in opposite sleeves。 Richard found the hilt of his sword。 He sluggishly worked at drawing it。 He lurched back as he battled to