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He opened his eyes。 Sister Verna was sitting calmly watching him。 She gave a heavy sigh … he thought maybe out of displeasure。
Richard swallowed。 ‘I’m sorry。 Nothing happened。’
‘Don’t be discouraged； Richard。 I did not expect anything to happen。 It takes a long time to learn to touch the Han。 It will happen when it happens。 There is no way to rush it。 It does no good to push too hard； it es from finding the inner peace and not by force。 That is long enough for today。’
‘A few minutes？ That’s all you want me to try？’
She lifted an eyebrow。 ‘You have had your eyes closed for over an hour。’
He stared at her； and then glanced to the sun。 It seemed to have jumped up into the sky。 Over an hour。 How was that possible？ A tingle of apprehension spread through him。
She cocked her head。 ‘It seemed only a few minutes to you？’
Richard stood。 He didn’t like the frown on her face。 ‘I don’t know。 I wasn’t paying any attention。 I guess it did feel like an hour。’
He started packing the few things he had taken out。 The more he thought about what he had seen； the more unreal it seemed。 It began to feel like a dream after waking； the fear； the hard edges； the reality； fading。 He began to feel foolish for being so frightened by a dream。
A dream？ He hadn’t been sleeping。 How could he have been dreaming when he was awake？
Maybe he hadn’t been awake。 He had been dead tired。 Maybe while he was sitting there concentrating on the sword； he had fallen asleep。 That’s how he went to sleep； sometimes： by concentrating on something until he drifted off。 That was the only explanation for the time going so fast。 He was asleep； and the rest of it had been a dream。
He let out a heavy breath。 He felt silly for having been so frightened； but he felt relieved； too。 When he turned； Sister Verna was still watching him。
‘Do you wish to shave now？ Now that I have shown you I only wish to help you。’
Richard straightened。 ‘I told you： prisoners don’t shave。’
‘You are not a prisoner； Richard。’
He stuffed his blanket into his pack； tucking in the corners to make it fit。 ‘Will you remove the collar？’
Her answer was slow in ing； but firm。 ‘No。 Only when it is time。’
‘May I leave； and go where I wish？’
She sighed impatiently。 ‘No。 You must go with me。’
‘And if I don’t； if I try to leave you？’
Her eyes narrowed a little。 Then I would be forced to prevent it。 You would find you did not like that。’
Richard nodded solemnly。 ‘That fits my definition of a prisoner。 As long as I’m a prisoner； I will not shave。’
The horses nickered at his approach； their ears pricking toward him。 Sister Verna eyed them suspiciously。 He returned the greeting with gentle words and a stiff scratch to the side of each horse’s neck。 Taking out the brushes； he gave each a quick grooming； paying particular attention to their backs。
Sister Verna folded her arms。 ‘Why are you doing that？ You groomed them last night。’
‘Because horses like to roll in the dirt。 They could have something under where the saddle goes。 Feels kind of like walking around with a rock in your boot； only worse； it could give them a sore； and then we won’t be able to ride them。 So； I like to check them over before I put their saddles on。’
When he finished； he cleaned the brushes against each other。 ‘What are their names？’
Sister Verna gave a sour frown。 ‘They don’t have names。 They are just horses。 We don’t give names to dumb animals。’
He pointed with the curry brush at the chestnut gelding。 ‘You don’t even give your own a name？’
‘He is not my own。 They all belong to the Sisters of the Light。 I ride whichever one is available。 The bay you rode yesterday is the one I rode before you came with me； but it makes no difference。 I simply ride whichever one is available。’
‘Well； from now on； they’re going to have names。 Avoids confusion。 Yours is the chestnut； and he will be Jessup； my bay will be Bonnie； and the other bay will be Geraldme。’
‘Jessup； Bonnie； and Geraldine；’ she huffed。 ‘No doubt from The Adventures of Bonnie Day。’
‘Glad to hear you read something other than prophecies； Sister Verna。’
‘As I told you before； ones with the gift who e to the palace are brought when they are young。 One boy brought The Adventures of Bonnie Day with him。 I read it to see if it was appropriate for young minds； and to see if it was of good moral teachings。 I found it to be a preposterous story of three people who would have had no troubles if a one of them had been blessed with brains。’
Richard smiled a little。 ‘Perfect names for ‘dumb animals’ then。’
She scowled at him。 ‘It was a book of no intellectual value。 No value of any kind。 I destroyed it。’
Richard’s smile tried to fade； but he didn’t let it。 ‘My father 。。。 well； the man who raised me as his son； and who I think of as my father； George Cypher； well； he traveled often。 One time； when he came home； he brought me The Adventures of Bonnie Day； as a gift for learning to read。 It was the first book I ever had。 I read it many times。 It brought me pleasure； and made me think； each time I read it。 I； too； thought the three heroes did foolhardy things； and I always vowed not to repeat the same mistakes they made。 You may have seen no value in it； but it taught me things。 Things of value。 It made me think。 Perhaps； Sister Verna； that is something you don’t like your students to do？’
He turned away from her and started taking apart the bridles。 ‘My real father； Darken Rahl； came to my house； just this autumn； looking for me。 He wanted to cut my belly open and read my entrails … to kill me。 Just as he killed George Cypher。’ He stole a quick glance over his shoulder。 ‘Anyway；
I wasn’t at home； and while he was waiting for me； he tore that book apart and threw the pages all around。 Maybe he didn’t want me learning any of its lessons or thinking for myself either。’
Sister Verna didn’t say anything； but he could feel her eyes watching him take the bridles apart； undo the headstalls and reins from the bits。 After he had them apart； he packed the headstalls away and flipped the reins over his shoulder。
He could hear her let out a little； angry breath。 ‘I’ll not be calling horses by names。’
Richard stacked the three spade bits atop one another on the dirt； where the horses had pawed the ground bare。 ‘You might want to reconsider the wisdom of that； Sister Verna。’
She stepped out to the side of him； where he could see her； pointing at the ground。 ‘What are you doing？ Why did you take the bridles apart？ What are you doing with those bits？’
Richard drew the sword。 Its distinctive ring filled the cold； bright air。 The rage of the magic instantly flooded through him。 ‘I’m destroying them； Sister。’
With a scream of fury； and before she could make a move； he brought the sword down with a powerful swing。 The tip whistled through the air。 The blade shattered the three bits into flying shards of hot metal。
She rushed forward； her cloak flapping。 ‘What’s the matter with you！ Have you lost your mind！ We need those bits to control the horses！’
‘Spade bits can be cruel。 I won’t allow you to use them。’
‘Cruel！ They are just stupid beasts！ Beasts that need to be controlled！’
‘Beasts；’ he muttered； shaking his head and sliding his sword back into its scabbard。 He snugged up the halter on Bonnie and began attaching the reins to the side rings。 ‘You don’t need a bit to control a horse。 I’ll teach you how。 Besides； without a bit in their mouths they can eat while we travel。 They’ll be happier that way。’
‘That’s dangerous！ Spade bits give you control over a headstrong beast。’
He arched an eyebrow to her。 ‘With horses； as with many other things； Sister； you often get what you expect to get。’
‘Without bits； you don’t have any control。’
‘Nonsense。 If you ride properly； you control with your legs and body。 You just have to teach the horse to pay attention and trust you