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Phury walked through the glohite expanse of the Sanctuary, going over to the Scribe Virgin&039;s private entry He knocked once and he waited, willing a request for an audience

When the doors opened, he expected the Directrix Areeted hiin&039;s white courtyard was empty save for the birds in their white-blossomed tree

The finches and canaries were out of place, and all the ainst their background of white branches and leaves, and hearing their calls, he thought of the nuile things cupped in his paliven them up for her son, the son had returned them to her

Phury went over to the fountain and listened to the water fall into its in appeared behind him, because the hair on the back of his neck stood up

"I thought you were going to step down," she said to hi for another&039;s footfalls You were supposed to just be the transition"

He looked over his shoulder "I thought I was going to step down as well But, no"

Odd, he thought Beneath the black robes that shielded her face and hands and feet, the glow of her seemed dimmer than he remembered

She drifted over to her birds "I would have you greet me properly, Primale"

He bent do and said the proper words in the Old Language Also paid her the service of staying in a boaiting for her to release him fro," she murmured "You have already released yourself And now you want the same for my Chosen" He opened his mouth, but she cut hi Think you I know not what is in your head? Even your wizard, as you call him, is known unto me"

Okay, that ony" When he did, she said, "We are all products of our upbringings, Primale The constructions that result from our choices are laid upon the foundation set by our parents and their parents before them We are but the next level in the house or paver in the path"

Phury shook his head slowly "We can choose a different direction We canof the compass"

"Of that I am not sure"

"Of that Iof this life you&039;ve given me"

"Indeed" Her head turned toward her private quarters "Indeed, Primale"

In the silence that stretched, she seemed saddened, which surprised hiht Hell, it was hard not to think of the Scribe Virgin as anything other than an eighteen-wheeler in black robes

"Tell me, Primale, how do you intend to handle this all?"

"I&039;m not sure yet But those who feel more comfortable here can stay And those ant to venture forth to the far side will find a safe haven with ood?"

"There is so I have to have But I will be back and forth It&039;s going to take decades,to help"

"And you shall take only her, as a male does?"

"Yes If the others find , then I will accept all their fee Wrath to take their males into the Brotherhood, whether they are born here or on the far side But I will have only Cormia"

"What of the purity of the blood? The strength that co was deliberate, to beget strength froth What if a Chosen chooses one not of a Brotherhood line?"

He thought of Qhuinn and Blay Strong boys ould be stronger males over time Why shouldn&039;t they be in the Brotherhood?

"It would be up to Wrath But I would encourage hie of heart can er than he is physically Look, the race is failing, and you know it We&039;re losing ground with every generation, and not just because of the war The Lessening Society isn&039;t the only thing killing us The traditions are, too"

The Scribe Virgin drifted over to the fountain

There was a long, long, long silence