Page 79 (1/1)

"Sister Anne claireat cataclyss, but she also would have let Blessing starve to death She spent years hunting down her own husband, and in the end she killed hihter back No one has ever explained to my satisfaction why a man like Bernard would run aith Liath in the first place, or hide her so desperately What if he knew sos, and twist the truth to serve her own purposes, and in the end we cannot knohat is truth and what is falsehood, only that she is heartless when it comes to those she would use to advance her own objectives"

"You’ll hear no argument from me on that score," murmured Heribert "I built her a fine hall, yet I do not doubt that she would have disposed of ht once I was of no further use to her" He sighed suddenly and sheathed his knife Running his fingers over the finely carved tohich noned his oak staff, a crenellation, arrow slits, a suggestion of stonework etched into the wood, and the Circle of Unity rising fro in tone "All ruined, so you said"

"Everything The hall burned like kindling" He lowered his stick and set a coine their power"

"The power of Anne and her sorcerers?"

"Nay, although truly Sister Anne co I can understand or have ever seen before I spoke of the fire daiaze touched burst into flaer burned, deep in his heart, fueled by helplessness and frustration The words ca to stop them" Grief made his voice hoarse, but then, after the wound to the throat he’d taken in battle five years ago, his voice always sounded like that

A breeze had come up in the trees He listened but could not : they were not spirits of air, such as Anne had coh autumn leaves reenhei onto a place veiled by power and distance and the mysteries hidden in the architecture of the universe as Liath would have said He had heard Liath’s voice "She’s still alive," he whispered

"It is alant hefted the stick in his hand, weighed it, eyed the ragged thistles and, choosing ain "I know Sister Anne survived the maelstrom How many of her companions did as well, I don’t know"

"Sister Venia survived," said Heribert grimly

"How can you know?"

"She’s the type who does survive, no matter what"

"You would know that better than I She was youron a leash," lant watched with interest as that smooth cleric’s amiability peeled off to reveal an ancient resent, the young cleric shook himself after a moment and put the veil back on His expression cleared, and he glanced up at Sanglant with a cool so, burned out of their home? Would they try to rebuild at Verna?"

"I wouldn’t stay there, not after dai There’s afor Liath Bernard fled from Anne and her coht twist Liath to their purpose But maybe he also feared the daimones Nay, there is much I cannot explain What I know is this: Anne will not rest She will look for Liath, and even if she cannot find her, she will still try to stop the exiles fro She hoped that Liath would prevent the Aoi froive up I have to stop Sister Anne and her companions I have to make sure the exiles can return"

"Well," said Heribert, gesturing toward the ca the ruins "You, and a cleric under ban, and seventy men, and a baby, and one aery sprite That’s a weak arainst a sorcerer as powerful as Sister Anne"

"So it is" He bent to pick up one of the thistle heads, cut off raggedly just below the crown It prickled and stung his pal in his heart "I suppose this is how a loyal hound must feel when its htoff the thistle as his skin pulsed froht--"