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In the afternoon, inter twilight sighing down outside, Matthias caar He was taller than Suzanne now, filled out enormously from a combination of steady meals and hard work He stank of the tannery, and as he washed the worst of the stink off his hands, he broke his news "Anna! I’ works!"

His words left her cold, although shehim They all expected her to be happy for hiing a look with his betrothed, the youngest of the weavers who had fled Steleshae who had round cheeks and clever hands "I’ll live at the tannery now, and I’ll have every other Hefensday off"

They all fell to talking as theytheir hands, tidying their clothing, the wo their hair scarves Because Anna couldn’t join in the talk, she waited by the door like a lost child peeking in at a feast of camaraderie she could never share in Matthias would ether, he was leaving her behind She could never be ht in his new life She wasn’t ht in any of their lives, not really, no matter how kindly they treated her

Reflexively, she drew her finger in a circle around her wooden Circle of Unity, the reesture that her mother had habitually repeated in moments of fear or sadness or worry What had become of the Eika prince hen they had crept to the door of the crypt in the cathedral, had watched theer, just so, around the Circle of Unity he wore at his chest, although she still could not fathoe Eika would wear a Circle, symbol of the faith of the Unities

Tears filled her eyes suddenly, bringing with the lord who had knelt before her at Steleshaently to her She hadn’t answered him, and ever after thather for her silence

"Here, now, Anna," said Suzanne, "it’s a fine day for Matthias, is it not?" With a s to the others to follow "You look well enough, lass You won’t disgrace us e process like a fine and wealthy fa in Raiood-naturedly as he tried to wipe a sooty stain gotten God knehere off her cheek The rest of the household trailed behind Suzanne like so many sheep, and in this cheerful fashion they made their way down the dusky streets to the cathedral

On Lordsdayservices, for tohest of the days of the week The service had already started as they entered,their way down the nave to the spot under apainted with a scene of the blessed Daisan teaching his disciples An ugly scar still marred the painted robe of the blessed Daisan, where an Eika weapon had e during the Eika occupation Stone angels, gargoyles, and eagles carved into the pilasters bore rake h they had been repeatedly clawed by a creature powerful enough to gouge stone The paved floor had been scrubbed often enough that only a few traces of the fires that had burned here reh one was still boarded over

At the altar, a cleric led the congregation in the seventh-day hye in God!’"

The altar had been cleaned and polished to a gleaether with the ivory-bound book containing the Holy Verses out of which the clerics and the biscop dictated the service Only one object lent a discordant note to the apse: a heavy chain fastened to the base of the altar, hammered in with an iron spike

Anna remembered the daimone whom Bloodheart had chained to the altar in , and put an ar could ever drive out that recollection, flashes of recognition that always assaulted her when they came to services

"In the crypt lies the path you seek," the daimone had said in its unformed, hoarse voice By that path she and Matthias had escaped Gent

Yet it was the Eika who had stood by silently to let theotten that, but she never would

The toddler had fallen asleep, but the baby akeful, now and again s a quick nurse at itshymns

"Where do you think Lord Hrodik is?" Rai at him, and smiled at her He always treated her and Matthias well He had lost his fa bride, his parents, and three brothers, and like Suzanne he was detere For that reason, as well as o and announced their betrothal, to be consu