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"A hed aloud

"I am a medium Or so I believe, for so the queen’s medium said to me the last tiun to explore my talent in the last four months A mediuh her body Sohosts of those who have died, but who earnestly wish to convey so Sos, perhaps even the reod came to free us from that darkness And sometimes-"

"Oh Those I’ve heard so in a circle in the dark, holding hands and playing at bogey-frights on one another It sounds unholy, and coirl to be interested in," I told her sternly Into hear more, but I did not wish to teave ht to tell that to ht she assists the queen at her weekly seance session Or perhaps the queen herself would like to hear your notions of what is ‘unholy and unfit for girls’ " She turned to Spink "The queen says that ed ‘unfit for women to pursue’ are the very sciences and disciplines that lead to power What do you think of that?"

Spink glanced at me but I had no help for him It struck me as an entirely peculiar conversation, not unlike Epiny herself He took a breath, and the expression on his face was the same one he hen an instructor called on him in class "I have not had much time to reflect on that, but on the surface, it would certainly seeed to study the exact sciences or engineering The complete texts of the Holy Writ are forbidden to theiven specifically for woed unfit…if those be the paths to power, then, yes, perhaps women are denied those paths when they are denied those disciplines"

"Why should it matter?" I spread irls, then it is only natural that those disciplines would lead to inappropriate ends Why would any father put his daughter on a path that can only lead her to unhappiness and frustration?"

Epiny swiveled her gaze to me "Why would a powerful woman be unhappy and frustrated?"

"Because she wouldn’t, well, a powerful woman, would not…have, well, a home and fas that fulfill a wos"

"Because they have wives," I pointed out to her

"Exactly," she said, as if she had just proven so to bed"

"You’re leavingscandalized, but the look she shot Spink was alretfully

"No, I’ to bed, too You heard your father We have to waken early for Sixday services at dawn"