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"And evil," I added, feeling sure it was true I ranlike a fresh injury I pulled my hand away from it

Epiny pursed her lips for ahow silly and io "No I would not call it evil It is so that wants to live, desperately, and will stop at nothing to keep on living It feared me It fears even you, but continues to inhabit you Even nohen it has retreated, I know you are still bound to it I feel it"

"Don’t say that!" Spink begged this, but I would have said the words if I had thought of theht now But before you leave, we ain, I think I must learn what it is that has touched you and taken you I’ve never heard of anything like this before," Epiny said earnestly, gripping my hand once more

"I think we shall leave it alone," I said fir, even to ood night, sweet Cousin Nevare Good night, Spink"

With that, she dropped my hand, rose froly woly childish all day

I think ape as I stared after her I shiftedthe first tirass before hio," I told hiaze to me We rose, and he followed me du what had happened though my mind I needed to find an explanation that fit with my life I was inclined to blame Epiny for the whole bizarre experience As ent up the stairs, Spink said quietly, "I’ve never irl like your cousin before"

"Well, at least there’s that to be grateful for," I hed suddenly "I suppose I haven’t knownals she thinks about! I never thought that a girl, well-" He halted, floundering for words

"Don’t worry about saying it aloud" I excused him from his aardness "I’ve never before o to our separate roo day for me in many ways, and despite my weariness, I worried that I would not fall asleep I dreaded dark drea endlessly into the black corners of the rooht The soft bed and feather pilloelcomed me and I sank into sleep almost as soon as I settled into them

CHAPTER 16

A Ride in the Park

Aservant tapped at my door before dawn Both Spink and I attended the daybreak service with my uncle in the chapel on his estate Epiny and Purissa were also there, in the wolanced over at them once, only to surprise Epiny in the midst of an immense yawn that she had not bothered to cover My uncle chose the readings for thesteadfast I suspected he chose them with Spink and me in mind I prayed with an earnestness I had not had since I was a boy, asking the good god to be with me at all times

As s They seemed very short and I could not detect any co her husband’s resources frivolously The next was soossip about her betters And the last was the horrendous section from Punishhters Thisfor air

After the common services, Spink and I retired with men of the household for meditation The chamber for this was adjacent to one of his hothouses and very pleasant It was more comfortable than the austere rooht’s sleep, several times I nearly drowsed off

At home and at the Academy, the Necessary Tasks that the Writ permitted always followed services and ht, and Spink’s, the Sixday at my uncle’s house proved to be a day of relaxation At my uncle’s house, even the servants had an easy time of it We had a simple cold luncheon where my uncle attempted to keep the conversation quiet and pious Only Purissa repeatedly asking him if the miood god e a smile and knew that she had primed the child for that question