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I understood what she spoke of, but I pointed out, "So it has always been My parents have chosen my wife for me, and s!" she said with heartfelt sympathy "Given to boys before they are even men, with no more choice in their fates than an orphaned kitten has When it is my time to wed, I intend to choose et me a man who respects my mind" And here she looked directly and very boldly at Spink Spink glanced away, flushing

I suppressed er and merely shook my head to indicate my disapproval, but Epiny and Spink see with her

"Let’s walk the horses," Spink suggested, and they set off side by side I went to get Sirlofty When I caught up to the, "Well, I admit that women don’t seem to have minds adept at the maths and sciences, but I think we have other talents thattheood at math as I am," Spink told her I commented to myself that that was scarcely an endorsehts to myself

"Well, perhaps it is because they were set to such studies earlier in life than I was I had but the rudiovernessto calculate was far less important than the ten basic stitches of Varnian eot them Only later did I discover that even in needlework one needs to understand proportions in order to change a pattern, and ratios to adapt a recipe…but that is not what I a about when I mention woently sloping bank to a wide grassy space Old foundation stones jutted up frorew there A corner of a deht’s rainfall had pooled on the unevenly sunken floor We let the horses drink there; I judged it better than risking the steep bank and stinking river water I suspected the structure had been an old brewery Soil had washed over the old stone floor in a shallow layer and grass had sprouted and died there Without asking us, Epiny slipped Celeste’s bit and let her loose on the brownish tufts

"We cannot stay long," I protested, but she ignored me Epiny seated herself on a wall of exposed foundation stones and stared out over the river Plainly this was not the first time she and Celeste had come here I sat down beside her and Spink sat down next to ment, I felt sorry for her She was very forlorn and alone I spoke gently to her "Epiny I don’t understand why your future makes you unhappy, but I see it does And I’m sorry for that It can be hard soood god has set for us"

I don’t think she even heard hter "Well We all knoeon last night We should hold another seance"

"We have no time," I said quickly "Spink and I both have to return to the Academy this afternoon In fact, we should return to your home very soon Spink and I have to pack and then return to the Acadehtfall There won’t be time for a seance this afternoon"

"Well, of course not I ht you here, you know It’s very private"

I was startled and unprepared "But…it’s bright daylight And I thought…"

"You thought I’d have to set up some sort of trick I don’t, Nevare That is what is so upsetting to me about this ‘talent’ Ever since my first seance with Guide Porilet, it has been only too easy I feel like she opened ain my mind, and I don’t kno to shut it I feel I hts and that other world Those others stand there, right atfor a chance to speak through ainst my boundaries"

"It sounds very uncomfortable," Spink said He leaned out around me to speak to Epiny

She looked a little startled "I am surprised you would understand that!" she exclai, "Oh I did not mean to be rude when I said that It is just that I’ve beco, ‘I have no idea what you are talking about’ Even my mother, who first took me to a seance, says that You know, I am not sure that she believes in what Guide Porilet does I fear she thinks it is just a game she plays, a pretense shepast me to speak to him I stood up and stepped away, uncoe She immediately slid closer to hi, "I know that e do is real I think you know it, too Shall we attempt it here and now?"