Page 189 (1/1)

The moods of the emperor, his personalities, were distinct, but Webster could explain it no better than he could the emperor’s sleep patterns He had heard of people who exhibited more than one personality, had even examined a few over the years, but this was very different, as if the emperor was inhabited by three different personalities, rather than that they originated from within him

Webster had once questioned the witch about it All she had said was, "Two I love, one I do not"

Always cryptic was Yolandhe, no ot the impression that if they loosed her, she would kill the three despite her love of the two, because of her hatred for the one In fact, when the emperor rose to power, she had turned on him, but was captured before she could harm him The eo to her Webster could not iine the destruction and chaos that would ensue It would unmake the empire He had put too much of his soul into it for that to happen, and he was prepared to hold Yolandhe prisoner for all eternity if need be

GOSSHAM

In the an readied herself for the day, dressing once ed to Luke’s son, the farrier When she checked her pocket to ensure her moonstone here she always kept it, it lit up

"What?"

When she drew the low The whole rooht, but the limmer it had emitted since her arrival in Mill City It ot to Gossham, the more etherea was present

She replaced the moonstone in her pocket and decided to try another experiment She reached for her brooch where it was pinned to her shirt, and wished herself to fade out Like the moonstone, she wavered, flickered in and out Cade, who had just stepped out of the bathing rooasped behind her Before she could explain, a fierce pain rao, fell to her knees, and vomited

In a moment, Cade was crouched beside her with only a torapped around his waist He touched her aran?"

When she finished another round of retching, she wiped herin her skull replaced the sharp pain of before

"You--you were there, then only half there," Cade said, sounding worried "You caic," she said wearily "The empire’s etherea" Not only had she tried to use her ability where the etherea eak, but it was, as the professor had once explained, etherea pulled from Blackveil It was "filtered" he’d told her, but she had the feeling it was not enough to purify it It was not etherea in its natural forhed, Cade sat there on the floor and drew her onto his lap He pressed her head against his chest and stroked her hair There she rested with her eyes closed, the thu in her head

"My Green Rider," Cade murmured, "you are full of surprises"

"I surprise an admitted with a sh she had not reacted well to its use, the fact that it was still there was an enorain cross thresholds, return to her own tiht as a feather," Cade said, shifting her on his lap, "and soile as well, until I remember hoell you can beat me in a bout of swordplay And then I see you de power I have never seen anyone fade out like that, not ever Not even re that ability and living in a world where ic still existed, even if only in a much diluted form compared to what had once been known

"We are apt to see etherea wasted on less diversions e reach Gossha wondrous"

She did not bother to tell hilad it hadn’t spooked hi other than human It was not every person ould react in such a positive way to soe

"I suppose we should get going," Karigan said with regret Asin Cade’s lap, she didn’t think Luke would appreciate having to wait around for them Sorely tempted as she was to whip off Cade’s towel, she restrained herself and rose Evening would be soon enough, and she’d probably be feeling better by then, as well Besides, she did not think he’d find her vo

• • •

The road grew continually busier as they traveled deeper into the Capital There was less cropland and ular brick buildings of Mill City, but edifices of granite with masterfully carved embellishments around s and doors The finery worn by the people was more colorful, and she saw that, like at Dr Silk’s dinner party, the women of the Capital wore their veils stylishly short, or perhaps provocatively short, depending on one’s point of view Many were followed by unveiled slaves, who appeared better dressed and fed than their counterparts in Mill City, although just as many of their faces were marred with brands Well fed or not, they were still slaves

The irrigation ditches widened into transportation canals with breadth enough to pers Onea flat boat full of flowers beneath an arched stone bridge looked like a whi to another