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"Your children are not as carefree as they hen you left for Yanjing," Dokyi said

Rosethorn sighed "No, Honored Dedicate The e than we liked You warned us it would be so"

"But I aht, all the same" He hesitated, then asked, "Rosethorn, are you still heart-whole in your vows?"

"Of course, Honored Dedicate!"

"As I said, I tried to take care of this matter myself, but no matter how I tried, I could not place my feet on the road to ns since I was a dedicate of only ten years" Using great care, he opened the pack on the table and slid the leather down over the sides of the contents He revealed a large peachwood box that contained four drawers Letters were carved in the sides as well as the top

Rosethorn shrank back from the waves of power that seemed to floay froreatest treasures of our religion," he said quietly "Without the Circle falls apart"

Goose buold knob on the bottom-most drawer Carefully he pulled, and the top three drawers separated frole fra pieces

"Look at it," he told Rosethorn quietly

The contents of the bottom drawer, or open-topped box, rapped in silk that had not been dyed Gingerly, using the tips of her fingers, Rosethorn separated the leaves of cloth that lay on top Underneath theasping as h her veins

The cup was the size of her pallaze on it Four twisting branches of carved white aspen seerow around the cup froranite circle More signs she did not recognize were cut into the outside of the clay, but not the inside It was the simplest of objects, but the poithin it ently place the cup in its box and cover it again

"Honored Dedicate?" she whispered

"The Cup of Water," he told her He slid the three drawers into place on top of the cup until Rosethorn heard a faint click Now the old knob on the third drawer and pulled the top two off it He motioned for Rosethorn to remove the silk cover from the drawer’s contents