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Rosethorn blinked wearily at hied at the blood in her veins and in her woed in the , slow roll countless miles below her feet, under the pathetically thin skin that covered the earth’s surface "Why not … to another Living Circle te is the only one of our houses built to keep the Treasures without revealing their presence," Dokyi told her "If I had been here, or in your Winding Circle, with these boxes for a week or more, everyone would feel their nearness in the air they breathed, the fire they warmed themselves with, the water they drank, and the earth under their feet Every bit of ic within them would strain to find the Treasures and touch them They would appear in dreams, water puddles, in the surfaces of metal A week more and others would come No, there is only one other safe place for thexe"

Rosethorn covered her face with her hands Water laden with ice coursed through her veins Flocks of birds flew south below her as she slid from wind to wind

She didn’t notice when Dokyi left the room and returned with a tray of tea and buns She came a little to herself when he wrapped her hands around a warirl? You will take the Lho, west of here Their priests are the only ones who can hide such things so no others can sense theics possess over others Only a dedicate of exceptional will and power can carry such a burden Only a dedicate with strong reasons to return can take the Treasures there and come back"

Slowly Rosethorn looked at him She could have sworn she heard Lark ask someone to fetch Comas home from the looms "What if I didn’t have such reasons?"

"Drink" Dokyi helped her to lift the cup to her lips A few sips and she began to feel as if she was more herself "You would become a priest of the Sealed Eye As I told you, I did try to take the burden ods, I have to suppose, I failed You must not"

Rosethorn e happens to me?" she whispered "The emperor’s soldiers …" She turned her head There -- that was Niko’s voice He was talking about Tris, and Lightsbridge University

Dokyi gripped her chin andthe sounds shortly It is the winds that carry them to you Or perhaps it is the life’s blood of all the plants that link roots beneath the surface of this world The sounds will fade Listen" His voice reat satisfaction "They can be distracting at first But I knew the acceptance of the Treasures would not drive youcould have …" Rosethorn began to say Then she saw the corain within the grain, and patterns inside that Gently she followed the whorls with her fingertips She ht follow them to the tree that had supplied the wood for the table, if she concentrated hard enough

"You are not listening One of my dedicates perished in the attempt to hold the box, and another lost his o and the need to return, Rosethorn" Dokyi spoke into her ear so that she could hear nothing else "Only a very strong e can survive the Treasures and the Sealed Eye temple But you -- half of you walks in the sun, and half of you walks in shadow You will need the shadow in the Temple of the Sealed Eye"

"What!" Rosethorn yelped "That’s not true! I’e! I need sunshine, I thrive on it --"

"Then how did you die and return?"

She opened her ht the better of whatever she had meant to say Instead she exhaled and rubbed her te and difficult story"

"Then I will live through the fighting, because I want to hear it In theCircle faith, First Dedicate of all of the Living Circle temples, and your vows of obedience are vows to me I need you to do this because if the emperor, if any evil person, seizes these Treasures, they will poison our te!"

She bowed her head "No, Honored Dedicate"

"Eat so"

"Yes, Honored Dedicate" She picked up a bun and bit it Red bean She hated red bean She ate it anyway

As she chewed, Dokyi explained, "In a day or two General Sayrugo will send troops on a sweep of the villages between this fort and the Driu The people here in the south must be moved to safety, should imperial armies come this far You will ride with the soldiers as far as the turnoff for the road to Sealed Eye They will guard you"

"Will the children and I have a guide?" Rosethorn asked She bit another bun This was very spicy meat She ate it dully

Dokyi shook his head "No The fewer people who know of this, the better Briar and Evu in her brain She sat straight "Dokyi, no They’re ed here Others will look after him and Evumeimei You cannot take thehts on the way through the pass, when she had roused thely dreams Did Dokyi even understand the weird effect theon Evvy? Briar atchful, but he hadn’t spent years of his life raising young h, but he worries himself sick overat her She should be watched carefully"