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He voered to his feet This time he wiped his mouth on his cloak and turned so he couldn’t see Pricia’s body "Hopper," he said "Please take care of her And double the watches on the concubines Jenine, I need you to help me make a hard decision It ement"

37

Vi poured cold water into the basin from a copper pitcher and splashed her face On the narrow desk by the door, she saw a note addressed to "Viridiana" Vi didn’t touch it She’d get ready when she was good and ready The room was terrible More like a broom closet The unfinished stone walls were barely far apart enough to fit the narrow bed with its thin straw s and the washbasin The chest was empty They’d even taken Vi’s hair ties Tyros possessed only what the Chantry gave the white tyro’s dress The infuriating thing was that she knew that they had a dress that fit perfectly, as if Master Piccun had a fit of genius as he worked hat should have been ter wool and had somehow conquered the cloth to make Vi look beautiful

That, obviously, was not the intended effect That dress had been spirited away, and this white sack put in its place They hadn’t bothered tailoring a shift for her The one she’d woken in was obviously used, if--she hoped--clean, and the previous owner had been fatter than she was tall The shift didn’t even come down to Vi’s knees

Vi brushed her hair back irritably They’d taken her da to her lectures She wasn’t leaving the rooh She looked around the roo she could use Her eyes fell on the copper pitcher "To hell with them," she said to activate her Talent as she ripped off the handle In a ht braid "To hell with theht circle binding her hair

She picked up the note and unfolded it "Viridiana, after your classes thishall Elene wishes to meet you Sister Ariel"

Vi couldn’t breathe Elene? Oh, fuck She’d known Elene would show up eventually, but so soon?

The door burst open and a wild-eyed, fruer stared around the roo vast powers "What’s going on here?" the girl deic! Twice! Don’t deny it"

Vi laughed, first nervously, then openly, glad for the distraction The girl was practically wheezing fro on her pale forehead under dark hair She was fat enough and short enough that Vi wondered if this lard barrel had been the prior owner of her shift She was perhaps fifteen, her white cotton dress edged with blue, and a brooch of gold scales proot me," Vi said

"You adet out And knock next ti’s forbidden?" Vi asked

"No"

"Then try it next time, Chunky"

"My naic, twice That’s two days in the scullery for your first offense And you disrespected ! Another day! They told le