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She chuckled "I guess it depends what you ainst those to whom you can only lose I’ve seen Andross play He uses his stacks of gold like a bludgeon There is no gracefully losing a little bit of gold to Andross It’s win big or lose bigger against him For my husband to play Andross was to lose a fortune or to lose the whole purpose of his ga about Nine Kings?" Ironfist asked He had been, but she obviously lad that he served her To be the coive your life for those you protected, regardless of your feelings But for this woladly trade his life She said, "All I’ll say is this: Andross Guile isn’t the White, and it galls him deeply"

But the White was chosen by lot Orholah that

But if Andross Guile had thought being the White was a victory within his grasp, maybe that was because it actually had been Surely to corrupt the election of a White was the work of a heretic--worse, an atheist Ironfist couldn’t comprehend it

The further implication--that Lord Rathcore had sty his wife Orea selected--was almost worse If the White’s election had been tainted by the machinations of men, was it thereby void? How could Orhola?

And yet the White was a holy woood woman Perhaps she hadn’t been involved, or hadn’t known, or hadn’t figured it out until many years later And then ould you do? Abdicate because there was soht on your election that no one else had ever noticed and that even you hadn’t known about? Perhaps that would bring greater disrepute on the Chromeria than simply to let it lie

But it shook Ironfist’s faith What had Gavin said on the ship? So chosen by Orholam--a jest that only made sense as a jest if you didn’t believe Orholam really did choose

Lord Rathcore had blocked Luxlord Guile fro his son made the Prism

It almost took Ironfist’s breath away to think of it in such nakedly political terms He was no na&iureatest had their foibles He knew they all had vast ashishis prayers to Orholaht heart and soul would burst Praying that Orholam would see him, just for one moment of his life Hear hiht What happened?" he asked

She was quiet for aman win No matter" The White waved a frail hand, as if to shoo the example away "Commander," she said quietly, "I’ve upset you I’m sorry Let this be my absolution: as important as it is for you to knohat character you are in this little draht now it is more ia for Orholam’s eye to rise over the horizon and reveal the truth I a for the cards to turn"

"There’s war cohed "Yes, blind though the Spectru about the war"

He walked to the door, stopped "What happened to that young ain later with soamblers do"