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She looked down at herhave any close relations? Any brothers or sisters?"

"He did indeed He was survived by a younger brother who beca on his death He was rebellious as a child He never was a maston himself and so the Mediu and executed"

"Did he have any children?" Lia asked

"It was coe that he fathered many children, within and without of wedlock"

Lia bit her lip, struggling with her surging feelings "Why did you not tell uer first visited?" he asked, wincing as new stabs of pain afflicted him He shifted uncomfortably in his chair "You showed a penchant for the Mediu more than that It was after you returned from the Bearden Muir that you toldAstrid, the Medium spoke to me very clearly It was time for you to take the test"

Lia nodded dumbly, amazed at what she had learned

The Aldermaston’s eyes flashed "There is a mystery here, Lia You see, there are no wretcheds in Pry-Ree"

She looked at hilanced at Martin, who nodded "It is true, lass, what the Aldermaston tells you If a child is born out of wedlock, they have the sahts of inheritance as a natural born child We feel it a great cruelty to abandon any child" His voice choked for a ri, then continued "If one is abandoned, there is always a faers There is no practice of abandoning a child in the gutters of an Abbey It does not happen"

A surge of feelings went through her She looked at the Alder for me to be here A wretched from Pry-Ree?"

He nodded slowly "Indeed, it is rare but not impossible You were born when Pry-Ree fell The children of the ruling Faathered up, Ellowyn for example Get some rest now, Lia You ht It will not be easy Martin will slip aith the others while we are inside the Abbey Before dawn, you will be a ht about what she had learned "Do you truly think so?"

The Alderasp or quail His knuckles hite as he gripped the table "Passing the test requires a good memory You must be prepared to remember what you learn inside I cannot help I can only teach you You may ask no questions once we are inside But if I know anything about you, Lia – you do have a good memory You always have"