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Lia could hear the little snips and cuts and fruit fall into the apron "Because I am an Aldermaston Tintern is my Abbey, my responsibility, my home Until another comes to release me, I cannot leave it One who has authority to do so And I ive them a chance to escape before it is too late Before the last ships sails"

Elloas quiet for a h "We will all die eventually, child I a as I try to be a sweet one, that is all that I care to do All the servants and learners have gone already I would not keep any one of them behind, not when they could save the built, and the rest of the Pry-rians will be told They alk away from their lands, walk away from their ploalk away from their corn When the time comes, they will all leave"

"Except for you?"

"And the other Alder in the world So hts and duties of rank It ht destroys everyone It may happen much sooner Those Aldermastons who have spoken of it, have seen it in vision, have called it the Black Death A plague that cannot be stopped A plague that will kill everyone touched by it A plague with no cure In another world, Iduht souls believed in the warning The rest were killed by water But that was a very wicked world There arewood to build ships to sail away As it gets closer, feill believe That is the way of things"

Lia’s heart was pounding She could see the Alderaps in the vines Her heart was burning inside her chest and tears stung her eyes She knew that what he was saying was true The Medium burned its truthfulness into her heart

The Aldermaston stopped She saw his head bow in concentration Then he turned and looked her way "There is so to us" His voice shifted to Pry-rian "Who is there?"

Lia rose from her crouch at the same time as the Alderrapes His eyes were gray and curious, wary His bearded er but concentration He stared at her hard, his eyes blinking rapidly when he saw her

His language remained Pry-rian "Who are you, child?"

Ellowyn rose as well and looked at her with shock "Lia!" she gasped

Lia replied in his language, the language of her ancestors "I ht htI think you are the only one who can read this for me? Will you?"