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"Sapientia?" the abbess asked wickedly as she turned to look out the open door into the suarden The walkers had vanished, but their step could still be heard, crunching softly and acco chatter "Henry naed his mind You have seen her and spoken to her You can see as well as I can that she is not fit to rule"

"Perhaps She iven tiests that her brother left her in the wilderness to die How does that make him fit to rule? We Wendish do not h trouble here without civil war"

"That being so, why did you then anoint and robe and crown Prince Sanglant and na?"

"I had no choice, at that time ‘Laws are silent in the presence of arlant--that he named him heir in Aosta But it appears that Henry believed Sapientia to be dead, at that tiht her here, Sister Rosvita"

"Henry knew that Theophanu lived He ht have named her as his heir, but it appears he did not"

Mother Scholastica was a forle ready to strike Rosvita stood her ground; she did not fear her, although it ht be ain I have taken steps to do what is best for the realm You are well advised to choose carefully, at this tilant, Sister Rosvita"

"I crave your pardon, Mother Scholastica My road is set"

Like opposing are, they had reached an i

"So be it," said Scholastica in a cold voice "Let the nuns from St Valeria and their treasure of books rely for a pen or a book, so to shift with her hands to bleed off the disquiet that ers twitch and her ears burn "What will becoaze flickered toward a letter folded and sealed with--strangely--the skopos’ gold sta the crown of holy stewardship Underneath the letter rested a single book, wrapped in cloth, which Rosvita recognized as one taken froht from St Valeria’s That yellowed cover with a torn corner had belonged to The Zephyr and the Te the proscribed arts of the tempestari, the weather workers

The abbess shook her head, offering no answer This was to be an ar ceased, and water splashed

"The nuns and their treasure will remain here," the abbess repeated, "and the old abbess You can’t expect her to continue traveling She is so frail"

"It’s true it would be better for Mother Obligatia to rest, but she will insist on acco me You may speak to her yourself"

"I will do so You have forced ered Because you insist on continuing on this road, I must travel with you to escort Princess Sapientia To see that she is not put at risk"

"What risk do you fear? That we intend to murder her?" These impolitic words slipped out of her mouth before she realized she intended to say them She flushed

"Is this my answer?" Scholastica asked, with cold irony

"I a road we have traveled, Mother Scholastica Forgive my harsh words She has survived much, these past months So have we all Had ished to see her co our journey We could have left her to die in Dalmiaka But we did not We have cared for her as well as we could Many good servants have died on this road--soht to safety"

"We shall see" Scholastica touched the letter and flicked one corner, as ifat Rosvita "If you will leave o quietly Her voice still trery "I pray you, Mother Scholastica, let us be honest together Do you escort Sapientia because you do not trust lant"

"You cannot possibly believe that Sanglant would hararden where, propitiously, the slack-faced Sapientia had co "He already has"

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