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Richard tore off a corner of the hot bannock。 ‘Who is the Prelate？’
‘She charges the Sisters of the Light。 She is 。。。’ Her eyes narrowed。 ‘I’ve never mentioned her。 How do you know of her？’
Richard licked the crumbs from his fingers。 ‘I read it in your book。’
Her hand flew to her belt； groping for the book。 It was there； where it always was。 ‘You’ve read my private writing！ You have no right！ I will 。。。’
‘You were dead at the time。’ Her mouth snapped shut； and he went on。 ‘When I killed you； or the illusion of you； the book fell on the ground。 I read it。’
The tension left her muscles。 ‘Oh。 Well； that’s simply part of the illusion。 I told you； it’s not as things are in life。’
Richard tore off another corner of bannock。 ‘There were only two pages with writing； just as the real book。 Not until after we were through the valley did you add the third。 Back then； there were only two。’
She watched him eating the bannock。 ‘Illusion； Richard。’
He looked up。 ‘One page said： ‘I am the Sister in charge of this boy。 These directives are beyond reason if not absurd。 I demand to know the meaning of these instructions。 I demand to know upon whose authority they are given。 …Yours in the service of the Light； Sister Verna Sauventreen。’ The second page said： ‘You will do as you are instructed； or suffer the consequences。 Do not presume to question the orders of the palace again。 … In my own hand； The Prelate。’’
The Sister’s face had drained of color。 ‘You had no business reading something belonging to another。’
‘As I said； you were dead at the time。 What instructions did they give you about me that made you so angry？’
The color came back to her face in a rush。 ‘It has to do with a technicality。 It’s nothing you would understand； and anyway； it is not your business。’
Richard lifted an eyebrow。 ‘Not my business？ You claim you are only trying to help me； yet you’ve taken me prisoner； and you say it’s not my business？ I have this collar around my neck； and with it you can hurt me； perhaps kill me； and you say it is not my business？ You tell me I must do the things you say； that I must take them on faith； even though that faith is shaken with every new thing I discover； yet it’s not my business？ You tell me that the illusion I saw was not as things are in the real world； yet I find it was； and you tell me it’s not my business？’
Sister Verna was silent。 She watched him without emotion。 Watched him； he thought； as if he were a bug in a box。
‘Sister Verna； will you tell me one thing I’ve been wondering about？’
‘If I can。’
He pulled his legs up tighter under himself。 He tried to keep any hostility out of his tone。 ‘When you first saw me； you were surprised that I was grown。 You thought that I would be young。’
That’s right。 We have ones at the palace who can sense one born with the gift。 But you were hidden from us； so it took us a very long time to find you。’
‘But you told me just the other day that you had spent over half your life away from the palace； searching for me。 If you’ve spent twenty…odd years looking for me； how could you expect me to be young？ You would have expected me to be grown； unless you didn’t know I had been born； and started searching for me long before anyone at the palace sensed me。’
Her answer came in a cautious； quiet voice。 ‘It is as you say。 It has never happened this way before。’
‘So why would you e looking for me before any of you sensed that one with the gift had been born？’
She chose her words carefully。 ‘We didn’t know precisely when you would be born； but we knew you would be； so we were sent in search。’
‘How did you know I would be born？’
‘You are spoken of in prophecy。’
Richard nodded。 He wanted to know about this prophecy and why they thought he was so important； but he didn’t want to stray from the trail he was following at the moment。 ‘So you knew it might be many years before you found me？’
‘Yes。 We didn’t know when you would be born。 We were only able to narrow it to a range of decades。’
‘How are the Sisters who are to be sent chosen？’
‘We’re selected by the Prelate。’
‘You have no say in the matter？’
She tensed； as if suspicious she might accidentally be slipping her neck through a noose； yet was unable to keep from voicing her faith。 ‘We work in the service of the Creator。 We would have no reason to object。 The whole purpose of the palace is to help those with the gift。 To be selected to save one with the gift is one of the greatest honors a Sister may receive。’
‘So； none of the others sent have ever had to give up so many years of their lives to rescue one with the gift？’
‘No。 I’ve never heard of it taking more than a year。 But I knew this assignment could last for decades。’
Richard smiled to himself in triumph。 He leaned back； stretching his muscles。 He took a deep breath。 ‘Now I understand。’
Her eyes narrowed。 ‘What do you understand？’
‘I understand； Sister Verna； why you treat me the way you do。 I understand why we’re always fighting； why we’re always at each other’s throats。 I understand why you resent me。 Why you hate me。’
She looked like someone waiting for the trapdoor to fall put from under her。 ‘I don’t hate you； Richard。’
He nodded； and pulled the catch on that trapdoor。 ‘Yes； you do。 You hate me。 And I don’t blame you。 I understand。 You had to give up Jedidiah because of me。’
She flinched as if a noose had just tightened around her neck。 ‘Richard！ You will not speak to me in 。。。’
‘You resent me because of that。 Not because of what happened to the other two Sisters。 It’s because of Jedidiah。 If it weren’t for me； you would be with him。 You would have been with him for the last twenty years。 You had to give up the love of your life to go on this accursed quest to find me。 They sent you。 You had no choice； you had to go。 It’s your duty； and it cost you your love； and the children you might have had。 That’s what I’ve cost you； why