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t would not so much as twitch。
Frustrated； he returned it to its scabbard。 He pulled Liliana’s sword from the ground and broke the blade over his knee。 When he threw it aside； he noticed something white nearby。
White bones gleaming in the moonlight were mostly all that remained of the desiccated corpse。 Only the top half was there。 He assumed animals must have gotten the rest； but then he found the pelvis and legs； some distance away。 Tattered remains of a dress that matched the top half still surrounded the leg bones。
Richard knelt； inspecting the upper body。 Animals had not touched it。 There was not a single tooth mark on any bone。 It remained now as it had fallen。
With a frown； he saw that the bones of the lower spine were shattered。 He had never seen bones splintered in such a way。 It was as if this woman had been blown in half； while alive。
He knelt silently； staring； wondering。 Someone had killed this woman。 Somehow； he knew： magic had killed this woman。
‘Who did this to you？’ he whispered down at the corpse。
Slowly； a skeletal arm rose toward him in the moonlight。 The fingers uncurled。 A thin chain dropped down； dangling from the bones of a finger。
Richard； his hair feeling as if it were trying to stand on end； carefully took the chain from the fingers。 There was a single object on the chain。 He held it up in the moonlight and saw it was a lumpy piece of gold； formed into the letter J。
‘Jedidiah；’ Richard whispered； not knowing what made him do so。
CHAPTER 66
As Richard approached； he noticed a motion on the stone bridge。 A crowd lined one edge； everyone looking down to the river。 At the center； he eased his way through toward the low； walled railing。 As he did； he saw Pasha at the crown； too； leaning out over the stone； looking down。
‘What’s going on？’ he asked as he came up behind her。
Pasha spun at the sound of his voice。 She flinched when she saw him。 ‘Richard！ I thought 。。。’ She looked back over the railing； down to the river； and then back to him。
‘You thought what？’
She threw her arms around his middle。 ‘Oh； Richard！ I thought you were dead！ Thank the Creator！’
Richard pried her arms off and then leaned over； looking down to the dark river below。 Several small boats； each with a lantern； were towing a body tangled in their hand…casting nets。 In the flickering yellow light； he could see the red coat。
Richard ran over the bridge and down the banks； reaching the shore as the men were landing the boats。 Grabbing the nets from a man； he hauled them and their load up onto the grassy bank。
There was a small； round hole in the lower back of the red coat。 He rolled the body over and looked into Perry’s dead eyes。 Richard groaned。
Wizard’s Second Rule。 Perry had died because Richard had violated it。 He had tried to do something good； with the best of intentions； and it had brought harm。 It was Richard the dacra had been meant for。 It was he they thought they were killing。
Pasha was standing on the bank behind him。 ‘Richard； I was so afraid。 I thought it was you。’ She started crying。 ‘What was he doing in your red coat？’
‘I loaned it to him。’ He gave her a quick hug。 ‘I have to go； Pasha。’
‘You don’t mean the palace。 You didn’t really mean what you said about leaving。 I know you didn’t。 You can’t leave； Richard。’
‘I meant every word。 Good night； Pasha。’
He left the men to their grisly task and headed for his room。 Someone had meant to kill him； and it hadn’t been Liliana。 Someone else was trying to kill him。
As he was loading his things into his pack； he heard a knock at his door。 He froze； a shirt half…folded in his hands。 Then he heard Sister Verna’s voice beyond the door； asking if she could e in。
Richard yanked the door open； preparing to launch into a tirade； but the look on her face caught the words in his throat。 She stood woodenly； staring off at nothing。
‘Sister Verna； what’s wrong？’ He took her arm and led her into his room。 ‘Here； sit down。’
She sank to the edge of the chair。 Richard knelt in front of her and took her hands。
‘Sister Verna； what’s wrong？’
JI’ve been waiting for you to return。’ Her puffy； red eyes finally sought his。 ‘Richard；’ she said in a subdued voice； ‘I could really use a friend right now。 You are the only one who came to mind。’
Richard hesitated； she knew his condition； though he now knew she couldn’t get the collar off。
‘Richard； when Sisters Grace and Elizabeth died； they passed their gift to me。 I have more power than any Sister at the palace； any normal Sister。 I know you won’t believe this； but I doubt even that will be enough to remove your collar。 But I wish to try。’
Richard knew that she couldn’t remove it。 At least he was told that she couldn’t。 Maybe Nathan was wrong。
‘All right。 Try then。’
‘There is pain involved。 。。。’
Richard’s brow drew together in a suspicious frown。 ‘Why do I not find that surprising？’
‘Not for you； Richard。 For me。’
‘What do you mean？’
‘I have discovered that you have Subtractive Magic。’
‘What would that have to do with it？’
‘You locked the Rada’Han on yourself。 It locks on by using the magic of the one it is attached to。 I have only Additive Magic。 I don’t think that will be sufficient to break the bond。
‘I have no power over your Subtractive Magic。 It will fight what I try to do； and that will hurt me。 But don’t be frightened。 It won’t hurt you。’
Richard didn’t know what to do； what to believe。 She put her hands to his neck； at the sides of his collar。 Before she closed her eyes； he saw a glazed look he recognized。 She was touching her Han。
Muscles tense； with his hand on the hilt of his sword； he waited； prepared to react if she tried to harm him。 He didn’t want to believe Sister Verna would harm him； but then； he hadn’t thought Liliana would ever hurt him either。
Her brow wrinkled。 Richard felt only a pleasant； warm tingle。 The room vibrated with a dull hum。 The co