温馨提醒：系统正在全面升级。您可以访问最新站点。谢谢！

  　"Said I don't. He packed up all his things, not that that was much, and bought himself a donkey for the journey, so I reckon it must be a goodly distance." He pointed his file over his shoulder toward the south. "Like I said, downcountry,

  　"The last thing he told me was to be sure I sent the tally to the palace, because he done the work and it was only fair that they pay for what was done. I asked him where to send the payment, as he done the work, but he said to use it to hire a new man. Said it was only fair what with him leaving me on such short notice,"

  　Verna considered her options. "I see." She watched him take a dozen strokes on his shovel, and then turned to Warren. "Go outside and wait for me."

  　"What!" he whispered heatedly. "Why do you—"

  　Verna held up a finger to silence him. "Do as I say. Take a little walk around the area to be sure .. . our friends aren't looking for us." She leaned a little closer with a meaningful look. "They might be wondering if we need any assistance."

  　Warren straightened and glanced to the man filing his shovel. "Oh. Yes, all right, I'll go look and see where our friends have gotten to." He fumbled with the silver brocade on his sleeve. "You won't be long, will you?"

  　"No. I'll be out shortly. Go on now, and see if you see them anywhere."

  　After Verna heard the front door shut, Sproul glanced over his shoulder. "Answer's still the same. I told you what . .."

  　Verna produced a gold coin in her fingers. "Now, Master Sproul, you and I are going to have a candid conversation. What's more, you are going answer my questions truthfully."

  　He frowned suspiciously. "Why'd you send him out?"

  　She no longer made an effort to show him a pleasant 【创建和谐家园】ile. "The boy has a weak stomach."

  　He took an unconcerned stroke with his file. “I told you the truth. If you want a lie, then just tell me and I'll build you one to fit."

  　Verna shot him a menacing scowl, "Don't you even think of lying to me. You may have told the truth, but not all the truth there is to tell. Now, you are going to tell me the rest of it, either in exchange for this token of my appreciation—" Verna used her Han to snatch the file from his hand and send it sailing up into the air until it vanished from sight. "—or in appreciation for my sparing you any unpleasantness."

  　Whistling with speed, the file streaked out of the sky to slam into the ground, burying itself a scant inch from the gravedigger's toes. Only the tang stuck above the dirt, and that glowed red. With angry mental effort, she drew the hot steel up in a long, thin line of molten metal. Its white-hot glow illuminated his shocked expression, and she, too, could feel the sizzling heat on her face. His eyes had gone wide.

  　She waggled a finger, and the ductile line of glowing steel wavered before his eyes, dancing in time with her finger's movement. She swirled her finger and the hot steel coiled around the man, holding mere inches from his flesh.

  　"One twitch of my finger, Master Sproul, and I bind you up in your file." She opened her hand, holding her palm up. A howl of flame ignited, hovering obediently in the air. "After I have you bound up, then I will start at your feet, and I'll cook you an inch at a time, until you give me the whole truth."

  　His crooked teeth chattered. "Please ..."

  　She brought the coin up in her other hand, and showed him a humorless 【创建和谐家园】ile. "Or, as I say, you can choose to tell me the truth in exchange for this token of my appreciation."

  　He swallowed, eyeing the hot metal around him, and the hissing flame in her hand. "It seems I do recall some more of it. I'd be most pleased if you'd let me set the story straight with the rest I'm now remembering."

  　Verna extinguished the flame above her hand, and with an abrupt effort, flipped the Han's heat to its opposite, to bitter cold. The glow left the meta! like a candle's flame being snuffed. The steel went from red hot to icy black, and shattered, the fragments dropping around the stiff gravedigger like hail.

  　Verna lifted his hand and pressed the gold into it, closing his fingers around the coin. "I'm so sorry. I seem to have broken your file. This will more than cover it, I'm sure."

  　He nodded. It was likely more gold than the man could earn in a year. "I've got more files. It's nothing."

  　She laid a hand on his shoulder. "AH right, Master Sproul, why don't you tell me what else you remember about that tally." She tightened her grip. "Every last bit of it, no matter how unimportant you consider it. Understand?"

  　He licked his lips. "Yes. I'll tell you every bit. Just like I said, Ham did the work. I didn't know nothing about it. Said he had some digging to do for the palace, but nothing more. Ham's the closemouthed sort, and I never paid it no mind.

  　"Right after, he broke it on me, real sudden like, that he was quitting, and going

  　off to live with his daughter, just like I told you. He was always talking about going to live with his daughter, before he had to dig his own hole, but he didn't have no money and she's no better off, so I never paid him no mind. Then he bought that donkey, a good one, too, so I knew he weren't mooning this time. He said he didn't want the money from the work for the palace. Said to hire a new man to help me.

  　"Well, the next night, before he left, he brought over a bottle of liquor. Good stuff what cost more than the bottles we always bought. Ham never could keep a secret from me when he gets to drinking, everyone knows the truth of that. He don't tell what he shouldn't to others, understand, he's a man to be trusted, but he'll tell me everything, if he's been drinking."

  　Vema took her hand back. "I understand. Ham is a good man, and your friend. I don't want you to worry about betraying a confidence, Milton. I'm a Sister. You aren't doing wrong to confide in me, and you need not fear I will bring trouble to you for it."

  　He nodded, clearly relieved, and managed a weak 【创建和谐家园】ile. "Well, like I said, we had that bottle, and we was talking old times. He was leaving, and I knew I'd be missing him. You know. We was together for a long time, not that we didn't..."

  　"You were friends. I understand. What did he say?"

  　He loosened his collar.”Well, we was drinking, and feeling all misty-eyed about breaking up. That bottle was stronger than what we was used to. I asked him where his daughter lived, so I could send him the pay from the tally to help out with things. I got this place, after all, and I can get by. I got work. But Ham says no, he don't need it. Don't need it! Well, I was powerful curious after he said that. I asked him where he got money, and he said he saved it. Ham never saved nothing. If he had it, it was because he just got it, that's all, and hadn't spent it yet.

  　"Well, that's when he told me to be sure to send the tally to the palace. He was real insistent, I guess because he felt bad about leaving me with no help. So, I asks him, 'Ham, who'd you put in the ground for the palace?' "

  　Milton leaned toward her, lowering his voice to a gravely whisper. '"Didn't put no one in the ground,' Ham says, 'I took 'em out.' "

  　Verna snatched the man's dirty collar. "What! He dug someone up? Is that what he meant? He dug someone up?"

  　Milton nodded. "That's it. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Digging up the dead? Putting 'em in the ground don't bother me, it's what I do, but the idea °f digging 'em up gives me the shivers. Seems a desecration. Course, at the time, we was drinking to old times and all, and we was in stitches over it."

  　Verna's mind was racing in every direction at once. "Who did he exhume? And on whose orders?"

  　"All's he said was 'for the palace.' "

  　"How long ago?"

  　"A good long time. I don't remember . .. wait, it was after the winter solstice, not long after, maybe just a couple of days."

  　She shook him by die collar. "Who was it? Who did he dig up!"

  　"I asked him. I asked him who it were they wanted back. He told me, he says, They didn't care who, I'm just to bring 'em, wrapped up all pretty in clean winding sheets.'"

  　Verna worked her fingers on his collar. "Are you sure? You were drinking— he might have just been making up drunken stones."

  　He shook his head as if he feared she were going to bite it off. "No. I swear Ham don't make up stories, or lie, when he drinks. When he drinks he would tell me anything true. No matter what sin he done, when he drinks he confesses it u me true. And I remember what he told me; it was the last night I saw my friend, remember what he said.

  　"He said to be sure to get the tally to the palace, but to wait a few weeks a-, they was busy, they'd told him."

  　"What did he do with the body? Where did he take it? Who did he give it to?'

  　Milton tried to back away a bit, but her grip on his collar didn't allow it. "; don't know. He said he took 'em to the palace in a cart covered over real gooo. and he said they give him a special pass so as the guards wouldn't check his loac He had to dress in his best clothes so people wouldn't recognize him for what he was, so as not to frighten the fine people at the palace, and especially so as not tc upset the delicate sensibilities of the Sisters, who were communing with the Creator, He said he done as he was told, and he was proud that he done it right, 'cause no one got disturbed by his going there with the bodies. That's all he said about it. I don't know no more, I swear it on my hope to go to the Creator's light after this life be done."

  　"Bodies? You said bodies. More than one?" She fixed him with a dangerous glare as she tightened her grip. "How many? How many bodies did he dig up and deliver to the palace?

  　"Two."

  　"Two ..." she repeated in a whisper, wide-eyed. He nodded.

  　Verna's hand fell away from his collar.

  　Two.

  　Two bodies, wrapped in clean winding sheets.

  　Her fists tightened as she growled in a rage.

  　Milton swallowed, holding up a hand. "One other thing. I don't know if it matters."

  　"What?" She asked through gritted teeth.

  　"He said that they wanted 'em fresh, and one was 【创建和谐家园】all, and weren't too bad but the other gave him a time, because he were a big one. I didn't think to ask him more about it. I'm sorry."

  　With great effort, she managed a 【创建和谐家园】ile. "Thank you, Milton, you've been a great help to the Creator.' *

  　He scrunched his shirt closed at the neck. "Thank you, Sister. Sister, I've never had the nerve to go to the palace, being what I am, and all. I know folks don't like to see me around. Well, I've never gone. Sister, could you give me the Creator's blessing?"

  　"Of course, Milton. You have done his work."

  　He closed his eyes with a murmured prayer.

  　Verna gently touched his forehead. "The Creator's blessing on his child," she whispered as she let the warmth of her Han flow into his mind. He gasped in rapture. Verna let her Han seep through his mind. "You will remember nothing of what Ham told you about the tally while you were drinking. You will recall only that he

  　said he did the work, but you know nothing of its nature. After I've left, you will not recall my visit."

  　His eyes rolled beneath his eyelids for a time before coming open at last. "Thank you, Sister."

  　*

  　Warren was pacing on the street outside. She stormed past him without sloping to say anything. He ran to catch up.

  　Verna was a thunderhead, "I'll strangle her," she growled under her breath. "I'll strangle her with my bare hands. I don't care if the Keeper takes me, I'll have her throat in my hands."

  　"What are you talking about? What did you find out? Verna, slow down!"

  　"Don't talk to me right now, Warren. Don't say a word!"

  　She swept through the streets, her fists whipping in time to her furious strides, a storm rampaging across the land. The churning knot of fury in her stomach threatened to ignite in lightning. She didn't see the streets or buildings, or hear the drums thundering in the background. She forgot Warren trotting behind her. She could see nothing but a vision of vengeance.

  　She was blind to where she was, lost in a world of rage. Without knowing how she had gotten there, she found herself crossing one of the back bridges onto Hal【创建和谐家园】and Island. In the center crest above the river she stamped to a halt so abruptly that Warren almost collided with her.

  　She snatched the silver braiding at his collar. "You get yourself down into the vaults and link up that prophecy."

  　"What are you talking about?"

  　She shook him by his robes. "The one that says that when the Prelate and the Prophet are given to the Light in the sacred rite, the flames will bring to boil a cauldron of guile and give ascension to a false Prelate who will reign over the death of the Palace of the Prophets. Find the branches. Link it up. Find out everything you can. Do you understand!"

  　Warren snatched his robes free and tugged them straight. "What's this about? What did the gravedigger tell you?"

  　She held up a cautionary finger. "Not now, Warren."

  　"We're supposed to be friends, Verna. We're in this together, remember? I want to know—"

  　Her voice was thunder on the horizon. "Do as I tell you. If you press me right now, Warren, you are going to go for a swim. Now go link up that prophecy, and as soon as you find anything, you come tell me."

  　Verna knew about the prophecies in the vaults. She knew that it could easily take years to link branches. It could take centuries. What choice was there?

  　He brushed dust from his robes, giving his eyes an excuse to look elsewhere. 'As you wish, Prelate."

  　As he turned to go, she could see that his eyes were red and puffy. She wanted

  　10 catch his arm and stop him, but he was already too far away. She wanted to call

  　out to him and tell him that she wasn't angry at him, that it wasn't his fault that

  　**te was the false Prelate, but her voice failed her.

  　I She found the round rock beneath the limb and sprang up the wall. Bothering

  　with only two branches on the pear tree, she dropped to the ground inside the Prelate's compound and, when she regained her feet, started running. Panting in hurt, she slapped her hand repeatedly against the door to the Prelate's sanctuary, but it wouldn't open. Remembering why, she dug in her pocket and found the ring. Inside, she pressed it against the sunburst on the door to close it, and then with all her anger and anguish, heaved the ring across the room, hearing it clatter againsi the walls and skitter across the floor.

  　Verna pried the journey book from the secret pouch sewn on the back of her belt and plopped down on the three-legged stool. Gasping for her breath, she fumbled the stylus from the spine of the little black book. She opened it, spreading it flat, on the 【创建和谐家园】all table, and stared at the blank page.

  　She tried to think through the rage and resentment. She had to consider the possibility that she could be wrong. No. She wasn't wrong. Still, she was a Sister of the Light, for what that was worth, and knew better than to risk everything on presumption. She had to think of a way to verify who had the other book, and she also had to do it in a way that wouldn't betray her identity if she was wrong. But she wasn't wrong. She knew who had it.

  　Verna kissed her ring finger as she whispered a prayer beseeching the Creator's guidance, and asking, too, for strength.

  　She wanted to vent her wrath, but before all else, she had to make sure. With trembling fingers, she picked up the stylus and began to write.

  　You must first tell me the reason you chose me the last time. 1 remember every word. One mistake, and this journey book feeds the fire.

  　Verna closed the book and tucked it back into its secret pouch in her belt. Shakingv she pulled the comforter from its resting place atop the box bench and dragged it to the fat chair. Feeling more lonely than she had ever felt in her entire life, she curled up in the chair.

  　Verna remembered her last meeting with Prelate Annalina, when Verna had returned with Richard after all those years, Annalina hadn't wanted to see her, and it had taken weeks to finally be granted an audience. As long as she lived, no matter how many hundreds of years that might be, she would never forget that meeting, or the things the Prelate had told her.

  　Verna had been furious to discover the Prelate had withheld valuable information. The Prelate had used her and never told her the reasons. The Prelate had asked it Verna knew why she had been selected to go after Richard. Verna said she haci thought it was a vote of confidence. The Prelate said it was because she suspected that Sisters Grace and Elizabeth, who had been on the journey with her and had been the first two to be selected, were Sisters of the Dark, and she had privileged information from prophecy that said the first two Sisters would die. The Prelate said she had used her prerogative to pick Verna as the third Sister to go.

  　Verna asked, "You chose me, because you had faith that I was not one of them?"

  　"I chose you, Verna," the Prelate said, "because you were far down on the list, and because, all in all, you are quite unremarkable. I doubted you were one of them. You are a person of little note. I'm sure Grace and Elizabeth made their way to the top of the list because whoever directs the Sisters of the Dark considered them expendable. I direct the Sisters of the Light. I chose you for the same reason.

  　"There are Sisters who are valuable to our cause; I could not risk one of them