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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 corners of carpets curled up。 Windows rattled in their frames。 Sister Verna shook with effort。
The standing mirror in the bedroom shattered。 Panes of glass in the doors exploded as the doors to the balcony banged open。 The curtains billowed outward as if in a wind。 Plaster fell from the ceiling； and a tall cabinet toppled over with a crash。
A low moan of pain issued from her throat as the flesh on her face trembled。
Richard seized her wrists and pulled her hands from his collar。 She sagged forward。
‘Oh； Richard；’ she said in a mournful voice； I’m sorry。 I can’t do it。’
Richard took her in his arms and held her tight。 ‘It’s all right。 I believe you； Sister。 I know you tried。 You have found a friend。’
She squeezed him tight。 ‘Richard； you have to get away from this place。’
He sat her back in the chair as she wiped her fingers at the lower lids of her eyes。 Richard rocked back on his heels。 Tell me what’s happened。’
There are Sisters of the Dark in the palace。’
‘Sisters of the Dark？ What does that mean？’
The Sisters of the Light work to bring the light of the Creator’s glory to the living。 Sisters of the Dark serve the Keeper。 It has never been proven that they even exist。 The accusation； without proof； is a crime。 Richard； I know you aren’t going to believe me。 I realize this sounds like I’m just …’
‘I killed Sister Liliana tonight。 I believe you。’
She blinked at him。 ‘You did what？’
‘She told me she was going to take my collar off。 She had me meet her in the Hagen Woods。 Sister Verna； she tried to take the gift from me； for herself。’
‘She can’t do that。 A female cannot take on the gift of a male； or the other way around。 It isn’t possible。’
‘She said she had done it many times before。 It seemed possible to me when she was trying。 I could feel her pulling the life； the gift； right out of me。 She almost succeeded。 I came close to death。’
She brushed back her curly hair。 ‘But I don’t see how 。。。’
Richard pulled out the statue。 ‘She was using this。 The crystal started glowing orange when she was doing it。 Do you know what it is？’
Sister Verna shook her head。 ‘I think I’ve seen it before； somewhere； but I can’t remember。 It was so long ago。 Before I left the palace。 What happened then？’
‘When that didn’t work； because I used my power to stop her； she called a sword from the shadows。 She wanted to wound me。 She said she was going to skin me alive； and then steal my gift for herself。 She tried to cut off my legs。 Somehow； I got her first。
‘Sister Verna； she had Subtractive Magic。 I saw her use it。 Not only that； but someone else is trying to kill me。 I loaned my red coat to Perry。 They just dragged his body out of the river。 He had been stabbed in the back with a dacra。’
She grimaced。 ‘Oh； dear Creator。’ She twined her fingers together in her lap。 The palace knows you have Subtractive Magic。 They’re using you to flush out the Keeper’s