tg.stone of tears-第84章

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　It　was　said　the　Hagen　Woods　were　a　training　ground　for　a　very　special　kind　of　wizard。　That　kind　of　wizard　was　not　sent　there；　but　went　in　by　choice。　Because　he　wanted　to。　Craved　to　。。。　needed　to。
　
　But　that　was　only　what　was　said。　She　knew　of　no　wizard　going　off　to　spend　time　in　the　Hagen　Woods；　at　least　not　for　the　last　few　thousand　years。　If　it　was　true　any　ever　did。　The　tales　said　that　in　ancient　times　there　were　wizards　of　that　kind；　with　that　much　power；　and　that　they　went　into　the　Hagen　Woods。　Few　ever　came　out；　it　was　also　said。　But　there　were　rules；　even　to　this　place。
　
　‘The　sun　didn’t　set　while　I　was　here。　I　came　after　dark。　If　you　don’t　let　the　sun　set　on　you　in　the　Hagen　Woods；　you　can　leave；　and　I　don’t　intend　to　stay　long　enough　for　the　next　sun　to　set　on　me。　It’s　safe　enough。　For　me；　anyway。　I　want　you　to　go　home。　Right　now。’
　
　‘What’s　so　important　that　you　would　go　in　here？　What　are　you　doing？　I　expect　an　answer；　Margaret。　A　truthful　answer。　I　won’t　be　put　off。　There　is　danger　for　you　in　this　and　I　won’t　be　put　off。’
　
　She　fingered　the　finely　worked　gold　flower　she　kept　on　a　chain　around　her　neck。　Jedidiah　had　made　it　for　her　himself；　not　with　magic；　but　with　his　own　hands。　It　was　a　morning　glory；　meant　to　represent　his　awakening　awareness　of　the　gift；　an　awareness　she　had　helped　to　blossom。　That　little　gold　flower　meant　more　to　her　than　anything　else　she　had。
　
　She　took　up　his　hand　and　leaned　against　him。　‘All　right；　Jedidiah；　I　will　tell　you。　But　I　can’t　tell　you　all　of　it。　It’s　too　dangerous　for　you　to　know　everything。’
　
　‘What’s　too　dangerous？　What　can’t　you　tell　me？’
　
　‘Be　quiet　and　listen；　or　I　will　send　you　back　right　now。　And　you　know　I　can　do　it。’
　
　His　other　hand　went　to　the　collar。　‘Margaret；　you　wouldn’t　do　that。　Tell　me　you　wouldn’t　do　that；　not　since　we　have　been。。。’
　
　‘Hush！’　He　fell　silent。　She　waited　a　moment　to　be　certain　he　was　going　to　stay　hushed　before　she　went　on。　‘I　have　suspected　for　a　time　that　some　of　the　ones　with　the　gift　who　have　gone　away；　or　died；　have　not　done　so　as　it　has　been　put　to　us。　I　think　they　have　been　murdered。’
　
　‘What！’
　
　‘Keep　your　voice　down！’　she　whispered　angrily。　‘Do　you　want　to　get　us　killed；　too？’　He　fell　silent　once　more。　‘I　think　something　awful　is　going　on　in　the　Palace　of　the　Prophets。　I　think　some　of　the　Sisters　murdered　them。’
　
　He　stared　at　her　in　the　darkness。　‘Murdered？　By　Sisters？　Margaret；　you　must　be　crazy　to　even　suggest　such　a　thing。’
　
　‘Well；　I’m　not。　But　everyone　would　think　I　was　if　I　were　to　say　such　a　thing　aloud　inside　the　palace　walls。　I　have　to　figure　out　a　way　to　prove　it。’
　
　He　thought　a　moment。　‘Well；　I　know　you　better　than　anyone；　and　if　you　say　it’s　true；　then　I　believe　you。　I’ll　help。　Maybe　we　could　dig　up　the　bodies；　find　something　to　go　against　what　was　said　about　their　deaths；　find　somebody　who　saw　something。　We　could　carefully　question　the　staff。　There　are　ones　I　know　who　。。。’
　
　‘Jedidiah；　that’s　not　the　worst　of　it。’
　
　‘What　could　be　worse？’
　
　She　held　the　gold　flower　in　the　crook　of　a　finger　and　rubbed　her　thumb　against　it。　Her　voice　came　even　lower　than　before。　There　are　Sisters　of　the　Dark　in　the　palace。’
　
　Even　without　being　able　to　see　him　in　the　darkness；　she　knew　bumps　were　running　up　his　arms。　The　night　bugs　chirped　around　them　as　she　watched　the　dark　shape　of　his　face。　‘Margaret。。。　Sisters　of　the　。。。　that　can’t　be。　There　is　no　such　thing。　That　is　only　a　myth　。。。　a　fable。’
　
　‘It　is　no　myth。　There　are　Sisters　of　the　Dark　in　the　palace。’
　
　‘Margaret；　please　don’t　keep　saying　that。　You　could　be　put　to　death　for　making　an　accusation　like　that。　If　you　accuse　a　Sister　of　that；　and　can’t　prove　it；　you　would　be　put　to　death。　And　you　can’t　prove　it　because　it　isn’t　possible。　There　is　no　such　thing　as　a　Sister　of　the　。。。’
　
　He　couldn’t　even　say　the　words。　The　thought　of　it　frightened　him　so　much；　he　couldn’t　even　say　it　out　loud。　She　knew　his　fear。　She　had　felt　it　herself　until　she　had　happened　on　things　she　could　no　longer　ignore。　She　wished　she　hadn’t　gone　to　see　the　Prophet　that　night；　or　at　least　not　listened　to　him。
　
　The　Prelate　had　been　angry　that　Margaret　wouldn’t　give　the　Prophet’s　message　to　one　of　her　aides。　When　she　had　finally　granted　an　audience；　the　Prelate　had　only　stared　blankly　at　her　and　asked　what　the　‘pebble　in　the　pond’　was。　Margaret　didn’t　know。　The　Prelate　had　lectured　her　sternly　for　bothering　her　with　Nathan’s　nonsense。　Margaret　had　been　furious　at　Nathan　when　he　had　denied　remembering　giving　any　such　message　for　the　Prelate。
　
　‘I　wish　it　were　as　you　say；　but　it　is　not。　They’re　real。　They　are　among　us。　They　are　in　the　palace。’　She　watched　the　dark　shadow　of　him　a　moment。　That’s　why　I’m　out　here。　To　get　the　proof。’
　
　‘How　are　you　going　to　do　that？’
　
　‘They’re　out　here。　I　followed　them。　They　e　out　into　the　Hagen　Woods　to　do　something。　I’m　going　to　find　out　what。’
　
　His　head　turned　about；　searching　the　darkness。　‘Who？　Which　Sisters？　Do　you　know　which　ones？’
　
　‘I　know。　Some　of　them　anyway。’
　
　‘Which　ones　are　they？’
　
　‘Jedidiah；　I　can’t　tell　you。　If　you　knew；　and　you　made　even　the　slightest　mistake　。。。　you　would　not　be　able　to　defend　yourself。　If　I’m　right　and　they　really　are　Sisters　of　the　Dark；　they　would　kill　you　for　knowing。　I　can’t　bear　the　thought　of　you　being　hurt。　I　won’t　tell　you　until　I　go　to　the　Prelate’s　office　with　the　proof。’
　
　‘How　do　you　know　they　are　Sisters　of　the　。。。　And　what　proof　have　you？　What　proof　could　you　get？’
　
　She　searched　the　darkness　for　any　sign　of　danger。　‘One　of　the　Sisters　has　something。　A　thing　of　magic。　A　thing　of　dark　magic。　I　saw　it　in　her　office。　It’s　a　little　statue。　I　noticed　it　one　time　because　she　has　a　number　of　things；　old　things　everyone　thinks　are　just　ancient　curiosities。　I　had　seen　it　before；　and　like　all　the　rest　of　the　things；　it　was　covered　with　dust。
　
　‘But　this　one　time；　after　one　of　the　boys　died；　I　went　to　her　office　to　talk　to　her　about　it；　about　her　report。　That　little　statue　was　tucked　back　in　a　corner；　with　a　book　leaning　against　it；　hiding　it；　and　it　wasn’t　covered　with　dust。　It　was　clean。’
　
　That’s　it！　This　Sister　dusted　a　statue；　and　you　think　。。。’
　
　‘No。　No　one　knows　what　that　statue　is。　After　I　saw　she　had　dusted　it；　I　had　reason　to　question　what　it　was。　I　had　to　be　careful；　not　let　anyone　know　what　I　was　up　to；　but　I　finally　found　out　what　it　is。’
　
　‘How？　How　did　you　find　out？’
　
　She　remembered　her　visit　to　Nathan；　and　her　vow　never　to　reveal　how　she　had　learned　what　that　statue　was。　‘Never　you　mind。　That　is　not　for　you　to　know。’
　
　‘Margaret；　how　could　you　。。。’
　
　She　cut　him　off。　‘I　said　I’m　not　telling　you。　And　it　isn’t　important　anyway。　What　is　important　is　what　the　statue　is；　not　how　I　found　out　about　it。　It’s　a　man　holding　up　a　crystal。　The　crystal　is　quillion。’
　
　‘What’s　quillion？’
　
　‘It’s　an　exceedingly　rare　magic　crystal。　It　has　the　power　to　bleed　the　magic　from　a　wizard。’
　
　The　surprise　of　that　left　him　speechless　for　a　moment。　‘How　do　you　know　it’s　quillion；　if　it’s　so　rare？　How　would　you　be　able　to　recognize　it？　Maybe　it　is　just　some　other　crystal　that　looks　similar。’
　
　That　might　be　true　if　it　hadn’t　been　used。　When　quillion　is　used　to　bleed　the　magic　from　a　wizard；　it　glows　orange　with　the　power　of　his　gift；　his　Han。　For　just　a　brief　second　as　I　left　her　office；　I　saw　that　statue；　all　clean；　hiding　behind　that　book。　The　quillion　was　glowing　orange。　But　that　was　before　I　knew　what　it　was。　After　I　found　out；　I　went　back；　to　take　it　to　the　Prelate；　as　proof；　but　it　no　longer　was　glowing。’
　
　‘What　could　that　mean？’　he　whispered　in　a　fearful　voice。
　
　‘It　means　that　the　wizard’s　power　had　passed　out　of　the　crystal；　into　somebody。　A　host。　Quillion　is　just　a　vessel　for　the　gift　until　it　can　be　placed　into　someone　else。　Jedidiah；　I　think　the　Sisters　are　killing　those　with　the　gift；　and　stealing　it　for　themselves。　I　think　they　are　absorbing　the　power　into　themselves。’
　
　His　voice　trembled