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Verna pulled the stylus from the spine of the journey book. Moonrise was the time they had agreed upon to communicate through the journey books if they needed to. She bent closer and wrote in her book:
I am here, Ann. What happened? Are you all right?
In a moment, words began appearing in the book.
It’s a long story, and I don’t have time for it now, but Sister Roslyn was hunting Nathan, too. She was killed, along with at least eighteen innocent people. We can’t be sure of the true number consumed in the light spell.
Verna’s eyes widened at hearing that people were killed so. She wanted to ask what they were doing casting such a dangerous web, but decided not to ask as she read on.
First of all, Verna, we need to know if you have any idea what the “Jocopo treasure” is. Nathan didn’t explain.
Verna put a finger to her lips as she squeezed her eyes closed, trying to remember. She had heard the name before. She had been on her journey to the New World for twenty years, and she had heard of it there.
Ann, I think I recall hearing that the Jocopo were a people living somewhere in the wilds. If I recall correctly, they are all dead—exterminated in a war. I believe all traces of them were destroyed.
The wilds, you say. Verna, are you sure it was the wilds?
Yes.
Wait a moment while I tell Zedd this news.
The minutes dragged by as Verna watched the blank place at the end of the writing. At last, words began to appear.
Zedd has succumbed to a bout of loud cursing and arm flailing. He is swearing oaths about what he intends to do to Nathan. I am quite sure that he will find most of his intentions to be physically impossible. The Creator is humbling me for complaining to him that Nathan was incorrigible. I think I am being taught a lesson as to the true meaning of incorrigible.
Verna, the wilds are a big place. Any idea where in the wilds?
No. Sorry. I only recall hearing the Jocopo mentioned once. Somewhere in southern Kelton I once admired a pottery relic in a shop of curiosities. It was purported by the proprietor to have been made by a disappeared culture from the wilds. He called them the Jocopo. That’s all I know. I was hunting Richard at the time, not vanished cultures. I will check with Warren. He might know something from the books.
Thank you, Verna. If you find anything, send word at once. Now, do you have any idea what stupid thing it is that Nathan thinks a Sister is going to do?
No. We are all here with the D’Haran army. General Reibisch wants to stay to the south so as to thwart the Order should they invade. We await word from Richard. But there are Sisters of the Light being held captive by Jagang. Who can tell what he will make them do?
Ann, did Nathan say anything of the bound fork prophecy? Warren might be able to help if you would tell me the words of the prophecy.
There was a pause before Ann’s writing began again.
Nathan didn’t tell us the words. He said that the spirits denied him access to its meaning. He did say, though, that the victim of the double bind in the prophecy is Richard.
Verna gasped in some saliva. She coughed violently trying to get it back out of her lungs. Her eyes watering as she coughed, she held the book up and read the last message again. She finally got her lungs and throat clear.
Ann, you wrote “Richard.” Did you really mean Richard?
Yes.
Verna closed her eyes with a whispered prayer, fighting down the flutter of panic.
Anything else? Verna wrote.
Not for now. Your information about the Jocopo will help. We will be able to narrow our search, now, and know the questions to ask. Thank you. If you learn more, let me know. I had better go. Zedd is complaining of life threatening hunger.
Ann, is everything all right with you and the First Wizard?
Ducky. He has his collar off.
You took off his collar? Before you find Nathan? Why would you do such a thing?
I didn’t. He did.
Verna’s eyes widened at this news. She feared to ask how he could accomplish such a thing, so she didn’t. Verna thought she could read in Ann’s message that it was a sore subject.
And yet he is going with you?
Verna, I am not quite sure who is going with whom, but for now we both understand the dire nature of Nathan’s warning. Nathan isn’t always irrational.
I know. No doubt that old man is right now smiling at a woman, trying to make her swoon and fall into his bed. Verna wrote. May the Creator hold you safely in his care, Prelate.
Ann was really the Prelate, but had named Verna Prelate when she and Nathan had faked their death’s and gone on an important mission. For now, everyone thought Ann and Nathan dead, and that Verna was the Prelate.
Thank you, Verna. One other thing. Zedd is concerned for Adie. He wishes you to take her aside and let her know that he is alive and well, but “in the hands of a crazy woman.”
Ann, do you wish me to tell the Sisters that you are alive and well?
The message took a moment to resume.
No, Verna. Not just now. It helps you, and them, that they have you as Prelate. With what Nathan has told us, and what we must do, it would be inadvisable to tell them that I live, only to have to turn around and tell them that I am dead, after all.
Verna understood. The wilds were a dangerous place. That was where Verna had had to kill people. And she hadn’t been trying to get information out of them; she had been trying to avoid contact with people there. Verna had been young and fast at the time. Ann was nearly as old as Nathan. But she was a sorceress, and she did have a wizard with her. While Zedd was not young, either, he was far from helpless. The fact that he had managed to remove his Rada
’Han spoke volumes about his ability.
Ann, don’t say that. You be careful. You and Zedd must protect each other. We all need you back.
Thank you, child. Take care of the Sisters of the Light, Prelate. Who knows, I may want them back, someday.
Verna smiled at the comfort of consulting with Ann, and at her humor in dire circumstance. Verna wished she had a sense of humor like Ann. The smile faded when she remembered that Ann had told her that Richard was the victim named in the deadly prophecy.
She thought about what Nathan had warned, that one of the Sisters was going to do something stupid. She wished that Nathan had been more specific. He could mean almost anything by “stupid.” Verna wouldn’t be inclined to believe just anything Nathan said, but Ann knew him much better than did Verna.
She thought about the Sisters Jagang was holding. Some were Sisters of the Light, and a few were Verna’s dear friends, and had been since they were novices. The five of them—Christabel, Amelia, Janet, Phoebe, and Verna—had grown up together at the palace.
Of those, Verna had named Phoebe one of her administrators. Only Phoebe was with them, now. Christabel, Verna’s dearest friend, had turned to the Keeper of the Underworld; she had become a Sister of the Dark, and had been captured by Jagang. The last two of Verna’s friends, Amelia and Janet, had been taken by Jagang, too. Janet had remained loyal to the Light, Verna knew, but she wasn’t sure about Amelia. If she was still loyal…
Verna pressed trembling fingers to her lips at the thought of her two friends, two Sisters of the Light, being slaves to the dream walker.
In the end, that decided her.
Verna peeked into Warren’s tent. Unbidden, a smile came to her lips when she saw his shape on his blankets in the darkness, probably pondering some young prophet’s thoughts. She smiled at how much she loved him, and at knowing how much he loved her.
