Stone of Tears

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 come 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?”