Stone of Tears

“Running away is not the solution. You didn’t run from Darken Rahl.”

He looked at her a long moment and then nodded. “I’ll listen.”

The three were standing where Kahlan had left them. They gave her small smiles of appreciation, apparently pleased she had brought him back. Richard and Kahlan stood close together in front of the three women.

“We will listen—listen—to what you have to say about my headaches.”

Sister Grace looked to Kahlan. Thank you for your help, Mother Confessor, but we will speak with Richard alone now.”

Richard’s anger flared again, but he kept his tone in check. “Kahlan and I are to be married.” The three gave each other the look again. It was a little more serious this time. “What you have to say to me affects her, too. If you want to talk to me, she will stay and hear it too. Both of us, or neither. Choose.”

The looks were still passing between the three. At last Sister Grace spoke.

“Very well.”

“And the first thing you should know is that I don’t like magic, and I’m not convinced I have the gift. If I do, I am not pleased about it, and only want to be rid of it.”

“We are not here to please you; we are here to save your life. To do that we must teach you to use the gift. If you don’t learn to control it, it will kill you.”

“I understand. I had a similar problem with the Sword of Truth.”

The first thing you must learn,” Sister Verna said, “is that just as the Mother Confessor is to be treated with deference, so are we. We have worked long and hard to become Sisters of the Light, and expect to be treated with due respect. I am Sister Verna, this is Sister Grace, and this is Sister Elizabeth.”

Richard glared at them. At last, he bowed his head. As you wish. Sister Verna.” He regarded each in turn. And who are the Sisters of the Light?”

“We are the ones who train wizards, those with the gift.”

“Where are the Sisters of the Light from?”

“We all live and work at the Palace of the Prophets.”

Kahlan frowned. “sister Verna, I’ve never heard of the Palace of the Prophets. Where is it?”

“In the city of Tanimura.”

Kahlan’s frown deepened. “I know every city in the Midlands. I’ve never heard of Tanimura.”

Sister Verna held Kahlan’s gaze for a moment. “Nonetheless, that is where we are from.”

“Why were you surprised when you found out how old I am?”

“Because,” Sister Grace said, “it is almost unheard of for one with the gift not to come to our attention when he is still young.”

“How young?”

“At the very most, a third your age.”

“And why do you think I did not come to your attention?”

“Obviously, you have been hidden from us, somehow.”

Kahlan recognized that Richard was slipping into his Seeker’s role, seeking answers to his questions before he gave them anything they wanted.

“Did you train Zedd?”

“Who?”

“Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander, wizard of the First Order.”

The look passed between them again. “We don’t know First Wizard Zorander.”

“I thought it was your business to know of ones with the gift. Sister Verna?”

They stiffened. “You know this wizard of the First Order?”

“I do. Why don’t you?”

“Is he old?” Richard nodded. “Perhaps he was before our time.”

“Perhaps.” Richard, with a fist on his hip, strolled a few steps away and stopped with his back to them. “How do you know about me? Sister Elizabeth.”

“It is our business to know about those with the gift: wizards. Though you were obviously hidden from us, when you triggered the gift, we knew.”

“What if I don’t want to be a wizard?”

“That is your business. Ours is to teach you to control the magic. We are not here to force you to be a wizard, only to help you control the magic so you will live. Then you may be what you wish.”

Richard marched back and put his face close to Sister Verna. “How do you know I have the gift?”

“We are the Sisters of the Light. It is our business to know.”

“You thought I would be young. You thought I would be with my parents. You didn’t know I was the Seeker. You don’t know who the First Wizard is. You seem to be slipping in your business. Besides these errors, perhaps you are also mistaken about me having the gift, Sister Verna? Your mistakes do not inspire confidence. Does your position of respect tolerate such mistakes?”

Each woman’s face was crimson. Sister Verna controlled her voice with an effort. “Richard, our job, our calling, is to help those with the gift. We have devoted our lives to it. We are from far away. What we have learned has been done at a great distance. We don’t have all the answers. The matters you speak of are not important. What is important is that you have the gift, and if you don’t let us help you, you will die.

“One reason we help those with the gift when they are young, and we wanted to see your parents, is because of the very difficulty we are having right now. If we can talk to the parents, we can help them see what is best for their son. Parents are more interested in the well-being of their children than one of your age is in himself. Teaching one of your age is going to be difficult. People are more easily taught when they are young.”