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‘No； Sister； it is not。’ She curtsied。 ‘Thank you； Sisters； for your time。’
Sister Verna sighed to herself as she closed the door against her back。 She stood for a moment； considering。
Eyes to the floor before her； she made her way back through the palace； down halls both opened and closed； both stone and paneled； across floors carpeted and tiled。 Rounding a corner； she came suddenly upon someone。 She looked up into a face she had been hoping not to see。
He smiled in a familiar manner。 ‘Verna！ How good to see you！’
His young； square…jawed face looked unchanged。 His wavy brown hair was worn a little longer over his ears than before； and his shoulders were broader than she remembered。 She had to restrain herself from touching his cheek； from falling into his arms。
She bowed her head。 ‘Jedidiah。’ She gazed up into his brown eyes。 ‘You look fit。 You look 。。。 the same as you have always looked。 You wear the time well。’
‘You look 。。。 I guess 。。。’
‘The word you are searching for is old。 I look old。’
‘Ah； Verna。 A few wrinkles …’ He glanced down her body。’ … a few pounds； do not diminish a beauty such as yours。’
‘I see your tongue is still in good form around women。’ She glanced to his plain； tan robes。 ‘And I can see you’ve been a good student； as always； and have managed to advance yourself。 I’m proud of you； Jedidiah。’
He shrugged off the pliment and pressed his fingers together。 Tell me about the new one you brought in。’
Her eyes narrowed。 ‘You’ve not seen me in twenty…odd years； since I rose from your bed to go on my journey； and that is your question for me？ Not； how have I fared？ Not； how do I feel about you after all this time？ Not； has your heart found another？ Well； I guess the shock of seeing how I’ve aged has made those questions fly right from your head。’
The sly smile stayed on his lips。 ‘Verna； you’re not a silly girl。 Surely you must realize that in the passing of so much time； neither of us could be expected to 。。。’
‘Of course I know that！ I had no delusions of us。 I had simply hoped to return and be treated with a little tact and sensitivity。’
He shrugged again。 ‘I’m sorry； Verna。 I always thought of you as a woman who appreciated candor； one who had no use for word sports。’ His eyes went out of focus。 ‘I guess I’ve learned so much about 。。。 life 。。。 since back then； when I was so young。’
She removed her glare from his handsome face and started away。 ‘Good night； Jedidiah。’
‘What of my question？’ His voice had an unpleasant edge to in。 He softened it。 ‘What’s the new one like？’
She halted； but didn’t turn。 ‘You were there。 I saw you。 What you saw of Richard is what he is。’
‘I also saw what happened to you。 I’m gaining a little influence among some of the Sisters。 Maybe I can do something to help you with your situation。’ He gestured vaguely with a hand。 ‘If you’re open with me； and satisfy my curiosity； maybe I can help you out of your unfortunate predicament。’
She started out again。 ‘Good night； Jedidiah。’
‘I’ll be seeing you around the palace； Verna。 Think on it。’
She couldn’t believe how ignorant she had been all those years ago。 She remembered Jedidiah as caring and sincere。 Maybe her memory was addled。
Maybe she was just thinking of herself； and hadn’t given him the chance to be kinder。 She must look a mess。 She should have cleaned herself up； put on a nice dress； at least fixed her unruly hair； before she saw Jedidiah。 But she had not had the chance。
Maybe if she had touched his cheek； he would have remembered the spark of something； maybe remembered the tears he shed the day she left； and the promises he had made。 Promises she knew the moment they left his lips would be broken before their echo faded； so long ago。
She came to the hall that led to the novices’ apartments。 She stood looking down at the doors。 She was tired。 Sunup to sundown in the stables was going to be exhausting。 She turned the other way； instead。 She had one other thing to do before she slept。
Pasha came to a stop before a doorway with a casing of stone； carved to look like vines。 Nestled in the center of the stone vines was a large； round…topped； fumed oak door。
Pasha lifted an eyebrow to him。 ‘Your dungeon。’
‘There’s no bolt on the outside of the door。 How will you lock me in？’
She seemed surprised by the question。 ‘We don’t lock our boys in。 You’re free to e and go as you please。’
Richard frowned。 ‘You mean I’m free to roam this building？’
‘No。 You’re free to go wherever you wish。 You may go most anywhere in the palace； or into the city； if you wish。 Most of the boys spend a great deal of their time in the city。’
Her face reddened a little at the last of what she said； and she looked away from his face。
‘What about the country around the city？’
She shrugged； and then pulled the shoulder of her blue dress back up a little。 ‘Of course。 I don’t know why you would want to go into the countryside； none of the other boys do； but there’s nothing stopping you from going outside either the palace or the city。’
A worried wrinkle came to her brow。 ‘But you must stay clear of the Hagen Woods。 It is extremely dangerous。 Were you warned about the Hagen Woods？ Were you shown where it is while you journeyed to the palace？’
Richard nodded。 ‘How far may I go into the countryside？’
‘The Rada’Han will prevent you from going too far afield； we must be able to find you； but the limit is a good number of miles in a radius around the Palace of the Prophets。’
‘How many miles？’
‘Farther than you would want to go。 I expect almost all the way to the land of the savages。’
‘You mean the Baka Ban Mana。’
She nodded。 ‘Nearly that far； I would expect。’
‘Unguarded？’
She put her hands on her hips。 ‘You are assigned to me。 I will acpany you most everywhere you go； for now。 After our boys are more experienced； they go off on their own when they wish。’
‘Whenever I want； I can simply wander around？’
‘Well； you live here； at the palace； of course。 And you must be around for your lessons。 I will give you lessons； and so will a number of the Sisters。 We will teach you to touch your Han； and then once you are able to do that； we will begin to teach you how to control it。’
‘Why different Sisters？ Why not just one； or you？’
‘Because sometimes the Han of certain people works better together。 Also； the Sisters have more experience than me； have more knowledge。 There may be one or several of us who are better able to help you； and so different Sisters give you lessons； until we discover with whom you work best。’
‘Will Sister Verna be one of those？’
Pasha gave him a look from under her eyebrows。 ‘Verna is no longer a Sister。 She is no longer entitled to the appellation。 She is a novice； now； and should be addressed simply as Verna。 Novices； other than the one assigned to you … that is me … are not allowed to give lessons。 Novices of the fi