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d with sweat。 She fussed hopelessly with the matted； tangled mess of her hair。 The Sister must have made Pasha walk； as punishment。 Sister Maren； in her plain brown dress buttoned to her neck； looked cool and fortable atop the horse。
‘So； Richard；’ Sister Maren said； as she dismounted； ‘I am here； as you requested。 What is it you want？’
She knew very well what he wanted； but Richard decided to restate it in a pleasant tone。 ‘It’s quite simple。 Sister Verna is to be restored to Sister。 At once。 And you are also to return her dacra to her。’
She gestured dismissively。 ‘And here I thought you would want something unreasonable。 This is simple。 It is done。 Verna is returned to Sister。 It makes no difference to me。’
‘And when she asks why； I don’t want you to tell her about this business with me。 Just say you reconsidered； or something； and decided to reinstate her。 If you want； you can tell her you prayed for guidance from your Creator； and it came to you that she should remain a Sister。’
She brushed some of her fine； sandy hair back from her face。 That would suit me。 Are you satisfied？ Is everything to your liking？’
‘That would end it； and keep our truce。’
‘Good。 Now that the trifling matters are dispensed with； show me this dead bear。 Pasha has half the palace in an uproar with some babble about you killing a mriswith。’ Pasha furiously studied the ground as Sister Maren directed a scolding frown in her direction。 The foolish child never sets her slippered foot on anything that hasn’t been swept； scrubbed； or polished。 The only time she sticks her head out…of…doors is go see the latest bolt of lace to e to Tanimura。 She wouldn’t know a rabbit from an ox； and she certainly wouldn’t know a 。。。 What is that smell？’
‘Bear guts；’ Richard said。
He held out his arm； showing her the way。 Pasha deferentially stepped aside。 Sister Maren straightened her dress at her hips and marched toward the trees。 Pasha peeked up at him； and when they heard Sister Maren gasp； her head came the rest of the way up and she smiled。
When Sister Maren stepped backward to them； her face white as bed sheets； Pasha resumed her study of the ground。
Sister Maren’s trembling fingers lifted Pasha’s chin。 ‘You have spoken the truth；’ she whispered。 ‘Forgive me； child。’
Pasha curtsied。 ‘Of course； Sister Maren。 Thank you for taking the time to witness my report。’
Sister Maren’s haughty attitude had vanished； to be replaced by sincere concern。 She turned to Richard。 ‘How did this creature die？’ Richard lifted the sword clear of its scabbard a half foot and then slid it home。 Then what Pasha said is true？ You killed it？’
Richard shrugged。 ‘I spend quite a lot of my time out…of…doors。 I knew it was no rabbit。’
Sister Maren returned to the creature； mumbling to herself。 ‘I must study it。 This is an unprecedented opportunity。’
Pasha looked to Richard and wrinkled her nose in disgust as the Sister ran her finger over the lipless slit of a mouth； touched the ear holes； and ran her hand across the glossy black skin。 She tugged at the hide clothes； pulling them this way and that as she inspected them。
She rose to her feet； peering down at the entrails。 Finally； she turned to Richard。
‘Where is the cape？ Pasha said it had a cape。’
When the mriswith had lunged； and he had sliced it in two； the cape had been billowed open and so it was undamaged。 While Richard had been waiting for Pasha to return with the Sister； he had accidentally learned the astonishing thing the cape could do。 After that； he had washed it clean of blood； hung it over branches to dry； and then stuffed it away in his pack。 He had no intention of giving that cape away。
‘It’s mine。 It is a prize of battle。 I’m keeping it。’
She looked perplexed。 ‘But； the knives 。。。 don’t men fancy things like that as prizes of battle？ Why would you want a cape instead of the knives？’
Richard tapped the hilt。 ‘I have my sword。 Why would I want knives that have proven inferior to my sword？ I’ve always wanted a long black cape； and it’s a fine one； so I’m keeping it。’
The furrows of her scowl stole back onto her face。 ‘Is this another condition of your truce？’
‘If need be。’
The furrows softened。 She sighed。 ‘I guess it doesn’t matter。 It is the creature that is important； not its cape。’ She turned back to the reeking corpse。 ‘I must study this。’
While she bent back to the mriswith； Richard hooked his bow； quiver of arrows； and pack to the front of the saddle。 He put his foot in the stirrup and sprang up onto Bonnie。
‘Don’t stay after the sun goes down； Sister Maren。’
She glanced over her shoulder。 ‘My horse。 You can’t have my horse。’
Richard smiled apologetically。 ‘I twisted my ankle fighting the mriswith。 I’m sure you wouldn’t want the palace’s newest pupil limping all the way home； now； would you？ I might fall and crack my skull。’
‘But 。。。’
Richard reached down and gripped Pasha’s arm。 She gasped in surprise as he yanked her up； sitting her behind him on Bonnie。 ‘Please don’t let the sun set on you here； Sister。 I hear it’s dangerous in the Hagen Woods after dark。’
Pasha hid her face from the Sister； and he could feel her giggling softly against his back。
‘Yes； yes；’ Sister Maren said； her eyes already lost to the mriswith； ‘all right。 You two go on back。 You have done well； both of you。 I must study this creature before the animals get to it。’
Pasha held him so tight that he could hardly breathe。 It was distracting to feel her firm breasts mashed against his back。 Her fingers gripped his chest； trying to get a better hold on him； as if she was afraid she might fall at any moment。
When they were clear of the woods； and into the open hills； he slowed Bonnie to a walk and pried Pasha’s hands off。
She clamped them right back。 ‘Richard！ I might fall！’
He pulled her hands loose again。 ‘You’re not going to fall。 Just hold on easy； and let your hips move with the horse。 Use your balance； you don’t need to cling for dear life。’
She gripped his sides。 ‘Well； I’ll try。’
The sky was turning golden as they descended the rounded hills toward the city。 Richard swayed with Bonnie’s steps as she went over rocks and across shallow ravines； and thought about the mriswith； and his hunger to fight it。 The craving to go back into the Hagen Woods still burned in the back of his mind。
‘Your ankle isn’t really twisted； is it？’ Pasha asked after a long ride in silence。
‘No。’
‘You lied to a Sister。 Richard； you must learn that lying is wrong。 The Creator hates lies。’
‘So Sister Verna has told me。’
He decided he didn’t want to ride anymore with her holding on to him； so he dismounted and lead Bonnie by the reins。 Pasha scooted forward into the saddle。
‘Then why did you do it if you know it’s wrong？’
‘Because I wanted to make Sister Maren walk back。 She made you walk all the way out there again as punishment for something that was not your f