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f me。 She almost succeeded。 I came close to death。’
She brushed back her curly hair。 ‘But I don’t see how 。。。’
Richard pulled out the statue。 ‘She was using this。 The crystal started glowing orange when she was doing it。 Do you know what it is？’
Sister Verna shook her head。 ‘I think I’ve seen it before； somewhere； but I can’t remember。 It was so long ago。 Before I left the palace。 What happened then？’
‘When that didn’t work； because I used my power to stop her； she called a sword from the shadows。 She wanted to wound me。 She said she was going to skin me alive； and then steal my gift for herself。 She tried to cut off my legs。 Somehow； I got her first。
‘Sister Verna； she had Subtractive Magic。 I saw her use it。 Not only that； but someone else is trying to kill me。 I loaned my red coat to Perry。 They just dragged his body out of the river。 He had been stabbed in the back with a dacra。’
She grimaced。 ‘Oh； dear Creator。’ She twined her fingers together in her lap。 The palace knows you have Subtractive Magic。 They’re using you to flush out the Keeper’s disciples。’ She took his hand。 ‘Richard； I’ve been a part of this。 I should have long ago questioned things that were wrong； but I didn’t。 I instead did as I thought was right。’
‘Questioned what？’
‘Forgive me； Richard。 You should never have had a Rada’Han put around your neck。 It wasn’t necessary。 I was told there were no wizards in the New World to help boys。 I thought you would die without our help。 Your friend； Zedd； could have kept the gift from harming you。 The Prelate knew there were wizards to help you。 She let you be stolen from your friends and loved ones for her own selfish reasons。 You didn’t need the Rada’Han to save your life。’
‘I know。 I talked to Nathan。 He told me。’
‘You went to the Prophet？ What else did he say？’
‘That I have more power than any wizard born in three thousand years。 But I have no idea how to use it。 And that I have Subtractive Magic。 He said that the Sisters could not remove the collar。’
‘I’m so sorry I brought this upon you； Richard。’
‘Sister Verna； you were deceived； as was I。 You’re a victim； too。 They’ve used both of us。
‘There is worse trouble。 There is a prophecy that says that on winter solstice； Kahlan is going to die。 I must stop that from happening。 And Darken Rahl； my father； an agent of the Keeper； is in this world。 You saw the mark he burned on me。 He is an agent who can tear the veil if he has all the elements in place； though I doubt he does。
‘Sister Verna； I have to get away from here。 I must get through the barrier。’
‘I’ll help you。 Somehow； I’ll help you get through the barrier。 Your problem will be the Valley of the Lost。 I don’t think you can get through the valley again。 Now that the collar has helped your Subtractive Magic grow； you will call the spells to you。 The magic will find you； this time。’
‘I might have a way。 I must try。’
Sister Verna thought a moment。 The Keeper would want to stop you； if there is a possibility for this prophecy about his agent to e to pass。 The Sisters of the Dark will work to stop you。 I am sure Liliana wasn’t the only one。’
‘Who placed her as my teacher？’
The Prelate’s office assigns teachers。 But the Prelate probably wouldn’t have done it herself。 Such matters are usually handled by her administrators。’
‘Her administrators？’
‘Sisters Ulicia and Finella。’
‘I thought they were her guards。’
‘Guards？ No。 Maybe in a bureaucratic sense。 The Prelate has more power than they。 She doesn’t need guards。 Some of the boys think of them as guards； because they are always turned away from the Prelate’s door by the two Sisters。 They do some of their work in the Prelate’s office； and they have their own offices where they handle a variety of administrative tasks。’
‘Maybe the Sisters of the Dark came after me； decided they had to act now； because they had been discovered。’
‘No。 The Prelate told me no one but she knows。’
‘Could anyone have overheard？’
‘No。 She shielded the room。’
Richard leaned in。 ‘Sister Verna； Liliana had Subtractive Magic。 The Prelate’s shield would not have worked against that。 One of those two administrators assigned Sister Liliana to me。’
She drew a sudden breath。 ‘And the other five。 If one or both of those two in the outer office heard what the Prelate knows； then the Prelate 。。。 Sister Ulicia’s office … that’s where I saw that statue！’
Richard grabbed her wrist and yanked her from the chair。
‘e on！ If they tried to kill me； they may try to kill the Prelate before she warns anyone else！’
The two of them raced down the stairs and out of Gil…laume Hall。 They crossed the lawns in the darkness； ran down halls and through passageways。 Kevin wasn’t there； another guard was on duty； but he didn’t stop them； as he； too； knew Richard； and Sisters were not restricted。
Richard knew they were too late when he saw the charred doors to the Prelate’s office broken from their hinges。 He slid to a stop on the slick marble floor of the hall。 Papers and ledgers were scattered out into the hall。
Sister Verna was still running down the hall as he went into the office with his sword drawn。 It looked as if a thunderstorm had been turned loose inside。 What was left of Sister Finella lay on the floor behind her desk。 The rest of her was splattered across the wall。 He heard Sister Verna gasp as he kicked in the door to the Prelate’s office。
When the door swung back Richard dove through and rolled to his feet with his sword in both hands。 The Prelate’s room was more of a mess than the outer room。 Papers were nearly a foot deep over most of the floor。 It looked as if all the books from the shelves had exploded； throwing the pages everywhere。 The heavy walnut table was in splinters against the far wall。 The room was in near darkness。 Only the doorway behind and the open doors to the moonlit garden let in any light。
Sister Verna lit a bright flame in her palm。 In the sudden illumination； he saw a form at the far end of the room near the overturned table。 The head came slowly up。 The eyes locked on his。 It was Sister Ulicia。
Richard dove to the side as a bolt of blue lightning blasted through the room； ripping open the wall behind。 Sister Verna returned the attack with a searing gout of yellow flame。 Sister Ulicia dove through the doorway into the courtyard to avoid the fire。 Richard went after her。 Sister Verna ran to the overturned； splintered table； pawing scraps away。
‘Duck！’ Richard screamed back to her。
A twisting rope of the black lightning sliced through the walls right over his head as he flattened to the floor。 Severed bookshelves crashed down。 He could see through the void sliced by the black lightning into the next room； and the rooms beyond。 Plaster and lath and stone collapsed down； raising boiling clouds of dust。
In a fury； without thinking； Richard came to his feet when the black lighting ceased； and ran outside。 He saw a dark form runn