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here is danger for you in this and I won’t be put off。’
She fingered the finely worked gold flower she kept on a chain around her neck。 Jedidiah had made it for her himself； not with magic； but with his own hands。 It was a morning glory； meant to represent his awakening awareness of the gift； an awareness she had helped to blossom。 That little gold flower meant more to her than anything else she had。
She took up his hand and leaned against him。 ‘All right； Jedidiah； I will tell you。 But I can’t tell you all of it。 It’s too dangerous for you to know everything。’
‘What’s too dangerous？ What can’t you tell me？’
‘Be quiet and listen； or I will send you back right now。 And you know I can do it。’
His other hand went to the collar。 ‘Margaret； you wouldn’t do that。 Tell me you wouldn’t do that； not since we have been。。。’
‘Hush！’ He fell silent。 She waited a moment to be certain he was going to stay hushed before she went on。 ‘I have suspected for a time that some of the ones with the gift who have gone away； or died； have not done so as it has been put to us。 I think they have been murdered。’
‘What！’
‘Keep your voice down！’ she whispered angrily。 ‘Do you want to get us killed； too？’ He fell silent once more。 ‘I think something awful is going on in the Palace of the Prophets。 I think some of the Sisters murdered them。’
He stared at her in the darkness。 ‘Murdered？ By Sisters？ Margaret； you must be crazy to even suggest such a thing。’
‘Well； I’m not。 But everyone would think I was if I were to say such a thing aloud inside the palace walls。 I have to figure out a way to prove it。’
He thought a moment。 ‘Well； I know you better than anyone； and if you say it’s true； then I believe you。 I’ll help。 Maybe we could dig up the bodies； find something to go against what was said about their deaths； find somebody who saw something。 We could carefully question the staff。 There are ones I know who 。。。’
‘Jedidiah； that’s not the worst of it。’
‘What could be worse？’
She held the gold flower in the crook of a finger and rubbed her thumb against it。 Her voice came even lower than before。 There are Sisters of the Dark in the palace。’
Even without being able to see him in the darkness； she knew bumps were running up his arms。 The night bugs chirped around them as she watched the dark shape of his face。 ‘Margaret。。。 Sisters of the 。。。 that can’t be。 There is no such thing。 That is only a myth 。。。 a fable。’
‘It is no myth。 There are Sisters of the Dark in the palace。’
‘Margaret； please don’t keep saying that。 You could be put to death for making an accusation like that。 If you accuse a Sister of that； and can’t prove it； you would be put to death。 And you can’t prove it because it isn’t possible。 There is no such thing as a Sister of the 。。。’
He couldn’t even say the words。 The thought of it frightened him so much； he couldn’t even say it out loud。 She knew his fear。 She had felt it herself until she had happened on things she could no longer ignore。 She wished she hadn’t gone to see the Prophet that night； or at least not listened to him。
The Prelate had been angry that Margaret wouldn’t give the Prophet’s message to one of her aides。 When she had finally granted an audience； the Prelate had only stared blankly at her and asked what the ‘pebble in the pond’ was。 Margaret didn’t know。 The Prelate had lectured her sternly for bothering her with Nathan’s nonsense。 Margaret had been furious at Nathan when he had denied remembering giving any such message for the Prelate。
‘I wish it were as you say； but it is not。 They’re real。 They are among us。 They are in the palace。’ She watched the dark shadow of him a moment。 That’s why I’m out here。 To get the proof。’
‘How are you going to do that？’
‘They’re out here。 I followed them。 They e out into the Hagen Woods to do something。 I’m going to find out what。’
His head turned about； searching the darkness。 ‘Who？ Which Sisters？ Do you know which ones？’
‘I know。 Some of them anyway。’
‘Which ones are they？’
‘Jedidiah； I can’t tell you。 If you knew； and you made even the slightest mistake 。。。 you would not be able to defend yourself。 If I’m right and they really are Sisters of the Dark； they would kill you for knowing。 I can’t bear the thought of you being hurt。 I won’t tell you until I go to the Prelate’s office with the proof。’
‘How do you know they are Sisters of the 。。。 And what proof have you？ What proof could you get？’
She searched the darkness for any sign of danger。 ‘One of the Sisters has something。 A thing of magic。 A thing of dark magic。 I saw it in her office。 It’s a little statue。 I noticed it one time because she has a number of things； old things everyone thinks are just ancient curiosities。 I had seen it before； and like all the rest of the things； it was covered with dust。
‘But this one time； after one of the boys died； I went to her office to talk to her about it； about her report。 That little statue was tucked back in a corner； with a book leaning against it； hiding it； and it wasn’t covered with dust。 It was clean。’
That’s it！ This Sister dusted a statue； and you think 。。。’
‘No。 No one knows what that statue is。 After I saw she had dusted it； I had reason to question what it was。 I had to be careful； not let anyone know what I was up to； but I finally found out what it is。’
‘How？ How did you find out？’
She remembered her visit to Nathan； and her vow never to reveal how she had learned what that statue was。 ‘Never you mind。 That is not for you to know。’
‘Margaret； how could you 。。。’
She cut him off。 ‘I said I’m not telling you。 And it isn’t important anyway。 What is important is what the statue is； not how I found out about it。 It’s a man holding up a crystal。 The crystal is quillion。’
‘What’s quillion？’
‘It’s an exceedingly rare magic crystal。 It has the power to bleed the magic from a wizard。’
The surprise of that left him speechless for a moment。 ‘How do you know it’s quillion； if it’s so rare？ How would you be able to recognize it？ Maybe it is just some other crystal that looks similar。’
That might be true if it hadn’t been used。 When quillion is used to bleed the magic from a wizard； it glows orange with the power of his gift； his Han。 For just a brief second as I left her office； I saw that statue； all clean； hiding behind that book。 The quillion was glowing orange。 But that was before I knew what it was。 After I found out； I went back； to take it to the Prelate； as proof； but it no longer was glowing。’
‘What could that mean？’ he whispered in a fearful voice。
‘It means that the wizard’s power had passed out of the crystal； into somebody。 A host。 Quillion is just a vessel for the gift until it can be placed into someone else。 Jedidiah； I think the Sisters are killing those with the gift； and stealing it for themselves。 I think they are absorbing the power into themselves。’
His voice trembled