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She felt like the biggest fool the Creator had ever seen。 ‘Such a shame。’
‘You have done well； Jedidiah。 You will be rewarded。 And as for you； Margaret 。。。 well； tomorrow Jedidiah will report that after trying to avoid the insistent affections of an older woman； he finally and firmly rejected you for good； and you ran away in shame and humiliation。 If they e here and find your bones； it will confirm their fears that you chose to end your life because you felt unworthy to live any longer as a Sister of the Light。’
The dark…flecked eyes glided back to Margaret。 ‘Let me have her。 Let me test my new gift。 Let me taste it。’
Those eyes kept Margaret frozen； her hand still clutching the gold flower at her neck。 She could hardly breathe through the numbing agony of knowing Jedidiah had betrayed her。
She had prayed to the Creator to give Jedidiah strength； strength to help others。 She had had no idea who those others would be。 The Creator had answered her prayers； foolish as they had been。
When the Sister consented； the thin lips widened in a greedy grin。 Margaret felt naked； helpless； in the penetrating gaze of those flecked eyes。
At last； Margaret made her mind work。 Her thoughts sprang to a terrified groping for a way of escape。 She could only think of one thing to do； before it was too late。 With panicked abandon； she let her Han explode through every fiber of herself； and brought forth a shield； the most powerful shield she knew … a shield of air。 She made it hard as steel。 Impenetrable。 She poured her hurt and hate into it。
The thin smile never left。 The flecked eyes didn’t move。 ‘Air； is it then？ With the gift； I can see it now。 Shall I show you what I can do with air？ What the gift can do with it？’
‘The Creator’s power will protect me；’ Margaret managed。
The thin smile turned to a sneer。 ‘You think so？ Let me show you the Creator’s impotence。’
Her hand came up。 Margaret expected a ball of Wizard’s Fire。 It wasn’t； it was a ball of air so dense she could see it； see it ing。 It was so dense it distorted what was seen through it。 Margaret could hear the whoosh of its approach； the wail of its power。 It went through her shield like flaming pitch through paper。
It shouldn’t have been able to do that； her shield was air。 Air should not have been able to break a shield of air； not a shield as strong as she had made。 But this was air made not by a mere Sister； but one with the gift。 A wizard’s gift。
Confused； Margaret realized she was lying on the ground； looking up at the stars； pretty stars： the Creator’s stars。 She couldn’t draw a breath。 Simply couldn’t。
She thought it odd； she didn’t remember the air hitting her。 Only her breath being ripped violently from her lungs。 She felt cold； but there was something warm against her face。 Warm and wet。 It was a fort。
Her legs didn’t seem to work。 Try as she might； she couldn’t make them move。 With the greatest of effort； she managed to lift her head a bit。 The Sisters hadn’t moved； but now somehow； they were farther away。 They all watched her。 Margaret looked down at herself。
Something was terribly wrong。
Below her ribs； there was mostly nothing there。 Just the shredded； wet remains of her insides； and then nothing。 Where the rest of her should have been； there was nothing。 Where had her legs gone？ They must be somewhere。 They had to be somewhere。
There they were。 They lay a little distance away； where she had been standing。
So。 That was why she couldn’t take a breath。 Air shouldn’t have been able to do that。 It was impossible。 At least air wielded by a Sister shouldn’t have been able to do that。 It was a wonder。
Dear Creator； why have you not helped me？ I was doing your work。 Why have you let this be done！
It should hurt； shouldn’t it？ Shouldn’t it hurt to be ripped in half？ But it didn’t。 It didn’t hurt the least little bit。
Cold。 She felt only cold。 But the warm rope of her guts lying against her face felt good。 Warm。 She took fort in the warmth。
Maybe it didn’t hurt because the Creator was helping her。 That must be it。 The Creator had taken her pain。 Dear Creator； thank you。 I did my best。 I am sorry I failed you。 Send another。
Boots were near： Jedidiah。 Husband Jedidiah； monster Jedidiah。
‘I tried to warn you； Margaret。 I tried to keep you away。 You can’t say I didn’t try。’
Her arms lay sprawled out to her sides。 In her right hand she could feel the little gold flower。 She hadn’t let go of it。 Even as she was torn in half； she never let go。 She tried to now； but she couldn’t make her hand open。 She wished she had the strength to open her hand。 She didn’t want to die with that in her hand。 But she just couldn’t open her fingers。
Dear Creator； I have failed in this； too。
Since she couldn’t release it； she did the only other thing she could think of。 She sent the rest of her power into it。 Maybe someone would see； and ask the right question。
Tired。 She was so very tired。
She tried to close her eyes； but they wouldn’t close。 How could a person die； if they couldn’t close their eyes？
There were a lot of stars。 Pretty stars。 There seemed to be fewer than she remembered。 Hardly any at all。 She thought her mother had told her once how many there were。 But she couldn’t remember。
Well； she would just have to count them。
One 。。。 two 。。。
CHAPTER 21
‘How long？’ Chase asked。
The seven fierce…looking men that were squatted down in a half circle before her and Chase just stared at him and blinked。 None of the seven had any weapons except belt knives； and one didn’t even have that。 But there were a lot of other men standing behind them； and they all had bows or spears； or both。
Rachel tugged her thick； brown； woolen cloak tighter around herself and shifted her weight as she squatted； wiggling her toes； wishing her feet weren’t so cold。 They were starting to tingle。 She stroked her fingers over the big； amber stone hanging on the chain from her neck。 Its smooth teardrop shape felt warm against her fingers。
Chase mumbled something Rachel couldn’t understand as he pushed his heavy black cloak back over his shoulders and then pointed with a stick at the two people drawn in the dirt。 All the leather belts for his weapons creaked as he leaned forward on boots big enough for any of the other men to fit both of their feet into just one。 He tapped his stick on the ground again； then turned and pushed his hand out toward the grassland。
‘How long？’ He pointed at the drawing and pushed his hand out a few more times。 ‘How long since they left？’
They chattered something Chase and she couldn’t understand； and then the man with long silver hair falling down around his sun brown face； the one who didn’t have a coyote hide around his shoulders but wore only simple buckskin clothes； drew another picture in the dirt。 She could tell what it was easy this time。 It was the sun。 He made marks under it。 Chase watched as the man drew three rows of marks under the picture of the sun。 He stopped。
Chase stared at the picture。 Three weeks。’ He looked up at the man with the long hair。 Three weeks？’ He pointed at the sun on the ground and held up most of his fingers three times。 They’ve been gone three weeks？’
The man nodded and made some more of those funny words。
Siddin handed her another piece of flat bread with honey。 It tasted wonderful。 She tried to eat it slowly； but it was gone before she knew it。 She had tasted honey only once before； back at the castle when she lived there as the Princess’s playmate。 The Princess never let her have honey； said it wasn’t for the likes of her； but one of the cooks had given her some once。
Her stomach fluttered at the memory of how mean the Princess had been to her。 She never wanted to live in a castle again。 Now that she was Chase’s daughter； she would never have to。 Every night she lay in her blankets； before she went to sleep； and wondered what the rest of her new family was like。
Chase said she would have sisters and brothers。 And a real mother。 He said she would have to mind her new mother。 She could do that。 It was easy to mind when someone loved you。
Chase loved her。 He never really said it； but it was easy to tell。 He put his huge arm around her； and stroked her hair； when she was afraid of sounds in the dark。
Siddin smiled at her as he licked the honey off his fingers。 It was nice to see him again。 When they had first e here she thought there was going to be trouble。 Scary men； all painted with mud； and with grass stuck all over themselves； came up to them when they were still out on the grassland。 She didn’t even see where they came from。 They were just there all of a sudden。
Rachel was afraid at first； because the men pointed arrows at them； and their voices sounded scary and she couldn’t understand what they said； but Chase just got off the horse and held her in his arms while he watched them。 He didn’t even draw his sword or anything。 She didn’t think anything scared him。 He was the bravest man she