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 first rank； like Verna； are not allowed to have anything to do with our boys。 The duty of a novice is to learn； not to teach。’
Richard didn’t think he could ever think of Sister Verna as simply Verna。 It sounded too strange to him。 ‘When will she be a Sister again？’
‘She must serve as a novice； and advance as any other novice。 I started scrubbing pots in the kitchens when I was little。 It has taken me this long to be given this chance。 One day； if Verna works as hard as I have； then she； too； will have the chance to be a Sister of the Light。 Until then； Verna is a novice。’
Richard fumed at the thought of Sister Verna being demoted on his account。 By the time she was again a Sister； she would be an old woman。 He changed the subject。 ‘And why are we allowed to roam around？’
‘Because you are not a danger to the people。 Someday； when you learn to control your Han； then you begin to have limits placed on where you may go。 The people in the city are afraid of boys who can wield the power … unfortunate incidents have happened in the past … and so once a boy bees skilled at handling his Han； he is then restricted from the city。 As the boys advance as wizards； they are placed under more restrictions； until near the end； and their release； when they are confined to certain areas of the palace。
‘But for now； you’re free to go almost anywhere you wish。 I will know where you are all the time； by your Rada’Han。’
‘You mean any Sister can find me by this cursed thing？’
‘No； only the one who gave it to you； because she held it and recognizes its power； and since I’m in charge of you； I must be able to know where you are at all times； so I will need to allow my Han to recognize your Rada’Han’s unique feel。’
She pushed the door open and went into the dark room。 With a sweep of her arm； lamps set all around the room sprang to flame。
‘You must teach me that trick；’ he muttered。
‘It’s not a trick。 It’s simply my Han。 And that’s the simplest of many things I will teach you。’
The ceiling of the huge room was painted around its molding with different…colored lines in intricate patterns。 The walls were paneled in cherry of a warm color。 Tall windows hung with rich； deep blue moire drapes looked out on the night。 There was a fireplace； with a white column to each side。 Most of the wood floor was covered with thick carpets。 fortable…looking chairs and couches were placed about the room； and arranged in front of the fireplace。
Richard thought that his whole house would fit twice into the room。 He slipped the pack off his back and leaned it against the wall next to the fireplace。 He stood the quiver of arrows and the unstrung bow beside it。
He went to the right； to a set of double doors made up of small panes of glass and covered over with sheer； cream…colored curtains。 Beyond the doors was an expansive balcony overlooking the city。 Stone urns filled with flowers were set about the slate floor of the balcony。 He put his fingers to the marble railing as he looked to his right； past the sparkling lights of the city； to the hills from where he had e。
‘The sunsets are beautiful from this balcony；’ Pasha said。
Richard wasn’t interested in sunsets。 He studied the courtyard below； the gates； the roads； the patrolling soldiers； and the bridges to the city and the hills beyond。 He tried to fix a map of it all into his head。
He went back inside and marched to the other end of the room； to the doorway there。 Beyond was a bedroom almost as large as the first room。 It held the largest bed he had ever seen； covered with a deep purple quilt。 Another pair of glassed doors led to another balcony； but this one looked south； out over the sea。
‘It’s a beautiful view；’ Pasha said。 ‘A romantic view。’ She saw that he was looking to the sections of the palace below。 She pointed。 ‘Across that courtyard are some of the women’s quarters； where most of the Sisters’ rooms are。’ She shook the finger at him。 ‘You will stay away from them； young man！’ She turned away。 ‘Unless a Sister invites you to her room；’ she added under her breath。 ‘What do I call you；’ he asked。 ‘Sister Pasha？’ She giggled。 ‘No。 I’m a novice； though I hope to bee a Sister if I prove myself with you。 Until then； I am simply Pasha。’
Richard turned to her； directing a glare to her eyes。 ‘My name is Richard。 Do you have trouble remembering it？’
‘Look here； you are assigned to me and 。。。’
‘If that is too difficult for you to remember； you have no chance of ever being a Sister； because if you insist on trying to demean me by calling me by other than my name； I will see to it that you quickly fail in your test。’ He leaned over her as he glowered down at her wide eyes。 ‘Do you understand； Pasha！’
She swallowed。 ‘You will not raise your voice to me； young 。。。’ She lifted her chin a little。 ‘You will not raise your voice to me； Richard。’
That’s better。 Thank you。’ He hoped she would leave it at that； he was in no mood to be kind if she was not。
He turned away。 This balcony held less of a view of the things he was interested in； and so he went back into the bedroom。
She followed on his heels。 ‘Look here； Richard； you will learn some manners or else I will 。。。’
That was the end of his indulgence。 He spun to her。 She lurched to a halt； almost colliding with him。
‘You’ve never been in charge of anyone before； have you？’ She didn’t move。 ‘I would say that this is the first time you have been given responsibility； and you are terrified you will muck it up。 Since you are inexperienced； you think acting like a tyrant will fool people into thinking you know what you are doing。’
‘Well； I 。。。’
Her voice trailed off as he leaned down； putting his face close to hers。
‘You should not be frightened of letting me see that you are inexperienced at manding people； Pasha。 What you should be frightened of is that I will kill you。’
Her eyes narrowed with indignation。 ‘Don’t you dare threaten me。’
This is a game to you。 A way for you to fulfill some arcane rules by prancing around； pulling your little puppy around by his collar； and training him to lick your hand； so you may gain a new rank。’
He gritted his teeth as he lowered his voice。 ‘It is not a game to me； Pasha。 It’s a matter of life and death。 I am a prisoner； held in a collar； as a beast； or a slave。 I have only as much control of my life as you people allow。 I know I am to be tortured by you as a way of breaking my will。
‘You are wrong； Pasha； if you think that I’m making a threat。 I’m not。 I am making a promise。’
‘I’m not what you think of me； Richard；’ she said in a small voice。 ‘I want to be your friend。’
‘You are not my friend。 You are my captor。’ He held a finger up in front of her face。 ‘Don’t you ever turn your back on me； because I will kill you； just as I killed the last person who held me prisoner in a collar。’
She blinked up at him。 ‘Richard； I don’t know what happened to you before； but we’re not like that。 I want to be a Sister of the Light to help people see the Creator’s goodness。’
Richard was dangerously close to letting the magic slip from his control。 He struggled to maintain his grip。 He had other things to do。 ‘I am not interested in your theology。 Just remember what I told you。’
She smiled。 ‘I will。 I apologize for making you angry by calling you other than by your name。 Please forgive me。 I’ve never done this before。 I was only doing as I thought I should； following the rules； as I was trained。’
‘Forget the rules。 Just be yourself； and you will have less trouble in life。’
‘If that would help you believe that I’m only trying to help you； then that’s what I shall do。’ She pointed。 ‘Here。 Sit on the edge of the bed。’
‘Why？’
Though she didn’t move； he felt a gentle push。 He fell back； to sit on the edge of the bed。 ‘Don’t 。。。’
She stepped between his legs； close to him。
‘Hush。 Let me do my job。 I told you before； I must let my Han e to know your Rada’Han； so I will know where you are at all times。’
She put her hands to each side of his neck； over the collar。 She closed her eyes。 Her breasts were right in front of his face； moving with each breath。 He felt a soft tingling sensation that sank all the way to his toes and then came back up through him。 It was slightly unfortable； but not unpleasant； and in fact the longer it went on； the better it felt。
When she took her hands away； the absence of the sensation was agony for a moment。 The world seemed to hum and spin。 He shook his head。
‘What did you do？’
‘I simply let my Han e to know your Rada’Han。’ She looked a little dazed。 She swallowed as a tear ran down her cheek。 ‘And something of your Han； your essence。’
She turned away。 Richard stood。
‘Does that mean that you will always know where I am； now？ By my collar？’
She nodded weakly as she strode slowly across the room。 Her voice regained its control。 ‘What are your preferences； for food？ Your special