Page 9 of Sightwitch
“Then yes, your educations should be further along.” Hilga fixed us both with a wince. “Do you really not know how the glamour spell hides the Convent from the rest of the world? Or how its magic is bound to the Standing Stones?”
“No,” we barked in unison.
Her wince deepened. “Then you indeed have much to catch up on. Here.” She shoved out of her chair, aiming for the wall of books behind the Rook. He fluttered with annoyance when she shooed him aside to pull not one, not two, butthreemassive tomes off the shelf.
For half a breath, I regretted our decision to come here. MORE WORK was not really what I had wanted.
But then I caught sight of the elation in Ryber’s dark eyes. Her fingers were clutched at her heart, a sign she was itching to pluck the books right out of Hilga’s hands.
“Read these,” Hilga ordered, offering the books.
As I’d guessed, Ryber snatched them up. She even gave a little squeal of delight.
“Then,” Hilga went on, “once you have read them, I want you to come back to me for a list of subjects that you will be researching further in the Crypts.”
I tried not to grimace.
I hated the Crypts.
“You will continue to meet with Sister Rose each day, and then once a week with me. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I muttered, wondering how I was going to fit in time for my daily game of ring-ball with Birgit and Yenna. (Birgit has gottenveryfull of herself since she beat me last week. It’s intolerable.)
Meanwhile, Ry bounced on her toes. So much excitement! “Thank you, Sister Hilga,” she breathed. “Thank you so much!”
Then, as if she feared Hilga would change her mind, she grabbed my wrist and rushed me out of the office.
Now, as I write this, she sits curled up on her side of the bed reading about the Twelve Paladins. Already, she’s halfway through the massive book—and already, she’s made notes to summarize it all, since she knows I’ll never crack open that ancient cover.
Y18 D156 — 4 days since Tanzi was Summoned
MEMORIES
Six more Serving Sisters were Summoned today.
I am the only pall-eyed left.
Y18 D159 — 7 days
MEMORIES
Hilga allowed me to stay after the morning prayers today. I should have been excited. Never have I been allowed to watch as the Sisters pray for a Future Dreamed. Never have I seen the scrying pool come alive with images. All those years growing up when they told me I would soon be watching the pool with them … It never came to pass.
But I wasn’t excited to watch today. My heart thumped painfully against my ribs, and sweat beaded along my brow.
I was hot. So cursed hot.
What if the pool showed a vision of Tanzi? What if I saw her hurt … or worse?
I sat on the high ledge, where the telescope rests. It was the only place I could see into the pool, for all the Sisters had clustered tightly around it. They formed a spiral, Sister Rose at the fore, right on the rim of the pool, and then hand in hand, moving from oldest to youngest, the Sisters spiraled outward.
I had just crouched upon the ledge, my blood roaring in my ears, when the praying began.
I expected a silent prayer, yet I hadnotexpected for it to feel so … so BIG. Somehow the air in the observatory grew thicker and thicker, heavier and heavier, expanding in time to words I could not hear. It was as if by thinking in unison, each woman’s breath and posture and soul latched on to a similar cadence.
All while the heat kicked higher.
Show us something, I begged.Show me Tanzi. Though I feared seeing my Threadsister, I feared even more that I would see nothing at all.
