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Back Priestess of the White
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. TRUDI CANAVAN
  3. Dedication
  4. Map
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. PART ONE
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. PART TWO
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. PART THREE
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. 36
  45. 37
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. EPILOGUE
  58. GLOSSARY
  59. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  60. About the Author
  61. Other Books by Trudi Canavan
  62. About the Publisher

“A war?” She felt a mingled dismay and hope. Wars brought danger, but also opportunity. Perhaps an opportunity for her to escape the city. “Who with?”

“With the Pentadrians.”

She paused. He had been astonished that she didn’t know who the White were. Should she admit that she didn’t know who these Pentadrians were either?

“You’re wondering who they are, aren’t you?” he asked. “Well, I can’t tell you exactly. All I know is that they’re a cult based on the southern continent. They’ve managed to persuade Sennon to ally with them.”

“They plan to invade Toren?” she asked.

“They plan to invade all of Northern Ithania. To get rid of all Circlians. They hate Circlians.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think anyone does.”

I could think of a few reasons, Emerahl thought. They’ve given plenty of so-called “heathens’ reason to hate them. Who knows what they did to these Pentadrians.

“So it looks like I’ll be marching to war in a few weeks,” Panilo continued. “With my own men to command. What do I know about war? Nothing.”

All that anyone ought to know, she thought sadly. Poor Panilo. Looks like my best customer won’t be around for a while—and might never return.

“You probably won’t have to do anything more than relay commands to your men,” Emerahl said soothingly. “The king will be making all the decisions for Torens.”

He nodded. “And he’ll be following the directions of the White.”

The White. Of course. All the priests and priestesses will be called forth to fight. The watch over the gates will be called off. I’ll be free to leave the city. Just a few weeks.

Panilo straightened. “How can we fail when we have the gods on our side. These Pentadrians are only heathens, after all.”

“That’s true.” She smiled, leaned against his back and wrapped her arms around his chest. “When you get back you can tell me all about it.”

26

Since demonstrating his harness, Tryss had been waking up early. Sometimes he rose quietly and slipped out to hunt; at other times he stayed in bed, listening for the sounds of his family starting their daily routine. Today he had decided to stay in bed. He’d stayed up late and all he felt like doing was dozing.

His thoughts strayed to conversations of the previous evening. Sreil, Speaker Sirri’s son, had told Tryss that the young men of other tribes were all eager to try out his invention, but their Speakers had ordered them to leave Tryss alone. They wanted to ensure no tribe was seen to be given favor over the others. Speaker Sirri had suggested that one man from each tribe be chosen to form the first group Tryss would teach. Those men would pass on what they learned to their tribe.