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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

She listened as Teiti roamed around the bedroom, her voice all trembly. Imi frowned. Was Teiti angry? Or just upset? The voice faded as her teacher returned to the main room. Then Imi heard a quiet snuffling sound. She flushed with guilt. Teiti was crying!

Pushing aside the carving, she slid out of the hole as quietly as she could, then carefully bolted the carving back in place, before running into the other room.

“I’m sorry, Teiti,” she cried.

The woman looked up, then gasped with relief.

“Imi! That was not funny!”

It wasn’t hard to look guilty. Teiti might be a strict teacher, but she could also be fun and generous. Imi liked to play tricks on her friends, but only to make them laugh. She didn’t want to hurt anybody.

“This must be serious,” she said.

Teiti wiped her eyes and smiled. “Yes. There’s a landwalker in the palace. I don’t how she got here, or why, but we’d better stay put in case there’s trouble.” Teiti paused and frowned. “Not that I think you’re in any danger, Princess. She doesn’t even know about you, so I think you’re quite safe.”

Imi thought about the woman she’d overheard talking to her father. A sorceress and priestess of the gods, who wanted the Elai and her people to be allies—which was another word for friends. She didn’t sound like someone to fear.

Imi nodded. “I think so, too, Teiti.”

The moon was a cheerful grin of white. When Tryss had first seen it, he could not help thinking how it was a good omen. Now, several hours later, the pale crescent seemed more like a mocking smile.

Or a murderous blade, he thought. He let out a long breath, sending mist billowing around him, then shook his head. Superstitious nonsense, this. It’s just a big rock stuck in the frozen water of the upper sky. Nothing more, nothing less.

“I don’t believe it. He’s pacing. Calm, serious Tryss is pacing.”

Tryss jumped at the voice. “Sreil!” he whispered. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” the older boy said. “It just took a little longer to cut through the wall than I thought.”

Two figures emerged from the shadows, their footsteps dulled by the snow. Moonlight lit both faces, but Tryss saw only one. Drilli, wrapped in a yern pelt. His heart flipped over as he saw her face. Her eyes were wide. Her expression…hesitant. Anxious.

“Are you sure—”

“—about this?”