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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

Leiard looked away. “I know. When I’m with her, I can’t even think of it.”

Slowly Arleej’s expression softened. She leaned back in her seat and sighed.

“Oh, that’s love all right.”

She stared ahead, her forehead deeply creased. Leiard watched her closely. What would she do? Would she tackle Auraya? Would she order him to stop seeing Auraya?

Would you obey her? Mirar asked.

Probably not, Leiard admitted. If she wants me to leave now, I will.

“I don’t know what to do with you,” Arleej said softly, without looking at him. “I must think on it for a while. From now on we will not camp as close to the army as we have in the past. I would rather it was a considerable inconvenience for the White to visit us. If Auraya comes…I will not interfere. I will do all I can to ensure this secret remains undiscovered.”

“Thank you,” Leiard murmured.

Her gaze shifted to his. “I will do this thinking better alone.”

He nodded, then, feeling like a chastised child, climbed down from the tarn and made his way back to Jayim.

38

Auraya fastened her circ and walked back to where Leiard was still rolled up in blankets on the floor. She smiled down at him. He smiled back and she felt his hand grab her ankle.

His thoughts were wistful. He wished that she could stay longer—that she would be here when he woke up in the morning. He knew they couldn’t risk that.

Everyone here believes these quick visits in the middle of the night are merely official business, she heard him think, undertaken late because she’s too busy or because we don’t want the new adviser knowing she’s still consulting me. He sighed and thought of Arleej. Everyone believes that but two.

Auraya frowned. His smile faded as he realized she’d read his mind. She felt him let go of her ankle.

“Arleej knows about us,” she said.

“Yes.”

Auraya chewed on her lip. This could prove awkward. Someone in such a high position in Somrey and among Dreamweavers was likely to meet one of the other White at some time. One stray thought from Arleej and their affair would be discovered.

“We can trust her not to say anything.”

Auraya looked at him closely. “You aren’t entirely sure of that.”

He frowned and sat up, the blankets falling from his bare shoulders.

“She is concerned about Mirar’s presence in my mind.”

“The link memories?” Auraya shrugged. “Why?”

He hesitated. “You haven’t noticed…” He looked away and frowned. “He remains silent when you are here.”

Auraya shook her head. Leiard wasn’t making much sense. “He?”

“Mirar, or the echo of his personality in my mind. He speaks to me sometimes. Occasionally he has…spoken through me.”