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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

“Why, then, do you ask for control of our defenses?”

“We do not. Your land’s army is and will always be for I-Portak and his successors to control.”

“An army without fire-warriors.”

Mairae’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Then it is the dismantling of the Sorceror Clan that you protest against, not the alliance itself?”

“It is.”

She looked thoughtful. “We believed dismantling the Sorceror Clan had the support of its sorcerers. I-Portak saw great benefits in sending Gifted Dunwayans to the priesthood. There is much that we can teach them that they would not learn in the clan house. Healing, for example.”

“Our fire-warriors know how to mend a wound,” Sen snapped, his voice loud in Auraya’s ear.

Mairae’s attention shifted to him. “Not how to cure a child’s illness, or assist in a difficult birth, or clear an old man’s sight.”

“Our Dreamweavers tend to those duties.”

Mairae shook her head. “There cannot be enough Dreamweavers in Dunway to tend to those needs.”

“We have more than Hania,” Sen said stiffly. “We did not seek their deaths as Hanians did.”

“A hundred years ago Dunwayans were as eager to be rid of the Dreamweaver leader, Mirar, as Hanians were. Only a few misguided Hanians sought to kill his followers. We did not order it.” She paused. “Dreamweavers may be Gifted healers, but they do not have the power of the gods to call upon. We can give you so much more.”

“You would steal from us a tradition that we have kept for over a thousand years,” Bal replied.

“Would you make yourself an enemy of the gods for that?” she asked. “Is it worth starting a war? For that is what you will do if you execute these villagers.”

“Yes,” Bal replied heavily. “It is what we are prepared to do. For we know that it is not the gods who demand the end of the Sorceror Clan, but I-Portak and the White.”

Mairae sighed. “Why did you not speak out earlier? The terms of the alliance might have been altered, had you approached us peacefully. We cannot accede to your demands now, for if others were to see that you had been successful, they, too, would threaten innocents in order to get their way.”

“So you will abandon these villagers to their fate?”

“That is on your conscience.”

“Is it?” Bal asked. “What will people think of the White when they hear they refused to save their own people?”

“My people’s loyalty is strong. You have until the end of the day to leave, Talm of Mirrim. May the gods guide you.”

She turned away.

“Our cause is just,” Bal said quietly. “The gods see that it is so.” He gave Auraya a disturbingly impersonal glance, then nodded at Sen. Auraya went cold as she felt Sen’s hand grasp the back of her head.

“Wait!” she gasped. “Can I speak before I die?”