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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

Mairae smiled. “The Somreyan Dreamweaver elder would not so easily defy one of her own.”

“No,” Juran agreed.

“We would be admitting they have power and influence,” Dyara warned.

Mairae shrugged. “No more power than they actually have. No more than we have already acknowledged in the terms of the alliance.”

“We will signal to our people that we approve of them,” Dyara persisted.

“Not approve. Tolerate. We can’t pretend they don’t have power in Somrey.”

Dyara opened her mouth, then closed it again and shook her head.

Juran looked at Auraya. “If you can find a Dreamweaver willing to do this, then I will send you and Mairae to Somrey together.”

“But Auraya has barely begun her training,” Dyara protested. “This is too much to expect of her so soon.”

“The only alternative I see is to abandon negotiations.” Juran looked at Auraya and shrugged. “If you fail, people will assume it was through inexperience rather than a fault in our strategy.”

“That’s hardly fair on Auraya,” Dyara pointed out.

Auraya shook her head. “I don’t mind.”

Juran looked thoughtful. “If Mairae were to behave as if she didn’t expect to gain any ground, but has taken you there to educate you in other systems of government…Let them underestimate you.” His attention returned to her. “Yes. Do it. See if you can find us an adviser.”

“Do you have anyone in mind?” Mairae asked.

Auraya paused. “Yes. The Dreamweaver I knew as a child. He is living in the city temporarily.”

Juran frowned. “An old friend. That could be unpleasant for you, if he proves troublesome.”

“I know. However, I’d rather work with someone I know well, than not.”

He nodded slowly. “Very well. But be careful, Auraya, that you do not compromise yourself for the sake of friendship. It is far too easy to do.” His tone was regretful.

“I will be careful,” she assured him.

Juran patted his Bearer’s neck and it pawed the ground. Auraya resisted the urge to back away. They were such big creatures.

“We must return to our training,” Juran said. As he and Mairae rode away, Auraya wondered what had happened to cause him to feel such obvious regret. Perhaps she would find out, one day.

There was so much she didn’t know about her fellow White. But there was plenty of time to learn about them. Maybe not all of eternity, but, as Dyara had said, close enough.

7

Five sat on benches within the communal room of the Bakers’ house. Another Dreamweaver, Olameer, had arrived that morning. She was a middle-aged Somreyan journeying south to gather herbs that would not grow in the colder climate of her homeland. Jayim had been quiet for most of the meal.

“Have you visited Somrey, Leiard?” Tanara asked.

Leiard frowned. “I am not sure. I have memories of it, but I do not recall where they fit into my past.”