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darkened. “That’s a lie, Armina.”
    Sister Armina, a little of the color draining from her face, licked her lips. “What I meant by that, Excellency, is that the only thing I can imagine is that she must be referring to the boxes. She is the player, after all.”
    Jagang’s mouth twisted with impatience. “But we already know that we have a year from back when Ulicia put them in play”—he flicked a hand in the direction of the towering plateau—“right after Kahlan took them from the palace up there.”
    “New player!” Sister Ulicia shouted, eyes closed, as if to correct him. “New player! The year starts over!”
    Jagang looked genuinely surprised at her words.
    Kahlan wondered how it was that the dream walker could be surprised by such a thing. For some reason, though, he seemed to be unable, at the moment anyway, to use his ability on Sister Ulicia. Unless he was simply playing a trick. Jagang didn’t always reveal exactly what he knew and what he didn’t know. Kahlan had never felt that he could read her mind, but she always remained cautious that he might wanther to think just that. What if all the time he was reading her every thought?
    Still, she just didn’t believe it was so. She couldn’t put her finger on any one thing that made her think that he was unable to use his ability as a dream walker on her, but rather it was an impression based on the cumulative evidence of many small little things.
    “How is it possible for there to be a new player?” Jagang asked in a tone that made Sister Armina begin to tremble just the slightest bit.
    She had to swallow twice before she was able to speak. “Excellency, we don’t have…all three boxes. We have but two. There is the third box, after all, the one that Tovi had.”
    “You mean the box that was stolen because you stupid bitches sent Tovi off by herself rather than having her stay with the rest of you.” It was an angry charge, not a question.
    Sister Armina, on the verge of panic, thrust a finger out at Kahlan. “It was her fault! If she had done as we instructed and brought all three boxes out together, we would all have been together and we would have the three boxes. But she failed to bring them all out together. It’s her fault!”
    Sister Ulicia had told Kahlan to hide all three boxes in her pack and bring them out. All three wouldn’t fit, so she brought one out first, intending to go back for the others. Sister Ulicia had not been pleased, to say the least. She had beaten Kahlan nearly to a bloody death for failing to somehow do the impossible and fit all three in a pack that was not big enough.
    Kahlan didn’t bother to speak up in her own defense. She refused to lower herself to trying to reason with people who didn’t abide by reason.
    Jagang looked back over his shoulder at Kahlan. She met his gaze with nothing but her blank countenance. He turned back to Sister Armina.
    “So what? Sister Ulicia put the boxes in play. That makes her the player.”
    “Another player!” Sister Ulicia shouted up from the floor between them. “Two players now! The year starts over! It’s impossible!” Sister Ulicia lunged. “Impossible!”
    There was nothing there and her arms caught only air.
    She sat back heavily on the floor, breathing rapidly. Trembling hands covered her face, as if she was overwhelmed by what had just taken place.
    Jagang turned away, lost in thought as he considered. “Can there be two people who both have the boxes in play at the same time?” he asked himself.
    Sister Armina’s eyes darted about. She seemed unsure if she was supposed to attempt an answer. In the end she remained silent.
    Sister Ulicia rubbed her eyes. “He vanished.”
    Jagang frowned down at her. “Who vanished?”
    “I couldn’t see his face.” She gestured vaguely. “He was just there, telling me, but he vanished. I don’t know who it was, Excellency.”
    The woman looked shaken to her core.
    “What did you see?” Jagang asked.
    As if