Darkness Risen (The Ava'Lonan Herstories Book 4) Read Online Free PDF

prisoner was very sustaining, and so much
more - revitalizing than the old one. In a strange way she had liked it better.
But it was affecting the way she saw things, the way she interpreted common
situations.
    A connection suddenly joined in her mind. If most of
the Realm used av’rita, did that mean that they practiced the Rite of Solu
using av’rita too, the way the prisoner had done? Did everyone but she and her
mother’s court practice it that way?
    “Thendaji,” she said, and the maddi she had called
jumped, startled by her voice, and perhaps fearful, too, for the Heir rarely
spoke to her maids, and then usually in displeasure when she did.
    “Highness?” she answered softly, holding the soft
brush away from the princess’s hair in case that was what might have given
offense.
    “How do you practice the Rite of Solu?” Silonyi
asked.
    Thendaji’s mouth dropped open, and she blinked in
confusion, partly because she did not seem to be in trouble, and partly from
the nature of the question. For the Rite of Solu was a private thing, an
individual’s communion with the Supreme One, and frankly, it was the height of
rudeness and offense to ask such questions of one’s practice of the Rite.
However, taking offense and refusing to answer was the surest way of making
sure that she never had the opportunity to practice it again. So she chose the
offensive over offense.
    “Highness - I practice it the way I was taught. To
make the pay’ta interweave one’s name with the name of the Supreme One and
receive the blessing of Av.”
    “Using av’rita,” Silonyi qualified.
    Thendaji blinked again, and words escaped her
tongue, “Is there aught else to use, Highness?” Whereupon she quickly clapped
her hand to her mouth, but the princess did not seem to notice her discourtesy.
    “And everyone does it in this way?”
    “Yes, Highness,” the frazzled maddi answered
faintly. “As well as I know.”
    Then I must find out , Silonyi thought
to herself, taking no note of the querulous glances that passed around her, why
I learned it differently.
    But before that, what am I going to tell my mother
about this eve? How do I explain my actions? She contemplated this as she lay
upon her pallet and her maddi took their leave. She was still thinking about it
when sleep tiptoed in and blew gently upon her eyes.
     
    the darkness
turned about the silence, both laughing at the emptiness that, itself turned...
     
    The focus of the Six was palpable, their combined
presences and attention tangibly concentrated on the center of the low table.
Then the intensity of the Sixth lightened just the tiniest bit, for just a
moment’s moment, as if some breath of cold and motionless air or some soundless
pattering of feet to the pang of some nameless panic had distracted her from
somewhere beyond the wall. Her attention turned as another would turn her head,
but came back almost immediately. None of the others seemed to know or even
notice. The Sixth stilled her perception again, joining the rest in unmoving
contemplation. For a quarter of a san’chron they sat thus.
    Then, almost as if on cue, the Fifth moved, placing
her hand upon the table to draw the regard of the others.
    “What if the Public Face were to, to all appearances,
change sides?” she said quietly. “At the Heir’s return, let the Public Face
rescind the challenge, yes, and beg forgiveness and renounce all doubts and
aspersions cast on the Heir. Let the Public Face sing her praises to all that
will listen. Be the first to congratulate her and the last to criticize. But
always be ready to suggest, to gently correct, to subtly guide. And let the
Face become the Heir’s unspoken advisor, her strongest advocate, and let that
core of supporters be the backing of the Face, so that when she succors the
Heir, they do, too. Subtly it will be a cut to the High Queen’s power, since
they support the Face, who has spoken out against the High Queen’s ascension -
but she cannot