Soul of the Fire

Sister Alessandra lifted a spoonful of soup to Ann's mouth.

"Here, have some of this. I made it myself."

"Why?"

"Because I thought you might like it."

"Getting bored, Sister, pulling the legs off ants?"

"My, my, Prelate, but don't you have the memory. I haven't done that since I was a child, first come to the Palace of the Prophets. As I recall, you were the one who convinced me to stop doing that, recognizing I was unhappy to leave my home.

"Here, now, have a taste. Please?"

Ann was sincerely surprised to hear the woman say "please." She opened her mouth for the spoon. Eating hurt, but not eating was making her weak. She could have refused to eat, or done something else to get herself killed, she supposed, but she did have a mission, and therefore a reason to live.

"Not bad, Sister Alessandra. Not bad at all." Sister Alessandra smiled with what looked to be pride. "I told you so. Here, have some more."

Ann ate slowly, trying to gently chew the soft vegetables so as not to further hurt her jaw. She simply swallowed the tough chunks of meat, not even bothering to mash them flat, lest she undo whatever healing her jaw was managing to do. "Your lip looks like it's going to be scarred." "My lovers will be disappointed my beauty is marred." Sister Alessandra laughed. Not a harsh or cynical laugh, but a lilting laugh of true amusement. "You always could make me laugh, Prelate." "Yes," Ann said with venom, "that was why I for so long failed to realize you had joined the side of evil. I thought my little Alessandra, my happy little Alessandra, would not be drawn to the heart of wickedness. I so believed you loved the Light."

Sister Alessandra's smile withered. "I did, Prelate." "Bah," Ann scoffed. "You only loved yourself."-The woman stirred the soup for a time and finally brought up another spoonful. "Perhaps you are right, Prelate. You usually were."

Ann carefully chewed the lumps in the soup as she surveyed the grimy little tent. She had caused such a ruckus being with the Sisters of the Light that Jagang apparently had ordered her to be housed in her own small tent. Each night a long steel pin was driven into the ground and she was chained to it. The tent was erected around her.

In the day, when they prepared to move out, she was thrown in a rough wooden box latched with a hasp held tight with a pin or lock of some sort. She wasn't sure, since she was always inside the box when they put it on and took it off. The box, with her in it, was then loaded on an enclosed wagon without windows or ventilation. She knew because she peeked out the crack where the lid of her box didn't fit well.

After they stopped for the night, they eventually took her out and one of the Sisters escorted her to the latrine before they staked her to the ground and put up her tent. If need took her in the day, she had little choice as to what to do about it. It was either wait, or don't.

Occasionally they didn't bother with the tent, and simply left her chained to the stake, like a dog.

Ann had come to like her little tent, and was pleased when it was erected around her. It was her private sanctuary, where she could stretch her cramped legs and arms, lie down, and pray.

Ann swallowed the mouthful of soup. "So, did Jagang say you were to do more to me than feed me? Perhaps rough me up for his amusement, or yours?"

"No." Sister Alessandra sighed. "Just feed you. From what I gather, he hasn't decided what to do with you, but in the meantime he wants you kept alive so you might be of value to him one day."

Ann watched the woman stir the bowl of soup. "He can't get in your mind, you know. Not now."

Sister Alessandra looked up. "What makes you think that?"

"The chimes are loose."

The spoon stilled. "So I've heard." The spoon again started circling. "Rumors. That's all it is."

Ann squirmed, trying to get more comfortable on the rough ground. It seemed to her that with all her natural padding she shouldn't be so troubled by lumps on the ground.

"I wish it were only rumors. Why do you think your magic doesn't work?"

"But it does."

"I mean your Additive Magic."

The woman's brown eyes turned down. "Well, I guess I've not really tried to use it, that's all. If I were to try, it would work, I've no doubt."

"Try, then. You'll see I'm right."

She shook her head. "His Excellency does not permit it, unless he specifically requests it. It is… unwise to do other than His Excellency says to do."

Ann leaned toward the woman. "Alessandra, the chimes are loose. Magic has failed. For Creation's sake, why do you think I'm in this predicament? If I could use magic, don't you think I would have caused just a little trouble when I was captured?

"Use your head, Alessandra. You're not stupid, don't act it."

If there was one thing about Alessandra, she wasn't stupid. How a smart woman could fall prey to the Keeper's promises, Ann didn't know. She guessed lies could fool even smart people.