Soul of the Fire

Ann avoided using the appellation «Sister» not only because it was a term of respect, but because it seemed a way of speaking more directly, more intimately, to a woman Ann had known and liked for half a millennium. Using the title «Sister» seemed only to invoke her connection to the Sisters of the Dark.

"Alessandra, Jagang can't get into your head. His power as a dream walker has failed, just the same as my power has failed."

Sister Alessandra watched without evident emotion.

"Perhaps his power works in conjunction with, or even through, ours, and he could still get into the minds of the Sisters of the Dark."

"Bah. Now you're thinking like a slave. Go away if you're going to think like a slave-like the Sisters of the Light, I'm ashamed to say."

The woman seemed reluctant either to leave or to end the discussion. "I don't believe you. Jagang is all-powerful. He must surely be watching now, through my eyes, as we speak, and I simply don't know it."

Ann was forced to take the spoonful of soup when it unexpectedly swooped toward her mouth. She chewed slowly as she studied the woman's face.

"You could come back to the Light, Alessandra."

"What!" The instantaneous flash of anger in the woman's eyes melted to amusement. "Prelate, you have gone loony."

"Have I?"

Sister Alessandra pressed another spoonful to Ann's lips. "Yes. I am sworn to my master of the underworld. I serve the Keeper. Eat, now."

Before Ann could swallow, another spoonful came at her. She ate a half dozen more before she could get a word out.

"Alessandra, the Creator would forgive you. The Creator is all-loving and all-forgiving. He would take you back. You could come back to the light. Wouldn't you like to return to the Creator's loving embrace?"

Unexpectedly, Sister Alessandra backhanded her. Ann toppled to her side. The woman hovered, glowering.

'The Keeper is my master! You will not speak blasphemy! His Excellency is my master in this world. In the next, I am sworn to the Keeper. I will not listen to you profane my oath to my master. Do you hear?"

Ann feared that what healing her jaw had done had now been undone. It hurt something awful. Her eyes watered. Sister Alessandra finally seized Ann's filthy dress at the shoulder and hauled her up straight.

"I will not have you saying such things. Do you hear?"

Ann kept silent, fearing to elicit another angry outburst Apparently, the subject was as sore as Ann's jaw.

Sister Alessandra picked up the bowl of soup. "There isn't much left, but you should finish it."

Alessandra stared down at the bowl, as if watching the spoon stirring around hi it. She cleared her throat. "Sorry I hit you."

Ann nodded. "I forgive you, Alessandra." The woman's eyes, no longer filled with anger, turned up. "I do, Alessandra," Ann whispered sincerely, wondering at the terrible emotions struggling within her former disciple.

The eyes turned down again. "There is nothing to forgive. I am what I am, and nothing will change it. You've no idea of the things I've done to become a Sister of the Dark." She looked up with a distant expression. "You've no idea of the power I was granted in return. You can't imagine, Prelate."

Ann almost asked her what good it did her, but held her tongue and finished the soup in silence. She winced in pain with every swallow. The spoon clanked when Alessandra dropped it in the empty bowl.

"It was very good, Alessandra. The best meal I've had in… however long I've been here. Weeks, I guess."

Sister Alessandra nodded and rose. "If I'm not busy, I will bring you some tomorrow, then."

"Alessandra." The woman turned back. Ann met her gaze. "Could you sit with me for a bit?"

"Why?"

Ann chuckled bitterly. "I'm stuffed in a box every day. I'm staked to the ground every night. It would be nice to have someone I know sit with me for a bit, that's all."

"I'm a Sister of the Dark."

Ann shrugged. "I'm a Sister of the Light. You still brought me soup."

"I was ordered to."

"Ah. More honesty than I received from the Sisters of the Light, I'm sorry to say." Ann squirmed off a loop of chain and then flopped down on her side, turning away from Sister Alessandra. "Sorry you had to be interrupted to take care of me. Jagang probably wants you to go back to whoring for his men."

Silence reigned inside the tent. Outside, soldiers laughed, drank, and gambled. Smells of meat roasting drifted in. At least Ann's stomach wasn't grumbling with hunger. The soup had been good.

Ann heard the sound of a woman's scream in the distance. The scream turned to chiming laughter. One of the camp followers, no doubt. Sometimes, the screams were sincere terror. Sometimes the sound of them made Ann sweat, thinking about what was happening to those poor women.

At last, Sister Alessandra sank back down. "I could sit with you a bit."

Ann rolled over. "I would like that, Alessandra. I really would."

Sister Alessandra helped her sit up, and then the two of them sat in awkward silence while they listened to the camp sounds.