Page 190 of The Priory of the Orange Tree

“Forgive me. I have no wish to insult you.”

Kalyba watched her without expression. With the sense that she was signing her own death warrant, Ead divested herself of her weapons and set them on the grass.

“There. Now you have put your trust in me,” Kalyba said almost gently, “and in return, I will not harm you.”

“My thanks, Lady.”

They stood facing one another for a time, with half the clearing between them.

There was no reason for Kalyba to tell her anything. Ead knew that, and so would the witch.

“You say you desire truth, but truth is a weave with many threads,” Kalyba said. “You know I am a mage. A sidensmith, like you—or Iwas, before the old Prioress denied me the fruit of the orange tree. All because Mita Yedanya told her I had poisoned your birthmother.” She smiled. “As if I would ever stoop to poison.”

So Mita was personally responsible for the banishment. The last Prioress had been a kind woman, but easily influenced by those around her, including hermunguna.

“I am Firstblood. I was first and last to eat of the hawthorn, and it granted me eternal life. But of course,” Kalyba said, “you have not come out of curiosity about my siden, for siden is familiar to you. You wish to know the source of myotherpower—the one no sister understands. The power of dream and illusion. The power of Ascalon, myhildistérron.”

War-star.A poetic term for the sword. Ead had seen it before, in prayer books—but now it plucked a string in her, and the realization came forth like a note of music.

Fire ascends from the earth, light descends from the sky.

Light from the sky.

Hildistérron.

AndAscalon. Another name from the ancient tongue of the Isles of Inysca. A corruption ofastra—another word forstar—andlun, for strength. Loth had told her that.

Strong star.

“When I was in Inys . . . I remembered the text of the Tablet of Rumelabar. It spoke of a balance between fire and starlight.” Even as Ead spoke, her mind spun out an explanation that seemed sounder by the moment. “The siden trees grant mages fire. I wondered if your power—yourotherpower—comes from the sky. From the Long-Haired Star.”

Kalyba did not possess a face that lent itself to shock, but Ead saw it. A flicker in her gaze.

“Good. Oh,verygood.” A little thrum of laughter escaped her. “I had thought its name was lost to time. How ever did a mage hear of the Long-Haired Star?”

“I went to Gulthaga.”

Truyde utt Zeedeur had spoken those words. The girl had acted like a fool, but her instinct had been right.

“Cleverandbrave, to venture to the Buried City.” Kalyba regarded her. “It would be pleasant to have company in my Bower, since I am denied the sisterhood of the Priory. And since you already have most of the truth . . . I see no harm in telling you the rest.”

“I would treasure the knowledge.”

“No doubt. Of course,” Kalyba mused, “to understand my power, you would have to know the whole truth of siden, and the two branches of magic, and Mita has so little understanding of such things. She keeps her daughters in the dark, draped in the comfort of well-worn books. All of you are soaked in ignorance. My knowledge—trueknowledge—is a valuable thing.”

This was the next move in a game. “One might say it was priceless,” Ead agreed.

“I paid a price for it. As must you.”

At last, Kalyba approached. Water beaded from her hair as she walked around Ead.

“I will take a kiss,” she whispered at her ear. Ead stayed rooted in place. “I have been alone for so many years. A kiss from you, sweet Eadaz, and my knowledge is yours.”

A metallic scent hung on her skin. For a sudden, eldritch moment, Ead felt something in her blood—something vital—sing in answer to that scent. “Lady,” Ead murmured, “how will I know that what you say is the truth?”

“Do you ask the same of Mita Yedanya, or does she receive your unconditional trust?” Receiving no answer, Kalyba said, “I give you my word that I will speak true. When I was young, a word was a sworn oath. It has been many years since then, but I still respect the ancient ways.”

There was no choice but to risk it. Steeling herself, Ead leaned close to her and placed a kiss on her cheek.

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