a dream, she was standing before the pedestal. The light at the center of the shield had become bright enough that she couldn’t make out the faces of those beyond.
The Prelate’s gold ring sat on a folded piece of parchment sealed closed with red wax imprinted with the sunburst pattern from the ring. Writing was partially visible underneath the ring. Sliding the ring to the side, she turned the parchment with one finger so she could read it.
If you wish to escape this web alive, put the ring on the third finger of your left hand, kiss it, then break the seal and read my words inside to the other Sisters, it said, and was signed, Prelate Annalina Aldurren.
Sister Verna stared at the words. They seemed to stare back, waiting. She didn’t know what to do. She recognized the Prelate’s handwriting all too well, but it could be a forgery.
If it was a Dark Sister’s trick, especially one with a flare for the dramatic, following the instructions could kill her. If it wasn’t, then not following them could. She stood frozen a moment, trying to come up with alternatives. None would come to mind.
Sister Verna reached out and picked up the ring. Gasps of surprise came from the darkness beyond. She turned the ring over in her fingers, inspecting the sunburst pattern and the wear of age. It was warm to the touch, as if heated from an inner source. It looked like the Prelate’s ring, and a feeling in her gut told her it was. She glanced down at the words on the parchment again.
If you wish to escape this web alive, put the ring on the third finger of your left hand, kiss it, then break the seal and read my words inside to the other Sisters.
—Prelate Annalina Aldurren.
Sister Verna, her breath coming shallow and labored, slipped the ring onto the third finger of her left hand. She brought the hand to her lips and kissed the ring as she said a silent prayer to the Creator seeking guidance and strength. She flinched as a beam shot from the figure of the Creator above her, bathing her in a bright shaft of light. The air about her fairly hummed. There were short, clipped screams and squeals from the Sisters around the room, but in the light as she was, she could not see them.
Sister Verna lifted the parchment in her trembling fingers. The air hummed more intensely. She wanted to run, but broke the wax seal instead. The shaft of light coming from the image of the Creator above intensified to blinding brilliance.
Sister Verna unfolded the parchment and looked up, though she couldn’t see the faces around her. “Upon penalty of death, I am directed to read this letter.”
No one made a sound, so she looked down at the neatly scribed words. “It says, ‘Know all those assembled, and those not here, my last command.’”
Sister Verna paused and swallow as Sisters gasped.
“‘ These are trying times, and the palace can ill afford a protracted battle to succeed me. I will not allow it. I am exercising my prerogative as Prelate, as set down in palace canon, to name my successor. She stands before you, wearing the ring of her office. The Sister reading this is now Prelate. The Sisters of the Light will obey her. All will obey her.
“‘ The spell I have left over the ring was drawn with the aid and guidance of the Creator himself. Defy my bidding at your peril.
“‘ To the new Prelate, you are charged to serve and protect the Palace of the Prophets and all it stands for. May the Light cradle and guide you always.
“‘ In my own hand, before I pass from this life into the gentle hands of the Creator—Prelate Annalina Aldurren.’”
With a boom that shook the ground beneath her feet, the beam of light, and the glow around her, extinguished.
Verna Sauventreen let the hand holding the letter fall to her side as she looked up into the circle of stunned faces. The vast hall filled with a soft rustle as the Sisters of the Light began going to a knee and bowing their heads to their new prelate.
“ This can’t be.”
The Prelate’s gold ring sat on a folded piece of parchment sealed closed with red wax imprinted with the sunburst pattern from the ring. Writing was partially visible underneath the ring. Sliding the ring to the side, she turned the parchment with one finger so she could read it.
If you wish to escape this web alive, put the ring on the third finger of your left hand, kiss it, then break the seal and read my words inside to the other Sisters, it said, and was signed, Prelate Annalina Aldurren.
Sister Verna stared at the words. They seemed to stare back, waiting. She didn’t know what to do. She recognized the Prelate’s handwriting all too well, but it could be a forgery.
If it was a Dark Sister’s trick, especially one with a flare for the dramatic, following the instructions could kill her. If it wasn’t, then not following them could. She stood frozen a moment, trying to come up with alternatives. None would come to mind.
Sister Verna reached out and picked up the ring. Gasps of surprise came from the darkness beyond. She turned the ring over in her fingers, inspecting the sunburst pattern and the wear of age. It was warm to the touch, as if heated from an inner source. It looked like the Prelate’s ring, and a feeling in her gut told her it was. She glanced down at the words on the parchment again.
If you wish to escape this web alive, put the ring on the third finger of your left hand, kiss it, then break the seal and read my words inside to the other Sisters.
—Prelate Annalina Aldurren.
Sister Verna, her breath coming shallow and labored, slipped the ring onto the third finger of her left hand. She brought the hand to her lips and kissed the ring as she said a silent prayer to the Creator seeking guidance and strength. She flinched as a beam shot from the figure of the Creator above her, bathing her in a bright shaft of light. The air about her fairly hummed. There were short, clipped screams and squeals from the Sisters around the room, but in the light as she was, she could not see them.
Sister Verna lifted the parchment in her trembling fingers. The air hummed more intensely. She wanted to run, but broke the wax seal instead. The shaft of light coming from the image of the Creator above intensified to blinding brilliance.
Sister Verna unfolded the parchment and looked up, though she couldn’t see the faces around her. “Upon penalty of death, I am directed to read this letter.”
No one made a sound, so she looked down at the neatly scribed words. “It says, ‘Know all those assembled, and those not here, my last command.’”
Sister Verna paused and swallow as Sisters gasped.
“‘ These are trying times, and the palace can ill afford a protracted battle to succeed me. I will not allow it. I am exercising my prerogative as Prelate, as set down in palace canon, to name my successor. She stands before you, wearing the ring of her office. The Sister reading this is now Prelate. The Sisters of the Light will obey her. All will obey her.
“‘ The spell I have left over the ring was drawn with the aid and guidance of the Creator himself. Defy my bidding at your peril.
“‘ To the new Prelate, you are charged to serve and protect the Palace of the Prophets and all it stands for. May the Light cradle and guide you always.
“‘ In my own hand, before I pass from this life into the gentle hands of the Creator—Prelate Annalina Aldurren.’”
With a boom that shook the ground beneath her feet, the beam of light, and the glow around her, extinguished.
Verna Sauventreen let the hand holding the letter fall to her side as she looked up into the circle of stunned faces. The vast hall filled with a soft rustle as the Sisters of the Light began going to a knee and bowing their heads to their new prelate.
“ This can’t be.”
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