The Ancestor 2 - Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence

Author:Mark Lawrence [Lawrence, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi
Published: 2018-04-03T00:00:00+00:00

25

ABBESS GLASS

WITH SISTER KETTLE gone from the convent Abbess Glass had to rely more heavily on Mistress Shade’s network of Grey novices for information on the inquisitors’ activities. Apple used her most trusted and promising candidates for the Grey to observe Brother Pelter and his watchers. However well trained the inquisitors might be nobody knew the convent better than the novices who grew up there, and it was easy enough to keep an open ear in most corners.

“Here comes trouble.” Glass watched Sister Spire cross the square, habit flapping around her legs, her walk close enough to a run that it might be called either. The abbess’s window comprised a dozen panes of puddle-glass, their unevenness lending a flowing quality to the nun’s approach. Sister Spire vanished around the corner of the building and Glass went to her desk to wait.

The knock came a minute later, evidence of Spire’s urgency.

“Come.”

The mistress of Mystic Class hurried in, her blunt face flushed, headdress tugged down across her forehead almost hiding the puckered burn there. Glass had discovered that the young nun had earned her scars carrying children clear of a house fire. The information had arrived the previous week in Archon Kratton’s report on the mission to the Meelar territory. Spire had spoken of the blaze when asked, but made no mention of returning for children.

“Ancestor’s blessings, abbess.”

“And to you, sister.”

“Novice Zole is missing!” Spire blurted out the words as if it were her failing.

“I see.” Glass folded her hands, elbows on the desk. “Do we know where she might have gone?”

Spire shook her head. “She’s taken her ranging equipment. Nobody saw her leave. One of the watchers asked me where she was this morning.”

“Well, if the Inquisition didn’t manage to watch her I doubt there was much you could have done, sister.”

Spire pursed her lips. “You don’t seem very surprised, abbess.”

“I’m surprised that she stayed this long.”

“You . . . expected this? You think she’s safe then?”

“Safe? I doubt that very much. But she’s a dangerous young woman. I’m sure she’ll make a good account of herself when trouble gets in her way.”

“Well I’m surprised. Zole was making such fine progress with all the mistresses. Even Sister Wheel! And she seemed very happy to have your permission for the ice-trial. Well, happy for Zole. She even smiled when I told her!”

“That I would like to have seen!” Glass picked up the papers before her, then looked up. “Is there anything else, sister?”

Spire looked surprised. “Well. Aren’t we going to do something? We could send someone after her. Bhetna, I mean Sister Needle, has just taken the Grey. She could . . .” Spire hugged her arms across her chest. “I just hate to think of her out there all alone. I know they say she’s the Chosen One, but she’s still just a girl.”

“There are many girls out there all alone, Spire. The empire is awash with children, lost, abandoned, orphaned. We will tell Brother Pelter. I’m sure he’ll know soon enough either way.

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