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"I believed you were stronger than this," Seva
"Yes!" The hoarse word flew from Galina’s tongue without hesitation, though she had to swallow before speaking more. "I will obey you! I swear it!" And so she would obey. Until they gave the opening she needed. Was this all that had been necessary? An oath she would have made the first day? Seva
"Then you will not object to swearing your oath on this," Seva
Galina’s scalp crawled as she stared at it. A white rod like polished ivory, a foot long and no thicker than her wrist. Then she saw the flowing marks carved into the end toward her, numerals used in the Age of Legends. One hundred eleven. She had thought it was the Oath Rod, somehow stolen from the White Tower. That also was marked, but with the numeral three, which some thought stood for the Three Oaths. Maybe this was not what it seemed. Maybe. Yet no hooded viper from the Drowned Lands coiled there could have frozen her so still.
"A fine oath, Seva
That voice jerked Galina’s head up. It could have pulled her eyes away from a hooded viper, too.
Therava appeared among the trees leading a dozen cold-faced Wise Ones. When they stopped behind her, confronting Seva
Seva
But Seva
"The matter was simple," Tion replied calmly. "The Mera’dinreceived the justice they deserved."
"And they were told they received it in spiteof your attempt to sway us," Rhiale added with some heat. Seva
Therava would not be diverted from her purpose, though. In one swift step she reached Galina, gripped a handful of her hair and jerked her up to her knees, bent her head back. Therava was not the tallest of these women by at least a head, yet she loomed taller than most men, staring down with a hawk’s eyes, driving away every thought of revenge or defiance. The white streaks touching her dark red hair only made her face more commanding. Galina’s hands clenched into fists on her thighs, nails digging into her palms. Even the burning of her skin paled under that stare. She had daydreamed about breaking every one of these women, making them plead for death, laughing as she denied their begging. About every one except Therava. At night, Therava filled her dreams and all Galina could do was try to flee; the only escape was to wake screaming. Galina had broken strong men and strong women, but she stared up at Therava wide-eyed and whined.
"This one has no honor to shame." Therava almost spat the words. "If you want her broken, Seva
Seva
A small part of Galina’s mind seized on mention of the traveling box. She had heard it spoken of before, longed to lay hands on it if only for a moment. With a ter’angrealthat enabled her to Travel, however imperfectly it seemed to work, she would be able to... Even hope of escape could not stand against thoughts of what Therava would do to her if the others decided to give in to the woman’s request. When the hawk-eyed Wise One loosed her hair to join the argument, Galina hurled herself at the rod, landing flat on her belly. Anything, even having to obey Seva
No sooner did her fingers close on the smooth rod than Therava’s foot came down on it hard, trapping her hands painfully against the ground. None of the Wise Ones so much as glanced at her where she lay writhing, trying futilely to pull free. She could not make herself pull too hard; dimly she could recall making rulers pale with fear, but she did not dare disturb this woman’s foot.
"If she is to swear," Therava said, staring hard at Seva
Seva
Therava smiled thinly. "So you do. Two among us first, Seva
For an instant, Galina hesitated, flexing mashed fingers. It felt the same as the Oath Rod, too; not quite like ivory, not quite like glass, distinctly cool on her palms. If it was a second Oath Rod, it could be used to remove any oath she swore now. If she were given the opportunity. She did not want to take the chance, did not want to swear to Therava in any case. Always before this in her life, shehad commanded; life since her capture had been misery, but Therava would make her a lapdog! Yet if she did not, would they let Therava break her? She could not find the smallest particle of doubt that the woman would do just that. Utterly.
"Under the Light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth" – she no longer believed in the Light or a hope of salvation, and there was no need to speak more than a simple promise, but they expected a strong oath – "I swear to obey every Wise One present here in all things, and first among them, Therava and Seva
"Be quiet!" Therava said sharply. "I do not want to listen to you wailing!" Galina’s teeth clicked shut, nearly biting her tongue, and she struggled to swallow her sobs. Nothing but obedience was possible, now. Therava frowned at her. "Let us see if this truly works," she muttered, bending closer. "Have you pla