embarrassed。 Forgive me。’
Pasha’s hands rushed to the buttons。 With the rod； she gently pushed the hands away from the swell of the young woman’s bosom。
‘The Creator made you this way。 You should not be embarrassed of what He has chosen；’ in his wisdom； to bestow upon you。 You should never be ashamed； Pasha； of what He has graced you with。 Only those of questionable loyalty to the Creator would scorn you for being proud of showing the Maker’s hand in all its magnificence。’
‘Why 。。。 thank you； Sister。 I never looked at it in quite that way。’ A frown wrinkled her brow。 ‘What do you mean； ‘questionable loyalty’？’
She pulled the rod away and lifted an eyebrow。 ‘Those who worship the Nameless One don’t hide in the shadows； my dear。 They could be anywhere。 Why； even you could be one。 Even me。’
Pasha fell to a knee； bowing her head。 ‘Oh； please； Sister；’ she implored； ‘don’t say such a thing of yourself； even in jest。 You are a Sister of the Light； and we are in the Palace of the Prophets； safe； I pray； from the whispers of the Nameless One。’
‘Safe？’ With her rod； she motioned the novice up。 After she was on her feet； she gave her a stern look。 ‘Only a fool assumes she is safe； even here。 Sisters of the Light are not fools。 Even they must always be alert to the dark whispers。’
‘Yes； Sister。 I will remember。’
‘Remember it； any time someone would make you ashamed of how the Creator has formed you。 Ask yourself why they blush at seeing the Maker’s hand。 Blush； as the Nameless One would。’
‘Yes； Sister。 。。。 Thank you；’ she stammered。 ‘You have given me things to think on。 I have never thought about the Creator in this way before。’
‘He has reasons for the things He does。 Is this not true？’
‘What do you mean？’
‘Well； when He gives a man a strong back； what does that say？’
‘Everyone knows that。 He was given the strong back to use。 It means the Creator has given him the strong back so that he might work to feed his family。 Work to make his way。 Work to make the Creator proud。 And not waste the Creator’s gift by being lazy。’
She whisked the rod up and down in front of Pasha。 ‘And what do you think the Creator had in mind when he gave you this body？’
‘I 。。。 don’t know 。。。 exactly。 That I should use it to 。。。 make the Creator proud of His work 。。。 in some way？’
She nodded。 ‘You think on it。 You think on your reason for being here。 Being here at this time。 We are all here for a reason。 The Sisters of the Light are here for a reason； are they not？’
‘Oh； yes； Sister。 We are here to teach the ones with the gift； teach them to use it； and guide them so they may not hear the whispers of the Nameless One； that they may hear only the Creator。’
‘And how are we able to do that？’
‘We were given the gift of being sorceresses； so that we may be able to guide them in their gift。’
‘And if the Creator was wise enough to give you that gift； the gift of being a sorceress； do you not think He may have given you your looks for a reason too？ Maybe to be a part of your calling as a Sister of the Light？ To use your looks to serve Him？’
Pasha stared。 ‘Why； I never thought of it that way before。 In what way are my looks to be of aid？’
She shrugged。 ‘We cannot always know what the Creator has intended。 When He wishes； it will be revealed。’
‘Yes； Sister。’ Her voice was unsure。
‘Pasha； when you see a man that the Creator has graced with good looks； a finely shaped body； what do you think？ What do you feel？’
Pasha blushed。 ‘I 。。。 sometimes 。。。 it makes my heart race。 I guess。 It makes me feel。。。 good。 Feel longings。’
At last she allowed a small smile。 ‘There is no need to blush； my dear。 It is a longing to touch what the Creator’s hand has wrought。 Don’t you suppose it pleases the Creator that you appreciate His work？ Don’t you think He wants you to like what He has done？ To enjoy it？ Just as you must know that men enjoy witnessing your beauty and long to touch the work of the Creator’s hand。 It would be a crime against the Creator not to use； in your service to Him； what He has given you。’
Pasha smiled shyly。 ‘I never thought about it in that way。 You have given me new eyes； Sister。 The more I learn； the more it seems I don’t know。 I hope that someday I will be a Sister of the Light half as wise as you。’
‘Knowledge es as it will； Pasha。 Life’s lessons e at the most surprising times。 Like tonight。’ She swished the rod toward the window。 ‘Here you are； looking out a window； hoping to learn one thing； and you have learned something more important。’
Pasha touched her arm。 ‘Oh； thank you； Sister； for taking the time to teach me。 No Sister has spoken so frankly to me before。’
‘This is one lesson； Pasha； that is outside the palace curriculum。 It is a lesson the Nameless One would be angry you learned； so keep it to yourself。 As you think on what I have told you； and the Creator’s hand is revealed； you will understand better how it is to work for Him。 And if you need more understanding； I will always be here to help guide you。 But keep our talk from others。 As I said； you can never tell who listens to the whispers of the Nameless One。’
Pasha curtsied。 ‘I will； Sister。 Thank you。’
A novice is given many tests。 Tests of the palace’s devising。
There are rules to them。 The final test to be named a Sister of the Light is being charged with a new one。 In this； the final test； there are not always rules。 New ones can be difficult to control。 But that does not mean they are bad。’
‘Difficult？’
‘Of course。 They e here； plucked from the only life they knew； and are thrust into a new place； with new demands they don’t understand。 They can be rebellious； difficult to control。 It is because they are afraid。 We must have patience。’
‘Afraid 。。。？ Of the Sisters？ And the palace？’
‘Weren’t you afraid； when you first came here？ Just a little？’
‘Well； maybe just a little。 But it was my dream to e。 I wanted it more than anything。’
‘For the new ones； it is not always their dream。 They are confused about their power。 With you； it grew as you grew。 You were accustomed to it； it was part of you。 With them； it is sometimes sudden； unexpected。 Not what they planned or wanted。 The Rada’Han can ignite the power； and it is new to them。 It can be frightening。 That fear makes them fight it； sometimes。 Fight us。
‘Your job； the responsibility of a novice of the third rank； is to control them； for their own good； until they can be taught by the Sisters。 In all your other lessons； there have been rules。 In this； there sometimes are no rules。 The new ones don’t know of our rules yet。 They can be difficult to control if you follow only the rules you know。 Sometimes the collar is not enough。 You must use whatever the Creator has given you。 You must be able to do whatever it takes to control the will of these untrained wizards。 That is the true； and final test to be a Sister。 Novices have failed in this final test； and been put out of the palace。’
Pasha’s eyes were wide。 ‘I have never heard such things。’
She shrugged。 Then I have been of aid to you。 I am pleased the Creator has chosen me to help。 Perhaps others have not wanted so strongly for you to succeed； and have held back。 Perhaps you would do well to bring to me your questions about any new one you are assigned。’
‘Oh； yes。 Thank you for your help； Sister。 I must admit it worries me to learn that new ones can be difficult。 I guess I always imagined they would be eager to learn； and that it would be a joy to show them and to help teach them。’
They are all different。 Some are as easy as a babe in a crib。 Let us hope you are given one like that。 Some will test your wits。 Why； I have even seen old records that tell of ones that have triggered the gift before we could get to them； before we could get a Rada’Han on them and help them。’
‘No 。。。 That must be frightening for them … to have the power awakened without guidance from us。’
‘Indeed。 And fe