Stone 64

**Chapter 64**

We start this chapter with a mysterious She (Sue Nun? Pasha? Someone else?) who is hearing voices in her outer office and thinking that Richard has probably gotten in to see Nathan by now. Why, yes he has, but only because the Big Stone Witch House's guards are utter and complete incompetents. She is apparently not looking forward to whatever's about to happen.

She is revealed as Pope Ann, and she sends Ulicia and Finella away as Verna comes in. Verna is pissed, and complains to Ann about not being allowed to do her job properly regarding Richard. Ann feigns impatience and essentially dismisses Verna's complaints.

Verna points out that Richard's grandfather was a wizard, which means Verna violated *“the truce”* by taking Richard. Ann responds: *“. . . in view of our duty to the Creator, what is a truce with heathen wizards?”* meanwhile praying to God to *“give me the strength to break [Verna].”*

Verna insists on knowing WTF, and specifically why she was sent and forbidden to use her magic on Richard. Ann explains that Richard as Minus Magic, and would probably have killed Verna. Furthermore, Ann knows there are Bad Nuns in the Big Stone Witch House, and that Nuns #1 and 2 (who went with Verna to find Richard) were most likely Bad Nuns. She therefore picked Verna, not because she was awesome, but because she was mediocre and expendable, and thus probably not a Bad Nun. She says that she ordered Richard collared because of the presence of the Bad Nuns, implying that he will somehow flush them out. Verna leaves. Ann cries.

Huh.

Now we're with Richard and a mysterious She (ALL RIGHT, DAMMIT, THAT'S ENOUGH OF THE MYSTERIOUS UNIDENTIFIED WOMEN!!) This one turns out to be Liliana, one of Richard's teachers; you may remember her as the one who's neither smokin' hawt nor grandmotherly. Apparently Richard has told Liliana that he has Minus Magic and needs to get his collar off. Lilana says she'll help, but first she has to retrieve a Mysterious Object. They agree to meet in the Grove Woods that night, and Liliana leaves.

Shortly thereafter, Perry comes to see Richard . . . remember Perry? No? He's one of the other apprentice wizards, and has thus far been totally unimportant. Anyway, he's gotten promoted (that's the term used, though I would have thought “graduated” would have made more sense) and now has to wear plain robes and can't go into the city. He's upset because he's been meeting a girl, and if he just disappears, she'll think he doesn't care about her. He wants to borrow some of Richard's fancy clothes so he can sneak into the city and see her.

First thought: Wouldn't the Nuns be expecting something like that? They've been training young wizards for centuries; I can't believe Perry is the first one to every try to sneak out of the Big Stone Witch House.

Second thought: How can Perry even do this? Wasn't it established that the collars prevent the wizards from going more than a certain distance? And wasn't it stated that this distance is reduced as the wizard advances in learning? \~/

Third thought: Even if he somehow sneaks out to the city, how does Perry expect this to work? He's now confined to the Big Stone Witch House for the next several centuries, during which time his girl will grow old and die. He can't get out, and she (presumably) won't be getting in.

Richard says, sure, take some clothes. Perry takes Richard's red coat. There's a brief conversation about Liliana, whom Perry never really liked because of her spooky eyes. Richard thinks about Liliana's “pale, pale blue eyes shot through with violet flecks.”

HOLY CRAP LILIANA IS SUE NUN! OH NOES!!!

And the chapter ends. That was short.

Drinks: One

<Previous Chapter  -  Next Chapter>