Choices by Ann Herendeen Read Free Book Online Page B

produced the opposite
effect from what she had intended. She had wanted me to think about
last night, to examine Dominic’s motives, assuming that once I did
I would discover the ugly reality of Dominic’s abusive behavior
behind the protective veneer of romance my mind was supplying.
Instead, the more I thought, the more reassured I felt. Whatever
Dominic had known about our audience, I was certain that there had
been nothing but love and benign desire in his purpose last night.
And I would not block him out, at least not until he had had a
chance to explain.
    Edwige studied me internally. Try as I might
I could keep nothing from her. She was appalled that I knew more
about Dominic than her worst stories could supply, and loved him
still, that all this dreadful information meant nothing to me.
    “This is very serious, Amalie,” she said.
“Sit down and be quiet, because I have something important to say
to you.” I obeyed her without demur; her voice and her manner left
no room for discussion.
    “What you are experiencing is a consequence
of
crypta
,” Edwige said. “It arises sometimes between
unrelated telepaths with compatible gifts.”
    I smiled, relaxing. Edwige was only stating
what I had suspected. Everything that had happened between Dominic
and me so far merely confirmed the obvious: that our love was a
natural outgrowth of our telepathic abilities, the basic
psychological harmony that two gifted people must have in order for
love to develop between them. Now that Edwige recognized it, I
would not have to waste any more energy and emotion defending
Dominic from her prejudice and hatred.
    But this was not exactly what Edwige meant.
“This connection you have with Margrave Aranyi is rare,” she said.
“It is not fully understood, because it occurs infrequently.”
    I was surprised, maybe a little smug. I had
thought that what Dominic and I felt was a natural development for
telepaths, that I was merely experiencing first love twenty years
later than usual because of my recent arrival on Eclipsis. If what
we shared was extraordinary, maybe I had no reason to be ashamed
over last night’s unfortunate scene. Maybe the others were merely
envious…
    Edwige shook her head at my stupidity.
“Amalie,” she said, anxiety making her diffident, “what I am trying
to tell you is that I don’t know exactly what is involved in this
kind of connection. You are new here, were not brought up in our
ways. And your—” She grimaced, not liking to refer to Dominic in
such terms. “—your lover, Margrave Aranyi, is not a kind man, or
gentle, however he appeared to you last night.”
    “You don’t really know him.” I tried one more
argument in Dominic’s defense, then decided it didn’t matter.
Edwige had admitted that for once she did not have all the answers,
that here was something to do with
crypta
beyond her vast
knowledge. It gave me a sense of security at last.
I can ask
Dominic
, I thought. It was that simple. It had all come down
to what I wanted but had not dared hope for. It was between him and
me. I still trusted him, but to make sure, I would ask him.
Tonight, before things went any further.
    “Yes,” Edwige said. “Ask him.” I glared at
one more invasion of my mind. “But be aware,” she continued,
oblivious, “that whatever his answer, the choice is yours.”
    “I know that,” I said again, calmly this
time. “I just want to hear what he has to say for himself.”
    Edwige destroyed my new confidence without
even trying. “No,” she said, “the choice is more than that. This is
a seminary; its seclusion must be absolute. What Margrave Aranyi
did is against all the rules, a fact he’s well aware of. He was in
a seminary himself. Whether he visited you out of love or out of
malice is immaterial. It is not allowed, not even merely to talk.
Training requires full concentration, total commitment to our
purpose, and dedication to the sibyl and the other scholars. Even
talking with an