'That's all very fine, Cadvan,' said Usted. I am certain that she is who she says she is.' 'If my word and my Knowing mean anything at all, I can vouch for this girl. 'I said nothing, Usted, because I was not invited to speak,' he said. 'I'd like to hear his story.'Īt last Cadvan stirred. 'And why does Cadvan say nothing?' the sneering man continued. 'And the School was burned to the ground. 'There were none left alive to witness their kidnapping,' Saliman said. As if one of the Gift, of the House of Karn itself, could stay hidden for ten years, with no whisper.' 'As if the Dark wouldn't make it fit,' said the sneering man. 'Pellinor was sacked ten years ago, to this month, and Milana did have a daughter.' Strangely, she didn't feel nervous anymore. The existence of a survivor of Pellinor is great news among us, and we would not have that news mislead us.' 'It is necessary for us to establish in our own minds who you are. 'Forgive us our questioning, Maerad,' said Oron gently.

'Why should I lie, anyway? I didn't ask to come here.' 'I'm not a beggar!' Maerad forgot her self-consciousness, and was for a moment simply furious. And in these days, we must be wary of the spies of the Dark.' An interesting ploy, think you not? Some clever young beggar might seek to enter our ranks in such a way. At last the long-nosed man sitting next to Helgar said with a sneer, 'And how are we to know all this is true? None of this is said to us in the Speech, and we all know that lying is easier that way. Why should she have to prove who she was? She wasn't pretending to be anybody she was not. Underneath, however, she had a sense of being shamed, and her pride rebelled. She spoke mechanically, wondering why Cadvan sat so silently beside her. She answered as best she could: how old she was, her age when she was kidnapped, who Gilman was, the circumstances of her slavery, how she escaped. She felt foolish and out of place and, glancing over to Helgar, she saw again that hostility in her face.

I understand this might be painful, but I would appreciate it if you could answer them.' 'Now, perhaps some of us here might like to ask you some questions. She stopped, twisting her hands, and then sat down abruptly

The Naming by Alison Croggon