“We have the liturgy and the ritual of exorcism.”

“See?” I said triumphantly. “You have to learn magic words too, even if you don’t call them that.”

He changed the topic abruptly away from demons. I was just as glad. I didn’t like talking about demons with it now full dark, even though one of my predecessor’s excellent magic globes was shedding a soft light in the room-I hoped the chaplain didn’t consider that an illusion.

“You say that magic always works,” he said. “But they must have taught you at the very beginning of your studies that there are only limited areas in which magic works at all.” For someone who claimed to have no knowledge of or interest in magic, he seemed to be able to guess remarkably well. “Since magic is part of the earth’s natural forces, it can modify them but never alter them irrevocably.”

I nodded ruefully. “The cycle of birth and death, sickness and health. We can lengthen life, but not indefinitely. We can’t cause someone to be born, and we can’t bring them back when they’re dead.”

He smiled for the third time that evening. “For twinkling lights and fairy gold, see a wizard. For a miracle, see a priest.” That must be something else they had taught them at seminary, a handy phrase to confound wizards.

“Would you like more wine?” I stood up this time to get his glass.

IV

Bells were ringing out in the courtyard. Snuggled down in my pillows, I opened one eye. Early morning light was coming in the window, too early, I decided, to make it worth thinking about yet. I closed the eye again.

My door handle rattled, then the door swung open. I wished again for a good curse to use, this time against myself. I remembered now forgetting to lock the door when I let the chaplain out, well past midnight. I sat up straight, both eyes wide open.