16 "I'm afraid you're right!" North affirmed.
"They won't let you in. I'll have to go alone. You can wait for me
outside."
17 "I don't think it will take long," his uncle told him.
18 "Did you finish the books?" North asked.
19 "Yes," his uncle replied, "do you have any idea how rich you are? Your father made some incredibly good investments after
The Hashon War, and he seems to have been given interests in several
properties. You're a very rich young man!"
20 "Really?" North was amazed. "It's a good thing I'll have you as a
Guardian! I had no idea! Someone else could have robbed me blind and I
would never have known!"
21 "Do you think there will be any problem about that?" his uncle asked.
22 "No," assured North, "they never question who one selects except if
that person is brought on charges, too. And I don't think there's any
chance of that!"
23 "No," his uncle replied with a chuckle. "Will you be safe in The
Temple alone?"
24 "Oh, yes!" North sighed. "They wouldn't dare let anything happen to
me THERE."
25 "All right," his uncle reassured. "You'd better try and get some
rest. Can you do it without breaking down?"
26 "I think so," North sighed. He went back to his room and rested a
couple of hours. Then he got up, showered, and went to dress. He
wondered what he should wear, then decided on his school uniform. He
was eating lunch when the doorbell rang. His uncle answered it, and
soon returned with three members of The Lord's Guard. "Are you Northern
Star?" the leader asked.
27 "I am," North answered, "what is it?"
28 "We have been ordered to see to your safety," the leader answered,
"for the next few weeks. We will be escorting you to the ceremonies
this afternoon. The apartment has two