Free Joint Intentions (Book 9) by Jeff Inlo Page A

for... well, far longer than I've been alive. In all honesty, some believe the idea of punishment for the acts committed by the tenants is not even pertinent to the story. They think the focus should be placed solely upon the acts of the landowner and not on what will ultimately happen to the tenants. Others disagree. Trying to determine a definite meaning for the tale has caused some mixed feelings among members of the church."
    Ryson was a bit surprised by the admission. He knew the Church of Godson had its detractors. Before the magic returned to the land, believers were viewed as a sect of lunatics with absurd ideas. The magic, however, forced many people to reconsider their opinion of those following the word of Godson. The church had grown substantially over the past few seasons.
    Despite that growth, there were still many who scoffed at the beliefs of the followers. Those disbelievers would certainly debate the legitimacy of anything within the Book of Godson, but that's not what surprised the delver. Ryson found it difficult to imagine disagreement among the believers themselves.
    The delver believed the followers had been offered a clear picture of the Book of Godson by a man of remarkable insight. An interpreter had visited many churches, and that man had unraveled many secrets within the passages. Ryson could not see how the followers of Godson would debate issues which had already been interpreted.
    "I thought those questions had all been answered for you," Ryson admitted. "I thought the hidden meanings had all been explained."
    It was Rachael's turn to be surprised.
    "You don't really think that, do you?"
    "You knew the interpreter, Stephen Clarin, didn't you?" Ryson asked.
    "A very gifted soul."
    "I was told he interpreted the mysteries, made them understandable. He came to this church. I know he did. I was here with him when we had to get Ingar's Sphere out of Sanctum Mountain. He was here before that as well. He understood things the way no one else did. I was told he explained things that were unclear, revealed the meaning of difficult passages in a way everyone could understand."
    "Yes, he did, but he interpreted prophecies, not the entire Book of Godson."
    "So he didn't explain the meaning of this story?"
    "No. A great many mysteries remain just that... a mystery. We are left to our own considerations in determining the meaning of certain passages."
    Ryson found the admission astonishing.
    "So you're trying to answer my question with a story that no one understands?"
    Rachael laughed.
    "Actually, that's a very interesting way to put it. It's not that no one understands it. It's complicated. And that's the heart of your own problem. You have a very complicated question. You're trying to figure out what to do with the knowledge you've been given, trying to understand what you're supposed to do now that you've seen your own soul."
    "And I'm not sure how this story helps me out. Other than it being complicated , I don't see a connection."
    Rachael tried to help Ryson see the parable in a different light.
    "Try to remember that the passages in the Book of Godson represent more than they seem. There is usually a deeper meaning."
    "And what's the deeper meaning behind the story you told me? Why did this story come to your mind?"
    Rachael could see that the delver was curious about both the story itself as well as her decision to invoke the passage. She knew he wanted to know more than just the importance of the tale. Ryson wanted to know more about her own beliefs, and she felt obligated to fulfill that need.
    "I've always felt that certain words in the Book of Godson could hold different degrees of significance depending on the individual. What may be important to me is not as important to you. The reverse is also true. As far as this particular passage is concerned, I believe that the parcels of land that were given to the tenants represent our lives, our existence within Uton. But even more than that; they