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Zedd goggled up at the square-jawed face. His shoulder-length white hair fell forward as he leaned over, putting both hands to the sides of Zedd’s head.
“Who are you calling ‘old,’ old man?”
The penetrating blue eyes, beneath an intimidating raptor’s brow, smiled along with the rest of his face. It was a mixed visage Zedd found unsettling. “Now that you mention it, I guess I am a bit older than you.”
There was something familiar about that face. It came to him in a rush. Zedd shoved the hands away and sat up, pointing a bony finger at the tall man beside the table
“You look like Richard. Why do you look like Richard?”
His cheeks drew back with a wide smile. The brow was still looking very hawklike. “He’s a relative of mine.”
“Relative! Bags!” Zedd peered closer. “Tall. Muscular. Blue eyes. Hair looks of similar texture. That jaw. Worse, the eyes.” Zedd folded his arms. “You’re a Rahl,” he pronounced.
“Very good. You know Richard, then.”
“Know him! I’m his grandfather.”
His brow elevated. “Grandfather…” He wiped his face with one of his big hands. “Dear Creator,” he muttered, “what has that woman gotten us into.”
“Woman? What woman.”
With a sigh, he took the hand away from his face. The smile returned and he bowed. A rather good bow, Zedd thought. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Nathan Rahl.” He straightened. “And may I have your name, friend?”
“Friend!”
Nathan rapped his knuckles on Zedd’s forehead. “I just healed your cracked skull. That should count for something.”
“Well,” Zedd grumbled, “perhaps you’re right. Thank you, Nathan. I’m Zedd. A talented bit of healing, if my skull really was cracked.”
“Oh, it was. I seem to get quite a bit of practice. How do you feel?”
Zedd took stock of himself. “Well, fine. I feel fine. My strength is back.…” He groaned, remembering what had happened. “Gratch. Dear spirits, I have to get out of here.”
Nathan planted a restraining hand on Zedd’s chest. “We have to have a little talk, friend. At least I hope we can become friends. We unfortunately have a lot in common, besides being related to Richard.”
Zedd blinked up at the tall man. “Like what?”
Nathan unbuttoned his ruffled shirt at the top. The whole front of him was covered with dried blood. Nathan hooked a finger through a dull silver collar around his neck and lifted it a bit.
Zedd’s voice lowered to a somber timber. “Is that what I think it is?”
“You’re a pretty smart fellow, I’ve no doubt, or you wouldn’t be of such value.”
Zedd returned his gaze to the blue eyes. “And what unfortunate thing do we have in common?”
Nathan reached out and tugged something at Zedd’s neck. Zedd’s hands shot up to feel the smooth metal collar. He could find no seam.
“What is the meaning of this? Why would you do this?”
Nathan heaved a sigh. “Not me, Zedd.” He pointed. “Her.”
A squat old woman with gray hair tied in a loose knot at the back of her head was walking through the doorway. She held the hand of a little girl.
“Ah,” she said, as her fingers touched the top of the dark brown dress buttoned to her throat. “I see Nathan has you back to right. I’m so pleased. We were worried.”
“Is that so,” Zedd said noncommittally.
The old woman smiled. “Yes.” She looked at the little girl, stroking her straight, light brown hair. “This is Holly. She dragged you in here. She saved your life.”
“I seem to remember seeing her. Thank you for your help, Holly. You have my gratitude.”
“I’m so glad you’re healed,” the girl said. “I was afraid that gar might have killed you.”
“Gar? Did you see him? Is he all right?”
She shook her head. “He went over the wall with all those monsters.”
“Bags,” Zedd whispered through his teeth. “That gar was a friend.”
The woman lifted an eyebrow. “A gar? Well, I’m sorry, then.”
Zedd turned his glare on the woman. “What is this collar doing around my neck?”
She spread her hands. “I’m sorry, but it’s necessary for now.”
“You will remove it.”
Her smile stayed where it was. “I understand your concern, but it must remain in place, for now.” She folded her hands at her waist. “I’m afraid I haven’t been introduced. What is your name?”
Zedd’s voice came low and dangerous. “I am First Wizard, Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander.”
“I’m Annalina Aldurren, Prelate, of the Sisters of the Light.” Her smile warmed. “You may call me Ann. All my friends do, Zedd.”
With his eyes locked on the woman, Zedd hopped off the table. “You are not my friend.” She took a step back. “You will address me as Wizard Zorander.”
“Easy, friend,” Nathan cautioned.
Zedd turned a glare on him that closed his mouth and straightened his spine.
She shrugged. “As you wish, Wizard Zorander.”
Zedd tapped the collar at his neck. “Remove this at once.”
Her smile clung tenaciously to her face. “It must remain.”
Zedd began closing the distance between them. Nathan strode forward, apparently to restrain him. Without turning his eyes from the Prelate, Zedd lifted an arm, pointing a thin finger toward Nathan. The big man, his arms flailing, slid backward, as if he were standing on ice in a gale, until he was flattened against the far wall.
Zedd lifted his other hand, and the ceiling lit, glowing with bluish light. As his hand lowered, a razor-thin plane of light, like the surface of a still lake, lowered, passing over them. Ann’s eyes widened. The plane of light descended until it settled on the floor, turning it to a churning layer of boiling light. The light coalesced into points of brilliant intensity.
From the points, lightning erupted. Crackling cords of white fire climbed the walls all around, filling the room with a pungent smell. Zedd circled a finger and the lightning leapt from the wall to his collar. Flashes struck out at the metal. The room shook in sympathy with the dancing thunder. Stone dust filled the air.
The table lifted and then exploded in a cloud of dust that was sucked into the streams of twisting light. The room quaked and groaned as huge blocks of stone loosened and began chattering out of their place in the wall.
Through the fury of power, Zedd realized it wasn’t working. The collar absorbed the violence without breaking. He whipped an arm out, cutting the cacophony and light. The room rang in sudden silence. Enormous stone blocks hung halfway from the wall. The entire floor was charred and black, yet none of them were burned.
Through his analysis of the Prelate, the girl, and Nathan via the light bond, he now knew the exact extent of the power of each, their strengths, and weaknesses. She could not have made the collar, it had been made by wizards, bu
t she could use it.
“Are you quite through?” Ann asked. Her smile was finally gone.
“I have not yet begun.”
Zedd lifted his arms. He would channel enough power to level a mountain, if he had to. Nothing happened.
“That will be enough,” she said. Some of her smile returned. “I can see where Richard gets some of his fury.”
Zedd thrust out a finger. “You! You’re the one who collared him.”
“I could have taken him when he was a child, instead of letting him grow up with your love and guidance.”
Zedd could count on the fingers of one hand the times in his life he had truly lost control of his temper, and worse, his reason. He was rapidly approaching the need to start counting on his other hand. “Don’t try to placate me with your self-righteous justifications; there can be none for slavery.”
Ann sighed. “A Prelate, like a wizard, must sometimes use people. I’m sure you understand that. I regret having had to use Richard, and that I must use you, but I have no choice.” A wistful smile passed across her face. “Richard was a handful in a collar.”
“If you think Richard was trouble, you have seen nothing yet. Wait until you find out the trouble his grandfather will bring down on you.” Zedd ground his teeth. “You put one of your collars around his neck. You abducted boys from the Midlands. You have broken the truce that has stood for thousands of years. You know the consequences of such a transgression. The Sisters of the Light will pay the price.”
Zedd was standing at the brink of the abyss, at the brink of violating the Wizard’s Third Rule, yet he couldn’t bring his reason under control. That, in fact, was the only way to violate the Third Rule.
“I know the consequences of the Imperial Order taking the world. I know you don’t understand right now, Wizard Zorander, but I hope you will come to see that we fight on the same side.”
“I understand a lot more than you think I do. You are aiding the Order through this. I’ve never had to make my allies prisoners to fight for what’s right!”
“Really. What would you call the Sword of Truth?”
Seething, he refused to argue with the woman. “You will remove this collar. Richard needs my help.”
