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Until she could die, and be with Richard again.
Sweet death could not come soon enough.
Clarissa wiped her sweaty palms together as she peered through the keyhole and listened to Nathan speaking with the Sisters in the other room.
“I’m sure you can understand, Lord Rahl,” Sister Jodelle said. “This is for your own safety, too.”
Nathan chuckled. “How good of the emperor to consider my well-being.”
“If, as you say, Richard Rahl will be eliminated tonight, then you have nothing to be concerned about. We will bring it afterwards. Surely, this would be satisfactory.”
Nathan shot them a hot glare. “I told you, Jagang’s plan has worked. Richard Rahl will be eradicated tonight. You will learn not to question me after tonight, I pray.”
Clarissa had to strain to see Nathan through the keyhole as he turned away from the two Sisters while he considered. He turned back to them.
“And he has agreed to everything else?”
“Everything,” Sister Willamina assured him. “He looks forward to having you as his plenipotentiary in D’Hara, and is most agreeable to your offer of aid with the books of prophecy he has collected over the years.”
Nathan grunted. “Where are they? I don’t know that I’m amenable to traveling all over the Old World just to have a look at worthless volumes. I have business in D’Haran, after all. As the new Lord Rahl, I will need to consolidate my authority.”
“His Excellency has anticipated that this would be inconvenient for you, and so has suggested that he will have his wizards pull out things of interest and have them sent to you for your analysis.”
Clarissa knew what the Sister was talking about. Before they had arrived, Nathan had told her that he probably wouldn’t be allowed to have a look at the prophecies Jagang possessed, much less be told where they all were. Jagang would want Nathan to see only selected volumes that had been screened by others, first.
Nathan finally turned his full attention to the two Sisters.
“In due time, in due time. Once we have worked together and brought the New World to task, and have come to fully trust one another’s word, then I will happily accept visits by Jagang’s lapdogs, but until then, I’m sure our emperor understands that I am leery of allowing those with the gift to know exactly where I am. That is why I will be leaving at once.”
Sister Jodelle sighed. “As I said, he would be happy to have it brought to you. But you can understand that he would have cause for concern to have a wizard of your power, whose mind is a mystery to him, approach too closely. While he is eager for this arrangement, he is a man who takes precautions.”
“As am I,” Nathan said. “That is why I can’t allow the book to be brought to me. Having you meet me here again today is the last risk I intend to take. In the meantime, I want that book. Until I have it, I have no way of knowing if it’s safe for me to go to D’Hara.”
“His Excellency understands, and has no disagreement with your request. His objective will soon be complete, and he therefore has no further need of the book. Besides, a world without people to work for him would be of little value.
“The book only works for Sister Amelia, since she was the one who went to the Temple of the Winds to recover it. He has offered to let you have either the book, or Sister Amelia. If you wish, we will send her to you.”
“So Jagang will know where I am? I don’t think so, Sister. I’ll take the book.”
“That, too, is agreeable with His Excellency. We can send it, or have someone meet you, to deliver it to you. He objects only to you, yourself, coming to get it, for safety reasons, as I’ve already explained.”
Nathan rubbed his jaw as he thought. “What if I sent someone back with you? A representative, someone with my interests in mind? Someone loyal to me, so I had no need to fear that Jagang would delve into their mind and find where I was to be? Someone without the gift? He would have no need to fear them.”
“Without the gift?” Sister Jodelle thought a moment. “And we could test them, without your shields around them, to insure that they in fact did not have the gift?”
“Of course. I want this relationship with Jagang to work for both of us. I wouldn’t jeopardize it by trying to deceive him. I want to build trust, not destroy it.” Nathan hesitated, clearing his throat. “But you understand, though, that this person is… valued, to me. If anything were to happen to her, I would view it in the harshest light.”
Both Sisters smiled.
“Her. Of course,” Sister Willamina said.
“Why, Nathan”—Sister Jodelle rocked on her heels as she smiled—“you really have been enjoying your freedom.”
“I mean it,” Nathan said in a level tone. “Anything happens to her, and the entire agreement is ended. I’m sending her as a show of my faith in Jagang, in our agreement. I’m taking the first step of trust, so that the emperor will see that I am sincere.”
“We understand, Nathan,” Sister Jodelle said, more serious now. “No harm will come to her.”
“When she leaves with the book, I want her escorted to safety, beyond Jagang’s troops, and then left to be on her way. If she is followed, I will know it. If she is followed, I will view it in the most unfavorable light—as a sign of hostility toward me, and an attempt on my life.”
Sister Jodelle nodded. “Understood, and very reasonable. She comes with us, gets the book, and returns safely to you, without being followed, and we are all happy.”
“Good,” Nathan said decisively, as if closing the deal. “After tonight, Jagang will be rid of Richard Rahl. When I have the book safely in hand, then I will have the southern army surrender to Jagang’s expeditionary force, as my part of the bargain.”
Sister Jodelle bowed. “We have an agreement, Lord Rahl. His Excellency wishes to welcome you to the empire as his second.”
Nathan turned toward the door Clarissa was kneeling behind. Clarissa jumped up and rushed to the far window. She drew back the drapes with a hand and pretended to be gazing out when she heard the door open.
“Clarissa,” Nathan called.
She turned to see him standing in the doorway, holding the doorknob. Beyond him, she could see the two Sisters watching.
“Yes, Nathan? You wish something?”
“Yes, Clarissa. I would like you to go on a small journey for me—a bit of business. I need you to go with my friends out here.”
Clarissa guided her full skirts around the writing table and followed him out into the other room. Nathan introduced her to the two Sisters.
The two women wore knowing, smug smiles. They glanced to her cleavage and then at each other. Clarissa had that feeling of being judged as a whore, again.
“Clarissa, you will leave at once, with these ladies. When you reach your destination, they will give you a book. You will then return with it. You remember where I told you we would be off to, tomorrow?”
“Yes, Nathan.”
“You will meet me there, after you have the book. No one, no one at all, is to know where it is you will be meeting me. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Nathan.”
“I’ll go see to getting her a hor
se,” Sister Willamina said.
“A horse?” Clarissa gasped. “I’ve never ridden a horse in my life. I can’t ride a horse.”
Nathan waved patience at the sudden hitch in their plans. “I have a carriage. I’ll have it brought around, and Clarissa can take that. There, is that satisfactory to all?”
Sister Jodelle shrugged. “Horse, carriage, it makes no difference to us, as long as we can test her for the gift, first.”
“Test her all you want. I will order the carriage while you test her, and then Clarissa can pack a few things.”
“Agreed.”
“Good. That’s settled then.”
Nathan turned to Clarissa, putting his back to the two Sisters. “It won’t be long, my dear, and we’ll be together again.” He adjusted the locket hanging from a fine gold chain, straightening it for her. He looked into her eyes. “I will be waiting for you. I’ve told these friends of mine that if anything happens to you, I will be more than unhappy.”
Clarissa stared into his wonderful eyes. “Thank you, Nathan. I will bring the book, as you ask.”
Nathan kissed her cheek. “Thank you, my dear. That’s good of you. Safe journey, then.”
57
Even with the gathering dark, brooding clouds, an eerie calm hung over the summit of Mount Kymermosst. The Andolians cast uneasy glances skyward. As Kahlan watched Richard dismount, his golden cloak hung limp in the unnaturally still air. Drefan offered her his hand to help her down. Kahlan pretended not to see it.
In the fading light, the ruins were only ghostly shapes, the bones of some long extinct monster, waiting to come back to life and swallow her up. Though this was the night of the full moon, the leaden clouds would totally obscure it. When the last of the daylight soon left, it would be black as death atop the forsaken peak.
Nadine stood close to Richard as he stared off toward the edge of the cliff. Drefan stood nearby, not wanting to look too forward to the woman who would shortly be his wife, but not wanting to ignore her, either. Like Nadine, he didn’t seem to view this as the end of his happiness.
