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“Are you sure?” Verna whispered to Walsh. “Here? Nathan wanted us to meet him in the Hagen Woods?”
“Yes,” Walsh said over his shoulder.
“That was the name he told me, too,” Clarissa added.
Verna let out an annoyed breath. It was just like Nathan to make them go into the Hagen Woods. Even if Richard had cleared the mriswith from this place, she still didn’t like it. Verna always suspected Nathan of being dangerously unbalanced, and that he would want her to meet him here only confirmed it.
Trailers of moss hung down, like gauzy rags of the dead. Roots tripped their feet as they moved through the darkness. Unpleasant odors wafted in on the warm, humid air. Verna had never been this deep into the Hagen Woods before—and for good reason.
“How are you doing, Warren?” she whispered.
“Fine,” he mumbled in a groggy voice.
“It won’t be long, Warren. It won’t be long, now. Just a little farther, and then it will be over. Nathan will help you.”
“Nathan,” he mumbled under his breath. “Must warn him.”
They came upon a massive stone block that was obviously worked by man; it was square. It was nearly covered with snaking tendrils and gnarled roots. More stones, like white bones in the moonlight, jutted up from the thick vegetation. She saw the low, jagged remains of a wall, and columns, looking like the ribs of a monster.
Light shone through the undergrowth. The way it flickered it appeared to be the light of a campfire. Walsh and Bollesdun held aside the branches for the rest of them. The fire was set in a circle of rocks placed on the stone floor of old ruins. Beyond the fire Verna could see the round wall of a large well, or something like a well. She had never known that this place was hidden in the Hagen Woods, but as infrequently as anyone went into the Hagen Woods, that wasn’t surprising.
Nathan, dressed like a rich nobleman, rose to greet them. He was tall, and intimidating, especially without a Rada’Han around his neck. When he saw them all, he grinned that confident Rahl grin. Walsh and Bollesdun laughed aloud, and received good-natured slaps on the back.
Clarissa ducked under an arm, throwing hers around Nathan’s midsection. He grunted when she squeezed with all her might and ardor. When she proudly held out the book, he took it from her. He gave her a private smile, laden with meaning. Clarissa’s eyes sparkled. Verna’s eyes rolled.
“Verna!” Nathan called out when he saw her. “Glad you could make it.”
“How good to see you, Lord Rahl.”
“You shouldn’t scowl like that, Verna. You’ll get wrinkles.” He scanned the others. “Janet, so you have joined us, too.” His brow tightened a bit. “And Amelia.” He looked to the other woman, standing off to the side. “And who have we here?”
Clarissa held out an arm, wiggling her fingers, urging Manda forward. From underneath, Mindy’s fists tightened the cloak at her throat. She timidly stepped forward.
“Nathan, this is a friend of mine, Manda. From Renwold.”
Manda put a knee to the ground as she bowed deeply. “Lord Rahl. My life is yours.”
“Renwold.” Nathan’s brow twitched again as he glanced briefly at Clarissa. “Yes, well, glad you escaped from Jagang, Manda.”
“I owe it all to Clarissa,” Manda said as she came to her feet. “She is the bravest woman I’ve ever seen.”
Clarissa giggled as she pressed herself to Nathan. “Nonsense. I’m so thankful that the good spirits put you where they did, or I’d never have even known you were there.”
Nathan turned his attention back toward Verna. “Who have we here? The young Warren, I presume?”
Verna did her best to smooth her own brow. “Nathan—”
“Lord Rahl.” His grin cracked through the scowl. “But we are old friends, Verna. I am still Nathan to you, and all my old friends.”
Verna dipped her head as she bit the inside of her cheek.
“Nathan,” she began again, “you’re right; this is Warren. Can you help him? He’s just coming into prophecy, just starting to have them. I took his collar off a while back and there is nothing to protect him from the gift. He’s having the headaches. Nathan, he’s in a bad way. I’ll follow you anywhere if you will help him.”
“Help him?”
“Please, Nathan. I’m begging you.”
“Nothing to it, Verna. I’d be delighted to help the boy.” Nathan gestured. “Bring him over here by the fire.”
Warren mumbled, trying to introduce himself, but he was nearly unconscious. Verna and Janet helped him down where Nathan pointed, and balanced him upright.
Nathan hiked up his trousers at his knees and lowered himself to the stone floor of the missing building, sitting cross-legged. He set the book beside him. His brow drew down in that Rahl frown as he studied Warren’s face. He waved his hand at Verna and Janet, ordering them away. With a web, Nathan held Warren upright. He inched forward, until their knees touched.
“Warren,” Nathan called in that deep, commanding voice of his. Warren’s eyes opened. “Hold up your hands.”
Fingers extended, both Warren and Nathan held up their hands. They pressed their fingers together. Their eyes fixed on each other.
“Let your Han flow into my fingertips,” Nathan said in gentle prompting. “Open the seventh gateway. Close the others. You know of what I speak?”
“Yes.”
“That’s a good lad. Do it then. It will make it easier if I have your help.”
A warm, mellow glow enveloped both men. The night air hummed with the power from that light. It was neither flame nor heat. Verna didn’t know what Nathan was doing. She was somewhat astounded that Nathan did.
Nathan had always been something of a enigma at the Palace of the Prophets. He had seemed an old man to her even when Verna was a young girl. He had always been regarded as, at the least, unbalanced, even by the most magnanimous of the Sisters.
There were those at the palace who didn’t believe that Nathan had more than the slightest hint of the gift in anything but prophecy. Others suspected, but were never sure, that he was capable of much more than he ever showed them. There were others who were so terrified of him that they feared going to the rooms where he was confined, even though he had a Rada’Han around his neck. Verna had always considered Nathan trouble on two feet.
Now, she watched as this troublesome old lecher of a wizard did his best to save the life of the man Verna loved. At times, the light glowed more strongly in one man than the other, before passing away, and then coming back, as if it had forgotten something and then returned for it.
Walsh and Bollesdun loafed near the round stone wall behind Nathan, but the rest of the party watched transfixed. Verna had no more idea what Nathan was doing than did Manda.
What unnerved Verna the most was when both men, their knees touching, their fingers pressed together, floated a few inches off the ground. She was relieved when they at last settled back down.
Nathan clapped his hands together once. “There!” he announced. “That should do it.”
Verna couldn’t see how that could have possibly been enough to set the gift right in Warren.
Warren, though, wore a wide grin. “Nathan, that was—marvelous. The headache is completely gone. I feel so clearheaded—so alive.”
Nathan picked up the inky book and stood. “I enjoyed it too, my boy. Took that gaggle of Sisters near to three hundred years to do for me what I have just done for you. But then they were a misguided lot.” He glanced Verna’s way. “Sorry, Prelate. No slight intended.”
“None taken.” Verna rushed to Warren’s side. “Thank you, Nathan. I was so worried for him. You have no idea what a relief this is.”
Warren’s face was losing the joyous look. “Nathan, now that you have done this for me, I can see more clearly that… we have inadvertently given Jagang insight into prophecy that—”
Nathan cried out. Clarissa cried out. Verna froze. She could feel something sharp pressed to her back.
; Amelia had a dacra stabbed in the back of Nathan’s thigh. Manda had a knife at Clarissa’s throat. Janet was holding a weapon at Verna’s back. Warren stiffened when Janet held a warning finger to him and then to the two soldiers.
“Don’t you move a muscle, Nathan,” Amelia said, “or I let flow my Han, and you are instantly dead.”
“Warren is right,” Janet said. “He did, in fact, give His Excellency some very valuable information.”
“Amelia, Janet!” Verna cried out. “What are you doing?”
Amelia turned a wicked smile on Verna. “His Excellency’s bidding, of course.”
