Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy Part 1

The Prelate didn't say "So good to see you again," or anything cordial. She seemed momentarily unable to think of what to say. Nicci found it just a little remarkable that this squat woman beside the towering prophet had for so long seemed so big in her eyes. Novices and Sisters often went for long periods without even seeing the Prelate around the Palace of the Prophets. Absence, Nicci guessed, added to her mythic stature.

"Prelate. I'm glad to see you well, especially after your unfortunate death and funeral." Nicci glanced over at Richard as she finished the thought. "I hear that everyone believed you were dead. Amazing how a burial can be so convincing, and yet here you are, alive and well, it would appear."

Richard's twitch of a smile told her that he caught her meaning. Zedd, to the side, at the brink of the three steps leading down into the center of the room with the fountain, gave Nicci a curious frown. The meaning hadn't been lost on him, either.

"Yes, well, that was unfortunately necessary, child." Ann's expression darkened. "What with the Sisters of the Dark having infested the ranks of our Sisters of the Light." She glanced briefly at Richard, Cara, and Zedd, the edge to her countenance softening. "It appears by the company you keep, Sister Nicci, that you have come back into the fold. I can't tell you how much it pleases me, personally. I can only think that the Creator Himself must have had a hand in saving your soul."

Nicci clasped her hands behind her back. "The Creator had nothing to do with it, actually. I guess that while I was forced to spend my life serving everyone who decided they wanted the blood and sweat of my abilities, the Creator was busy. I guess he couldn't be bothered while I was being used by pious men telling me how it was my duty to serve and to submit and to grovel to them and to kill those who opposed the Creator's ways.

"I guess that all the times those champions of the Creator were raping me, the Creator didn't catch on to the irony.

"No more. Richard helped show me the value of my life to myself. And it is no longer 'Sister' Nicci-either of the Light or the Dark. Nor is it Death's Mistress, or the Slave Queen. It is just Nicci, now, if you please — and even if you don't."

Ann's expression flashed between incredulity and indignation as her face went red. "But once you are a Sister you are always a Sister. You have done a wonderful thing and renounced the Keeper, so you are again a Sister of the Light. You can't simply decide on your own to forsake your duty to the Creator's.»

"If He has any objections, then let Him speak up right now!" As the echo of Nicci's heated words faded away, the room fell silent but for the splash of water in the fountain. She made a show of looking around, as if she thought that maybe the Creator might be hiding behind a pillar ready to pop out and make His wishes known.

"No?" She again clasped her hands. She put back on the defiant smile. "Well then, since He has no objections, Nicci it is, I guess."

"I'll not have.»

"Ann, enough," Nathan said in a deep, commanding voice. "We have important business and this isn't it. We didn't travel all this way simply for a dead prelate to lecture a reformed Sister of the Dark."

Nicci was somewhat surprised to hear the voice of reason coming from the prophet. She allowed that perhaps she had put too much stock into idle gossip.

Ann's mouth twisted in resignation as she fingered a stray lock of hair into the loose bun at the back of her head. "I suppose you're right. I'm afraid that I'm a little out of sorts, my dear, what with all the trouble going on. Please forgive my rash presumption, will you, Nicci?"

Nicci bowed her head. "Happily, Prelate."

Ann smiled, more genuinely, Nicci thought. "And it's just Ann, now. Verna is Prelate, now. I'm dead, remember?"

Nicci smiled. "So you are, Ann. Wise choice, Verna. Sister Cecilia always said that there was no hope of converting that one to the Keeper."

"Someday when we have the luxury of time, I would appreciate hearing more about Sister Cecilia in addition to Richard's former teachers." She sighed at the thought. "I never knew for sure that you and all five of the others were Sisters of the Dark."

Nicci nodded. "I'd be happy to tell you what I know about them-the ones still alive, anyway. Liliana and Merissa are dead."

"Tom, how is my sister?" Richard asked as soon as there was a brief break in the conversation. Nicci recognized that he had listened long enough and was signaling that he wanted to move on to more important matters.

"She is well, Lord Rahl," the big blond-headed man near the door said.

"Good. Nathan, what's going on?" Richard anxiously asked, getting right to the point. "What trouble are you here about?"

"Well — among other things, prophecy trouble."

Richard visibly relaxed. "Oh. Well, that's not something I can help you with."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Nathan said, cryptically.