Phantom: Chainfire Trilogy Part 2

Nathan stood silently, looking grim. He was a tall man, with broad shoulders. With his white hair brushing those shoulders he cut an imposing figure. It made Nicci sick at heart to think of anyone else taking Richard's place as Lord Rahl.

The alternative, though, was to allow the dream walker to ravage their minds. She knew all too well what that was like. She knew how her bond to Richard had not merely saved her life, but shown her the joy of living. Her bond to Richard hadn't been the formal acquiescence to the rule of the Lord Rahl, as it was with the people of D'Hara; rather, it had been a deeper commitment to Richard, the man. The man she had loved from almost the first moment she had seen the spark of life in his gray eyes. Richard had shown her not just how to live again, but how to love.

She swallowed back the pain of it, of knowing that she could never have him — worse, of knowing that his heart belonged to another, belonged to someone she didn't even remember. It would be better if Nicci could remember this Kahlan, know that she was smart, loving, beautiful, because then she could be happy for Richard. It was hard to be happy for him when he loved a phantom.

"I understand," Nathan said at last in a deep voice.

Ann looked like she had close to a thousand objections, one to match each year of the prophet's age, but she managed to bottle them up under the cork of her realization of the consequences of not having a Lord Rahl.

"The D'Haran army is not far from the palace," Nathan said. "They will soon have to face Jagang's horde. I think you're right that I would best help our cause if I were there."

Nicci hadn't told any of them yet. She cleared her throat to make sure that her voice would not fail her. "Richard spoke to the army. That's why he went to D'Hara. He told them that they could not fight the Imperial Order and hope to win."

Ann's face went crimson. "So what does he expect them to do! If not fight the army of the Order, then… what?"

"Lay waste to the Old World," Nicci said with grim resolve.

Zedd, Nathan, and Ann stared silently at her.

"He told them to do what?" Zedd asked incredulously.

"It's the only way," Nicci said. "We have no hope of destroying their army. Richard intends the D'Haran army to instead destroy their will to fight. It's the only chance we have."

"Dear spirits," Zedd whispered as he turned away. He went to the window and stood staring out into the night. He finally turned back, his eyes brimming with tears.

"I have been in his position. I have had to direct our side to do things that had to be done." He shook his head again. "The poor boy. I'm afraid he's right. I should have seen it myself. I guess I didn't want to. Sometimes, it takes lonely courage to do what must be done."

Cara stepped forward and went to one knee before Nathan. She bowed her head.

"Master Rahl guide us. Master Rahl teach us. Master Rahl protect us. In your light we thrive. In your mercy we are sheltered. In your wisdom we are humbled. We live only to serve. Our lives are yours."

Zedd dropped to one knee, as did Rikka. Nicci did the same. Finally, reluctantly, Ann followed.

"Master Rahl guide us," they all said in unison. "Master Rahl teach us. Master Rahl protect us. In your light we thrive. In your mercy we are sheltered. In your wisdom we are humbled. We live only to serve. Our lives are yours."

Nathan stood tall and silent, hands clasped, looking down at the bowed heads, looking very much like the Lord Rahl. When they had finished the devotion, they all stood, somewhat disquieted by the unspoken significance of what they had just done, of what it meant, that Richard was no longer the Lord Rahl.

"It is done," Cara said. She tested the feel of her slender red weapon in her fingers, gazing at it with liquid blue eyes. "My Agiel is alive again." She smiled in a distant, sad way. "The link of the bond is whole once more. All D'Harans will recognize it and know that we again have a Lord Rahl."

Nathan let out a deep breath. "At least we have that on our side."

"Nathan," Zedd said to the prophet, "you must get to D'Hara at once. There are Imperial Order troops at the larger passes east of here into D'Hara, still trying to find a way in the back door. I will show you some ways around them.

"It would be best to have a Lord Rahl, the guardian of the bond, standing with those now standing alone at the palace."

"What about Jagang's army?" Ann asked, looking concerned after Nathan nodded his agreement. "What do you think Jagang will do once he discovers that the D'Haran army has evaporated right before he could close his fist around them?"