Phantom: Chainfire Trilogy Part 2

Richard felt a tear run down his cheek. "Shota, I feel so alone. You brought Jebra to tell me things that gave me nightmares. I don't know what to do next. I don't. So many people believe in me, depend on me. Isn't there something you can tell me that will at least point me in the right direction before we're all lost?"

With a finger, Shota lifted the tear from his cheek. That simple act somehow lifted his heart in a small way.

"I am sorry, Richard. I don't know the answers that would save you. If I did, please believe that I would give them eagerly. But I know the good in you. I believe in you. I do know that you have within you what you must to succeed. There will be times when you doubt yourself. Do not give up. Remember then that I believe in you, that I know you can accomplish what you must. You are a rare person, Richard. Believe in yourself.

"Know that I believe you are the one who can do it."

Outside, before starting down the granite steps, she turned back, a black shape against the fading light.

"If Kahlan was ever real or not no longer matters. The entire world of life, everyone's life, is now at stake. You must forget this one life, Richard, and think of all the rest."

"Prophecy, Shota?" Richard felt too heavyhearted to raise his voice. "Something from the flow of time?"

Shota shook her head. "Simply the advice of a witch woman." She started for the paddock to collect her horse. "Too much is at stake, Richard. You must stop chasing this phantom."

When Richard went back inside everyone was crowded around Jebra, engaged in hushed conversation filled with sympathy for her ordeal.

Zedd paused in the middle of what he was saying as Richard joined them. "Rather odd, don't you think, my boy?"

Richard glanced around at the perplexed expressions. "What's odd?"

Zedd spread his hands. "That somewhere in the middle of Jebra telling her story Shota simply up and vanished."

"Vanished," Richard repeated, cautiously.

Nicci nodded. "We thought she would stick around and have something to say after Jebra finished."

"Maybe she had to go find someone to intimidate," Cara said.

Ann sighed. "Maybe she wanted to be on her way after that other witch woman."

"Maybe, being a witch woman, she isn't much for good-byes," Nathan suggested.

Richard didn't say anything. He had seen Shota do this before, like when she had shown up at his and Kahlan's wedding and given Kahlan the necklace. No one had heard her then, either, when she had spoken to Richard and Kahlan. No one had seen her leave.

Everyone went back to their conversation, except for his grandfather. Zedd looked distant and distracted.

"What is it?" Richard asked.

Zedd shook his head as he laid his arm around Richard's shoulders, leaning closer as he spoke intimately. "For some reason, I find my mind wandering to thoughts of your mother."

"My mother."

Zedd nodded. "I really miss her."

"Me too," Richard said. "Now that you mention it, I guess I've had her on my mind as well."

Zedd stared off into the distance. "Part of me died with her that day."

It took Richard a moment to find his voice. "Do you have any idea why she went back into the burning house? Do you think there was anything important in there? Maybe someone we didn't know about?"

Zedd shook his head insistently. "I felt sure that there had to have been some good reason, but I went through the ashes myself." His eyes welled up with tears. "There was nothing in there but her bones."

Richard glanced out the door and saw the spectral shadow of Shota atop her horse start down the road without looking back.

CHAPTER 21

Rachel hesitated deep within the dark entrance. It was becoming difficult to see. She wished she couldn't make out what was drawn on the walls, but the fact was she could. All the way into the cave she had tried not to look too closely at the strange scenes covering the stone walls all around her. Some of the images made goose bumps rise on her arms. She could not imagine why anyone would want to draw such horrible, cruel things, but she certainly could understand why they would put them down in the cave, why they would want to hide such dark thoughts from the light of day.

The man unexpectedly shoved her. Rachel stumbled forward and fell flat on her face. She gasped a breath to regain the wind that had been so abruptly knocked out of her. She spit out dirt as she pushed herself up on her arms. She was too angry to cry.