The pillars of creation

Jennsen reached up and curled her fingers around the weapon, holding it tight as she met the Mord-Sith's gaze. She told herself that she had to remember who she was supposed to be and to maintain the pretense. She tried to think of what she would do if she really were one of Lord Rahl's elite.

"I understand your concern," Jennsen said with resolve, determined not to miss her unexpected chance, even if she didn't fully understand it herself. "I know you want to protect Lord Rahl. We share that devotion and sacred duty. Our lives are his. I have vital business doing the same as you-protecting Lord Rahl. You don't know all that's involved in this and I don't have the time to even begin to explain it to you.

"I've had enough of this. Lord Rahl's life is in danger. I have no more time to spare. If you don't let me do my job of protecting him, then you are imperiling him and I will remove you as I would any threat to his life.

The Mord-Sith considered Jennsen's words. What she could be thinking, Jennsen had no idea, but that very notion-thought-was one Jennsen had never ascribed to the Mord-Sith. She had always considered them to be mindless killers. In this woman's eyes, Jennsen could see cognition.

Finally, the Mord-Sith reached down and with a hand under Sebastian's arm, helped him to his feet. When he was standing steadily, she turned back to Jennsen.

"I'd gladly suffer the horsewhipping-and far worse-if it would help protect this Lord Rahl. Get going-and be quick about it." She gave Jennsen a small but warm smile and then a firm clap on the side of the shoulder. "May the good spirits be with you." She hesitated. "But, I need to know how it is that you don't feel the power of an Agiel. Such a thing is simply not possible."

Jennsen was taken aback that a person this evil dared to invoke the name of the good spirits. Jennsen's mother was a good spirit, now. "I'm sorry, but that's part of what I have no time to begin to tell you, and besides, Lord Rahl's safety hinges on me keeping it secret."

The woman stared long and hard. "I am Nyda," she said at last. "Swear to me, personally, that you will do as you say, and protect him."

"I swear, Nyda. Now, I have to go. I can't spare any more time-not for anything."

Before Jennsen could move, the Mord-Sith seized a fistful of her dress and cloak at her shoulder. "This is one Lord Rahl we cannot afford to lose, or we all lose everything. If I ever find out you're lying to me, I promise you two things. First, there will never be a hole deep enough for you to hide in that I won't find you, and, second, your death will be beyond anyone's worst nightmare. Do I make myself clear?"

Jennsen could only nod dumbly at the look of fierce resolve in Nyda's eyes.

The woman turned and started up the steps. "Get going, then."

"Are you all right?" the captain asked Sebastian.

Sebastian brushed dirt off his knees as he headed for the steps. "I'd have rather had the horsewhipping than that, but I guess I'll live."

The captain grimaced his sympathy as he comforted his own arm. "I have your things up there, locked away. Your weapons and your money."

"Lord Rahl's money," Sebastian corrected.

Jennsen wanted nothing so much as to be out of the palace. She hurried up the steps, forcing herself not to break into a dead run.

"Oh," the Mord-Sith called back down the steps. She had paused, her hand on the rusty rail as they rushed up after her. "I forgot to tell you."

"Forgot to tell us what?" Jennsen asked. "We're in a hurry."

"That official who came to get me? The one in white robes?"

"Yes?" Jennsen asked as she reached the woman.

"After he came for me, he was going to go looking for Wizard Rahl, to bring him down to see you, too."

Jennsen felt the blood drain from her face.

"Lord Rahl is far to the south," the captain scoffed as he came up the stairs behind them.

"Not Lord Rahl," Nyda said. "Wizard Rahl. Wizard Nathan Rahl."

CHAPTER 28

Jennsen remembered that name, Nathan Rahl. Althea had said she met him in the Old World, at the Palace of the Prophets. He was a real Rahl, she said. She said he was powerful and inconceivably dangerous, so they kept him locked away behind impenetrable shields of magic where he could cause no harm, yet he sometimes still managed it. Althea had said that Nathan Rahl was over nine hundred years old.

Somehow, the old wizard had escaped those impenetrable shields of magic.

Jennsen seized the Mord-Sith by the elbow. "Nyda, what's he doing here?"

"I don't know. I've not met him."

"It's important he not see us." Jennsen nudged Nyda ahead, urging her to hurry. "I don't have time to explain, but he's dangerous."

At the top of the stairs, Nyda looked both ways before meeting Jennsen's gaze. "Dangerous? Are you sure about this?"

"Yes!»

"All right. Come with me, then."

"I need my things," Sebastian said.

"Here." The captain pointed at a door not far away.