The pillars of creation

"If you could turn prophecy aside, that would make it wrong. If it were wrong, if it were prophecy unfulfilled, then it would just be the foolish empty words of an old man, wouldn't it? Then how could prophecy be distinguished from the ranting of any lunatic who claimed he was a prophet?"

"But it's not empty ranting," Jennsen insisted. "It's prophecy. If this prophet wanted to harm my mission, he might tell me something terrible about my future. If I knew something terrible, I might fail Lord Rahl."

"You mean," Nyda asked, "that you think it would be like if I were to jab my Agiel at someone? It would make them flinch?"

"Yes. Only if we know a prophecy, and flinch, as it were, it's Lord Rahl who would be put at risk because of our weakness and fear."

Nyda released her braid and put her hand back on the railing. "But I would not flinch, knowing how I was to die, especially if it was Lord Rahl's life I was saving. As a Mord-Sith, I'm always prepared to die. Every Mord-Sith wishes to die fighting for the Lord Rahl, not old and toothless in bed."

Jennsen wondered if the woman was mad, or if she could really be that dedicated.

"A brave boast," Sebastian put in. "But are you willing to bet Lord Rahl's life on it?"

Nyda looked him in the eye. "If it were my life on the line? Yes. I would not flinch knowing how and when I was to die."

"Then I admit that you're a better woman than I," Jennsen said.

Nyda nodded grimly. "I would not expect you to be the same as I. You may carry the knife, but are not Mord-Sith."

Jennsen wished Nyda would move on. If she couldn't convince the woman, and had to fight her, this would be a very bad place to have to do it. The Mord-Sith was strong and quick. With Sebastian behind, he could be little help. Besides that, hanging on to the swaying bridge over the chasm, Jennsen's head was spinning. She didn't like high places, and had never prided herself in her sense of balance.

"I'd do my best not to fail Lord Rahl in a situation like that," Jennsen said, "but I can't swear I wouldn't. I'd not like Lord Rahl's life to hang on the answer."

Nyda nodded in resignation. "That's wise." She finally turned and started out once more across the footbridge. "I would still try to change the prophecy, though."

Jennsen let out a silent sigh as she shuffled along, following close behind. In some manner she didn't understand, her words were swaying the Mord-Sith more than seemed possible.

She glanced over the edge but still saw no bottom. "Prophecy can't be changed, or it would cease to be prophecy. Prophecy comes from prophets, who are gifted with it."

Nyda had her braid over her shoulder again, stroking it. "But if he's a prophet, then he knows the future, and, like you said, that can't be changed or it wouldn't be prophecy-so he would only be telling you what is going to happen. He can't change it, you can't change it. It's already going to happen whether he tells you or not. If telling you would make you fail to protect Lord Rahl, then he would already see such an event, so it is preordained to happen and would be part of the prophecy to begin with."

Jennsen pulled a strand of her hair out of her eyes as she advanced along the bridge, gripping the rail tightly. In her mind, she furiously raced to come up with a logical answer. She had no idea if the things she was saying were true or not, but she thought they sounded convincing and seemed to be working. The problem was, Nyda kept asking questions Jennsen had more and more trouble answering. She felt almost as if she were descending into the void below, each attempt to climb out only letting her slip deeper. She did her best to keep any trace of desperation out of her voice.

"But don't you see? Prophets don't see everything about everyone, as if the whole world and every single thing that happens is some grand play to be acted out according to a script the prophet has already read. A prophet would only see some things-maybe even some things of his choosing. But other things, things he doesn't see, he might try to influence."

Nyda frowned back at them. "What do you mean?"

Jennsen sensed that her only safety was to keep Nyda worried for her Lord Rahl. "I mean, if he wanted to harm Lord Rahl, he might tell me something that would make me flinch, just to make me flinch, even if he didn't see such an event."

Nyda's frown grew more serious. "You mean he might lie?"

"Yes."

"But why would Wizard Rahl want to harm Lord RahI? What possible reason would he have?"

"I told you, he's dangerous. That's why they had him locked away in the Palace of the Prophets. Who knows what other things they knew about him that we don't, things that made them feel it was necessary to lock such a man away."

"That still doesn't answer why Wizard Rahl would wish to harm Lord Rahl.»