The pillars of creation

"Excellency," the Sister insisted, if more quietly, "why would two people-so important to their cause-be alone here in the palace? Alone without even a guard at the door? It doesn't make sense. They would not be here alone."

Jennsen, as much as she wanted Lord Rahl under her knife, had to agree. It made no sense.

"Who says they're alone?" Jagang asked. "Do you sense any conjuring of magic?"

He was right, of course. They might go through a door and encounter a surprise of a thousand swords waiting for them. But that chance seemed remote. It seemed more logical that a protecting force, if there was one here, would not have wanted to allow them to all get inside.

"No," the Sister answered. "I sense no magic. But that doesn't mean it can't be called in an instant. Excellency, you are endangering yourself needlessly. This is dangerous to go chasing after such people when there are so many things about it that make no sense."

She stopped short of calling it foolish. Jagang, seeming to pay minimal attention to the Sister as she spoke, signaled to his men, sending a dozen racing off in each direction down the hall. A snap of his fingers and a quick gesture sent a Sister with each group.

"You're thinking like a green army officer," Jagang said to the Sister. "The Mother Confessor is far more sly and ten times as cunning as you give her credit for. She is smarter than to think in such simple terms. You've seen some of the things she's pulled off. I'll not let her get away with this one."

"Then, why would she and Lord Rahl be here alone?" Jennsen asked when she saw that the Sister feared to speak up further. "Why would they allow themselves to be so vulnerable?"

"Where better to hide than in an empty city?" Jagang asked. "An empty palace? Any guards would tip us to their presence."

"But why would they even hide here, of all places?"

"Because they know that their cause is in jeopardy. They're cowards and want to evade capture. When people are desperate and in a panic, they often run for their home to hide in a place they know." Jagang hooked a thumb behind his belt as he analyzed the layout of halls around him. "This is her home. In the end, it's only their own hides that they think of, not that of their fellow man."

Jennsen couldn't help herself from pressing, even as Sebastian was pulling her back, urging her to be quiet. She threw her arm out toward the expanse of windows. "Why would they allow themselves to be seen, then? If they're trying to hide, as you suggest, then why would they let themselves be spotted?"

"They're evil!" He leveled his terrible eyes at her. "They wanted to watch me find Brother Narev's remains. They wanted to see me discover their profane and heinous butchery of a great man. They simply couldn't resist such sick delight!"

"But-"

"Let's go!" he called to his men.

As the emperor charged off, Jennsen seized Sebastian's arm in exasperation, holding him back. "Do you really think it could be them? You're a strategist-do you honestly think that any of this makes sense?"

He noted which way the emperor went, followed by a flood of men charging after him, then turned a heated glare on her.

"Jennsen, you wanted Lord Rahl. This may be your chance."

"But I don't see why-"

"Don't argue with me! Who are you to think you know better!"

"Sebastian, I-"

"I don't have all the answers! That's why we're in here!"

Jennsen swallowed past the lump in her throat. "I'm only worried for you, Sebastian, and Emperor Jagang. I don't want your heads to end up on the end of a pike, too."

"In war, you must act, not only by careful plan, but when you see an opening. This is what war is like-in war people sometimes do stupid or even seemingly crazy things. Maybe she and Lord Rahl have simply done something stupid. You have to take advantage of an enemy's mistakes. In war, the winner is often the one who attacks no matter what and presses any advantage. There isn't always time to figure everything out."

Jennsen could only stare up into his eyes. Who was she, a nobody, to try to tell an emperor's strategist how to fight a war?

"Sebastian, I was only-"

He snatched a fistful of her dress and yanked her close. His red face twisted in anger. "Are you really going to throw away what might turn out to be your only chance to avenge your mother's murder? How would you feel if Richard Rahl really is crazy enough to be here? — Or if he has some plan we can't even conceive of? — And you just stand here arguing about it!"

Jennsen was stunned. Could he be right? What if he was?

"There they are!" came a cry from far down the hall. It was Jagang's voice. She saw him among a distant clot of his soldiers, pointing his sword as they all scrambled to turn a comer. "Get them! Get them!"