The Third Kingdom

“You see, in the beginning, I was wondering how I would deal with your well-known and quite dangerous abilities, but now, thanks to the obstinate nature of that filthy little Hedge Maid, that hazard has been taken care of as well.”

Richard wasn’t sure exactly what the man was talking about. When he didn’t respond, Hannis Arc, as Richard expected, leaned forward a little to elaborate.

“I am referring to the touch of death she planted within you that prevents your gift from functioning. Its presence within you interferes with the function of the Grace.” The sly smile reappeared. “Yes, I know about that. Seems she did me a favor by defanging you for me. Knowing her nature I allowed her to play out her own needs in order to serve mine. I knew what she would try to do, and I knew you would have to stop her.”

Richard wondered what part prophecy had played in that.

Hannis Arc straightened, pleased with himself. “You see? My patience serves me well and it all works to my advantage in the end.”

Richard saw that back in the shadows figures were beginning to appear as if materializing out of the rock itself. At first he saw only a few, but within moments there were hundreds emerging from behind the rock. They all looked the same.

Shun-tuk.

“So what is this grand plan of yours, anyway?” Richard asked as offhandedly as he could, still stalling for time. “What’s your little scheme all about?”

“All in good time.” He couldn’t seem to keep himself from adding “And not so little.”

“Really? You expect me to believe that from the dark recesses of Fajin Province in your dark little domain, you have cooked up some elaborate grand plan that the world is going to care about?”

Fajin Province had contributed soldiers to the effort of stopping the Imperial Order. Some of those men even served in the First File back at the palace. It was disheartening to realize that this place that had fought with them was never really on their side. Or, at least, their leader wasn’t. He had only pretended loyalty.

Richard wondered how many other leaders of other lands who smiled so pleasantly to his face really wanted to stab him in the back.

They had won the war, won the peace. Richard found such treachery not only infuriating, but disheartening. He had thought that there was going to be peace. Zedd had warned him that there was nothing so dangerous as peace. Richard should have taken his grandfather’s words more seriously.

Hannis Arc smiled, as if trying to decide whether he wanted to kill Richard on the spot for disparaging his revelation of a carefully planned grand scheme, or continue to torment him to some purpose. In the end, he turned and bowed a little as he held an arm out in feigned, polite invitation.

“Come with us, if you please, Lord Rahl, and we will show you a bit of my grand plans. Then you can decide for yourself if you think the world will care.”

The green walls of death still stood to the sides and behind, preventing any escape.

“Do I have a choice?” Richard asked.

Hannis Arc smiled in a way that made Richard’s blood run cold.

“Not really.”

“Well, even so, I’m sorry,” Richard said. “I’m afraid that I have other plans, and they don’t include you.”

The shadow of a dark look came across Hannis Arc’s tattooed face. The man lifted a finger in Richard’s direction.

Sudden pain knifing through Richard’s skull took him to his knees in a heartbeat. His eyes bulged as his hands went to the sides of his head. It felt like bolts of lightning were crackling in through his ears. The sound of it inside his head was deafening, the pain withering.

Hannis Arc withdrew the pointed finger, and the pain lifted with it. Richard fell forward onto his hands as he gasped a breath.

“I can do this all day,” the man said. “Can you?”

Richard struggled to return to his feet, still panting to catch his breath.

“I think I can, Bishop,” Richard said, deliberately using the man’s lower title. “Please continue.”

“Let me have a few minutes with him, Lord Arc,” Vika said with menacing impatience. “I will teach him to be more respectful.”

He dismissed her suggestion with a wave. “Later.”

She bowed her head. “As you wish, Lord Arc.”

Richard wished he knew where in the world she had come from, and why he didn’t know anything about her.

“Enough of this,” Hannis Arc said, dispensing with the polite tone, falling back on his true nature. “If you want to see your friends again,” he said to Richard, “you will come with me.”

He started away, but then turned back. “By the way, I believe you understand how the power of a Mord-Sith works. Draw your weapon, and Vika will own you.”

“Vika,” Richard said, addressing her directly and ignoring her master. “What are you doing here, with him? Mord-Sith serve the Lord Rahl.”

“Not all of us,” she said with that unique, chilling smile of a Mord-Sith. “Not anymore.”

“What do you mean, not anymore?”