Wizard's First Rule

The magic raced through him. Wrath took him. The fire was upon him. The roar filled his ears. He turned his face, closed his eyes, held his breath and gritted his teeth, fully expecting that he might die. But there was no choice. The witch woman was their only chance. He couldn't let her be killed.

The impact staggered him back a step. He felt the heat. Even with his eyes tightly closed, he could see the light. The wizard's fire wailed in rage as it struck the sword, exploding around him.

And then there was silence. He opened his eyes. The wizard's fire was gone. Zedd wasted no time. Already he was throwing a handful of magic dust. It sparkled as it came. Richard saw something coming from behind him, magic dust from the witch woman. It shimmered like ice crystals, taking the sparkle from Zedd's dust, and slammed into him.

Zedd stood frozen, unmoving, one hand in the air

"Zedd!"

There was no reply. Richard spun to the witch woman. She was no longer his mother. Shota wore a wispy dress with variegated shades of gray across its gauzy surface, its folds and loose points floating in the light breeze. Her full, thick hair was a wavy auburn, her smooth skin flawless. Almond eyes shone up at him. She was as beautiful as the palace that stood behind her, the valley around her. She was so attractive, it almost took his breath away, and would have, were it not for the rage he was feeling.

"My hero," she said in a voice that was no longer his mother's, but silky, clear, easy. A sly smile carne to her full lips. "Totally unnecessary, but it's the thought that counts. I am impressed."

"And who is this supposed to be? Another vision from my mind? Or is this the real Shota?" Richard was enraged. He recognized all too well the anger from the sword, but decided to keep the weapon out.

Her smile widened. "Are those clothes really you?" she teased. "Or are they something you wear for a time, to serve a purpose?

"What's the purpose of who you are now?"

Her eyebrow lifted. "Why, to please you, Richard. That's all."

"With some illusion!"

"No." Her voice softened. "This is no illusion, it's the way I appear to myself, most of the time anyway. This is real."

Richard ignored her answer, pointing up the road with the sword. "What have you done to Zedd?"

She shrugged, looking away with a demure smile. "Merely prevented him from harming me. He is all right. For the moment anyway." Almond eyes sparkled up from under her eyebrows. "I will kill him later, after you and I have talked."

His grip on the sword tightened. "And Kahlan?"

Shota redirected her gaze to Kahlan, who stood still, pale, her mouth trembling, her eyes locked on Shota's every move. Richard knew Kahlan feared this woman more than she feared the snakes. Shota frowned; then it melted back into her coy smile as she returned her gaze to him.

"She is a very dangerous woman." Her eyes flashed with knowing that went well beyond the years she appeared to be

"More dangerous than even she knows. I have to protect myself from her." She shrugged again, deftly catching the corner of a floating wisp of her dress. When she did, the rest of the dress settled down, as if the breeze had died. "So I did that to keep her still. If she moves, they will bite her. If she doesn't, they won't," Shota thought a moment. "I will kill her later, too." Her voice seemed too gentle, too pleasant for the words she spoke.

Richard considered using the sword to take off the witch woman's head. His rage demanded it. He visualized it powerfully in his mind, hoping Shota could see it, too. Then he put the fury down a little, but still at the ready.

"And me? Are you not afraid of me?"

Shota gave a little laugh, a smile. "A Seeker?" Her fingers went to her lips as if to try to hide her amusement. "No, I don't think so."

Richard could barely contain himself. "Perhaps you should be."

"Perhaps. Perhaps in normal times. But these are not normal times. Otherwise why would you be here? To kill me'? You have just saved me." She gave him a look that said he should be ashamed of himself for saying something so stupid, then walked around him, one full turn. He turned with her, keeping the sword between them, although she seemed unconcerned by it. "These are times that demand strange alliances, Richard. Only the strong are wise enough to recognize this." She stopped and folded her arms, appraising him with a thoughtful smile. "My hero. Why, I can't remember the last time anyone thought to save my life." She leaned toward him. "Very gallant. It truly was." She slipped an arm around his waist. Richard wanted to stop her, but somehow he didn't.