Temple of the Winds (87 page)

Vincent shoved the two Sisters aside. “I’ve heard just about enough from this dried-up old jackass. He always was full of himself. It’s about time he learned just who he’s dealing with!”

Nathan made no move to defend himself as Vincent lifted his hands. Clarissa’s eyes went wide in fright as the young man’s fingers curled and his face twisted with hate. Clarissa covered her mouth in terror as light shot from Vincent’s hands toward Nathan.

A brief whine sang through the air. The light from the young man scattered. There was a thump that Clarissa could feel in the floor as light flared through the other room.

When the sound and light cleared, Vincent was gone.

On the floor, where he had stood, Clarissa could see a small pile of white ash.

Nathan went to the wall and retrieved a broom leaned there, just behind a curtain. He opened the door and swept the ash out through the door into the hall.

“
Thank you for coming, Vincent. Sorry you have to leave now. Let me show you out.”

With a flourish, Nathan swept the last of the ash out into the hall, creating a small cloud as he did so. He shut the door and turned back to the gaping gazes of the three people left.

“
Now, as I was saying, you will be making the last mistake of your lives if you underestimate me or what it is you think me capable of. Your negligible intellects couldn’t even understand it if I showed it to you.” Nathan’s brow drew down in a way that frightened even Clarissa. “Now, show proper respect and bow to the Lord Rahl.”

Reluctantly, the three people bowed, each touching a knee to the floor.

“
What is it you want?” Sister Jodelle asked after she had straightened. Her voice had lost some of its edge.

“
You can tell Jagang that I’m interested in peace.”

“
Peace?” Sister Jodelle fussed back some of her dark hair. “What position are you in that you could make such an offer?”

Nathan lifted his chin. “I am Lord Rahl. I will soon be Master of D’Hara. I will be in command of the New World. I believe it is a war with the New World in which Jagang is embroiled.”

Sister Jodelle’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, you are soon to be the Master of D’Hara?”

“
Just tell Jagang that his daring plan is about to be successfully completed; he will soon have eliminated the present Lord Rahl. Jagang has made a mistake, though. He forgot about me.”

“
But … but …” Sister Jodelle sputtered, “you aren’t the Lord Rahl.”

Nathan leaned toward them with a sly smile. “If Jagang succeeds, which as a prophet I can foresee he will, then I will be the Lord Rahl. I am a Rahl, born with the gift. All D’Harans will become bonded to me. As you know, that bond will prevent the dream walker from using his talent to take the New World.

“
Jagang has made a mistake.” Nathan thunked Pierce on the head. “He’s been using amateur prophets, like this witless tadpole.”

Pierce turned red. “I’m no amateur prophet!”

Nathan regarded him with a look of contempt. “Really? Then why didn’t you warn Jagang that by using prophecy to eliminate Richard Rahl, it would get him nowhere but into a worse predicament, because it would leave me to become the Lord Rahl, Master of D’Hara and most of the major powers in the New World? Did you warn him about that result? While Richard may be determined, he knows next to nothing about magic, whereas I know a great deal about it. A very great deal.”

Nathan towered over Pierce. “Just ask Vincent. A real prophet would have realized the danger lurking behind my simple shields, waiting to be triggered if anyone attacked. Did you?”

Sister Willamina put out an arm, forcing Pierce back, and just in time, it appeared to Clarissa, as Nathan looked to be about to make another pile of white dust.

“
What is it you want, Lord Rahl?” she asked.

“
Jagang can either listen to my terms, or he can have really big trouble on his hands. Trouble a lot worse than Richard Rahl.”

“
Terms?” Sister Jodelle drew the word out suspiciously.

“
The present Lord Rahl is young and idealistic; he would never surrender to Jagang. I, on the other hand, am older and wiser. I know the foolishness of a war that would take the lives of countless people. And to what purpose? Just for the right to put a name to the one who is the leader?

“
Richard is a young fool who doesn’t know how to use his power. I am not a young fool, and, as you saw, I know how to use my gift. I’m willing to entertain the possibility of letting Jagang rule the New World as he wishes.”

“
And in return?”

Nathan casually flicked his hand. “I simply want some of the spoils for myself—in return for my assistance. I will have the rule of D’Hara. Under his leadership, of course. I will be his man, running the affairs of D’Hara. Other than Jagang, no one will outrank me. Quite fair I think.”

The young Pierce was still white as a sheet, and trying to look invisible behind the two women. The two Sisters, on the other hand, were looking suddenly a lot less unhappy. They wore small, interested smiles.

“
How would Jagang know that you could be trusted?”

“
Trusted? Does he think I’m as stupid as the young Lord Rahl leading the New World right now? I saw what was done to Renwold. If I didn’t rule D’Hara as Jagang wished, allowing him generous tribute, he might come in and try to crush us. Wars are expensive. I’d rather have the wealth for myself.”

Sister Jodelle smiled politely. “And in the meantime? How do we know you really mean this?”

“
So, it’s assurance you want?” Nathan rubbed his chin as he stared up at the ceiling. “There is a D’Haran army, of close to a hundred thousand men, north of here. You’ll never find them without my help, until they descend on Jagang’s expeditionary force. When Jagang finishes eliminating the present Lord Rahl, then this army’s bond will transfer to me. They will be loyal to me. As soon as that happens, I will surrender that army to his, giving him even more men at arms. D’Harans have a long tradition of warring for plunder. They’ll fit right in with Jagang’s force.”

“
Surrender an army,” Sister Jodelle said in a reflective tone.

“
You see, my kind Sisters, Jagang is trying to use prophecy to win this war. In that, he has made a mistake; he is using wizards who are not real prophets. I could provide the expert service of a real prophet. His alternative is to have a real prophet as his enemy, and amateurs to aid him. The aid of amateurs is what got him into this … predicament, don’t you see?

“
For a small, insignificant slice of the spoils, I can get him out of it. I’m sure you can understand that after all those years under the care of you fine Sisters, I’d like to spend my few remaining years enjoying the pleasures of life.

“
With my help, there will be no more resistance from the New World than that offered by Renwold. If Jagang should choose to be unreasonable, well, who knows, with a real prophet on the side of the New World, they might even win.”

Sister Jodelle studied Nathan’s eyes. “Yes. I see what you mean.”

Nathan held out his letter. “Here. Give this to Jagang. It explains my proposal and terms, in return for my surrender of the New World. As I said, I’m sure he will find me much more reasonable than the present Lord Rahl; I know that there is no profit in war. One leader or another, it means little. Why should hundreds of thousands of people die over the name put to that leader?”

Both Sisters glanced around the luxurious room and smiled conspiratorially at Nathan.

“
Why, you crafty old man,” Sister Jodelle said. “And here, all this time, we thought you were just an old fool, living out your life down in your apartments. Well, Lord Rahl, we will pass your words along to Emperor Jagang. I think he will find them most interesting. Had the present Lord Rahl been so reasonable, he wouldn’t be in his present, fatal difficulties.”

“
All those years do give a man time to think.”

Sister Jodelle turned back from the door. “I can’t speak for the emperor, Lord Rahl, but I think he will be most pleased with this news. I think we can dare to see the end to this war, and the victory that will result in Jagang being the name put to the leader of all people.”

“
I just want the killing to stop. It would profit us all, Sister. Oh, and tell Jagang that I am sorry about Vincent, but the boy wasn’t really serving him well, anyway.”

Sister Jodelle shrugged. “You’re right, Lord Rahl, he wasn’t.”

Richard ran his fingers through his hair as he rested his forehead in his palms. He looked up when he heard someone enter the room. It was Kahlan.

His heart lifted at her smile, her bright green eyes, the lush fall of her thick hair, at how beautiful she was. He marveled at her beauty, and that she loved him.

The safety he felt in that love was something he had never imagined he would feel. He had always imagined being in love with someone, but he had never imagined the feeling of security and peace it would bring to his soul. If Shota ever did anything to harm that security …

Kahlan carried a steaming bowl of soup. “I thought you might like something to eat. You’ve been at this for a hand of days now; I think you need to get more sleep, too.”

He glanced at the big white bowl in her hands. “Thanks.”

Her brow wrinkled. “Richard, what’s wrong? Your face is white as ashes.”

He leaned back in his chair and sighed. “I feel a little sick.”

She turned white as ashes, too. “Sick. Richard, it isn’t—”

“
No, it’s not that. It’s this book on the Temple of the Winds inquisition and trial. I almost wish I’d never found it.”

Kahlan leaned over as she set down the bowl. “Here. Eat some of this.”

“
What is it?” Richard asked, as he watched the lush curve of her cleavage rise and fall above the square neckline of her white Confessor’s dress.

“
Lentil porridge. Eat some. What have you found out?”

Richard sucked in through his mouth to cool the spoonful of porridge. “I haven’t translated much yet, it’s taking forever, but from just the little bit I’ve been able to figure out, these people, these wizards … they … they executed all the wizards who sent away the Temple of the Winds. The temple team, they called them. Almost a hundred men.” He pulled a finger across his throat.

Kahlan sat on the edge of the table opposite him. “What did they do to warrant death?”

Richard stirred the porridge. “Well, for one thing, they left a way into the Temple of the Winds, as they were directed to do, but they made it so hard to get back into the temple that when these people wanted to get back in to retrieve some magic, in order to fight the war, they couldn’t.”

“
Kolo said that there were the red moons, that the temple sent the warning. You mean, the wizards of old were never able to answer the warning?”

“
That wasn’t the way it worked. They did get back in.” He waved his spoon for emphasis. “In fact, that was the reason for the red moon. It was the second attempt to get in, to answer the red moons caused by the first person sent, that they failed at.”

Kahlan leaned toward him while Richard ate a spoonful of porridge. “But this first person got in?”

“
Oh yes, he got in. In that was the problem.”

Kahlan shook her head. “I’m not following this.”

Richard set down his spoon and leaned back in his chair. He met her gaze.

“
The temple team, who sent away the Temple of the Winds, were also the ones who placed the magic in it. You know about some of the terrible magical creations that were made in the war? Things made out of people? Like the mriswith? Like the dream walkers?

“
Well, the people of the New World were fighting the people of the Old World, who wanted to eliminate magic, much as Jagang does today. These wizards who took the things of power to the safety of the temple were somewhat in sympathy with those in the Old World who wanted to eliminate magic. They thought that using people to create these terrible weapons was as evil as some of the very things they fought against.”

Fascinated, Kahlan leaned toward him. “You mean they turned to the side of the enemy? They were really working for those in the Old World, to eliminate magic?”

“
No, they weren’t working to defeat the New World, or to stop all magic, but they felt that they viewed the whole matter on a wider scope than just the war, unlike the wizards in charge, here, at the Keep. They sought the middle ground. They decided that, to an extent, the war, and all their troubles, were related to the misuse of magic.