Severed Souls(96)

“Nathan found red-fletched bolts for the crossbows. They were relics from the great war left hidden in the palace. They have some kind of ancient power that can penetrate shields and magic. Since they were from back in that time, maybe they can take down those with occult powers the way they can the gifted.”

Zedd nodded in thought. “Richard is right. The palace must be defended. There are incredibly valuable and dangerous things there—books of magic and items of great power. It would be disastrous if Hannis Arc got his hands on them.”

Richard rubbed his forehead as he considered. “The First File will never surrender. It’s not in their nature. We need to warn them what is coming so they can prepare as best they can. They will hold off Hannis Arc and Sulachan’s army.”

“For a time,” Kahlan said.

“For a time,” Richard agreed. “If Hannis Arc and that unholy spirit king aren’t stopped … The First File must hold the palace. At least until we can be cured at the citadel and get there.

“Until then, they need to send the army out to help protect the cities in the way of the advancing horde. They need to do what they can to keep Hannis Arc from capturing cities and laying waste to the places on the way to the palace.”

“Do you seriously think any of that is going to work, or do any good at all?” Irena asked.

“Yes,” Richard said. “I will make it work. I will not allow the world to be lost to this madness. I am the Lord Rahl. The people of D’Hara are depending on me to be the magic against magic. I will not abandon them to such a threat. I will find a way. There is no other option.

“If I have to come back from the dead to fight for our people, I will.”

No one said a word against the grim finality of his vow.

Darkness was settling down around them. There was no time to waste. Richard reached an arm up and called out to get Commander Fister’s attention. When he trotted over to them, Richard gestured to a rock and invited the man to have a seat.

“What is it, Lord Rahl?”

“Who is our best rider?” Richard asked him.

Surprised by the question, the commander made a face. “Lord Rahl, these men are all First File. They are all the best. You don’t get to be one of the First File unless you are the best of the best at everything. Few men make the cut. Just pick one, Lord Rahl, and he can do whatever job you ask of him.”

“We need to get word to the palace,” Richard told him. “We only have one horse. We can’t afford to have him be too slow, or get caught, and yet he must take care not to kill his horse by driving it too hard. He must reach the palace as soon as possible with my orders.”

“What orders, if you don’t mind me asking? What does he need to tell them?”

“We must warn the palace that Hannis Arc is coming with an army of half people and likely legions of the dead.

“There is a lot of the Dark Lands the rider will have to get through before he ever makes it back to the palace, and he will also have to somehow get around Sulachan and his forces. It is absolutely essential that our man make it there with instructions. He cannot fail.”

“Then we should send Ned,” Commander Fister said after a moment’s thought. “He was born in the Dark Lands. He grew up in this vile place, a ways southwest from here, I think he said. Southwest is the direction he needs to go to get back to the palace from here. He would best know the lay of the land.”

Nicci looked up. “Ned. He is the one who was attacked right after Richard saw those people who vanished, when the Shun-tuk first attacked us.”

“That’s the man,” the commander confirmed. “He would have the best chance to get through. He’s tough, he knows the countryside, and he’s a good rider. Like the rest of the men, he doesn’t know the meaning of giving up.”

“Lucky,” Nicci said.

Richard looked over at her. Her knees were drawn up with her arms locked around them. Her chin rested on her knees.

“Lucky?” he asked.

She looked into his eyes. “Lucky that he didn’t get eaten. Lucky the Lord Rahl would not abandon his people.”

She pointedly didn’t look at Irena, who had wanted to leave the man to his fate during that first attack.

Not wanting to get into it, Richard merely nodded before looking back at the commander. “Good. Ned it is, then. It’s getting dark fast. I want to talk to him before he goes off to get some sleep. There is a lot he needs to know. I have a number of orders for those at the palace. I want him to get a good rest, then in the morning at first light, before he leaves, I want to talk to him again to make sure he remembers it all.”