cause he had gathered white roses there； and had been up on the wall； to ‘look out at the sea。’ He also knew all the guards。 They were frequent visitors to the prostitutes he provided。
He didn’t slow at the outer gate； but simply gave a nod to the wink the guards gave him。 The guards at the rampart were considerably more reticent； stammering and holding out a hand to halt him。 He shook the hand； pretending that he thought that was what was meant by it。 They finally sighed and resumed their post as he marched away； his mris…with cape billowing open。
At the end of the rampart was a small colonnade； and at the end of that； winding stairs that led down to the Prophet’s quarters。 The guards at the door he wanted were the two he had had trouble winning over at first； and the first to receive his gift of female pany。 They stiffened when they saw him。
Richard casually made for the door between them。 ‘Walsh； Bollesdun； how you doing？’
They crossed their pikes over the door。 ‘Richard； what are you doing down here？ The roses grow up top。’
‘Look； Walsh； I have to go see the Prophet。’
‘Richard； don’t put us in this spot。 You know we can’t let you in。 The Sisters would skin us alive。’
Richard shrugged。 ‘I won’t tell them you let me in。 I’ll say I tricked you。 If anyone finds out； which they won’t； just tell them I snuck by； and you didn’t know until I was on my way out。 I’ll back your story。’
‘Richard； you’re really 。。。’
‘Have I ever done anything to cause trouble？ Have I ever done anything but help all you men？ I buy you drinks； I loan you money when you need it； I let you have free access to the girls； and it never costs you a copper。 Have I ever asked for anything in return？’
Richard had his hand on the hilt of the sword。 One way； or another； he was going through that door。
Walsh pushed a stone chip with his boot。 With a heavy sigh； first one； and then the other； pulled their pikes up。 ‘Bollesdun； go make your rounds。 I’m going to the privy for a sit。’
Richard took his hand from his sword and gave the man a pat on the shoulder。 ‘Thanks； Walsh。 I appreciate it。’
Halfway down the inner hall； Richard felt layers of resistance； shields； like the ones that were outside the Prelate’s door； but they only slowed him a bit。 The room inside was as spacious as his own； but perhaps more elegantly appointed。 One wall held large tapestries； and another expansive bookshelves。 Most of the books； though； seemed to be scattered about the room； on chairs and couches and covering the blue…and…yellow carpets on the floor。
Richard could see the back of a man in the chair beside the cold hearth。
‘You must tell me how you do that；’ the man said in a deep； powerful voice。 ‘I would be most interested in learning the trick。’
‘Do what？’ Richard asked。
‘Walk through shields as if they weren’t there。 Burns the flesh right off me if I try。’
‘If I ever figure it out myself； I’ll let you know。 My name is Richard。 If you’re not busy； I would like to speak with you。’
‘Busy！’ The man’s shoulders shook with his hearty laugh。 When he stood； Richard was a little surprised at how big he was。 His long white hair had made Richard think he might be old and shriveled。 Old； he was； shriveled he was not。 He looked strong and full of vitality。 His smile was weling and threatening at the same time。 He wore a Rada’Han； the same as Richard。
‘My name is Nathan； Richard。 I’ve been looking forward to meeting you。 I didn’t expect you would find your way in alone。’
‘I wanted to e alone so we could talk freely。’
‘And do you know that I am a prophet？’
‘I didn’t e here to learn to bake bread。’
Nathan’s smile widened； but he didn’t laugh。 His brows pulled together like a hawk’s。 His voice took on a hiss。 ‘Would you like me to tell you of your death； Richard？ How you are to die？’
Richard flopped down on the couch and plunked his feet up on a table。 He returned the hawklike glare and threatening smile in kind。 ‘Sure。 I’d love to hear all about it。 And then when you’re done； I will tell you how you are to die。’
Nathan lifted an eyebrow。 ‘And are you a prophet？’
‘Enough of one to tell you how you are to die。’
The frown turned curious。 ‘Really。 Tell me then。’
Richard took a pear from a bowl on the table； polished it on his pant leg； and took a bite。 He spoke as he chewed。 ‘You are going to die right here； in these rooms； of old age； without ever seeing the outside world again。’
The creases in Nathan’s face deepened as his expression sagged。 ‘Seems you are a prophet； my boy。’
‘Unless you help me。 Maybe if you help me； I’ll be able to e back here and help you get out； too。’
‘And what is it you want？’
‘I want this collar off。’
A sly grin spread on Nathan’s face。 ‘Seems we share a mon interest； Richard。’
‘But the Sisters say I will die without it。’
The sly grin widened。 They demand truthfulness from others； but rarely inconvenience themselves with it。 The Sisters have their own agenda； Richard。 There is more than one path through the woods。’
‘The Sisters say I must learn to use my Han； in order to get it off。 They don’t seem to be helping much in that。’
‘It would be easier to teach a stump to sing than for a mere Sister to teach you to use your Han。 You have Subtractive Magic。 They can’t help you。’
‘Can you help me； Nathan？’
‘Perhaps。’ Nathan sat down in his chair； leaning forward intently。 ‘Tell me； Richard； have you ever read The Adventures of Bonnie Day？’
‘Read it？ It’s my favorite book。 I read it until my eyes nearly wore the words off the pages。 I’d love to meet the person who wrote it； and tell him how much I liked the book。’
A broad； childlike grin stole onto Nathan’s face。 ‘You just have； my boy。 You just have。’
Richard came forward from the back of the couch。 ‘You！ You wrote The Adventures of Bonnie Day？’
Nathan quoted a few passages； to prove his intimate knowledge。 ‘I gave the book to your father； to give to you when you were old enough to read。 You were just born； at the time。’
‘You were there with the Prelate？ She didn’t tell me that。’
‘I doubt the truth occurred to her。 You see； Ann doesn’t have the power to get into the Wizard’s Keep in Aydindril。 I helped George get in； so he could get the Book of Counted Shadows。 They have some very interesting books of prophecy there。’
Richard stared in astonishment。 ‘Seems we are old acquaintances； then。’
‘More than acquaintances； Richard Rahl。’ Nathan gave him a meaningful look。 ‘My name is Nathan Rahl。’
Richard’s mouth dropped open。 ‘You are my 。。。 great…great…something…or…other？’
Too many ‘greats’ to count。 I am nearly a thousand years old； my boy。’ He waggled a finger in the air。 ‘I have had an interest in you for a long time。 You are in the prophecies。
‘I wrote The Adventures of Bonnie Day for some of those who had potential。 It is a book of prophecy； of sorts。 A primer of prophecy； one you would be able to understand； so it would help you。 It did help you； didn’t it？’
‘More than once；’ Richard said； still having trouble keeping his jaw up。
‘Good。 I’m pleased then。 We gave the book to a few； special boys。 You are the only one still alive。 The rest died in ‘inexplicable’ accidents。’
Richard finished the pear while he thought。 He definitely didn’t like the part about Subtractive Magic。 ‘So can you help me with using my power？’
Think； Richard。 The Sisters have not given you pain with the collar； have they。’
‘No。 But they will。’
‘Fighting the last war； Richard。 What did Bonnie Day tell the Warwick troops guarding the moors？ That the enemy would not e the same way as they had before。 That they were foolishly wasting their energy trying to fight the last war。’ Nathan lifted an eyebrow。 ‘You seem to have missed the lesson。 Just because something happened to you before； that does not mean it will happen again。 Think ahead； Richard； not behind。’
Richard hesitated。 ‘I 。。。 had a vision in one of the towers。 A vision that Sister Verna used the collar to hurt me。’
‘And it brought the anger forth。’
Richard nodded。 ‘I called the magic and killed her。’
Nathan gave a small； disappointed shake of his head。 The vision was your own mind trying to tell you something； trying to show you that you could defend yourself if they did that； that you could defeat them。 It was your gift and your mind working together； trying to help you。 You were too busy fighting the last war to heed the message。’
Chagrined； Richard kept his mouth shut。 He had worried about them hurting him； to the exclusion of everything else。 He had ignored the true meaning of what Kahlan had done； because he had been so afraid of the past ing to life again。 Think of the solution； not the problem； that was what Zedd had taught him。 He had been blinded to the future by the past。
‘I see what you mean； Nathan；’ he admitted。 ‘What did you mean about the Sisters not giving me pain with the collar？’
‘Ann knows you are a war wizard； I told her before you were born。 I told her near to five hundred years ago。 She would have given orders to the Sisters。 Giving pain to a war wizard is like kicking a badger on his rump。’
‘You mean that pain is somehow the secret to my power？’
‘No。 The result of pain。 Anger。’ He gestured to the sword at Richard’s hip。 ‘You use the sword in that way。 Anger calls forth the magic。 Actually； you call the magic； it brings you anger； and so the magic works。 Would you like me to show you how to touch your Han？’
Richard scooted forward。 ‘Yes。 I never thought I would say that； but yes。 I need to be able to get out of here。’
‘Hold up your palm。 Good。’ He seemed to pull an aura of authority around himself。 ‘Now； lose yourself in my eyes。’
Richard stared into the hooded； deep； dark； azure eyes。 The gaze drew him in。 Richard felt as if he were falling up into the clear； blue sky。 His breath came in ragged pulls； not of his own will。 He felt Nathan’s manding words more than heard them。
‘Call forth the anger； Richard。 Call forth the rage。 Call forth the hate and fury。’ Richard felt it； just as when he drew the sword； as he felt his breath being drawn for him； he felt the anger being drawn。 ‘Now； feel the heat of that rage。 Feel the flames of it。 Good。 Now focus those feelings in the palm of your hand。’
Richard funneled the rage of the magic to his hand； directed its flow； feeling its force。 His teeth gritted with the power of it。
‘Look in your hand； Richard。 See it there。 See what you are feeling。’
Richard’s eyes moved slowly to his hand。 A ball of blue and yellow fire tumbled slowly above his outstretched palm。 He could feel the energy flowing from himself； into the fire。 He increased the flow of rage； and the angry ball of flame grew。
‘Now； cast the rage； the hate； the anger； the fire； at the hearth。’
Richard threw