d of gray smoke。
‘Richard！ How good to see you again。 Since you called me so urgently with my tooth； I presume you are in trouble again。 As usual。’
‘Trouble indeed； my friend。’ Richard patted a glossy red scale。 ‘I’ve missed you； Scarlet。’
‘Well； I’ve already eaten。 I guess I must instead give you a ride in the sky to work up an appetite。 Then I will eat you。’
Richard laughed。 ‘Where is your little one？’
Her ears twitched。 ‘Off hunting。 Gregory is not so little anymore。 He misses you； and would like to see you。’
‘I would like to see Gregory； too。 But I’m in a terrible hurry right now。 I’m running out of time。’
‘Richard！’ Du Chaillu ran toward him。 ‘I must go； too。 I must go where my husband goes！’
Richard leaned toward Scarlet’s ear as she lowered her head and peered at him with one yellow eye。 ‘A little flame； Scarlet；’ he whispered。 ‘Just for effect。 Don’t hurt her。’
Du Chaillu leapt back with a squeal as a burst of fire charred the grass at her feet。
‘Du Chaillu； your land is returned to your people。 You must stay with them。 You are their spirit woman； they need you。 They need your guidance。 I would ask something else of you： protect the towers that are on your land。 I don’t know if they can bring any harm； but as the Caharin； I order that no one shall ever enter them。 Guard them； and keep all others out； too。
‘Live in peace with others who would live in peace with you； but continue to practice with the blades so you may protect yourselves。’
Du Chaillu drew herself up tall。 The little strips of cloth on her prayer dress fluttered in the breeze； along with her thick black hair。
‘You are wise； Caharin。 I will see that it is as you say； until you return to your wife and your people。’
‘Richard；’ Sister Verna said。 Her face held a serious look。 ‘Do you know where Kahlan is？’
‘Aydindril。 She would have gone there； the prophecy takes place before her people。 She will be in Aydindril。’
‘The time of choosing is upon you； Richard。 Where are you going now？’
He looked long into her steady gaze。
‘D’Hara。’
After appraising him silently for a moment； she at last embraced him in a warm hug。 She kissed his cheek。 ‘And then？’
Richard raked his fingers through his thick hair。 ‘Somehow I will stop what is to happen in D’Hara； and then I must get to Aydindril before it’s too late。 Take care； my friend。’
She nodded。 ‘Warren and I will see to the people here who have been released from the spells。 They will need guidance。 I have been a Sister of the Light for nearly two hundred years。 All I ever wanted was to help people who needed it。 But you had help。 There is no excuse for taking you； or others。 I want to try to set some of this right。’
Warren gave Richard a firm hug。 ‘Thanks； Richard。 For everything。 I look forward to seeing you again。’
Richard winked。 ‘Try not to have any adventures。’
‘I’ll go with you；’ Chase said。
‘No。’ Richard wiped a hand over his face。 ‘No； go home； Chase。 Take Rachel to her new mother； and her brothers and sisters。 Emma will be worried sick by now。 She hasn’t seen you in ages。 Go home to you wife and family。 I’ll need to be returning home soon； too。’
Richard turned back to Sister Verna。 ‘We must do something about those six Sisters。 They’re sailing for Westland。 The people there have no protection against magic。 In West…land； those Sisters will be like hawks in a hatchery。’
‘I think that journey will take them some time。 You have time enough for them； Richard。’
‘Good。 Kahlan will want to wed before the Mud People。 Then I may need to e and get some advice on how to handle those six。 Talk to Nathan； and Ann。 We can decide what to do then。’
‘Be careful；’ Warren said。 He stood stoically with his hands in the opposite sleeves of his robes。 ‘And I don’t just mean with yourself。 Don’t forget the things Nathan and I have told you。 Don’t forget that everyone else is in danger from what you can do with the Stone of Tears。 I don’t think you have yet reached your time of choosing。’
‘I’ll do my best。’
Scarlet lowered herself so he could climb up onto her shoulders。 He gripped the black…tipped spines and hauled himself up。 Richard gave a slap to a red scale。
‘To D’Hara； my friend。 Again。’
With a roar of flame； Scarlet launched into the sky。
CHAPTER 68
In the distance； in the predawn gloom； he could see the green glow。 It rose from the People’s Palace； through the glass roof of the garden of life； like a beacon。 Richard had seen that color of green from only one place。 The underworld。
The icy wind tore at his clothes as Scarlet’s wings beat with a steady cadence。 She had put strenuous effort into the flight to D’Hara。 She understood the danger posed by the Keeper。 The underworld would take her； too。 And she hated Darken Rahl。 He had stolen her egg before and used it to enslave her。
As she began her descent； she peered back； her ears turning toward him。 There will be enough time； Richard。 We can still make it to Aydindril。 It is only just dawn。’
‘I know you’ll get me there； Scarlet。 I’ll try not to give you too much time to rest。’
Scarlet banked to the left； steepening their descent down toward the courtyard where they had been before。 It was a place the huge dragon could land in the dark with room to spare。 The palace’s vast jumble of roofs and walls rushed up toward them with frightening speed。 Richard’s toes tingled with the feeling of floating off her back as she plummeted。
Suddenly； from the darkness below； a blinding flash of lightning crackled up all about them。 It left yellow lines of afterimage in his vision。 Before Richard could make sense of it； another came。
Scarlet roared in pain and pitched to the left。 They dropped into a sickening spiral toward the ground。 Richard gripped her spines as the huge dragon tried to recover。
On the vast steps rotating below； he saw the woman illuminated by the light of the next bolt of lightning she sent forth from her hands。 Once again； Scarlet roared in pain。 He couldn’t see the woman in the darkness when the lightning cut off。
Scarlet struggled to check the uncontrolled descent。
Richard knew that another bolt of the lightning would finish her。 He tore the bow from his back and yanked an arrow from the quiver。
‘Scarlet！ Make fire so I can see her！’
As Richard drew the string to his cheek； Scarlet let out a fiery roar of pain and anger。 In its red glow； he saw the woman raise her arms again。 Before he could call the target； the spiral took her out of his line of sight。
‘Scarlet！ Look out！’
Scarlet drew back her right wing； and they tipped the other way。 The yellow lightning streaked past to the left； just missing them。 The ground was ing up fast。
In the flickering red light of the dragon’s blast of fire； Richard saw her raise her hands again。 He drew the bowstring and twisted his body with their motion to keep her in sight。
Before she could disappear again； he called；the target。 The instant it came to him； the arrow was away。
‘Turn！’
Scarlet beat her right wing； making them wobble in the air as the yellow bolt erupted past； between the dragon’s neck and wing。 Almost before it began； the lightning cut off。
A ripple of total blackness passed over them。 The arrow had found its mark。 The Keeper now had Sister Odette。
With a hard jolt； they hit the ground。 Richard was thrown off； and tumbled across the ground。 He sat up and shook his head； then sprang to his feet。
‘Scarlet！ Are you hurt bad？ Are you alive？’
‘Go；’ she groaned in a deep vibrating voice。 ‘Hurry。 Get him before he has us all。’ She held her trembling left wing out。
Richard stroked her snout。 ‘I’ll be back。 Hang on。’
Richard drew the sword as he charged up the hill of steps。 He didn’t need to call forth the anger； it was with him before he had even touched the hilt。 He ran in a blind rage toward doors between the colossal columns。
As he ran through the doors； a handful of soldiers charged out of the darkness。 Without pause； Richard scythed into them。 His blade flashed in the torchlight ing from the vast halls inside。 Richard danced with the spirits。 His blade was fluid grace among the hacking soldiers。
The first； he cut in half； breastplate and all。 Every charge was met with swift steel。 In a matter of moments； the fifteen men lay scattered across the bloody floor； and then Richard was moving again。
So much for his wele back。 He remembered the D’Haran army pledging their loyalty to him the last time he had been here； when he had killed Darken Rahl。 Maybe they just didn’t know who he was。 More likely； they knew precisely who he was。
Richard chose a hall that led in the direction of the Garden of Life。 Three levels of balconies looked down on the hall。 Most of the torches were dark。 He saw no people as he ran past a devotion square with white sand raked in circles around a pitted rock。
From a staircase at the side； a half…dozen Mord…Sith charged down； running toward him。 Each wore her red leather uniform； and each had an Agiel in her hand。 Through the rage； he realized that he couldn’t use the sword on them； or they would capture him by its magic。 He was furious。 He needed to get to Darken Rahl。 He didn’t need to have to deal with these deadly women。
Reluctantly； Richard sheathed his sword and drew his knife。 Denna had told him once that if he had just used his knife instead of his sword； he would have had her。 He was not going to be able to outrun them； he was going to have to kill them。
The biggest； a blonde…headed woman at the lead； held her hands out as he went for her。 ‘Lord Rahl； no！’
The other five slid to a stop behind her。 Richard slashed at her； but she lurched back into a half crouch with her hands held out to the sides。
‘Lord Rahl！ Stop！ We are here to help you！’
Though he had put the sword away； he had no shortage of rage of his own。 He had to get to Darken Rahl if he was to get to Kahlan。 ‘Help me in the afterlife … you will be there shortly！’
‘No； Lord Rahl！ I am Cara。 We are here to help you。 You cannot go that way。 That hall is not secure。’
Richard stood panting； knife in hand。 ‘I don’t believe you。 You want to capture me。 I know very well what Mord…Sith do to their captives。’
‘I knew Denna； your mistress。 You wear her Agiel。 Mord…
Sith do not live to hurt their captives any longer。 You set us free。 We would never hurt the one who set us free。 We revere you。’
‘When I left here； I told the soldiers to burn all those outfits and give you new clothes。 I ordered the Agiel taken from you。 If you revere me； why have you not followed my orders？’
A sly smile touched her lips as she lifted an eyebrow over a cold； blue eye。 ‘Because you cannot free us just to enslave us in a life you choose。 We are free to choose for ourselves。 You made that possible。
‘We chose to fight to protect our Lord Rahl。