what I can do will help enough。 Leave me to it。 You can be of no help。’
Sister Verna sat with her back stiff while Richard paced。
‘Richard； why do you care so much what happens to the Prelate？ She had you taken when she shouldn’t have。’
Richard bed his hair back with his fingers。 ‘I guess because she had the chance to take me when I was little； and she didn’t。 She let me grow up with my parents。 She let me have their love。 What else is there to life； but the chance to be nurtured by love。 She could have taken that； too； but she didn’t。’
‘I’m glad； then； that you are not bitter。’
Richard paced and thought。 He didn’t pace for long。
‘Sister； I can’t sit here doing nothing。 I’m going to talk to the guards。 We need to know where those teachers of mine are； and what they’re doing。 The guards will find out for me。’
‘I suppose it couldn’t hurt。 Go talk to the guards。 It will make the time pass more quickly。’
Richard strode down the dark； stone corridors； deep in thought。 He needed to find out where Sisters Tovi； Cecilia； Merissa； Nicci； and Armina were。 Any … or all … could be Sisters of the Dark。 Who knew what they were planning next。 They could all be looking for him。 They could all be 。。。
Stunning pain hurled him back。 It felt as if he had been whacked across the face with a club。 He staggered to his feet； the world spinning and tipping。 He dumbly felt for blood； but there was none。
Another blow smashed into the back of his head。 He pushed himself up on his hands； trying to decipher where he was。 His thoughts came thick and slow。 He struggled to understand what was happening。
A dark shadow stood over him。 With an effort； and halting movements； he came to his feet again。 He groped for his sword； but couldn’t remember which hand to use。 He couldn’t make himself move fast enough。
‘Out for a walk； country boy？’
Richard looked up at a smirking Jedidiah； standing tall with his hands in opposite sleeves。 Richard found the hilt of his sword。 He sluggishly worked at drawing it。 He lurched back as he battled to bring the magic forth。
As the rage flooded into his foggy brain； Jedidiah pulled his hands out。 He had a dacra。 His arm lifted； the silver knife in his fist。 Richard wondered what he should do； and if this was real。 Maybe he would wake and find it only a dream。
At the apex of his swing； light seemed to e from within Jedidiah’s eyes。 Slowly at first； and then with gathering speed； Jedidiah toppled forward； slamming face…first to the stone floor。
A ripple of heart…stopping darkness swept though the corridor。
When the torchlight returned； Sister Verna was standing behind where Jedidiah had stood。 She had a dacra in her hand。 Richard collapsed to his knees； still trying to gather his wits。
Sister Verna rushed forward； putting her hands to the sides of his head。 Alertness jolted into his mind。 As he came to his feet； he glanced down at the body； seeing a small； round hole in the back。
‘I thought I had better go talk to some of the Sisters；’ she explained。 ‘I realized that the more people who know about the Sisters of the Dark； the better。’
‘He was the one； wasn’t he？ He was the one you loved。’
She slipped the dacra back up her sleeve。 ‘He wasn’t the Jedidiah I knew。 The Jedidiah I knew was a good man。’
‘I’m sorry； Sister Verna。’
She nodded absently。 ‘You go talk to the guards。 I’ll talk to the Sisters。 Meet me back in Nathan’s room when you’re through。 I think it best if we catch a few hours’ sleep there； instead of our rooms。’
‘I think you’re right。 We can get our things when it’s light； and then be off。’
When he heard Nathan e into the room； Richard sat up in the chair and rubbed his eyes。 Sister Verna rose more quickly from the couch。 Richard blinked； trying to banish the haze of sleep。
They both had been up late。 The whole palace was in an uproar。 What had happened in the Prelate’s office was proof enough of the mythical Sisters of the Dark。 Doubters had only to take one look at the smooth…edged voids that lined up through a dozen walls； or the cleanly sliced trees and stone； to know that nothing short of Subtractive Magic had been used。
Richard had sent the guards out to look discreetly for the six Sisters： Sister Ulicia and his five teachers。 The Sisters were searching； too。 He had also gone to talk to Warren； to tell him what had happened。
Richard stretched his legs as he stood。 ‘How is she？ Is she going to recover？’
Nathan looked haggard。 ‘She’s resting more fortably； but it’s too soon to tell。 When she has rested； I will be able to do more。’
Thank you； Nathan。 I know Ann could be in no better hands than yours。’
He added a grunt to his sour expression。 ‘You’re asking me to heal my jailer。’
‘Ann will appreciate it。 Perhaps she will rethink your being held。 If she doesn’t； I’ll e back and see what I can do。’
‘e back？ Going somewhere； my boy？’
‘Yes； Nathan； and I need your help。’
‘If I help you； you might get it in your obstinate head to go off and destroy the world。’
And do the prophecies say you were sent to stop me？’
Nathan let out a tired sigh。 ‘What is it you want？’
‘How can I get through the barrier？ My collar stops me。’
‘What makes you think I would know？’
Richard took an angry stride toward the towering old wizard。 ‘Nathan； don’t play games with me。 I’m in no mood and this is too important。 You’ve been through。 You went with Ann to get the book from the Wizard’s Keep in Aydin…dril。 Remember？’
He smoothed his sleeves down。 ‘It’s a simple matter of shielding the Rada’Han。 Ann helped me through； Sister Verna can do the same for you。 I’ll tell her how。’
And what of the Valley of the Lost？ Can I get back through that？’
Nathan； his eyes suddenly intent with a dark look； shook his head。 ‘You have called too much power to yourself。 The collar has helped it grow。 You’ll also call the spells。 Sister Verna can’t pass again； she has been through twice already。 Additionally； she has too much power now。 With passing twice； and taking the gift of the other two Sisters； she is locked here。’
Then how did you ever get through three times？ You’re from D’Hara； that’s once。 You went to the New World again with Ann； and came back。 That makes three times。 How did you do it； if it can’t be done？’
A sly smile came to his lips。 ‘I did not go through the valley three times。 Only once。’ He held up a hand to silence Richard’s arguments。 ‘Ann and I didn’t go through the valley。 We went around the obstacle。 We sailed around the ambit of the spells； far out to sea； landing finally in the southernmost reaches of Westland。 It’s a long journey； and not easily done； but we made the crossing。 Not many do。’
‘By sea！’ Richard glanced back to Sister Verna。 ‘I don’t have that kind of time。 Winter solstice is not even a week away。 I have to go through the valley。’
‘Richard；’ Sister Verna said in a soft voice； ‘I can understand how you feel； but it will take almost that much time just to reach the Valley of the Lost。 Even if you find a way through； there is no time to get where you want to go。’
Richard controlled his rage。 ‘I am inexperienced at being a wizard。 I cannot count on my gift。 For that matter； I don’t care if I ever learn to use it。
‘But I am also the Seeker。 In that； Sister Verna； I am not so inexperienced。 Nothing is going to stop me。 Nothing。 I’ve made a promise to Kahlan that if I must go to the underworld and battle the Keeper himself； in order to protect her； I will do it。’
Nathan’s expression darkened。 ‘I have warned you； Richard。 If that prophecy is not allowed to take place； the Keeper will have us all。 You must not try to stop it。 You have the power to hand the world of the living to the Keeper。’
‘It’s just a meaningless riddle；’ Richard growled in frustration； though he knew better。
Nathan’s scowl was the scowl of a Rahl； the scowl Richard had inherited。 ‘Richard； death is intrinsic to life。 The Creator brought it to be； too。 If you make the wrong choice； all the living will pay the price of your pertinaciousness。
‘And Richard； don’t forget what I told you about the Stone of Tears。 If you misuse it to banish a soul to the depths of the underworld； you will destroy the balance between everything。’
‘Stone of Tears？’ Sister Verna said in a suspicious tone。 ‘What would Richard have to do with the Stone of Tears？’
Richard turned back to Sister Verna。 ‘We’re running out of time。 I’m going to my room to get my things。 We need to be on our way。’
‘Richard；’ Nathan said； ‘Ann has put her faith in you。 She let you have the love of your family； so that perhaps you will better understand the true meaning of life。 Please consider that when the time for choice is upon you。’
Richard looked up at Nathan for a long moment。 Thank you for your help； Nathan； but I won’t let the one I love die for a riddle in an old book。 I hope to see you again