Blood of the Fold

"Maybe four hours. Berdine has been working on the book for a couple of hours, and got all excited about something and wanted to wake you to help her, but I wouldn't let her,"

"Then why did you wake me now? Is it a messenger?"

"Yes. A messenger is here."

Richard almost flopped back into bed. Messengers never brough any news.

"Lord Rahl, get up. The messenger has news."

Richard came awake as if a bell had rung in his head. He swung his feet over the side of the bed and pulled his boots one in one big rush. "Where is he?"

"They're bringing him."

Just then, Ulic rushed in, helping a man he had with him. The soldier looked as if he had been riding hard for weeks. He could hardly stand on his own.

"Lord Rahl, I bring a message." Richard gestured for the young soldier to sit on the edge of the bed, but he waved off the offer, wanting to talk instead. "We found something. General Reibisch told me to tell you first not to be frightened. We didn't find her body, so she must still be alive."

"What did you find!" Richard realized he was shaking.

The man reached under the leather of his uniform and pulled something out. Richard snatched it up and let it unfold so he could see it. It was a crimson cape.

"We found the site of a battle. There were dead men wearing these capes. Lots of dead men. Maybe a hundred." He pulled out something else and handed it over.

Richard unfolded it. It was a roughly cut piece of faded blue cloth with four gold tassels along one edge.

"Lunetta," he breathed. "This is Lunette's."

"General Reibisch said to tell you that there was a battle. There were many dead Blood of the Fold. There were trees that were blown down by a blast of fire, as if magic had been used in the battle. There were bumed bodies, too.

"They found only one body that was not Blood of the Fold. He was a D'Haran. A big man with only one eye, with a scar over where the other was sewn shut."

"Orsk! That's Orsk! He was Kahlan's guard!"

"General Reibisch said to tell you that there was no sign that she or anyone else with her was killed. It appears that they put up a furious fight, but then they were captured."

Richard grabbed the soldier's arm.”Do the trackers have any idea which direction they went?" Richard was furious with himself because he hadn't gone. If he had gone, he would already be on the trail. Now it would take him weeks to catch up.

"General Reibisch said to tell you that the trackers are pretty sure they went south."

"South? South?" Richard had been sure that Brogan would flee with his prize to Nicobarese. With that many bodies, Gratch must have fought furiously. They must have captured him, too.

"They said they couldn't be sure because it happened so long ago. It snowed more, and now the snow is melting, so it's hard to track, but he believes they went to the south, and his whole force is going after your queen."

"South," Richard murmured. "South."

He raked his fingers back through his hair, trying to think. Brogan had fled rather than join with Richard and his cause against the Order. The Blood of the Fold had joined with the Imperial Order. The Imperial Order ruled the Old World. The Old World was to the south.

General Reibisch was tracking her south — going after his queen. South.

What was it the mriswith in the Keep had said?

The queen needs you, skin brother. You must help her.

They were trying to help him. His mriswith friends were trying to help him.

Richard snatched up his sword and shoved his head through the loop of leather baldric. "I have to go."

"We go with you," Cara said. Ulic nodded his agreement.

"You can't go where I go. Take care of things for me." He turned to the soldier. "Where's your horse?"

He pointed. "Out that way and over in the next courtyard. But she's pretty footsore."

"She only has to get me to the Keep."

"The Keep!" Cara clutched his arm. "Why are you going to the Keep?"

Richard pulled his arm away. "That's the only way to get to the Old World in time."

She started objecting, but he was already running down the hall. Others were joining in the rush to catch up with him. He could heard the jangle of armor and weapons behind, but he didn't slow. He didn't listen to Cara's pleas as he tried to think.

How was he going to do it? Was it possible? It had to be. He would do it.

Richard burst out the door, pausing for only an instant, and then tore off toward the courtyard where the soldier said he had left his horse. He stumbled to a stop when he came upon the horse in the darkness. He gave the sweaty animal a quick pat of introduction as she danced sideways, and then he vaulted up into the saddle.

As he pulled the horse around by the reins, he could just hear Berdine's voice in the distance as she ran toward him.

"Lord Rahl! Stop! Take off the cape!" Richard gave the horse his heels as he saw Berdine waving Kolo's journal. He didn't have time for her. “Lord Rahl! You must take off the mriswith cape!"

Not likely, he thought. The mriswith were his friends.