Blood of the Fold

"Matter of fact, lass, the boys was saying how they didn't think we did all we could to enjoy ourselves." He leaned over even more, reached out with his right hand, grabbed her nipple, and pulled her forward in her chair. He smiled at her cry. "Now, before I get in an ugly mood, you whores get your behinds down to the Lady Sefa with us, where we can put 'em to a good use."

Ulicia brought her fist around and slammed a knife through the back of the captain's left hand, pinning it to the table. She touched a finger of her other hand to the ring in her lip, and with a flow of Subtractive Magic, it winked out of existence.

"Yes, Captain Blake, let's all of us go down to the Lady Sefa and have another very intimate visit with you and your crew."

With a fist of Han, she clouted him back, the knife embedded in the table slicing his hand in two as it was yanked away. A gag of air filled his mouth when he opened it to scream.

CHAPTER 49

Something be going on out there," Adie whispered. "It must be them." She fixed her white eyes on Kahlan. "You be sure you wish to do this? I be willing, but. ."

"We have to," Kahlan said as she glanced at the fire to make sure it was still going strong. "We must escape. If we can't, escape, and we're killed, well then, Richard won't be lured to come here to fall into their trap, and he can stay where he is and, with Zedd's help, protect the people of the Midlands."

Adie nodded. "We try, then." She sighed. "I know I be right that she be doing it, but I do not know the reason."

Adie had told her that Lunetta did something very peculiar: she was shrouded in her power all the time. Such a task was so extraordinary, Adie had said, that it required the use of a talisman invested with magic. With Lunetta, that talisman could only be one thing.

"Like you said, Adie, even if you don't know the reason, she wouldn't do something like that it if weren't important."

Kahlan crossed her lips with a finger when she heard the squeak of the floor in the hall. Adie's gray and black jaw-length hair swayed as she quickly blew out the lamp and moved back behind the door. The fire still provided light, but the flickering flames made the shadows dance, and would only add to the confusion.

The door opened. Kahlan, standing to the opposite side of the door from Adie, took a deep breath, mustering her courage. She hoped they had removed the shield, or they were going to be in a lot of trouble for nothing.

The two figures stepped into the room. It was them.

"What are you doing in here, you greasy little nick!" Kahlan yelled.

Brogan, with Lunetta behind him, rounded on Kahlan. She spat in his eyes.

His face gone red, he grabbed for her. Kahlan brought her boot up between his legs. When he cried out, Lunetta reached for him. From behind, Adie cracked a log across the squat sorceress's head.

Brogan threw himself on Kahlan, grappling with her, punching her in the ribs. Adie snatched Lunetta's outfit of colored patches as she fell. The whole thing ripped as Adie, her mighty effort powered by desperation, rolled the nearly senseless woman out of her patchwork clothes.

Lunetta, dazed and slow, cried out as Adie spun around with her prize and heaved it into the roaring fire.

Kahlan saw the patches of colored cloth flame up in the hearth as she and Brogan toppled to the floor. She heaved him over the top of her as she crashed to the ground and then rolled to her feet. As Brogan turned to get his footing, she kicked him in the face.

Lunetta squealed in distress. Kahlan kept her eyes on Brogan as he sprang up with blood running from his nose. Before he could charge at her again, he saw his sister behind Kahlan and froze.

Kahlan darted a quick glance behind. A woman was pawing frantically at the fire, futilely trying to recover the flaming patches of colored cloth.

The woman was not Lunetta.

It was an attractive, older woman, in a white shift.

Kahlan's eyes went wide at the sight. What happened to Lunetta?

Brogan screamed out in fury. "Lunetta! How dare you do a glamour in front of others! How dare you use magic to make them think you be pretty! Stop it at once! Your taint be ugly!"

"Lord General," she cried, "my pretties. My pretties be burning. Please, my brother, he!p me."

"You filthy streganicha! Stop it, I say!"

"I can't," she wept, "I can't without my pretties."

With a growl of rage, Brogan slammed Kahlan aside and dashed to the fire. He lifted Lunetta by her hair and struck her with his fist. She fell back, knocking Adie to the floor with her.

He kicked his sister as she tried to stand. "I've had enough of your disobedience and your profane taint!"

Kahlan snatched up a log and swung at him, but he ducked and it caught only his shoulders. His fist in her gut drove her back.

Kahlan gasped to get her breath. "You ugly pig! Leave your beautiful sister alone!"

"She be loony! Loony Lunetta!"

"Don't listen to him, Lunetta! Your name means 'little moon'! Don't listen to him!"