Blood of the Fold

"We have to try. If nothing else, we can set the prophecies afire. If we start a fire among all those books, they'll all be consumed, and then at least Jagang can't use them against us."

A small group of women and half a dozen young men came rushing up to the gate.”Friends of Richard, ' came the urgent whisper. Kevin opened the gate, letting the breathless group in.

Verna clutched a woman's arm. "Philippa, did you find them all?"

"Yes." The tall woman paused to catch her breath. "We have to get out of here. The emperor's advance guard are in the city. Some are already coming across the south bridges. The Blood of the Fold are engaging them in pitched battle."

"Did you see what's going on at the docks?" Verna asked.

"Ulicia and some of her Sisters are down there. Those women are ripping the entire harbor apart. It looks like the underworld unleashed." Philippa put trembling fingers to her lips as she closed her eyes for a moment. “They have the men from the Lady Sefa." Her voice faltered. "You can't imagine what they're doing to those poor men."

Philippa turned, dropped to her knees, and vomited. Two of the other sisters who had returned with her did the same. "Dear Creator," Philippa managed between retches, "you cannot conceive of it. I will have nightmares the rest of my life."

Richard turned to the shouts and cries of battle. "Verna, you have to get out of here right now. There's no time to waste."

She nodded. "You and Kahlan can catch up with us."

"No. Kahlan and I have to get to Aydindril at once. I don't have time to explain right now, but she and I have the magic required that will allow it. I wish I could take the rest of you, but I can't. Hurry. Head north. There's an army of a hundred thousand D'Haran soldiers heading south looking for Kahlan. You'll have more protection with them, and they with you. Tell General Reibisch that she is safe with me."

Adie stepped through the others and took Richard's hands. "How be Zedd?"

Richard's voice caught in his throat. He closed his eyes against the pain. "Adie, I'm sorry, but I haven't seen my grandfather. I fear he may have been killed at the Keep."

Adie wiped her cheek as she cleared her throat. "I be sorry, Richard," she whispered in her raspy voice. "Your grandfather be a good man. But he takes too many desperate chances. I have warned him."

Richard hugged the old sorceress as she wept softly against his chest.

Kevin came in a rush from the gate, sword in hand. "We either have to go now, or we have to fight."

"Go," Richard said. "We won't win this war if you die in this battle. We must fight by our rules, not Jagang's. He'll have those with the gift with him, not just soldiers."

Verna turned to the gathered Sisters, novices, and young wizards. She took the hands of two young girls who looked to be in need of reassurance. "All of you, listen. Jagang is a dream walker. The only protection is our bond to Richard. Richard has been born with the gift, and with a magic passed down from his ancestors that protects against dream walkers. Leoma tried to break that bond to allow Jagang to enter my mind and take me. Before we go, all of you, bow down and swear fidelity to Richard to be certain we will be protected from our enemy."

"If it is your wish to do this," Richard said, "then do it as was set down by Alric Rahl, the one who created the bond and its protection. If you wish to do this, then I ask you to give the devotion as it was passed down, as it was meant to be."

Richard told them the words, as he had said them himself, and then stood silent, feeling the weight of responsibility, not only to those gathered, but to the thousands in Aydindrii who were depending on him, as the Sisters of the Light and their charges went to their knees and with one voice rising into the night above the sound of battle, proclaimed their bond.

"Master Rahl guide us. Master Rahl teach us. Master Rahl protect us, In your light we thrive. In your mercy we are sheltered. In your wisdom we are humbled. We live only to serve. Our lives are yours."

CHAPTER 51

Richard pressed Kahlan up against the wall in the dank, dark stone corridor as he waited for the knot of crimson-caped soldiers to pass the intersection. As the echo of their boots faded in the distance, Kahlan stretched up on her toes and whispered, "I don't like it down here. Are we going to be able to get out of this place alive?"

He pressed a quick kiss to the worry lines on her brow. "Of course we're going to get out of here alive. I promise." He took her hand and ducked under a low beam. "Come on, the vaults are just ahead."

The stone of the bleak passageway was streaked with pale yellow stains where water leaked between joints and over the blocks. In places on the ceiling, drops of water hung from stone icicles the color of egg yolk, to drip occasionally onto ripply stone mounds on the floor. Beyond two torches, the passageway widened and the ceiling rose up to accommodate the huge round door to the vaults.