Blood of the Fold

In the flickering candlelight, Richard studied the three faces. He had been in a terrible rush at the time and recalled only Cara; she was the one who had spoken for them, and he had held a knife to her throat until she convinced him she was telling the truth. Like Cara, Hally was blond, blue-eyed, and tall. Berdine and Raina were a bit shorter, blue-eyed Berdine with a loose braid of wavy brown hair, and Raina with dark hair, and eyes that seemed to be examining his soul for every nuance of strength, weakness, and character — an idiosyncratic, piercing scrutiny unique to Mord-Sith. Somehow, Raina's dark eyes made the penetrating judgment seem more incisive.

Richard didn't shy from their gazes. "You were among those who saw me safely through the palace?" They nodded. "Then you have my eternal gratitude. What of the others?"

"The others remained at the palace in case you returned before we found you," Cara said. "Commander General Trimack insisted Ulic and Egan would come, too, since they are among the personal bodyguards to the Master Rahl. We left within an hour after you did, trying to catch you." She shook her head in wonder. "We wasted no time, and you gained almost a day on us."

Richard tugged straight the baldric holding his sword. "I was in a hurry."

Cara shrugged. "You are the Master Rahl. Nothing you do could surprise us."

Richard thought she had looked very surprised indeed when she saw him become invisible, but he didn't say it, in view of his newfound restraint on his flip tongue.

He glanced around at the dimly lit, dusty room. "What are you doing in this place?"

Cara pulled off her gloves and tossed them on the table. "We intended to use it as a base while we looked for you. We've only been here a short time. We chose this spot because it's close to the D'Haran headquarters."

"I was told they're in a large building beyond the market."

"They are," Hally said. "We checked."

Richard searched her piercing blue eyes. "I was on my way there when you found me. I guess it wouldn't hurt to have you along." He loosened the mriswith cape at his throat and scratched the back of his neck. "How did you manage to find me in a city of this size?"

The two men stood without showing emotion, but eyebrows went up on the women.

"You are the Master Rahl, ' Cara said, seeming to think that would be explanation enough.

Richard planted his fists on his hips. “So?

"The bond," Berdine said. She looked perplexed at the blank expression on his face. "We are bonded to the Master Rahl."

"I don't understand what that means. What does it have to do with finding me?"

Looks passed among the women. Cara cocked her head to the side. "You are Lord Rahl, the Master of D'Hara. We are D'Harans. How can you not understand?"

Richard wiped his hair back off his forehead as he let out an exasperated breath. "I was raised in Westland, two boundaries away from D'Hara. I never knew anything about D'Hara, much less Darken Rahl, until the boundaries came down. I didn't even know Darken Rahl was my father until just a few months ago." He glanced away from their bewildered expressions. "He raped my mother, and she fled to Westland before I was born, before the boundaries went up. Darken Rahl never knew I existed, or that I was his son, until he died. I don't know anything about being Master Rahl."

The two men stood as they had, showing no emotion. The four Mord-Sith stared at him a long moment, the candle flame adding a point of light to the comer of their eyes as they seemed to study his soul again. He wondered if they were regretting their oath of loyalty to him.

Richard felt awkward laying out his ancestry to the scrutiny of people he didn't really know. "You still haven't explained how you managed to find me."

As Berdine took off her cape and tossed it atop their gear, Cara laid a hand on his shoulder, urging him to sit in the chair. By the way its loose joints swayed under his weight, he wasn't sure it would hold him, but it did. She glanced up at the two men. "Maybe you could better explain the bond to him, since you feel it most strongly. Ulic?"

Ulic shifted his weight. "Where should I begin?"

Cara started to say something, but Richard cut her off. "I have important things to do, and I don't have a great deal of time. Just tell me the important parts. Tell me about this bond."

Ulic nodded. "I will tell you as we are taught."

Richard gestured toward a bench, indicating he wanted Ulic to sit. It made him uncomfortable having the man tower over him like some mountain with arms. Checking over his shoulder, Richard saw that Gratch was contentedly licking his fur, but keeping his glowing green eyes on the people. Richard smiled reassuringly. Gratch hadn't been around that many people, and Richard wanted him to be comfortable, in view of what he planned. The gar's face wrinkled into a smile, but his ears were perked as he listened. Richard wished he knew for sure how much Gratch could understand.

Ulic pulled up a bench and sat. "Long ago — "