Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy Part 1

Richard lifted his head to look at Shota. She folded her arms, as if to say that this was his last chance. This was the last chance Richard had of ever finding the truth.

If he had known of any other way to find a solution, no matter how remote that chance might be, he would have taken the sword back and taken that chance instead. But he couldn't lose this chance, lose what information Shota had. There was nothing else to do.

With trembling hands, Richard lifted the sword out.

Samuel, unwilling to wait the final seconds until it reached him, lunged and snatched the sword away, finally clutching the coveted object to his breast.

The instant he had it, a strange look came over his face. He glanced up into Richard's eyes, his own wide with wonder, his mouth hanging agape. Richard couldn't imagine what Samuel was seeing as a result of having his hands on the Sword of Truth. Richard thought that perhaps he was simply awestruck to realize that he actually did have it again.

He suddenly skittered away, swiftly disappearing into the trees. The Sword of Truth was once again among the shadows.

Richard felt naked, and stunned. He stared off in the direction Samuel had gone. He wished now that he had killed Shota's companion the first time Samuel had attacked him. Samuel had attacked Richard more than once. Richard had let those chances slip away.

He turned a harsh glare on Shota. "If he harms anyone, it will be on your head."

"I am not the one who gave him the sword. You did so of your own free will. I did not twist your arm or use my powers to force you. Do not try to shed responsibility for your own choices and actions."

"And I am not responsible for his actions. If he harms anyone, I will see to it that this time he pays for his crimes."

Shota glanced off among the trees dotting the sweep of grass. "There is no one here for him to harm. He has his sword. He is happy, now."

Richard seriously doubted that.

With quiet fury, he turned his attention to the matter at hand. He didn't want to hear any of her excuses so he came right to the point.

"You have your payment."

She stared at him a long time, her face unreadable. Finally, in a quiet voice, she spoke a single word.

"Chainfire."

She turned and started toward the road.

Richard seized her arm and turned her back. "What?"

"You wanted what I know that can help you find the truth. I have given it to you: Chainfire."

Richard was incredulous. "Chainfire? What does that mean?"

Shota shrugged. "I have no idea. I only know that it is what you need to know to find the truth of all this."

"What do you mean, you have no idea? You can't just tell me some word I never heard of and then leave. That's not a fair trade for what I've given you."

"Nonetheless, that is the agreement you made, and I have upheld my end of the bargain."

"You have to tell me what it means."

"I don't know what it means, but I do know that it is worth the price you paid."

Richard couldn't believe that he had agreed to a deal in which he got nothing of value in return. He was no closer to finding Kahlan than he had been before he'd come to see Shota. He felt like sitting down right there on the ground and giving up.

I "Our business is concluded. Good-bye, Richard. Please leave. It will be dark, soon. I can assure you, you would not like to be here when it gets dark."

Shota started down the road toward her palace in the distance. As he watched her go, Richard reprimanded himself for embracing failure without even trying for success. He now knew something linked to the mystery. It was a piece of the puzzle, a piece of the solution, so valuable that it had previously been known only to a witch woman. It confirmed for him that Kahlan was real. He told himself that he was a step closer. He had to believe that.

"Shota," Richard called.

She paused and turned back, waiting to hear what he might say, looking like she expected a tirade.

"Thank you," he said in a sincere voice. "I don't know what good knowing the word Chainfire will do me, but thank you. You have at least given me a reason to go on. When I came here, I had none; now I do. Thank you."

She stared at him. He could not imagine what she could be thinking.

Finally, she took a slow step back toward him. She clasped her hands before herself, looking down a moment before she stared off at the trees, apparently considering something.

At last, she spoke. "What you seek is long buried."

"Long buried?" he cautiously asked.

"Like the word Chainfire, I can't tell you what that means. Things come to me in regard to issues, problems, questions. I am the carrier of the information, the channel you might say. I am not the source. I can't tell you the meaning, but I can tell you that what you seek is long buried."

"Chainfire, and seek something long buried." Richard repeated as he nodded. "Got it. I'll not forget."

Her brow twitched, as if something else had just came to her. "You must find the place of the bones in the Deep Nothing."