Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy Part 1

"If we're going to fight this thing, we need to find out everything we can about this beast. And we need to find out before it catches us. With what happened to the men, I don't think we have much time."

Richard knew that what she meant, but hadn't said, was that she wanted him to forget what she thought were his meaningless dreams about Kahlan and to put his full concentration and effort toward this dangerous creation of Jagang's.

"I have to find Kahlan," he said in a quiet tone meant to convey his conviction and his resolve.

"You can't do anything if you're dead," Nicci said.

Richard lifted the baldric over his head. He leaned the polished scabbard holding the Sword of Truth against the rock.

"Look, we're not even sure that whatever killed those men back there really is this beast you're talking about."

"What do you mean?" Nicci asked.

"Well, if it can find me when I use my gift, then why did it attack the men? Sure, it was the place where I'd used my ability, but the attack was three days after the fact. If it was supposed to know me after I used my power then why attack the men?"

"Maybe it just thought you were among them," Cara offered.

Nicci nodded. "Cara might be right."

"Maybe," Richard said. "But if it recognized me by me using my gift and in addition you gave it a taste of my blood, then wouldn't it know that I wasn't among the men?"

Nicci shrugged. "I don't know. It very well could be that by using your gift you only summoned it to the general area, but when you stopped using your ability then the beast was blind to you, so to speak. Maybe it was so angry that it just missed you it went into a frenzy of killing whoever was there. If that's true, then I would suspect that it needs you to again use your gift, now that it's close, to finally be able to catch you."

"But she said that once I used my gift it would know me. That doesn't sound to me like I need to use it again for it to find me."

"Maybe it does now know you," Nicci said. "But maybe it still needs to find you. Since it knows you, now, maybe all the beast needs is for you to again use your gift so that it can pounce."

That had a frightening kind of logic to it. "I guess it's good that I don't depend on my gift."

"You'd better make sure you let us protect you," Cara said. "I don't think you had better do anything that might even inadvertently cause you to use your magic."

"I'm afraid that I agree with Cara," Nicci said. "I'm not sure about it having a taste of your blood, but the one thing we do know for sure is what the Sister told me-that if you use your gift it will find you. As long as the beast is hunting you, and until we can learn more about it and nullify the threat, you must not use your gift for any reason."

Richard conceded with a nod. He didn't know if that was possible. While he didn't know how to call upon his gift, he wasn't sure that he knew how to prevent it coming forth, either. It was awakened by anger and answered a certain kind of need. He wasn't aware of the specific conditions that invoked his ability; it just happened. While their theory of not using his gift made sense, he wasn't sure he could actually control it enough to prevent it if conditions caused it to spring to life.

Another frightening thought occurred to him. It was possible that the beast had found him, and knew precisely where he was, and it had only killed the men out of blood lust. For all he knew, the beast could be out in the woods watching, using the noise of the cicadas to cover its footsteps as it approached their shelter.

In the dim light Nicci watched him. As he pondered the grim possibilities, she reached out again and felt his forehead.

Drawing back, she said, "We'd better get some rest. You're shivering with the cold. I'm afraid that in your condition you may lapse into a fever. Lie down. We'll all have to keep each other warm. But first, you need to be dry or you'll never get warm."

Cara leaned past Richard, toward Nicci. "How do you think you can get him dry without a fire?"

Nicci gestured. "Both of you, lie back."

Richard lay back; Cara hesitantly complied. Nicci leaned over them, placing a hand just above their heads. Richard felt the warm tingle of magic, but not an uncomfortable sensation like the last time. He could see the soft glow above Cara as well. It struck him how remarkable it was for Nicci to trust Cara enough to use magic on her. Using magic on a Mord-Sith gave them the opportunity to seize that magic in order to control the gifted person. Richard found it even more remarkable that Cara would trust Nicci enough to allow her to use magic on her. Mord-Sith did not like magic one bit.

Nicci's hands moved slowly downward, just above their bodies. By the time she reached Richard's boots, he realized that he felt dry. He ran a hand over his shirt, then his pants, and found that both were dry.

"How is that?" Nicci asked.

Cara was scowling. "I'd rather be wet."

Nicci arched an eyebrow. "I can arrange that, if you like."