Confessor: Chainfire Trilogy Part 3

She listened carefully to the footsteps outside as they came closer. She realized that it wasn't the sound of a man's boots she heard, but a lighter step. It was a woman's footsteps.

That meant that it would be Six. That meant that it was the day she had been dreading. Six had promised that when she returned she would start having Rachel draw for her.

The lock clanged as the key turned. Rachel pushed back against the wall, wanting to run but knowing she couldn't. The heavy iron door squeaked as it opened. Light from a lantern flooded into Rachel's stone prison.

A form glided in, carrying the lantern. Rachel blinked when she saw the smile.

It was her mother.

Rachel jumped up in a rush. With tears suddenly flooding down her cheeks, she ran to the woman and threw her arms around her waist. She felt comforting hands come around her in a warm hug. Rachel wept with the joy of that unexpected hug.

"There, there. It's all right, now, Rachel."

And Rachel knew that it was. With her mother there everything was suddenly all right. The scary men, the witch woman, none of it mattered anymore. It was all right, now.

"Thank you for coming," she said through her tears. "I've been so scared."

Her mother squatted down, hugging her close. "I see that you used what I gave you the last time."

Rachel nodded against her mother's shoulder. "It saved me. It saved my life. Thank you."

A comforting hand patted her back as her mother laughed softly at Rachel's unrestrained happiness.

Rachel pushed away. "We must get away. Before that awful witch woman comes back, we have to get away. And there are soldiers-mean soldiers. You mustn't let them see you. They might do terrible things to you."

Wearing a radiant smile, her mother gazed at her. "We're safe for right now."

"But we have to get away from here."

Still smiling, her mother nodded. "Yes, we must. But I need you to do something for me."

Rachel swallowed back her tears. "Anything. You saved my life. The chalk you gave me saved me from the ghostie gobblies. They would have torn me apart. What you^gave me saved my life."

Her mother cupped her cheek. "You saved your own life, Rachel. You used your head and you saved your own life. I just gave you a little help when I knew you would need it."

"But it was the help I needed."

"I'm so very glad, Rachel. Now, I need your help."

Rachel shrugged. "What could I do to help you? I'm not big enough to do much."

Her mother smiled in a way that gave Rachel pause. "You are just the right size."

Rachel couldn't imagine what she could be the right size for. "What is it, then?"

Her mother picked up the lantern and stood. She reached out for Rachel's hand. "Come. I will show you. I need you to carry a very important message to save someone else."

As they moved out into the stone hallway, the lantern showed that the stone hallway was empty. The guards were nowhere to be seen.

Rachel liked the idea of helping someone else. She knew what it was like to be afraid and need help.

"You want me to carry a message?"

"That's right. I know you're brave, but I need you not to be frightened by what you see. There is nothing to fear, I promise."

As they hurried through the halls, Rachel began to worry. She knew that her mother had helped her before. She wanted to return the favor.

Still, it sounded like it might be scary. When people said not to be afraid, that meant that there was something to be afraid of. Still, it couldn't be more scary than the mean-looking men who stared at her, or as scary as a witch woman.

Chase had taught her that it was normal to be afraid, but that to survive you had to be the master of your fear in order to help yourself. Fear, he always said, couldn't save you, but mastering it could.

Rachel looked up at her beautiful mother. "Who is the message for?"

"It's to help a friend. Richard."

"Richard Rahl? You know Richard?"

Her mother glanced down. "You know him, that's what matters. You know that he is trying to help everyone."

Rachel nodded. "I know."

"Well, he is going to need some help. I need you to carry a message for me to see if we can get him the help he will need."

"All right," Rachel said. "I'd like to help him. I love Richard."

Her mother nodded. "Good. He is a man worthy of your love."

She paused before a heavy door to the side, then squeezed Rachel's hand. "Don't be afraid, now. All right?"

Rachel stared up at her mother, feeling flutters in her stomach. "All right."

"There is nothing to fear. I promise. And I'll be right here with you."

Rachel nodded. Her mother pushed the door open out into the cold night air.

Rachel could see out through the doorway that the moon was up. Because Rachel had been in a dark cell, and there had only been the lamplight, she could see everything outside pretty well. It looked like a courtyard, with stone walls surrounding it. The courtyard appeared to be big enough not only for bushes, but for trees.

Together they stepped out into the chilly darkness.

Rachel froze stiff when she saw the glowing green eyes staring down at her.