Naked Empire

"How much longer?" Najari asked.

Nicholas smiled, knowing what the man was curious about. "Soon. Very soon. You must get these people out of here before they arrive. Then, keep our men out of the way. Let them do as they will."

Najari flashed a cunning smile. "As you wish, Nicholas."

Nicholas lifted an eyebrow. "Emperor Nicholas."

Najari chuckled as he started away to get his men. "Emperor Nicholas."

"You know, Najari, I've been thinking."

Najari turned back. "About what?"

"About Jagang. We've worked so hard. What reason is there for me to bow to him? A legion of my silent army could swoop in upon him and that would be that. I wouldn't even need an army. He could mount his horse one day, and I could be there in the beast, waiting to throw him and trample him to death."

Najari rubbed his stubble. "True enough."

"Of what use is Jagang, really? I could just as easily rule the Imperial Order. In fact, I would be better suited to it."

Najari cocked his head. "Then what of the plans we've already laid?"

Nicholas shrugged. "Why change them? But why should I give the Mother.

Confessor to Jagang? And why let him have the world? Perhaps I will keep her for my own amusement… and have the world as well."

CHAPTER 56

Richard pressed his back up against the clapboard wall. He had to pause a moment, waiting for the world to stop spinning. He was so cold he felt numb. As dark as it was, he was having difficulty seeing.

But it was more than the darkness.

He knew that his sight was beginning to fail him.

At night it was worse. He had always been able to see better at night than most other people. Now, he was no better able to see at night than Kahlan. That wasn't a big difference, but he knew it was meaningful.

The third state of the poison had begun.

Fortunately, they were close to having the final dose.

"This is the alleyway, here," Owen whispered.

Richard looked up and down the street. He didn't see anything moving.

The city of Hawton was asleep. He wished he could be, too. He was so exhausted and dizzy he could hardly put one foot in front of the other. He had to take shallow breaths to keep from coughing. Coughing brought on the worst pain. At least he wasn't coughing up blood.

Coughing now, though, could be fatal, so he swallowed, trying to stifle the urge. If they made any noise, it might alert the soldiers.

When Owen moved into the alleyway, Richard, Kahlan, Cara, Jenn-sen, Tom, Anson, and a handful of their men followed in single file.

There had been no lights burning in the windows facing the streets. As the small group moved through the alley close to the walls, Richard saw no windows. A few of the walls did have doors.

At a narrow space between buildings, Owen turned in, following the brick path hardly wider than Richard's shoulders.

Richard seized Owen by the arm. "Is this the only way in?"

"No. See there? The walkway goes through to the street in front, and there is another door inside that comes up on the other side of the building."

Satisfied that they had alternative escape routes, Richard gave Owen a nod. They took the dark stairwell down to a room at the bottom under the building. Tom struck flint to steel a number of times until he managed to light a candle.

Once the candle was lit, Richard gazed around at the small, empty, windowless room. "What is this place?"

"The basement of a palace," Owen said.

Richard frowned at the man. "What are we doing here?"

Owen hesitated and glanced at Kahlan.

Kahlan saw the look. She pushed Richard down until he sat and leaned back against the wall. A footsore Betty squeezed between them and lay down beside Richard, pleased to have a rest. Jennsen squatted close, on the other side of Betty. Cara closed him in from the other side.

Kahlan knelt in front of him and then sat back on her heels. "Richard, I asked Owen to bring us here-to a place where we would be safe. We can't all go into that building to get the antidote."

"I suppose not. That's a good idea. Owen and I will go; the rest of you can stay here where no one will spot you."

He started to get up, but Kahlan pushed him back down. "Richard, you have to wait here. You can't go. You're dizzy. You need to save your strength."

Richard gazed into her green eyes, eyes that always captivated him, always made everything else but her seem unimportant. He wished they could be alone somewhere peaceful, like the home he had built for her back in the mountains where he had taken her to recover after she had been hurt… when she had lost their unborn child after being beaten nearly to death by those brutes.

She was the most precious thing alive. She was everything. He wanted so much for her to be safe.

"I'm strong enough," he said. "I'll be fine."

"If you start coughing in that place where the soldiers are, then you'll be caught and never get out-much less recover the antidote. You and Owen would both be caught. There is no telling how many soldiers are in there. What will happen to us if you're caught? What would happen if.."