Soul of the Fire

"Richard contracted the plague, and in order to save his life, the Mother Confessor used magic." Ann held up a finger to silence them. "Nathan escaped." Again, gasps filled the tent. Ann hushed them lest they fall to wailing. "Nathan told the Mother Confessor the names of the chimes in order to save Richard's life. It was a terrible choice to make, but I believe he only did it to save Richard. The Mother Confessor spoke the names of those three chimes aloud to complete the spell to save Richard.

"The chimes are here. She called them into this world. I have personal knowledge of this. I have seen them, and I have seen them kill."

This time, there were no protests. Even Sister Georgia seemed convinced. Ann felt vindicated in her decision to tell them this much of it.

"As you all know, the chimes being loose has the potential to bring about an unprecedented cataclysm. It has begun. Magic is failing. All our magic is diminished to the point where it is useless. However, in the meantime Jagang's magic is useless, too.

"While this is so, we can get you all out of here."

"But what difference do the chimes make?" someone asked.

Ann drew a patient breath. "With the chimes here, magic is failing. That means Jagang's magic as a dream walker has failed just as our gift has failed. Your minds are all free of the dream walker."

Sister Georgia stared in disbelief for a moment. "But what if the chimes go back to the underworld? That could happen unexpectedly at any time. Jagang would be back in our heads. You can't tell he's there, Prelate. You can't tell.

"The chimes could already have fled back to the world of the dead. They may not have succeeded in gaining a soul. They may have fled to the protection of the Nameless One. The dream walker could be back in my head, watching me, as we speak."

Ann grasped the woman's arms. "No, he's not. Now, listen to me. My magic has failed. Yours is gone, too. All of us are without the gift. I will be able to tell when it returns- any of us can. For now, it's gone, and so is the dream walker."

"But we aren't allowed to use our gift without permission," a Sister to the right said. "We couldn't tell when our power returned to know the chimes had fled this world."

"I will know immediately," Ann said. "Jagang doesn't prevent me from touching my Han, if I can."

Sister Kerena stepped forward. "But if the chimes do go back, then His Excellency will return to-"

"No. Listen. There is a way to prevent the dream walker from ever again entering your mind."

"That's not possible." Sister Cherna's eyes darted about, as if Jagang might be hiding in the shadows, watching them. "Prelate, you must get out of here. You're going to be caught. Someone might have seen you. They could be telling Jagang as we speak."

"Please, get away," Sister Fionola said. "We are lost. Forget about us and get away. It can come to no good end, you being here."

Ann growled again. "Listen to me! It is possible to be safe from the dream walker entering your mind. We can all get away from his evil grip."

Sister Georgia was back to disbelieving. "But I don't see how-"

"How do you think he doesn't enter my mind? Don't you think he would want me? The Prelate herself? Wouldn't he get me if he could?"

They were all silent as they considered.

"Well, I guess he would." Sister Aubrey's brow drew down. "How is it he isn't able to take you, too?"

"I'm protected. That's what I'm trying to tell you. Richard is a war wizard. You all know what that means: he has both sides of the gift."

The Sisters blinked in astonishment, and then they all fell to whispering to one another.

"Furthermore," Ann went on, bringing the cramped tent full of women to silence, "he is a Rahl."

"What difference does that make?" Sister Fionola asked.

"The dream walkers are from the time of the great war. A wizard of that time, a war wizard named Rahl, an ancestor of Richard's, conjured a bond to protect his people from them. Gifted descendants of the House of Rahl are born with this bond with his people that protects them from dream walkers.

"The people of Richard's land are all bonded to him as their Lord Rahl. Because of that, and because of the magic of it passed down to him, they are all protected from the dream walker. That keeps Jagang from their minds. A dream walker can't enter the mind of anyone bonded to the Lord Rahl."

"But we are not his people," women all around were saying.

Ann held up a hand. "It doesn't matter. You only have to swear your loyalty to Richard-swear it meaningfully in your heart-and you are safe from the dream walker."

She passed a finger before their eyes. "I have long been sworn to Richard. He leads us in our fight against this monster, Jagang, who would end magic in this world. My faith in Richard, my bond to him, my being sworn to him in my heart, protects me from Jagang entering my mind."