Soul of the Fire

"Richard, please, let's get out of here? There's something about this place…”

Richard threw on his shirt and then drew her close.

"I think you're right. There's no need to push our luck, not after a run-in with that raven-that-isn't-a-raven. Besides, Du Chaillu would be so angry we got killed she'd have her baby before it was time."

Kahlan clutched his shirt in her fists. She had a suddenly stricken look. "Richard… do you think we could…”

"Could what?"

She released his shirt and patted his chest. "Could get out of here."

"I think we should."

They rushed back, both now eager to be away from the lake. He helped her up onto her horse. "I think we found what we came for, anyway-the rock the Dominie Dirtch was made from. I think that we need to change our plans."

"What do you mean?"

"I think we better get back to Fairfield and look through all those books again, in the light of what we now know."

"But what about the vote? The places we've yet to visit?"

"We were going to have to divide up the men anyway and send them out to watch over the voting and counting and then return the results to Fairfield. We can send them now and have the men speak to the people in each place first. There are men among them I would trust to speak for us. They've heard what we've had to say enough times.

"We might as well divide them up here and get them on their way while we get back to the estate. Besides, we wouldn't do wrong to see to making sure we convince all the people in Fairfield to vote to join us."

Kahlan nodded. "Our first responsibility is the chimes. It won't do us any good to win the vote if the chimes kill everyone."

Richard's eye was caught by something. He swung down from his saddle and tossed Kahlan the reins to his horse. He crossed the grass back to the clump of spruce.

"What is it?" Kahlan called, eager to be off.

Richard lifted a drying bough. "A saddle. Someone's left their things here, and covered them to keep them dry."

"Probably from that horse we saw," she said.

"Maybe it belongs to a trapper, or something," Richard said. "But it looks to have been here for a while."

"Well, unless you plan on stealing somebody's things, Richard, let's get out of here."

When the raven let out a call, Richard hurried back to his horse. "Just seems strange, that's all."

As they started down the trail, Richard looked over his shoulder. He saw several ravens circling far up in the sky. He didn't know which one was the raven-that-wasn't-a-raven. Maybe they all were.

He took his bow from its place on the saddle and hooked it over his shoulder instead.

CHAPTER 57

Dalton gazed out of the window of his office as he listened to Stein reporting the number and location of Imperial Order soldiers now stationed as special Anderith guard troops inside Anderith. The Dominie Dirtch were as good as in Jagang's hands. Should Lord Rahl bring his forces-if he even had any close enough-toward Anderith, he would quickly be a leader without an army to lead, "The emperor also sent word that he wishes me to personally express, on his behalf, his appreciation for the efficient cooperation he has been receiving. From my men's reports, the Minister looks to have done a remarkable job of taking the teeth out of the Anderith army. They will present even less of an obstacle than we thought."

Dalton looked back over his shoulder, but saw no smirk on the man's face. He put his boots up on Dalton's desk and leaned back in his chair to clean his fingernails with a dagger. Stein looked contented.

Dalton reached over and picked up the useless but valuable little book the woman had brought up from the library, the book once belonging to Joseph Ander. He set it on the other side of his desk so Stein's boots wouldn't damage it.

From what Teresa reported to him, Dalton thought Stein should have every reason to be contented, what with the number of women living their daydreams by tattling to eager ears the raw excitement they had found in the bed of the foreign savage. The more outrageously he treated them, the more delighted they were to gossip about it.

With the number of women offering themselves willingly, Dalton found it remarkable the man would so frequently still turn his lust on the unwilling. He guessed Stein found the thrill of vanquishing by force more satisfying.

"Yes, the Anderith army looks real pretty, standing there behind the Dominie Dirtch." Stein grinned. "But their false pride will be of little use to them when they must meet the true face of war."

"We have kept our part of the bargain."

"Believe me, Campbell, I know the worth of you and the Minister. Farming may be less glamorous than conquest, but without food, an army grinds to a halt. None of us wishes to take up the pastime of tending the land, but we wish to continue eating. We understand your worth in knowing how to keep the system going. You will be a valuable asset to our cause.

"And Emperor Jagang wishes me to assure you he looks forward to rewarding such good works, once he arrives."