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‘Lord Rahl！ Stop！ We are here to help you！’
Though he had put the sword away； he had no shortage of rage of his own。 He had to get to Darken Rahl if he was to get to Kahlan。 ‘Help me in the afterlife … you will be there shortly！’
‘No； Lord Rahl！ I am Cara。 We are here to help you。 You cannot go that way。 That hall is not secure。’
Richard stood panting； knife in hand。 ‘I don’t believe you。 You want to capture me。 I know very well what Mord…Sith do to their captives。’
‘I knew Denna； your mistress。 You wear her Agiel。 Mord…
Sith do not live to hurt their captives any longer。 You set us free。 We would never hurt the one who set us free。 We revere you。’
‘When I left here； I told the soldiers to burn all those outfits and give you new clothes。 I ordered the Agiel taken from you。 If you revere me； why have you not followed my orders？’
A sly smile touched her lips as she lifted an eyebrow over a cold； blue eye。 ‘Because you cannot free us just to enslave us in a life you choose。 We are free to choose for ourselves。 You made that possible。
‘We chose to fight to protect our Lord Rahl。 We have sworn to lay down our lives for you； if necessary。 Not only the men of the First File can protect you。 We have chosen to be your personal bodyguards。 Not even the First File dared argue with us。 We take orders from no one but Lord Rahl。’
‘Then I order you to leave me alone！’
‘I’m sorry； Lord Rahl； but we cannot follow that order。’
Richard didn’t know what to believe。 This could just be a trap。 ‘I’m here to stop Darken Rahl。 I have to get to the Garden of Life。 If you don’t get out of my way； I will have to kill you。’
‘We know where you go；’ Cara said。 ‘We will take you； but you must not go that way。 We do not hold all the palace。 That way is not safe。 In fact； this whole section of the palace is in the hands of the insurgents。 The First File would have lost a thousand men to e down here。 We told them we would go； that it would be less risk to you。 For that reason only； they agreed。’
Richard started angling around the women。 ‘I don’t believe you； and I can’t risk what you would do if you are lying。 This is too important。 If you try to stop me； I will have to kill you。’
‘If you go that way； Lord Rahl； you will die。 Please； let me whisper a secret message in your ear。’ Cara handed her Agiel to a woman behind her。 ‘You may hold your knife to me。 I am without a weapon。’
Richard gripped her hair in one fist； and held the razor…sharp knife to her throat。 If she so much as flinched； he intended to cut her throat。 Cara put her mouth close to his ear。
‘We are here to help you Lord Rahl；’ she whispered。 ‘It is the 。。。 toasted toads’ truth。’
Richard straightened。 ‘Where did you hear such a thing？’
‘Do you know its meaning？ mander General Trimack said that it is a coded message from First Wizard Zorander； so that you would know we are loyal to you。 He told me to tell no one but you。’
‘Who is General Trimack？’
The mander general； First File of the palace guard。 They are loyal to you。 The First File is the ring of steel around the Lord Rahl。 Wizard Zorander told General Trimack to guard the Garden of Life at all cost。
Two days ago that magic woman came。 She killed nearly three hundred of our men getting into the Garden of Life。 We tried to stop her； but we could not。 We have no magic against her。 She killed close to a hundred on her way out； tonight。
‘We followed her out； and watched from a window on the third level。 We saw her send lightning to strike your dragon from the sky。 We saw you kill her。 Only the true Lord Rahl could do that。
‘Please； Lord Rahl； terrible things are happening in the Garden of Life。 Let us take you there； so you may stop the evil spirit。’
Richard had no time to waste。 They had to have gotten that message from Zedd。 He had to trust them。
‘All right； let’s go。 But I’m in a hurry。’
Grins came to each woman。 Cara took back her Agiel and grabbed him by the shirt at one shoulder。 Another of the Mord…Sith gripped his shirt at the other shoulder。 They started running； dragging him along with them。 Cara whispered that he should be as quiet as possible。 The other four spread out in front； scouting the way。
They took him quickly； but silently； through small side halls and dark rooms。 While the scouts slipped up narrow servants’ stairs； Cara and the other pressed him up against the wall； crossing their lips with a finger； waiting until they heard a short whistle； then dashed up the stairs； pulling him along by his shirt。
At the top of the stairs； he nearly tripped over the body of one of the four Mord…Sith who had gone ahead。 Her face had been split open by a sword。 Eight D’Haran men in armor were sprawled in contorted positions down the hall； blood running from their ears。 Richard recognized death caused by an Agiel。
One of the women in red leather at the end of the hall motioned them onward。 Cara pulled him around a corner where the woman pointed； and up another staircase。 He felt like a sack of laundry the way they yanked him this way and that； jamming him up against walls and in corners while others scouted a clear course。
He could hardly keep up with them as they ran down halls； still gripping his shirt at each shoulder； hauling him along。 Richard lost track of where they were going as they went up stairs and through countless rooms。 A few of the rooms had windows； and he could see that the sun was ing up。
Richard was winded when he finally recognized the broad corridor they entered。 Hundreds of men in uniforms of mail and shiny breastplates all dropped to a knee when they saw him。 The clatter of all their armor and weapons echoed down the wide hall。 Every man put a fist over his heart。 When they came up； one stepped forward。
‘Lord Rahl。 I am mander General Trimack。 We are close to the Garden of Life。 I will lead you there。’
‘I know where it is。’
‘Lord Rahl； you must hurry。 The rebel generals have launched an attack。 I don’t know if we will be able to hold this position long； but we will hold it to the last man while you are beyond。’
‘Thank you； General。 Just hold them off until I send that bastard Darken Rahl back to the underworld。’
The general gave a salute of his fist to his heart as Richard started moving。 He trotted down a polished granite hall he remembered。 It took him to the huge； gold…covered doors to the Garden of Life。
Nearly in a trance of rage； Richard burst through the doors； into the garden。 The sun was up。 Its first rays lit the treetops in the garden。 Richard marched down the path； past the short； vine…covered walls； and out onto the grass。
In the center of the garden was a circle of white sand …sorcerer’s sand。 The round skrin bone sat in the center； with plicated lines drawn in the sand that encircled it。 Beyond was the altar with the three boxes of Orden … the gateway to another world。 Each was beyond black； seeming as if it would suck the light from the room。
From the opened box； a shaft of green light poured forth； up through the glass roof； and into the sky。 Whatever Darken Rahl had been doing was opening the gateway。 Sparkling light； blue； yellow； and red； spiraled around the shaft of green light。
The white； glowing form of Darken Rahl watched him stride across the grass。 Richard stopped before the circle of sorcerer’s sand； opposite him。 A small smile spread on Darken Rahl’s lips。
‘Wele； my son；’ came the hiss of his voice。
Richard felt the scar of the handprint heat on his chest。 He ignored the pain of it。 Darken Rahl’s glowing blue eyes moved to the Stone of Tears hanging from Richard’s neck。
Darken Rahl’s gaze locked on Richard’s。 ‘I have spawned a great wizard。 We would like you to join with us； Richard。’
Richard said nothing。 He seethed with wrath as he watched Darken Rahl’s smile widen。 Through the fury of anger； the pounding wrath of magic； he watched； and he sought the calm center； too。
‘We can offer you what no other can； Ri