Chapter 14

Cara leapt from her horse, Zedd easing himself down just after. She motioned for her sisters to gather 'round. The Temple at Tothraine lay just ahead, beyond the trees. Convinced Darken Rahl and those faithful to him were inside, Zedd used wizard's fire to dispatch the handful of D'Haran guards outside the heavy iron doors. The entrance now clear, Cara slipped in first, Tabitha and the others following just behind. Silent and stealthy they attacked their rebellious sisters.

"Where's the Seeker?" Cara demanded, her Agiel lodged in a Mord-Sith's stomach, pressing her up against the wall, her other arm tight against her throat. The muscled woman in red leather had been disarmed in an instant and now struggled under the pain of Cara's might, choking for breath. Cara twisted the weapon deeper into her gut. "Don't make me ask again" she challenged through clenched teeth.

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In the darkness of the cell, Nicci smoothed at her dress, pulling her disheveled hair from her face. Rahl turned the key in her collar, popping it open with a snap tossing it to the ground. Nicci held up her palms, "Join with me so I may please you." Rahl took her hands, a look of excitement flashing over his face. The moment was upon him.

Nicci chanted in an ancient tongue, repeating the words over and over. She squeezed Rahl's hands, "Say them with me." He joined with her in the mystic mantra.

Still lying in pain, Richard watched as a golden glow spread over Rahl, just as it had when he'd given up his power. He was confused. He remembered surrendering his Han to Nicci, remembered the chant. This was different. He sat up. The warm light suddenly dulled, turning gray, then black. With a piercing cry of agony Rahl pitched sideways to the ground trying to pull free but Nicci held tight to his hands, her chant growing louder, more forceful.

Richard didn't know what was happening, but he knew it wasn't good for Rahl. Katrina, still standing guard over him leapt to defend her Master. Richard cut her down with his chains, tripping her up and yanking her back. They struggled in a mad frenzy as the Mord-Sith fought to break free. Richard got his chains wrapped around her neck and pulled tight, fighting the pain of her Agiel, tightening his hold. Had it not been for Denna's training he would have already succumbed to the torment, but Denna's brutality had taught him to manage pain. In moments, Katrina was dead. Richard lay on his back panting for breath, her twisted form limp against him. He bent his head around to peer across the cell. He had given Nicci the time she needed: Rahl was dead, smoke rising from his charred corpse. She had used her magic to burn him as crisp as any wizard's fire.

Richard's head was swimming. He wasn't sure what had just happened. They were both bloodied and battered, panting in exhaustion from the sudden struggle, the sound of their heavy breathing filling the cell. Nicci crawled her way over to him and pulled Katrina's lifeless body off of him before kneeling beside him. Richard looked up at her from furrowed brows trying to calm his breathing. "Why?"

Nicci gulped a few breaths more before her eyes settled on his. "So I can give you back the gift you were born with."

Richard was stunned. He couldn't believe it. He thought of all she had just endured. "But what he did to you…"

"…Was nothing that hasn't already been done" she said fiercely. She took another breath and her tone softened, "Richard, I've shouldered more misery than I care to recall…much of it at my own doing." She leaned in closer. "What he did to me today was despicable, and vile, but it's not going to kill me. Him taking my Han would…It would kill, me…You…Kahlan. Countless others would be defiled and slaughtered merely at his whim." She rested a hand on his arm, her eyes looking deeply into his. "Knowing you has shown me that there is good in the world and that it's worth fighting for. I wanted to get that chance."

Richard found it impossible to speak…there really was nothing to say. He at last swallowed past the lump in his throat, "I hope you find peace Nicci. You've suffered enough."

With a wave of her hand, he was free of his chains. She sat up to her knees as if putting the matter behind them and held up her hands, palms out, waiting for Richard.

He hesitated, "I don't know. I think I might be better off without magic." He didn't like the idea of having all that power – power he didn't even know how to use. But he didn't like the idea of Nicci having it either, even if she was a changed woman.

"There will always be others trying to take his place. The Lord Rahl needs magic to protect his people. It may be the only way to save Kahlan."

Richard needed no more convincing. He would use any means possible to keep Kahlan safe. Even magic. He thought too, since he'd been born with it, it was rightfully his, whether he liked it or not. He couldn't hide from it, just as he couldn't hide from his responsibility as Lord Rahl.

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