Rikka had strolled out of the palace gates like she was meant to be there. Most of the guards couldn't tell one Mord-Sith from another, and even without her leather, Rikka's hair gave her away as a Mord-Sith. Once she had left the palace grounds, she ducked into an alley, took out a pair of scissors and cut her hair. No one would know she was a Mord-Sith, it was a mildly disturbing thought. Rikka knew she should have left Aydindril as soon as she could, but something had made her stay. A person, and that person wasn't Dahlia. She'd been making her way down the street when she saw four men follow a young woman into an alleyway. Rikka had quickened her steps and followed. She saw the woman's hand grab at one of the men's necks. She was a confessor. The confessed man managed to take down two of his comrades before being killed. The surviving man snarled at the confessor, probably blaming her for his friend's deaths and advanced. The confessor really didn't look up to a fight; she was leaning against the wall, breathing heavily. Rikka stepped forward and grabbed the back of the man's shirt. She lifted him up and slammed him into the brick wall. There was a sickening crunch as is nose was flattened. He fell to his knees, groaning and trying to stop the rush of blood from his broken nose. Rikka kicked him in the back of the head and he slumped to the ground, a large gash across his temple. It was possible he would bleed to death, Rikka didn't care. She approached the confessor carefully, watching the woman's eyes for the tell-tale signs of confessor power.

The confessor power was passed through the blood, which meant that a Mord-Sith could not turn their power away. But more importantly, a confessor's power was fatal to Mord-Sith. Once there were many, but now only two women were openly confessors. One was the Mother Confessor, the other was her sister. And if this woman was a confessor, Rikka could easily use her to get to the Mother Confessor.

"Are you alright? Here, let me help you up."

She wrapped an arm around the woman's waist and lifted her.

"I'm okay."

"I think I'd better escort you home. You're in no condition to walk, let alone fight off anyone else."

"I'm fine really."

"And I'm not really going to give you a choice. Just accept the help and I'll get you home safely."

The woman nodded and quietly told Rikka where her house was. They walked in silence, Rikka warning people off with the kind of glare only a Mord-Sith could do. It was light by the time they stopped outside a house.

xxxxx

It was morning. Dahlia only knew because she had been placed in a cell with a window. She guessed she was lucky, most cells didn't have windows. Her back hurt, which wasn't surprising, but Dahlia could stand that pain. What was hurting her most was the constant replay of Rikka's death. Cara hadn't laid a hand on Rikka until Rikka had felt the need to protect Dahlia from the pain Cara was inflicting. She had taken one step forward and Cara had swung around, backhanding Rikka hard enough to loosen a tooth and split her lip. She hadn't even used her agiel, but her bare fist. Much like the agiel from before, Dahlia had no idea where the knife came from; it just appeared in Cara's hand. Cara had taken the knife and cut Dahlia's hair.

"You are no longer one of my Mord-Sith."

Cara moved towards Rikka, drew the other Mord-Sith's agiel and place the tip of it almost gently over Rikka's heart. All Rikka seemed to do was look at Dahlia as her own agiel started to kill her. Her eyes widened with pain before drooping as Cara twisted, stopping Rikka's heart. Then she had just walked out of the room, still holding Rikka's agiel and Dahlia's braid. Dahlia couldn't look away from her dead lover's face.

She had been lifted up, and soothed by Raina. Dahlia couldn't even remember what had been said. But she found herself in this cell being carefully lowered onto a bed. Raina had found a shift and helped Dahlia get dressed in it. Then Dahlia was tucked into the bed and told to sleep.

She had been in the same position since then. The door opened and Dahlia tensed. A woman she had never met followed by Raina walked in. She was tall with long blonde hair cascading down her back. Her dress was made of a sleek black material except for the solid protection plate over her chest and stomach.

"Good morning Dahlia, how do you feel?"

Dahlia glared at Raina.

"How do you think?"

Raina just nodded at her and gestured to the woman.

"This is Nicci, a former Sister of the Light, and a former Sister of the Dark."

"So what is she doing here?"

"Currently, Nicci is on our Overlord's payroll. She's going to look after you for the foreseeable future."

"And if I don't want her to?"

"You don't really get a choice. Nicci takes orders directly from me, no one else. Right now, I'm ordering her to look after you, keep you company and protect you from anyone who wishes you harm. That includes Cara."

"What if I decide to just kill myself and join Rikka in the underworld?"

Raina rolled her eyes. "You are being overly dramatic. However, if you attempt suicide, Nicci will help to heal you and put you under suicide watch."

"She won't heal me if I don't let her!"

"That is where you are wrong." Nicci said coolly. "I do not use powers to heal, rather medicine, you can't deflect that. Anyway, my power puts me in a unique position. I can deflect other powers, Mord-Sith or otherwise. It is a power I picked up from a Mord-Sith many years ago."

"Picked up?"

"I have the ability to steal or copy other's powers, I have amassed quiet a collection over the years. Now, if we could proceed with a physical exam, I'd like to see what I'm dealing with." The last part was aimed at Raina.

Dahlia grumpily allowed the medical exam.

xxxxx

Rikka glanced around the street as the confessor fumbled with the lock. The lock had just been opened and the confessor was thanking her when Rikka saw four Mord-Sith coming down the street. She pushed the confessor inside and slammed the door shut. Rikka leaned against it.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"It's nice to meet you to. Now, who would you be, what are you doing in our house and why are you home so late, Dennee?"

Rikka blinked at the pale brunette sitting at a table. She looked around and found herself in a overly cheery looking kitchen.

"My name's Rikka, and I escorted your …" she paused. "sister?"

The woman nodded.

"I escorted your sister home after she was attacked by some men. There is a quad of Mord-Sith down the street who I'd rather not meet, which is why I invited myself into your home."

The woman and Dennee stared at each other for a moment before Dennee nodded.

"Thank you for helping me, Rikka." She nodded at the woman again before leaving the room.

"I've found that the Mord-Sith don't generally bother anyone unless that person is doing something the Overlord thinks they shouldn't."

Rikka laughed bitterly. "Yeah, that's me. See, I'm breathing. Not to mention that I just saved a confessors' life."

The woman narrowed her eyes, she looked dangerous and Rikka suddenly remembered that this was the Mother Confessor.

"I saw Dennee confess one of the men who attacked her." She explained.

The woman nodded. "The overlord wants you dead then?"

"Not quite. The Overlord thinks I'm dead. She killed me last night."

"It's nice to see you're not letting it hold you back."

"I wasn't interested in staying dead the first time I died, why would I want to now?"

"Fair enough."

They were silent, watching each other. Rikka still stood at the door and Dennee's sister still sat at the table.

"You're the Mother Confessor aren't you?"

"What makes you say that?"

"You're Denne's sister, so you must be a confessor. There are only two 'out' confessors left. Darken Rahl had most of you killed off, and I know Dennee's not the Mother Confessor. She's not strong enough."

"That's sound logic, but it doesn't mean you're right."

Rikka titled her head.

"But I am. There's something you should know about the Overlord before you face her again. Either you'll find her or she'll find you, but you will face her again. The Overlord isn't like other Mord-Sith. When a Mord-Sith is found to have a power, their throats are cut. That way they can't be brought back with the breath of life. She wasn't killed. The Overlord can … move things with her mind. Don't underestimate her. Mord-Sith are trained to follow the Lord Rahl no matter what, and she killed the Lord Rahl. What does that tell you?"

"That she can't be trusted."

"It tells me that she broke her training. No Mord-Sith has ever broken her training. Everything you think you know about that woman is probably wrong. Take care, Mother Confessor. You seem like a good woman, I hope you don't die stupidly."

xxxxx

Dahlia knew the particular spot she was staring at well. It was on the ceiling of her cell, right above where she lay in bed. She'd been looking at it for a few hours now, and when she blinked Dahlia found the spot imprinted on her retina. Nicci probably would have provided conversation if Dahlia had wanted, but Dahlia had barely even bothered to make herself drink the medicine Nicci had made for her. Apparently, along with all her other skills, Nicci could brew potions. At least Dahlia couldn't feel the pain in her back anymore, only that in her heart.

The door opened and Raina came in with a tray piled with more than enough food for two. She set it down on the floor next to Dahlia's bed.

"What do you want to eat? I have pretty much everything."

"I'm not hungry."

"That's nice. Now what do you want to eat?"

"Don't you have more important things to do, Raina?"

Raina grinned at Dahlia. "Nope. So, dinner?"

"Raina." Dahlia growled in a warning.

Nicci put down the second book she had been reading during her 'companionship' to Dahlia.

"Either choose something to eat, Dahlia, or we will force feed you. I, personally, think the pasta dish looks quite nice."

Dahlia sighed deeply. "Fine."

Raina sat on Dahlia's bed and helped her to sit up. Nicci handed Dahlia a bowl of pasta and cutlery before getting her own food and eating silently. Dahlia only ate half what was served to her, but both Nicci and Raina said it was enough. Dahlia didn't know which of them was worse. She couldn't believe she was being coddled!

Raina packed up the food and left. She wished she could say something to help ease Dahlia's heart, but she couldn't. She felt Nicci slip out of the room behind her.

"Have you started looking?"

Raina sighed. "No. It'll be at the People's palace. I can start looking when we journey back."

"Can't you send someone to look for it?"

"Who? A Mord-Sith would report directly to Cara, I wouldn't trust any solider or slave. Who do you want me to send? Who do you want me entrust your freedom?"

Nicci snorted. "You're trying to tell me you don't have anyone you trust at all?"

"Of course I do, but I can't send her either. You're going to have to wait."

Nicci was almost vibrating with anger. "You don't know what it's like to lose your freedom. To have to serve…"

"Don't you dare say that to me." Hissed Raina. She balanced the tray of food in one hand and shoved Nicci back with the other. "I spent years, years being weak, being trained to become what I am today. I spent years serving him. I know what it's like."

Raina took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.

"I'm leaving now Nicci. Do your job and I will try to find it."