Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Richard." Dell said, putting a hand on his shoulder. He turned around. "This should be it. Shota should be on the other side of that door."

"All right." Richard looked around. Kahlan stood next to him, a look of trust on her face, and he thought he might see love; Cara stood with her arms crossed, and even though she tried to look bored, Richard could see that she was readying her self for battle; Benjamin was next to Cara, and he looked to Richard expectantly for orders; Dell was the only one that looked scared, and Richard hoped that he didn't look half as scared as Dell.

"Richard, maybe this is a bad idea. Shota has magic, and so does the other man." Dell said.

"I know, but it's not like we're defense less." Dell didn't look convinced. Richard continued in a softer voice. "You don't have to come."

Dell made a sound of dismissal. "Of course I do. It's my family Richard, and I'll watch your back. You're not as tyrannical as they make you out to be." He smiled, but Richard knew he was still afraid.

"All right then. Don't attack unless you're attacked first. I don't want to kill anyone unless it's necessary, and even then, we need one of them alive." Richard said. He turned to Kahlan and grabbed her hand, squeezing it.

"I love you, Richard." She whispered.

"I love you too." He answered, and then let go, pulling his sword out.

They burst through the door, weapons ready, and there Shota stood. She looked older, like the first one he'd seen, but inside the palace there was a certain mystical quality that made her seem to shine.

"Richard." She said simply.

"Shota, where is the man?" He asked.

Shota looked passed him. "I see you brought Chase along. Strange, I thought he would be dead by now."

"Shota." Richard said coldly. "Where is he?"

Shota turned her gaze back to Richard slowly she almost looked bored. "Do you even know who he is? For that matter, what makes you think that I'm responsible for you being here?" She asked.

"I received you're message." Richard said, but she looked confused.

"With the end of a tyrant a new reign begins,

But not of a savior who's helped by his friends.

Find strength, love, and friendship then journey west.

But fail to remember and fail your quest."

Shota looked at him incredulously. "You think I sent you a poem? Richard, that wasn't me."

Richard looked around for support, but no one seemed to understand how the message was from Shota. "The first line describes this place, where the death of Darken Rahl didn't bring any joy. The second describes my world, where I'm supposed to become the new Lord Rahl. The third tells me who to bring with to your palace; strength, Benjamin a soldier; love, Kahlan; and friendship, Cara. The fourth is a warning about what happens if I don't bring them."

Shota didn't look convinced. "Why would I tell you how to get back home if I brought you here?" She asked.

"I don't think you did." Richard said. "It was the Shota from my world. She wanted to show me what I could become with power, so I could prevent it, but here, someone is blocking her magic. That would be the man that I need to find." Richard said.

Shota smirked. "You think you know everything don't you Richard Rahl, but you don't know who is block the magic, so why should I tell you?"

Richard stared back at her and answered very calmly. "Because I will kill you if you don't."

Shota laughed. It was musical, and sweet, not something you would expect to here from a witch woman, but Richard thought he heard doubt in her laugh. "Are you going to tell me where he is?"

"No." Shota answered, but before she could do anything else, Richard was holding her down on a table. The Sword of Truth was at her neck, and it was glowing red.

"Richard." Shota breathed, but there seemed to be a change in her manner, something was different, and it wasn't just the sword at her throat.

Then there was clapping. Richard could hear it coming from a corner shrouded in darkness. "Very good, my boy. Very good. I knew you were good at deciphering puzzles, but it's nice to finally see how good. The Richard from here isn't nearly as interesting, more menacing, but not interesting."

"Who are you?" Richard asked, but he was starting to figure it out.

"See, now that's my only problem, you haven't figured out who I am." The man stepped out of the shadows, and at first Richard still didn't know who he was, so contorted was his face, his baldhead with red streaks and scars from Wizard's fire. The one eye that wasn't there, but when he smiled, even though it was sadistic and harsh, he could tell.

It was Zedd.