Chapter 14
"How could you do that, Sangria?" he demanded to know, his voice rough like gravel, his gaze now the dark probing one for a change instead of her. "It was too great a risk for you to take, traipsing through the Palace as if we owned it already."
Sangria suddenly felt vulnerable with the way that he was glaring at her, the vibrant heat behind his withering gaze searing deep within her like a branding iron. She realized that this must be how he felt whenever she leveled him with a similar look. It was unsettling to say the least…and unexpected.
Sabinus rarely even raised his voice to her let alone subjected her to such a scrutinizing glower that she found it nearly impossible to breathe. They each understood all too well the very real bewilderment and anxiety that their powers could create in another, that moment when they allowed their eyes to become the filter through which their magic was channeled. If allowed to go unchecked, it could lead to utter madness.
But she knew Sabinus. He was almost too kind-hearted for his own good, hardly using his gift whereas she practically flaunted it freely. In a strange way, she suddenly found that she envied him in that.
"I'm sorry, Sabinus," she softly said, averting her eyes in order to avoid his haunting stare that shot fiery tingles through her. "I was only trying to be as prepared as possible for tomorrow. I don't want anything to go wrong. We've come too far."
Sabinus closed his eyes, forcing his emotions back under control again. He turned his back to her, moving towards the window instead. Crossing his arms, he stared out over the bustling city below, a virtual beehive of energized activity. Even from where he stood, he could feel the excitement that filled the air over the approaching festivities.
He absentmindedly watched as people mingled and laughed, fastening brightly colored streamers outside of their homes and shops in preparation for tomorrow's big event. It looked as if the entire city was being blanketed by a massive rainbow.
If only they knew what tomorrow truly held, they'd be fleeing the city instead of wasting precious time decorating it.
A sudden hand gently rubbed his back before coming to rest on his shoulder, squeezing it affectionately. He could feel her breath soft and warm against the back of his neck, attempting to soothe away the angry tide that rolled inside of him. He tried to hold onto his fury, but he found it was beyond hopeless. He could never stay angry with her.
"Sabinus, please," she gently pleaded, her fingers beginning to play with the long strands hair. "I never meant to upset you. I just can't bear the thought of us coming this far only to have it slip through our fingers because we weren't prepared."
Sangria felt his shoulders slump beneath her touch, a small smile of victory touching her lips. She had always been able to get through to him, always able to make him see her side of things. She continued to affectionately run her fingers through his long hair, momentarily forgetting their plans, remembering when times had been simpler.
Keeping his back to her, Sabinus slid his hand up to grasp hold of hers, interlocking their fingers. "I know," he softly sighed. "I just don't like you putting yourself in danger like that."
"You know that I can take myself," she murmured, staring past him to the preoccupation enveloping the city. "Haven't I always taken care of you, of us?"
"Yes, but we're not in the Midlands any more, Sangria," he shook his head. "We're in D'Hara now…at the People's Palace…with some of the most powerful people in the entire world."
"Don't you think I know that?" she frowned. "That's part of the reason why we're here, remember?"
Sabinus finally turned to face her. "I still think that we may be making a huge mistake. I think we've underestimated Richard and Kahlan Rahl."
Sangria scowled at his lack of confidence. They had been planning this for almost a year now, thinking through every possible angle, taking every single scenario into consideration. This couldn't go wrong. They had thought of everything.
"The Wizard is not here," she reminded him. "That can only help us."
"We just have a War Wizard the likes of which no one has seen, the most powerful Mother Confessor in thousands of years, and a former Sister of the Dark who possesses both additive and subtractive magic."
Turning away from him, Sangria threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "We knew all of this before, Sabinus, and yet we're still here. You can't back out now. We're so close," she heatedly stated as she turned back to face him again, her eyes flashing as her magic began to bubble up within her. "I need you in this…all of you…or we're both as good as dead."
Sabinus studied her for a long moment, his mind warring with his heart. Now that they were standing on the very precipice of ultimate victory, it suddenly seemed…hollow…somehow. Staring into her auburn eyes, he knew deep inside that he'd never be able to deny her this. He had never been able to deny her anything that she wanted. She meant too much to him.
"I won't let you go into this alone," he stoically replied as he fought to bury his fear. He was going to lose her tomorrow. He knew it as sure as he knew that the sun would rise again, but carrying her fury and hatred was something he could not bear.
He would give his life for her and he was certain it would be tomorrow.
Sangria felt her anger begin to ebb like the ocean tide as they stared at each other, her magic calming once more. The love and devotion she saw in his eyes warmed her heart. He would do anything for her, anything at all. She knew that above all else.
"It will be alright," she gently said, a confident smile playing on her lips as she came to stand before him. She tenderly took his face into her hands, a gleam dancing in her eyes. "Just picture what it'll be like once we have what we came for."
"It won't be worth enjoying if we die before it becomes a reality," he sadly replied.
"But we won't allow that to happen," she emphatically stated. "They won't be expecting anything. They'll be so wrapped up in their precious daughters' birthday celebration that they won't know what even hit them."
Sabinus allowed a smile of endearment to reach his face as he stared at her, allowing himself to dwell on victory instead of defeat. It wasn't so long ago that he'd been the one who had barely been able to contain his excitement, the taste of success almost dancing on his tongue.
Now, he could barely contain the sense of doom that had taken control of him. Meeting Lord Rahl and the Mother Confessor helped put things into perspective for him, forced him to see how futile their hopes and plans had truly been. Making Sangria see it would be impossible.
"Always optimistic even to the bitter end," he murmured, affectionately placing a hand to her cheek.
"You just need to have more faith," she softly admonished him with a downturn of her lips.
"We'll either have what we want or go out in a blaze of glory trying," he sighed, resigning himself to his fate.
"It'll be a birthday party no one will soon forget," she grinned in excited anticipation.
XXX
"I think I may have found something," Nicci breathlessly announced as she entered the Lord Rahl's private dining hall.
Kahlan looked up from feeding Paige her lunch, Richard feeding Priya. The girls babbled excitedly at the unexpected visitor, their meal temporarily forgotten at the sight of Sister Nicci who came to a stop at the foot of the table. She had a small book in her hand, her long blond hair falling over one shoulder.
Her expression was one of success mingled with dreadful apprehension. It definitely didn't instill any sense of hope in either the Seeker or the Mother Confessor.
"Let's see…you found something regarding which one of our numerous dilemmas?" Richard asked in feigned confusion, turning his attention back to his daughter who was suddenly preoccupied with trying to grab the spoon out of her father's hand. "Would it be about Michael, Frederick, the impending war, or the prophecy hanging over our heads that threatens to destroy all mankind?"
"The prophecy, of course," Nicci replied with a furrowed brow, his attempt at humor lost on her. She was too worried about what she'd discovered to notice anything else at that moment.
Flashing Richard a scolding look that ended up being more smirk than admonishment, Kahlan turned her attention back to Nicci. "What did you find, Nicci?" she asked as she gently wiped applesauce from Paige's mouth.
"I found a reference to a serpent," she replied, her lips pursed.
Nicci had the Seeker's full attention now. "What about the serpent?"
Richard could feel that familiar sense of dread welling up within him again. He would not be so worried about it if it was only about him, but this included his family, his children. That alone was enough to scare the life out of him.
"This text does not pertain specifically to the prophecy that Ann said appeared on the walls at the Palace of the Prophets, but it warns about 'the beguiling eyes of the serpent…and removing its head before it can strike'," Nicci explained.
Richard frowned at the ominous warning, the words the sorceress had just read rolling over in his mind and causing an icy shiver to race up his spine. It had been stated twice now that the serpent's head needed to be removed from the body. The trouble was he had no idea who this serpent was or what it exactly wanted.
"Does it say anything more than that?" Kahlan asked, breaking the tense silence.
"No, not that I've been able to find yet," Nicci shook her head, flipping back through the book until she found the page she was looking for. "The text surrounding it is very vague. It seems to be referring to a specific event of some kind. It only speaks about the serpent rising to destroy… here it is…'that which cannot be touched'."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Richard murmured to himself, his hand absentmindedly coming to rest on Priya's head, his fingers lightly playing with her soft chestnut curls as he considered what they'd just learned. "It just doesn't make any sense. What is that can't be touched?"
"I wonder if it could be the Wizard's Keep," Kahlan offered. "It's practically impenetrable except for those with the gift who can pass through its numerous magical shields and barriers. There are thousands of valuable books and objects stored there, things that someone might have been after."
"I don't know, but hopefully this book will be able to tell me more," Nicci replied.
"Whoever or whatever the serpent is, it seems that others have had confrontations with it, haven't been able to destroy it," Kahlan said, her mind racing. The thought of Richard or her children being threatened in anyway caused her magic to suddenly stir wildly in her core, her pulse racing.
She still didn't have any control over the ConDar yet, that powerful ancient form of magic that suddenly made a Confessor an even more terrifying force to be reckoned with. She knew that she needed to get a grasp on it, to be able to wield it at a moment's notice in order to protect the ones that she loved most. The problem was there was no one still alive who could teach her. She was on her own.
Glancing at Kahlan, Richard could see overwhelming fear filling her face, her blue eyes growing darker by the second as the Blood Rage fought to awaken from its slumber. He immediately reached across the table, seizing her hand in his larger one. He held it firmly, attempting to keep her with him and out of the ConDar's fierce grasp.
"Kahlan, it's alright," he gently spoke to her, his thumb caressing the back of her hand. "I won't let anything happen to our children."
Slowly nodding her head, Kahlan drew a shuddering breath, fighting down the overpowering demand to just let loose the fiery rage burning within her. She would protect her family with her final breath if need be.
Staring into his warm brown eyes swimming with love, she suddenly felt herself grounded again by him, the rage and the ferocious need to protect beginning to settle once more. He had always been the only one able to keep her from losing herself to the powerful magic that inundated her at times, his love reaching deep within and bringing her back from that precarious ledge.
She smiled softly in return, squeezing his hand in response. His love sustained her, freed her and yet was like a warm cocoon surrounding and embracing her. It caressed her and made her more than she knew she could ever be on her own alone.
He had started out as her Seeker and had become her all. She couldn't lose him.
XXX
The flapping sound grew louder as bits of dirt and flecks of snow began to swirl in small cyclones around them. Tightening her grip on the horse's reins, Deryn's hair began to whip as a shudder of dread rattled through her.
All three immediately looked to the sky to see a large red beast soaring overhead, its full attention locked on them. It snorted billowing rolls of white smoke from its flaring nostrils, its massive form temporarily blocking the sun from their view.
A sharp gasp escaped Deryn's lips as she stared in shock at the creature circling closer and closer by the moment. Its mouth suddenly opened wide, its lips curling back to reveal a terrifying row of razor sharp teeth. Its tongue slipped out just then, an enraged hiss filling the air as it began to descend upon them.
"Dear Spirits," Frederick murmured, his eyes wide in fear of what he was seeing.
"Head towards the house!" Zedd yelled, keeping his eyes focused on the beast.
They took off towards the small cabin sitting in the distance, each knowing that the dragon would take them long before they could even get halfway there. They had to try though. It was their only hope now.
A deafening roar suddenly rang through the air, the fierce sound piercing their ears and rattling in their chests. Fire shot out like an orange fountain, its heated flames scorching the air in a deadly warning.
Zedd could feel the heat of the flames on his back as he leaned into his horse's withers, digging his heels into its sides to urge the animal on faster. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw the dragon bearing down on them, flapping its mighty wings and snarling streams of fire that came close but not close enough to actually harm them.
It was almost as if it was toying with them, playing some sort of a game before finally feasting on their bones. It suddenly swooped down over them, snapping its sharp teeth at them before snorting large billowing clouds of grayish smoke that settled in around them.
It made it difficult to see as they attempted to wind their way down into the small valley that held Caelinus's cabin. All it would take was one misstep over a rock by their horse and it would all be over.
"I can't see!" Deryn cried.
Zedd raised a hand, creating a powerful burst of wind that quickly banished the smoky screen that the dragon had created. They pulled up hard on their reins just in time to avoid a rocky wall that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
Zedd grumbled under his breath, his anger rising as they worked their way through the pass. This wasn't at all what had expected finding once they had finally located Caelinus.
A sudden wall of flames shot up in front of them, forcing them to turn to the right and away from their only hope for refuge. It was as if the dragon was keeping them from reach the Wizard, trying to force them to turn back.
"I've had just about enough of this!" Zedd heatedly growled, clenching his jaw in frustration.
Turning his horse back to face their predator, the old Wizard raised a hand, releasing a powerful blast of air that knocked the dragon backwards. It fell from the sky, hitting the ground with a trembling thud.
Dazed, it staggered to its feet, shaking its enormous head as if trying to gather its senses. It shrieked in response, it forked tongue whipping viscously in rage. It stomped its clawed feet before suddenly lumbering towards them.
Zedd quickly released another blast of magic, this one knocking the beast several feet back. "Go," he yelled. "Now!"
Frederick and Deryn immediately pushed their horses towards the weathered cabin, knowing they were quickly running out of chances. That dragon wasn't going to be stopped from getting what it wanted and what it wanted was them.
Frederick looked back to see Zedd coming up hard behind them, the dragon getting to its feet once more. A rolling river of orange flame suddenly lashed out at them like a fiery whip, threatening to incinerate them all. The game was finally over.
"Zedd!" Frederick shouted. "Watch out!"
With an angry growl, Zedd threw out an invisible wall of magic, blocking the flames and keeping them from being burned alive. Nearing the cabin, he decided the time for games was over.
"Caelinus, you fool!" Zedd roared. "Get out here and call off that blasted dragon!"
Just then, the dragon took to the air once more, circling above them as they drew closer to the Wizard's cabin. It spewed a line of fire causing Deryn to fall from her still moving horse, hitting her head as she hit the ground.
"Deryn!" Frederick yelled, seeing her lying on the ground.
"Caelinus!" Zedd screamed, trying to get to Sister Deryn. Unfortunately, the dragon began spewing walls of fire that separated the three from each other.
Frederick quickly leapt from his horse, knowing that staying in his saddle now would be more dangerous than staying off of it. His arm flew up to block the heat of the flames from his face as he fought to get to the fallen Sister, but it was no use. He couldn't get past the deadly rings of fire that kept them all penned in.
He knew that if something didn't happen soon, this would be the end for them all.