“Then we have to go there!” Bannon said. “Somebody has to help protect them. They don’t know how to fight. How will they—?” He looked at Lila. “You and I can show them.”
She still seemed to hold a grudge. “I thought you were trying to get away from me, since you wanted to leave so badly.”
He was shocked. “I never said that. I?.?.?.?Sweet Sea Mother, I never thought it through! I contemplated going home, just as a daydream. I was just thinking of those poor villagers. Even with all my bad memories of Chiriya, there are still a lot of good people who don’t deserve to be slaughtered by the Norukai.”
“You didn’t even know about the new Norukai threat until just now.” Lila sniffed. “That wasn’t part of your decision.”
Jared grinned at them from the side of the ship, showing the gap in his teeth. “She’s got you there, lad.” After two of his crew members trudged up the gangplank, each with a keg of ale balanced on his shoulder, Jared bounded down to meet them on the docks.
“Wait?.?.?.” Bannon hesitated again, his thoughts whirling. “Would it bother you if I go somewhere? You sound hurt.”
Lila stiffened. “You have seen me fight. It takes much more than that to hurt a morazeth. And would you not want me at your side if it comes to fighting more Norukai? Although why you would bother to help such weaklings instead of getting your revenge is beyond me.”
He squared his shoulders. “Because that island is full of people just like I was, and I didn’t deserve what happened to me. People just like Ian, and he didn’t deserve it. I want to save them, if I can. I, uh, assumed you would go with me.”
“You did not think to ask?”
“Would you go with me to Chiriya Island? And wherever else I might go?”
She nodded. “I accept your reasons. I will accompany you.” Lila adjusted her black leather skirt. “You always manage to find circumstances in which you need protection. I don’t dare let you go alone.”
*
Though Nicci tried not to show any emotion, saying farewell to Bannon turned out to be more difficult than she expected. As they stood in the large square above the harbor, the young man came forward and hugged her for a long moment, much longer than was necessary, and she allowed it. She even embraced him back.
“I will miss you, Nicci. I’ve grown much in strength and wisdom during my time with you.” When he finally let go, Bannon turned to Nathan.
The wizard clearly felt proud of his protégé. Tears welled in his azure eyes. “My boy, you are a brave fighter and a fine companion. You were naive and gullible when we first met, but now you are a man, stronger, braver, and more accomplished than I ever expected.”
“I admit, I am impressed,” Nicci said. “When I saved you from your own stupidity in that Tanimura alley, I was certain you were a lost cause. You created your own problems, and I vowed never to rescue you again.”
Bannon’s voice quavered with emotion. “I didn’t need any more rescuing, did I?”
“Yes, you did,” Nicci said with a laugh, “but no more than all of us did. You fought beside us, and we fought beside you. Go home, Bannon Farmer. You deserve it.”
Nathan looked closely at Lila. “You swear to protect him? As a morazeth?”
“Always. You should not need to ask.”
Offended, Bannon touched the sword Nathan had given him. “I thought you said I could take care of myself!”
Nicci and Nathan looked at each other with an amused expression.
Lila repeated, “You have nothing to worry about. I’ve already given my word.”
They lingered for a long moment as the sun set, then Bannon and Lila made their way down to the kraken ship that was ready to depart.
Nicci turned back to look at the streets of Tanimura and around the harbor. The flat expanse of Halsband Island was still blackened with the ashes of funeral pyres, but the flames had finally gone out, and the brisk ocean winds had scoured the air clean of the stink of death.
Now that they stood together in the square, Nathan asked her, “So, what is to become of us? Are you also going to rest on the knowledge that the world is safe, thanks to us?”
“The world is never safe. And our promise to Richard is never over.” Her brow furrowed with concern. “We know he is embroiled in a great crisis of his own up in D’Hara. If the danger is so great that he could not spare troops when I asked, then perhaps we should return to the People’s Palace and help him.”
Nathan’s lips quirked in a small smile. “I knew dear Richard couldn’t survive without us for long. You think we should ride north, off to the rescue?”
“I believe he needs us.” She wanted nothing more than to fight at Richard’s side again, to see his handsome face, feel his presence. But she had left D’Hara for a reason, knowing that his heart belonged entirely and unconditionally to Kahlan. Nicci accepted that, so she had gone far away to keep serving him, but at a safe distance where the ache in her heart would gradually fade.
Wrestling with her decision, she looked around the square, felt the weight of all that had occurred here. Though the people in Tanimura were battered and emotionally drained, they knew they had won, and victory gave a brightness to their mood.
The messenger who rode into the main square from Altur’Rang, however, had a hard and twisted look on his face, flinty eyes, and a sneer that was haughty and superior. He raised his voice and demanded the attention of the crowd as they finished their work for the day. “I bring word from the new capital of our restored empire!”
Nicci was instantly alert. “New empire?”
The man looked down from his horse and gave them a withering look, as if they were beneath his notice. He adjusted his helmet. “Your ignorance does not diminish the glory of Emperor Argus. Altur’Rang has been under attack by an ancient army, and yet I bring word to you that the foolish enemy warriors have been vanquished.”
Nathan stepped closer. “Dear spirits! Was it the army of General Utros?”
“An expeditionary force of thousands of armed men,” said the messenger as others gathered around. “But they were doomed to failure once they encountered the might of Emperor Argus. We offered them the chance to swear allegiance to the New Imperial Order, but they declined.” His lips twisted in a smile. “Our fearless troops would have massacred them, but the Keeper himself intervened. The ground opened up and their souls were swept away to the underworld.”
Nicci stepped forward to face him. “The Imperial Order is destroyed, and Emperor Jagang is dead.” She didn’t add that she herself had assassinated the horrible man.
“Emperor Jagang was no longer relevant,” said the messenger. “The Imperial Order has returned under a new and stronger man, a ruler who would make Jagang quiver with awe.”
Nicci couldn’t imagine that anything would make Jagang quiver, but she merely assessed the arrogant messenger. She knew his type. She glanced at Nathan, whose eyes were wide and whose face was drawn.
“Dear spirits, a new Imperial Order?” he whispered.
Nicci knew what they had to do. “I had thought our duty was to go and assist Richard, but just as he was confident we could handle this war ourselves, we must be confident that Richard can deal with his own crisis.” She narrowed her eyes. “If there is a New Imperial Order, if there is a man who claims Jagang’s throne, then you and I have to go see this Emperor Argus ourselves.”
“Indeed we do,” Nathan said, his face flushed with anger. “Indeed we do.”
Nicci raised her voice to the messenger. “We will accompany you to Altur’Rang. We would meet this Emperor Argus.”
The man turned to them, assessing them. High in the saddle, he ran his eyes up and down Nicci’s body, her blue eyes, her blond hair. She hoped she wouldn’t have to kill him before they reached the grand capital city. “I cannot guarantee he will see you. Argus is an important man.”
“I’m sure he is,” Nathan said.
