Naked Empire   ::   Goodkind Terry

"

Nathan wore high boots and a ruffled white shirt with a vest and an elegant green velvet cape attached at his right shoulder. The prophet cut quite the figure.

Richard saw then that Nathan was wearing an exquisite sword in a polished scabbard. It seemed to Richard rather odd for a wizard who could command wizard's fire to carry a sword. It seemed even more odd to see the man abruptly draw the weapon.

Ann suddenly gasped as someone sprang from behind the building and grabbed her. It was one of the people from the city who had gathered to protect the army-a tall, slender, pinched-faced woman with a formidable scowl and a long knife.

"You are murderers!" she cried, her straight hair whipping side to side. "You are filled with hate!"

The ground around Ann and the woman erupted, chunks of dirt and grass flying up into the air. Ann, a sorceress, was apparently trying to fight off her attacker. The woman was unaffected. Against a pristinely ungifted person, magic wasn't working.

Nathan, not far to the side of Ann, stepped in and without ado ran the tall woman through with his sword. The woman staggered back, his sword through her chest, her face a picture of surprise. She dropped, sliding off the red blade.

Ann, free of her attacker, glanced at the dead woman. She fixed Nathan in a scowl. "Dashing indeed."

Nathan smiled at her private joke. "I told you, they aren't touched by magic."

"Nathan," Richard said, "I still don't understand-"

"Come here, my dear," Nathan said, signaling off behind him.

Jennsen ran out from behind the building. She threw her arms around Richard.

"I'm so glad you're all right," she said. "I hope you aren't angry with me. Nathan showed up in the woods not long after you and the men left. I remembered seeing him before-at the People's Palace in D'Hara. I knew he was a Rahl, so I told him the trouble we were in. He and Ann wanted to help.

We came as fast as we could."

Jennsen looked expectantly up at Richard. He answered her worry with a hug.

"You did the right thing," he told her. "You used your head for something the orders didn't anticipate."

Now that the heat of battle had ended, Richard was dizzier than ever.

He had to lean on Tom for support.

Nathan put a shoulder under Richard's other arm. "I hear you're having trouble with your gift. Maybe I can help."

"I don't have time. Nicholas the Slide has Kahlan. I have to find her or-"

"Don't play a fool when you aren't," Nathan said. "It won't take long to bring your gift into harmony.