"He yells a lot, and says a lot of bad words, and waves his arms around like he's going to call a storm around us, but I think he's nice."

"You aren't still itching from snow fleas." Ann smiled in the dark of the small hiding place among the rock. "But I think you may be right."

"My grandmamma would get angry, sometimes, like when people meant to hurt us, but you could tell she really meant it. Wizard Zorander doesn't really mean it. He's just pretending."

"You are more perceptive than I have been, child, You're going make a splendid Sister of the Light."

Ann held Holly's head to her shoulder as she waited in the silence. She hoped the wizard would hurry. If they were caught in the vaults, there was no way out, and a fight with Sisters of the Dark, despite his power, would prove more than dangerous.

Time dragged on with agonizing stubbornness. Ann could tell by her slow, steady breathing that Holly had fallen asleep against her shoulder. The poor child hadn't been getting enough sleep — none of them had, rushing day and most of the nights, too, to get to Tanimura in time, to beat Jagang to the palace. They were all exhausted.

Ann started when there was a tug on her dress at her shoulder. "Let's get out of here," Zedd whispered.

Pulling Holly with her, she squeezed back out of their hiding place. "Did you do it?"

Zedd, looking worse than merely vexed, glanced back through the huge round door to the vaults.

"I can't get the confounded thing to work. It's like trying to start a fire under water.

She clutched his robes in a fist. "Zedd, we have to do this."

He turned his worried eyes to her. "I know. But the ones who wove this web had Subtractive Magic. I have only Additive. I've tried everything I know. The web around this place is stable beyond my ability to breach. It can't be done. I'm sorry."

"I've woven a light web in the palace. It can be done."

"I didn't say I didn't weave one, I said I can't get it to ignite. Not down here in the node, anyway."

"You tried to ignite it! Are you crazy?"

He shrugged. "Act of desperation, remember? I had my suspicious about it working, so I had to test it. Good thing I did, or we would have thought it would work. It won't. It will ignite only for life. It won't expand and consume the spell."

Ann sagged. "At least if anyone goes in there, hopefully Jagang, it will kil! them. Until they discover it, anyway, and then they will drain the shield and have the vaults to do with as they will."

"It will cost them dearly. I've left a few 'tricks' of my own in their. The place is a death trap."

"Is there nothing else we can do?"

"It's big enough to take down the entire palace, but I can't set it off. If these Sisters of the Dark really can wield Subtractive Magic, as you say, we could ask one of them if they would try to ignite the light web for us."

Ann nodded. "That's all we can do, then. We have to hope the things you left in there will kill them. Even if we can't destroy the palace, maybe that will be enough." She took Holly's hand. "We had better get out of here. Nathan will be waiting. We must escape before Jagang arrives, or the Sisters discover us."

CHAPTER 50

When she saw the flash of steel in the moonlight, Veraa ducked behind a stone bench. The sounds of battle rolled up the lawns toward her from lower down on the palace grounds. Some of the others had told her that the crimson-caped soldiers had arrived not long ago to join with the Imperial Order, but they now seemed bent on killing everyone in sight.

Two men in the crimson capes raced up out of the darkness. From the other direction, where she had seen the flash of steel, someone sprang out and in an instant had cut them down.

“It's two of the Blood," a woman's voice whispered. The voice sounded familiar. "Come on, Adie."

Another thin form emerged from the shadows. The woman had used a sword, and Verna had her Han to defend herself. She took a chance, and stood.

"Who is it? Show yourself."

Moonlight glinted off the sword as it rose. "Who wants to know?"

She hoped she wasn't taking a foolish chance, but there were friends among the women here. Still, she kept a firm grip on her dacra.

"It's Verna."

The shadowed figure paused. "Verna? Sister Verna?"

"Yes. Who is it," she whispered back.

"Kahlan Amnell."

"Kahlan! It can't be." Vema rushed out into the moonlight and lurched to a halt before the woman. "Dear Creator, it is." Verna threw her arms around her. "Oh, Kahlan. I was so worried you were killed."

"Verna, you can't know how glad I am to see a friendly face."

"Who is it with you?"

An old woman stepped closer. "A long time, it has been, but I still remember you well, Sister Verna."

Verna stared, trying to place the face of the old woman, "I'm sorry, but I don't recognise you."

"I be Adie. I was here for a time, fifty years ago, in my youth."

Verna's eyebrows went up. "Adie! I remember Adie."

Verna left unsaid that she remembered Adie as a rather young woman. She had learned long ago not to say such things aloud; those from the outside world lived by a different pace of time.

"I think you may remember my name, but not my face. It be a long time ago." Adie embraced Verna in a warm hug. "You be one I remember. You be kind to me when I be here."

Kahlan interrupted the brief reminiscing. "Verna, what's going on here? We were brought here by the Blood of the Fold, and have just managed to escape. We have to get out of here, but it seems the place is erupting in battle."

"It's a long story, and I have no time right now to tell it all. I'm not sure I even know it all. But you're right, we must escape at once. The Sisters of the Dark have taken the palace, and Emperor Jagang of the Imperial Order is due to arrive at any time. I have to get the Sisters of the Light away from here at once. Come with us?"

Kahlan scanned the lawns for trouble. "All right, but I have to go get Ahern. He's been steadfast; I can't leave him behind. He'll be wanting to get his team and coach, if I know Ahern."

"I still have Sisters out collecting all those loyal." Vema said. "We're to meet just over there, on the other side of that wall. The guard hiding on the other side, beside the gate, is loyal to Richard, as are all the rest guarding the gates in that wall. His name is Kevin. He can be trusted. When you get back, just tell him you're a Mend of Richard. It's a code he knows. He'll let you into the compound."

"Loyal to Richard?"

"Yes. Hurry. I have to go inside to get a friend out. You can't let your man bring his team through this way, though; the palace grounds are becoming a battlefield. He'll never make it.

"The stables are at the north end. That's the way we're leaving. I have Sisters guarding the small bridge there. Have him head north to the first farm on the right with a stone wall around the garden. That's our secondary meeting place, and it's secure. For the moment, anyway."

"I'll hurry," Kahlan said.

Verna caught her arm. "We can't wait for you if you don't get back here in time. I must get a friend and then we must escape."

"I don't expect you to wait. Don't worry, I have to get away, too. I think I'm the bait to draw Richard here."

"Richard!"

"Another long story, but I have to get away before they can use me to lure him here."

The night suddenly lit, as if by silent lightning, except it didn't go out like lightning. They all turned to the southeast and saw massive balls of flame boiling up into the night sky. Thick black smoke billowed into the air. It seemed the entire harbor was aflame. Huge ships were thrown into the air atop colossal columns of water.

The ground suddenly shook, and at the same time the air boomed with the rumbling sound of distant explosions.