"After all, how can we know that there aren't intruders in the Keep right now?"

Cara straightened. "Now?"

"Yes. If the Keep's defenses are failing, and the alarms aren't working, how would we know if there were people wandering about who don't belong in here? For all we know, Six could still be lurking about. Chase said he didn't find any tracks of her leaving. Sisters of the Dark could have snuck in as well. There's no longer a dependable way for us to know.

"Even more concerning is that enemies could enter through the sliph. Richard is the only one who could put the sliph back to sleep; we can't. The sliph isn't designed to deny her services to anyone who asks and has the proper power. Jagang could send Sisters of the Dark in through the sliph. There aren't enough of us to guard the sliph all the time, at least not enough of us with enough power to have a chance to defend against an attack from Sisters of the Dark.

"Without the ability to put the sliph back to sleep, or to be able to depend on alarms and shields to protect the Keep, it remains vulnerable to intrusion of all sorts. It must be assumed that such a spell, by its very nature, would eliminate anyone in the Keep. Since it's a measure of last resort we have to assume that it could be as fatal for us to be in here as it would be for an intruder.

"Therefore, we have to leave and then ignite the protective state."

"How will be get back in?" Cara asked.

"I will have to shut the thing down. I know the sequence necessary to inactivate the spell. Once I shut it down, though, I don't believe it can be reactivated, so we dare not shut it down unless it's absolutely necessary for some reason, or until the taint of the chimes can be eliminated from the world of life."

Nicci heaved a sigh. "I can't think of any argument against the plan. It seems the only way to preserve the Keep for the time being."

"Besides that," Zedd said, "we can't just continue to sit here."

"No," Nicci said, "I don't suppose we can."

She was already thinking of things that had to be done. There were any number of places she needed to go.

"It seems to me," Zedd said as he looked around at those waiting for his pronouncement, "that the first thing to be done is to try to get Richard his power back. If he was reconnected with his gift perhaps it would help him.

"We have reason to believe that it was cut off by a spell drawn in the sacred caves in Tamarang. Unless anyone has a better idea, I say we go to Tamarang and help Richard by eliminating whatever is blocking him from his gift."

Both Mord-Sith nodded. "If it would help Lord Rahl, I say let's get going," Cara said.

"I agree," Tom said.

"I'm afraid that I'd slow you down," Friedrich said. "I'm not as young as I used to be. Perhaps it would be best if I stayed in the area in case Richard shows up. He'll need to know what's happening. I can stay close, watch the Keep from the outside."

"That makes sense," Zedd told the man.

"I think I had better go to the People's Palace," Nicci said.

Zedd frowned. "Why?"

"Well, I can use the sliph. From the People's Palace I can take the sliph down to the area of Tamarang and meet you there. The sliph is much faster, so I will have time at the palace to check into some things."

"Like what?" Zedd asked.

"Well, with Richard missing and cut off from his power, Nathan is acting in the capacity of Lord Rahl. That bond is all that stands between us and the dream walker being able to enter our minds. I want to see how he's doing."

Zedd nodded in thought.

"There are defenses at the palace that are powered by magic, much the same as here at the Keep," Nicci said. "Ann and Nathan need to know that the chimes are corrupting that magic. They need to know what happened here so they will be prepared if it happens there as well, and not caught unaware as we were.

"But most of all we need to get the box of Orden back. Six was from the Old World. Ann and Nathan lived there a very long time. They said they didn't know anything about Six but maybe they've thought of something by now or can offer a clue. Six was secretive when she lived down there in the Old World, but maybe someone knows something about her. Ann and Nathan may be able to point me in the direction of such*a person. Right now we know next to nothing about the witch woman. We need information.

"I'm at a loss to know where to look for Six. This is at least a place to start asking questions."

Zedd sighed. "That makes sense. But if you find anything out, you come to Tamarang first-come to me first before you think to go after her yourself. We may need your help to deal with whatever is going on down there in Tamarang, and you will definitely need my help to come up with a way to deal with Six. She has already proven how dangerous she is. You're not going to be able to sneak up on her and take back the box. If we get a lead on where she might be, we're going to have to put our heads together and come up with a plan."

"Agreed," Nicci said. "What about the sliph-after I've gone through, I mean? Will anyone be able to sneak back into the Keep?"

"The protective spell takes special precautions at the points of entry. The sliph will draw branches of the spell, hardening that entry point just like any other. Once you leave through the sliph I'll activate the spell."

"I'm going with you," Cara said to Nicci. It wasn't a request.

"I'll go with Zedd, then," Rikka said. "He'll need one of us looking after him."

Zedd shot her a sour glare but didn't say anything.

Cara drew her blond braid through a loose fist. "Makes sense. It's decided, then."

It was as if the two of them were settling how the operation would be conducted. Nicci was beginning to appreciate Richard's remarkable forbearance.

"Let's get our things together," Zedd said. "It will be light soon."

Nicci took Rikka by the elbow and pulled her aside. "As soon as I change into my clothes, I'll fix up the nightdress for you so that you can pack it with your things."

Rikka smiled. "All right."

Nicci thought that the woman looked quietly excited at the prospect of having something pretty, something that had nothing to do with the outfit of a Mord-Sith.

Nicci concentrated on that happy thought, rather than on how nervous she was about again traveling in the sliph. This time, Richard would not be with her to help her.

What is it?" Jennsen whispered to the young woman ahead of her as they both crawled through the tall, dry grass.

"Shh" was Laurie's only answer.

Laurie and her husband had been out in the desolate place picking a late crop of wild figs that grew among the low hills. In the course of their work, as they had picked farther and farther afield, they had separated. As the afternoon drew to a close Laurie had wanted to head back to town but she hadn't been able to find her husband. He seemed to have vanished.

Increasingly distraught, she'd eventually run back to the town of Hawton seeking Jennsen's help. Needing to rush, Jennsen had decided to leave her pet goat, Betty, in her pen. Betty hadn't been happy about it, but Jennsen was more concerned about finding Laurie's husband. By the time they had returned with a small search party the sun had long since gone down.

As Owen, his wife Marilee, Anson, and Jennsen had spread out searching in among the low hills for Laurie's missing husband, Laurie had found something she hadn't expected. It had clearly shaken her. She wouldn't say what it was; she wanted Jennsen to hurry to see it for herself, and she wanted Jennsen to be quiet about it.

Laurie cautiously lifted her head just enough to look off into the night.

She pointed and at the same time leaned back so that Jennsen could hear her whisper. "There."