"Worse, Prelate, I brought her to the shadow of the Keeper."

Ann looked over the rim of the bowl as she took a sip. She carefully set the steaming bowl in her lap.

"What's done is done, Alessandra."

While Alessandra sipped at her soup, Ann's mind wandered to Kahlan's words. They were words spoken in anger, and as such, were to be forgiven. Or were they to be considered in an honest light?

Ann feared to say Kahlan's words were wrong; she feared they were true.

For centuries Ann had worked with Nathan and the prophecies, trying to avoid the disasters she saw, and the ones he pointed out to her. What if Nathan had been pointing out things that were only dead words, as Kahlan said? What if he only pointed them out so as to bring about his own escape?

After all, what Ann had set in motion with Richard had also resulted in the prophet's escape. What if she had been duped into being the one to bring about all those terrible results?

Could that be true? Grief threatened to overwhelm her.

She was beginning to greatly fear that she had been so absorbed in what she thought she knew that she had acted on false assumptions.

Kahlan could be right. The Prelate of the Sisters of the Light might be personally responsible for more suffering than any monster born into the world had ever brought about.

"Alessandra," Ann said in a soft voice after she finished her bowl of soup, "we must go and try to find Nathan. It's dangerous for the prophet to be out there, in the world that is defenseless against him."

"Where would we look?"

Ann shook her head in dismay at the enormity of the task. "A man like Nathan does not go unnoticed in the world. I must believe that if we set our minds to it, we could find him."

Alessandra watched Ann's face. "Well, as you say, it is dangerous for the prophet to be loose in the world."

"It is indeed. We must find him."

"It took Verna twenty years to find Richard."

"So it did. But part of that was by my design. I hid facts from Verna.

Then again, Nathan is no doubt hiding facts from us. Nonetheless, we have a responsibility. Verna is with the Sisters, and with the army; they will do what they can in that capacity. We must go after Nathan. That part of it is up to us."

Alessandra set her bowl aside. "Prelate, I understand why you believe the prophet must be found, but, just as you feel you must find him, I feel I must find Nicci. I'm responsible for bringing her to the Keeper of the underworld. I may be the only one who can bring her back to the Light. I have a unique understanding of that journey of the heart. I fear what will happen to Richard if I don't try to stop Nicci.

"Worse," Alessandra added, "I fear what will happen to the world if Richard dies. Kahlan is wrong. I believe in what you've worked for all these years. Kahlan is making a complex thing sound simple because her heart is broken, but without what you did, she would never even have met Richard."

Ann considered Alessandra's words. The seduction of acquittal was undeniable.

"But, Alessandra, we don't have the slightest idea where they went.

Nicci is as smart as they come. If, as she says, she is acting on her own behalf, she will be clever about not being found. How would you even go about such a search?

"Nathan is a prophet loose in the world. You remember the trouble he's caused in the past. He could, by himself, bring about such calamity as the world has never seen. Nathan boasts when he's around people; he will surely leave such traces where he goes. With Nathan, I believe we at least have a chance of success. But hunting for Nicci. ."

Alessandra met Ann's gaze with grim resolution. "Prelate, if Richard dies, what chance have the rest of us?"

Ann looked away. What if Alessandra was right? What if Kahlan was right? She had to catch Nathan; it was the only way to find out.

"Alessandra. ."

"You don't completely trust me, do you, Prelate?"

Ann met the other woman's eyes, this time with authority. "No, Alessandra, I admit that I don't. How can I? You deceived me. You lied to me. You turned your back on the Creator and gave yourself to the Keeper of the underworld."

"But I've come back to the Light, Prelate."

"Have you? Would not one acting for the Keeper lie for him, as you yourself only moments ago suggested?"

Alessandra's eyes filled with tears. "That's why I must try to find Nicci, Prelate. I must prove that your faith in me was not misplaced. I need to do this to prove myself to you."

"Or, you need to help Nicci, and the Keeper?"

"I know I'm not worthy of trust. I know that. You said we must find Nathan-but we must also help Richard."

"Two tasks of the utmost importance," Ann said, "and no journey book to call for help."

Alessandra wiped at her eyes. "Please, Prelate, let me help. I'm responsible for Nicci going to the Keeper. Let me try to make amends. Let me try to bring her back. I know what the return journey is like. I can help her. Please, let me try to save her eternal soul?"

Ann's gaze sank to the ground. Who was she to question the value of another? What had her life been for? Had she herself been the Keeper's best ally?

Ann cleared her throat. "Sister Alessandra, you are to listen to me and you are to listen well. I am the Prelate of the Sisters of the Light and it is your duty to do as I command." Ann shook a finger at the woman. "I'll have no arguments, do you hear? I must go find the prophet before he does something beyond foolish.

"Richard is of utmost importance to our cause-you know that. I'm getting old and would only slow the search for him and his captor. I want you to go after him. No arguments, now. You are to find Richard Rahl, and put the fear of the Creator back into our wayward Sister Nicci."

Alessandra threw her arms around Ann, sobbing her thanks. Ann patted the Sister's back, feeling miserable about losing a companion, and afraid that she might have lost her faith in everything for which she stood.

Alessandra pushed away. "Prelate, will you be able to travel alone? Are you sure you're up to this?"

"Bah. I may be old, but I'm not useless. Who do you think came into the center of Jagang's army and rescued you, child?"

Alessandra smiled through her tears. "You did, Prelate, all by yourself. No one but you could have done such a thing. I hope I can do half as well for Nicci, when I find her."

"You will, Sister. You will. May the Creator cradle you in His palm as you go on your journey."

Ann knew that they were both going off on difficult journeys that could take years.

"Hard times lie ahead," Alessandra said. "But the Creator has two hands, does He not? One for me, and one for you, Prelate."

Ann couldn't help but smile at such a mental picture.