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.
The messenger nudged his horse forward, slowly leaving them behind as he rode through the square to continue spreading his news. He called over his shoulder, “I will depart in the morning. You may follow me, but I will not pamper you.”
Nathan chuckled. “Oh, young man, we do not need pampering.”
Nicci’s expression tightened. She felt hardened inside and knew that her work here in the Old World was not done. Richard had dispatched her and Nathan to spread the word of the D’Haran Empire, to let the world know that tyrants and despots and slavery would no longer be tolerated. Richard counted on her to crush them before they became too great a threat.
“We still have work to do, Nathan,” she told him. “And you have a whole new life book to fill.”
He nodded. “You are indeed correct, Sorceress.” They watched the haughty messenger depart, already making their plans. “We should prepare for another journey.”
“And another fight.”
The wizard hesitated as he looked down to the harbor. They could see the krakener ship setting sails, ready to drift out to sea with the evening tide. “I planned ahead, my dear Sorceress.” He reached into the vest that covered his ruffled shirt and pulled out a folded sheaf of papers. “I wrote a lengthy letter to Richard, and General Zimmer promised to dispatch a courier to ride north and deliver it to the People’s Palace. It tells Richard everything he needs to know about what we’ve been up to.” He arched his eyebrows. “Would you like to read it?”
Nicci accepted the letter, along with a lead stylus in case she needed to make notes. She skimmed the pages of stories that Nathan had written about their adventures, expecting that he would make himself into a legendary hero while portraying Nicci and Bannon as his faithful companions. Instead, she was surprised to see that the focus was on her own actions, making Nicci out to be the savior of the Old World.
Nicci handed the letter back to him. “It seems adequate. Remember, I came with you in the first place because Richard was sure you needed watching.”
Nathan made a noncommittal sound as he scribbled a note at the very end before sealing the letter packet.
“What was that?” Nicci asked.
“A mere postscript to reassure Richard.”
“Reassure him in what way?”
He tucked the letter back into his vest. “Merely a promise that I will keep watch over you, because no matter what you think, you still need watching … with or without the New Imperial Order. You can’t save the world on your own.”
“I am not alone,” Nicci said, and realized it was true. The idea was suddenly strange to her, given her past, her time under the thumb of her stern mother, serving the Keeper as a Sister of the Dark or crusading for the Imperial Order. All of that was behind her forever. Nicci was stronger, better, braver. Those who wished to harm the world didn’t have a chance.
She looked at Nathan, then drew her gaze across the bustling city of Tanimura, the forested hills, and the entire Old World beyond. She had no idea what sort of threat Emperor Argus or the New Imperial Order would pose, but she—they—would deal with it, no matter what.
“No,” she repeated, “I am not alone.”