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  　"We understand quite well our alternatives," Ulicia said hurriedly. "Please— you have no need to fear our loyalty."

  　"Oh I know that," Jagang whispered. "But I still haven't finished with your lessons. Your first one was only the beginning. The rest won't be nearly so quick."

  　Ulicia's legs were in danger of giving way. Since Jagang had begun coming into her dreams, her waking life had turned into a nightmare. There must be a way to

  　stop this, but she could think of none. She had a vision of herself, returning to the Palace of the Prophets as one of Jagang's slaves, in one of those outfits.

  　Jagang glanced past her. "Have you boys been listening?"

  　Ulicia heard Captain Blake answer that they had. She started. She had forgotten all about the thirty sailors standing behind her at the back of the room.

  　Jagang gestured with two fingers for them to come closer. "In the morning you may leave. I thought, though, that for tonight you would like to have these ladies."

  　Each of the six went rigid.

  　"But—"

  　Her words were cut short by the way the floating shapes shifted suddenly in his mirky eyes. "From now on, if you use your magic against my wishes, even if it's to stop yourself from sneezing, you'll share Christabel's fate. In your dreams I've shown you a 【创建和谐家园】all taste of what I can do to you while you're alive, and you've now seen a 【创建和谐家园】all taste of what the Keeper will do to you if you die. You have but one path to tread. If I were you, I'd not put one foot wrong."

  　Jagang returned his gaze to the sailors behind them. "They're yours for the night. Knowing these six from their dreams, I know you have scores to settle. Do to them as you wish."

  　The sailors' voices rose in gleeful oaths.

  　Through the link, Ulicia could feel a hand grip Armina's breast, another pull Nicci's head back by her hair as the lace at her bodice was pulled loose, and another hand slide up the inside of her own thigh. She choked back a scream.

  　"There's some minor rules," Jagang said, stopping the hands on them. "If you violate them, I'll gut you all like a sack of fish."

  　"And what would the rules be, Emperor?" a sailor asked.

  　"You can't kill them. They're my slaves—they belong to me. I want them returned in the morning in good enough condition so that they can serve me. That means no broken bones and such. You'll draw lots as to which one you get. I know what'll happen if I let you choose for yourselves. I don't want any of them neglected."

  　The sailors all chuckled in agreement, and all spoke up that it was more than fair. They vowed the rules would be followed.

  　Jagang returned his attention to the six women. "I have a gigantic army of big burly soldiers, and nowhere near enough whores to go around. Puts my men in an ugly mood. Until I have other duties for you, you'll serve in that capacity for all but four hours a day. Be thankful you have my ring in your lip; it'll keep them from killing you while they're having their fun."

  　Sister Cecilia spread her hands. She glowed with a kindly, innocent 【创建和谐家园】ile. "Emperor Jagang, your men are young and strong. I'm afraid they would find no enjoyment being with an old woman such as myself. I'm sorry."

  　"I'm sure they'll grin with delight to have you. You'll see."

  　"Emperor, Sister Cecilia is right. I'm afraid I, too, am too old and fat," Tovi said in her best elderly voice. "We would bring your men no satisfaction."

  　* 'Satisfaction?'' He took a bite of the roast on the point of his knife.”Satisfaction? Are you daft? This has nothing to do with satisfaction. I assure you, my men will enjoy your warm charms—but you misunderstand."

  　He waggled a finger at them, the greasy rings on his fingers glinting in the firelight. "You six were Sisters of the Light, and then Sisters of the Dark. You're

  　probably the most powerful sorceresses in the world. This is lo leach you that you're little more than dung beneath my boots. I'll do with you as 1 please. Those with the gift are my weapons, now.

  　"This is to teach you a lesson. You have no say in it. Until I decide otherwise, I give you to my men lo use. If they want to twist your fingers and take bets on who can make you scream the loudest, then they will. If they want any other sort of pleasure from you, then they'll have it. They have quite varied tastes, and as long as they don't kill you, they're free to indulge them."

  　He shoved the rest of the piece of meat in his mouth. "After these fellows are done with you, anyway. Enjoy my gift, boys. Do as I ask, follow my rules, and I may have use of you in the future. Emperor Jagang treats his friends well."

  　A cheer for the emperor went up from the sailors.

  　Ulicia would have fallen when her legs buckled had not an arm circled her waist to pull her back tight against an eager sailor. She could 【创建和谐家园】ell his foul breath.

  　"Well, well, well, lass. Looks like you ladies are going to come out to play after all, and after you were so nasty to us."

  　Ulicia could hear herself whimper. Her lip throbbed in pain, but she knew it was only the beginning. She was so stunned by what was happening that she couldn't form a clear thought.

  　"Oh," Jagang said, stopping everyone. He gestured with his knife to Merissa. "Except that one. You can't have her," he said to the sailors. He waggled two fingers. "Step forward, darlin."

  　Merissa took two strides to the fur. Through the link, Ulicia could feel her legs trembling.

  　"Christabel was mine, exclusively. She was my favorite. But she's dead now, just to serve as a lesson for you." He glanced to where the sailors had already pulled her dress open. "You will take her place."

  　He returned his inky gaze to her eyes. "You did say, if I recall correctly, that you would lick my feet, if you must. You must." At Merissa's look of surprise, iagang 【创建和谐家园】iled that deadly 【创建和谐家园】ile of his, framed by the little braids at the ends. "I told you, darlin, you dream things you've said when you're awake."

  　Merissa nodded weakly. "Yes, Excellency."

  　"Take off that dress. You might need something nice for later, if I choose to let you kill Richard Rahl for me." He looked to the other women as Merissa did as she was ordered. "I'm going to leave the link on you for now so you can each feel the lessons the others get. I wouldn't want you to miss out on any of it."

  　When Merissa had finished, Jagang turned the knife between a finger and thumb, and pointed it down, "Under the table, darlin."

  　Ulicia could feel the coarse fur rug against Merissa's knees, and then the rough stone floor under the table. The sailors leered at the sight.

  　Through sheer force of will, from her reservoir of haired for this man, Ulicia tapped strength and drew resolve. She was the leader of ihe Sisters of the Dark. Through the link, she spoke to the others. "We have all been through (he ritual. Worse than this has been done to us. We are Sisters of the Dark; remember who is our true Master, For now we are slaves to this leech, but he has made a huge mistake if he thinks we don't have minds. He has no power of his own except to

  　use ours. We will think of something, and then Jagang will pay. Oh, sweet Master will he ever pay.''

  　"But what are we going to do until then!" Armina screamed.

  　"Silence!" Nicci commanded. Ulicia could feel the probing fingers on Nicci, and she could feel the white heat of her rage, and she could feel her heart of black ice. "Remember each face. They will each pay. Listen to Ulicia. We'll think of something, and then we will teach them all lessons only we could envision."

  　''And don't any of you dare dream any of this," Ulicia warned. "The one thing we cannot afford is to let Jagang kill us, or all hope is lost. As long as we live, we have a chance to earn our way back into our Master's favor. We've been promised a reward for our souls, and I intend to have it. Have strength, my Sisters.''

  　"But Richard Rahl is mine, " Merissa hissed. "Any who takes him in my stead will answer to me—and the Keeper." Even Jagang, had he been able to hear her, would have blanched at the venom in her warning. Through the link, Ulicia felt Merissa push her thick hair back out of the way. She could taste what Merissa tasted.

  　"I'm done with you. . . ." Jagang paused a moment as he drew a breath. He waved the knife. "Be gone."

  　Captain Blake snatched Ulicia by the hair. "Time for payback, lass."

  　CHAPTER 28

  　She blinked as she looked down the length of the rusty sword held at her face. The point was no more than an inch away.

  　"Really, is this necessary? I told you that you could steal what you wanted and we wouldn't do anything to stop you, but I have to tell you that you're the third band of dangerous outlaws who have robbed us in the last couple of weeks, and we've nothing of value left."

  　By the way the lad's hand was shaking, he didn't look to be very practiced at his craft. By the way his skin clung to his bones, he didn't look to be very successful at it, either.

  　"Be quiet!" He snuck a look in the direction of his companion. "Have you found anything?"

  　The second young outlaw, squatting among the packs in the snow, and as thin as the first, darted glances around at the darkening woods to each side of the little-traveled road. He checked behind, to the bend in the road not far away where it vanished behind a screen of snow-crusted fir trees. In the center of the bend, just before the road vanished, was a bridge over a stream still rushing despite the fact it was winter. "No. Just old clothes and junk. No bacon, not even any bread."

  　The first danced back and forth on the balls of his feet, ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. He brought his other hand up to the hilt to help hold the weight of the poorly made sword. "You look well fed. What do you two eat, old woman! Snow?"

  　She folded her hands against her belt as she sighed. She was tiring of this. "We work for our food as we go. You should try it. Work, I mean."

  　"Yeah? It's winter, old woman, in case you hadn't noticed. There's no work. Last autumn the army took our stores. My parents don't have anything to get them through the winter."

  　"I'm sorry, son. Perhaps . . ."

  　"Hey! What's this, old man?" He had his finger through the dull silver collar. He gave it a yank. "How do you get this off? Answer me!"

  　"I told you," she said, avoiding the silent fury of the wizard's blue eyes, "my brother is deaf and dumb, He doesn't understand your words, and he can't answer them."

  　"Deaf and dumb? Then you tell me, how do you get this thing off?"

  　"It's just an iron memento that was welded on long ago. It's worthless."

  　A hand came off the sword as her assailant leaned warily toward her and with a finger lifted her cape aside. "What's this? A purse! I found her purse!" He yanked the heavy bag of gold coins from her belt. "It must be full a gold!"

  　She chuckled. "I'm afraid its just a bag of hard biscuits. You're free to have one, if you'd like, but don't try to bite down on them or you'll break your teeth Suck on it awhile."

  　He fished out a gold coin and put it between his teeth. He winced with a sour expression. "How can you eat these things? I've eaten bad biscuits, but these aren't even good enough to be called bad."

  　So easy with a young mind, she thought. Too bad it wasn't that easy on an 【创建和谐家园】.

  　He spat to the side and tossed the bag of gold to the snow before patting her cape, searching for anything else she might have concealed.

  　She sighed impatiently, "Would you boys get on with this robbery. We'd like to make the next town before dark."

  　"Nothin'," the second said. "They don't have nothin1 worth the trouble of carrying off."

  　"They got horses," the first said as he squeezed fistfuls of her heavy cape, feeling for anything it might be holding. "At least we can take the horses. They'll bring something."

  　"Please do," she said. "I'm tired of being slowed by leading those old nags around. You would be doing me a favor. All four are lame and I don't have the heart to put them out of their misery.11

  　"The old woman's right," the second said as he pulled one of the limping horse along, testing it. "All four. We can walk faster. We try to take these bags of bones with us and we'll get caught sure.'1 _ .

  　The first was still running his hand down her cape. It halted on her pocket. "What's this?"

  　Her voice took on an edge. "Nothing of interest to you."

  　"Yeah?" He fingered the journey book from her pocket.

  　As he thumbed through the blank pages, she caught sight of a message. At last.

  　"What's this?"

  　"Just a notebook. Can you read, son?"

  　"No. There don't appear to be hardly nothm' worth reading anyway."

  　"Take it anyway," the second said. "It might be worth something if nothin's written in it."

  　She looked back to the young man holding the sword on her. "I've had just about enough of this. Consider the robbery over."

  　"It's over when I say it's over."

  　"Give it back," Ann said in a level voice as she held her hand out. "And then be on your way before I drag you to town by your ear and have your parents come to collect you."

  　He brandished the sword as he leapt back defensively. "Look, don't you go getting feisty or you'll taste steel! I know how to use this thing!"

  　The still evening air suddenly thundered with horses' hooves. She had been watching as the soldiers had slipped up, around the bend and over the little bridge, unnoticed by the two young men because of the rushing water, until at the last moment when they charged in. As her assailant turned in shock, Ann snatched the sword from his hands. Nathan snatched the knife from the other.

  　Mounted D'Haran soldiers suddenly towered above them. "What's going on here?" the sergeant asked in a calm, deep voice.

  　The two young men stood frozen in panic, "Well," Ann said, "we ran into these two, here, and they were telling us how we should be careful of outlaws. They live in the neighborhood. They were showing us how to protect ourselves and giving us a demonstration of their blade work."

  　The sergeant folded his hands over the pommel. "Is that right, boy?"

  　"I ... we .. ." His pleading eyes turned to her. "That's right. We live nearby, and we was just telling these two travelers to be careful as we heard tell that there are outlaws about."

  　"And quite a show of sword【创建和谐家园】anship it was. As I promised, young man, you get a biscuit for the show. Hand me my sack of biscuits, there."

  　He bent and snatched up the heavy purse of gold, holding it out to her. Ann pulled two coins out and pressed one into the hand of each young man.

  　"As promised, a biscuit for each. Now you boys best be getting home before dark, or your parents will worry. Give them my biscuit as thanks for sending you out to warn us to be careful."

  　He nodded dumbly. "All right. Good night, then. Take care of yourselves."

  　Ann held her hand out. She fixed the young man with a dangerous squint. "If you're done looking at my notebook, I'll have it back."

  　His eyes widened at the look in hers, and then he thrust the journey book into her hand as if it were burning his fingers, which it was.

  　Ann 【创建和谐家园】iled. "Thank you, son."

  　He wiped the hand on his tattered coat. "Good-bye, then. And be careful."

  　He turned to leave. "Don't forget this." He turned back cautiously. She held the hilt out to him. "You father would be awfully angry if you forgot to bring back his sword."

  　He lifted it carefully. Nathan, not about to let this go without a bit of theatrics, walked the spinning knife across the backs of his fingers. He tossed the knife in the air, catching it behind his back, and then whirled it under his armpit and into his other hand. Ann rolled her eyes as he slapped the blade, reversing the spin. He caught the knife by its blade and handed it, handle first, to the other wide-eyed young man.

  　"Where'd you learn to do than, old man?" the sergeant asked.

  　Nathan scowled. If there was one thing Nathan didn't like, it was being called "old man." He was a wizard, a prophet, of unparalleled ability, and thought he should be viewed with wonder, if not open awe. She was restraining his gift by choking it off with his Rada'Han, or no doubt the sergeant's saddle would be aflame by now. She was also preventing him from speaking. Nathan's tongue was at least as dangerous as his power.