Naked Empire   ::   Goodkind Terry

At the top of the pass they stopped to gaze up at the statue of Kaja-Rang, sitting where it had been for thousands of years, all alone, keeping vigil over an empire of those who once could not see evil.

In some ways, the statue's presence was a monument to failure. Where Kaja-Rang and his people had failed to get these people to see the truth, Richard had succeeded-but not without Kaja-Rang's help.

Richard put his hands on the cold granite, on the words-Taiga Vas-sternich-that had helped save his life.

"Thank you," he whispered up at the face of the man staring off toward the Pillars of Creation, where Richard had discovered his sister.

Cara placed her hands over the words, and Richard was surprised to see her look up at the statue and say, "Thank you for helping to save Lord Rahl."

After they started descending the pass, first crossing the open ledges and then making it down into the dense woods, Richard heard the call of a pewee, the signal he had taught Cara that had served them so well.

"You know," Cara said as she led them down the rocky ground beside a small stream, "Anson knows a lot about birds."

Richard stepped carefully among the tangle of cedar roots. "Really."

"Yes. While you were recovering we spent time talking." She put a hand against the fibrous bark of the reddish trunk of a cedar to keep her balance. She pulled her long blond braid forward over her shoulder as she started out again, running her hand down the length of the braid.

"He complimented me on my bird whistle," Cara said.

Richard glanced to Kahlan. She shrugged to let him know that she didn't have any idea what Cara was getting at.

"I told you that you learned it well," Richard said.

"I told him that you taught it to me, that it was the call of the short-tailed pine hawk. Anson said that there wasn't any such bird as a short-tailed pine hawk. He said the call I used as a signal-the call you taught me-wa" a common wood pewee. Me, a Mord-Sith, using the call of a bird named a pewee. Imagine that."

They walked in silence for a moment.

"Am I in trouble?" Richard finally asked.

"Oh, yes," Cara answered.

Richard couldn't help smiling but he made sure the Mord-Sith didn't see it, nor. did Cara see Kahlan look back over her shoulder with the special smile she gave no other but him.

Kahlan lifted an arm, pointing. "Look."

Through the gaps in the crowns of the cedars, against the bright blue sky, they saw a black-tipped race circling high above them, riding the mountain air currents. The races were no longer hunting them. This one was simply looking for its dinner.

"What's that old saying?" Cara asked. "Something about a bird of prey circling over you at the beginning of a journey being a warning sign."

"Yes, that's right," Richard said. "But I'm not going to let that old tale bother me; we'll let you come with us anyway."

Kahlan laughed and received a scolding scowl. Kahlan laughed all the more when Richard started laughing, too. Cara couldn't hold out, and as she turned back to the trail, Richard saw the smile spread across her face.

The End Of Naked Empire.