The Omen Machine

Vika hesitated a moment. “That a Mord-Sith was married. That such was the reason for the big ceremony and all the guests. I was busy carrying out my orders and didn’t see for myself if it was true.”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but that’s right. It’s why we’re all here, all of us representatives. We were invited to attend the grand celebration of Cara’s wedding.”

Vika let out a noisy breath. “I just don’t understand how a Mord-Sith could do such a thing.”

Ludwig shrugged. “The Mord-Sith here, under Lord Rahl’s rule, have gotten soft.”

She nodded as she stared off in private thoughts. “It must be.”

He stepped closer, walking around her, deliberately looking her over. He stopped close in front of her, looking into her blue eyes. She didn’t meet his gaze.

“Our work here is done for now. You need to be on your way. I don’t want to risk you being seen by the wrong person.”

Vika bowed her head. “I will leave straightaway and then join you when you reach the woodlands.”

Ludwig watched her shapely form from behind as she went to the door, watched the way she swayed and her hips moved. It would be an exciting change to have such a luscious creature after Orneta. Not that Orneta was bad, it was just that she was no Vika. Few women were.

But for now, like the other Mord-Sith, she belonged to Hannis Arc. One day, though, if Ludwig had his way, Lord Arc would not be around to make demands of her. One day, Abbot Dreier would be Lord Dreier and he would make his own demands.

It would require great care, though. Hannis Arc was a profoundly dangerous man. His occult abilities were not to be taken lightly. But he was also a man obsessed.

Ludwig pulled himself back from his pleasant contemplation. He had to be on his way. All the representatives who had lost faith in Lord Rahl and sworn allegiance to Lord Arc instead were leaving, going back to various parts of the empire. He wanted to be among them.

CHAPTER 65

R

ichard was shocked and angry.

He could hardly believe the bloody scene with Queen Orneta lying lifeless in the middle of it.

This was the second queen murdered in the palace since Cara’s wedding. Both killings had been horrific.

He was even more upset to know that a Mord-Sith had done this.

Which one had done it he didn’t know. Why she had done it he could not imagine.

“Lord Rahl,” Cara said, “I admit to not liking the woman, to not trusting her, but I would not have done this.”

Even Cara knew better than to test his patience right then.

“I didn’t say you did.”

“Then say something,” she said.

He looked back at her. “I want to know who did this.”

She pressed her lips tightly together and nodded. She wanted to say that a Mord-Sith would not have acted on her own like this, not anymore. But she could not refute the evidence or the witnesses.

Cara herself had confirmed what Richard had already known: that the queen had died from an Agiel.

There was no doubt that a Mord-Sith had killed Queen Orneta. The only question remaining was which one.

Richard didn’t want to think it of any of them. They were all absolutely ruthless in defending Kahlan’s life and his, and ruthless in battle, but they were also ruthlessly loyal to him.

It just didn’t make any sense.

With a hand, Richard signaled Ambassador Grandon, standing out in the hall, to come forward. The ambassador dipped his head in acknowledgment of the Lord Rahl’s summons and shuffled into the room, fumbling with a button in his long coat the entire way.

He dipped his head again when he came to a stop. “Yes, Lord Rahl?”

“You say it was a Mord-Sith who did this and that you saw her?”

“Yes, Lord Rahl.”

“Describe her. What did she look like?”

He thought it over a moment. “Tall, blond hair. She had blue eyes.”

Richard fought to keep his reaction under control as he gestured at Cara standing next to him. “Cara is tall, she has blond hair and blue eyes. Was it her, then?”

Ambassador Grandon looked up at Cara. “Of course not, Lord Rahl.”

“A good many of the Mord-Sith have blond hair and blue eyes. Many people in D’Hara do.”

Ambassador Grandon dipped his head again as he continued to play with the button on his coat. “Yes, Lord Rahl.”

“So tell me what was different about this woman. How can we pick her out from all the other blond-headed, blue-eyed Mord-Sith? How do we know which one was responsible?”

The man finally let go of the button to tug on his pointed beard instead. “I don’t know, Lord Rahl. I didn’t look at her that directly, that carefully. I saw the red leather, the blond braid, the Agiel. And she had the attitude of a Mord-Sith, if you know what I mean. She was a woman to be greatly feared. I’m not sure I could point her out as the one even if I saw her again.”

Richard sighed in frustration. He knew the man was right. Few people would look a Mord-Sith in the eye or take more than a brief glance. He understood the feeling, the fear, well enough.