up into the cool, dim air of the wayward pine, giving everything a silvery cast. The light softened as the wisp came to a stop in the air between them, hovering. Richard was astonished. His mouth hung open as he watched, transfixed.
“Good evening, Richard Cypher,” it said in a tiny little voice.
“Good evening to you, Shar.” His own voice was not much more than a whisper.
“Thank you for helping Kahlan today. In so doing you are also helping my kind. If you ever need the help of the night wisps, say my name and they will help you, for no enemy may know it.”
“Thank you, Shar, but the Midlands are the last place I would want to go. I’ll help Kahlan find the wizard, but then I must take us west and get us safely away from those who would kill us.”
The night wisp seemed to turn in the air for a time, considering. The silvery light felt warm and safe on his face.
“If that is what you wish, then you must do so,” Shar said. Richard felt relieved. The tiny point of light spun in the air before them again.
Shar spun to a stop. “But know this; Darken Rahl hunts you both. He will not rest. He will not stop. If you run, he will find you. There is no doubt of that. You have no defense against him. He will kill you both. Soon.”
Richard’s mouth was so dry he could hardly swallow. At least the gar would have been quick, he thought, and then it would be over. “Shar, isn’t there a way for us to escape?”
The light spun again, making flashes on his face and the branches of the wayward pine.
Shar stopped again. “If your back is to him, your eyes will not be. He will get you. He enjoys it.”
Richard stared. “But… is there nothing we can do?”
The tiny point of light spun again, coming closer to him this time before stopping. “Better question, Richard Cypher. The answer you want is within yourself. You must seek it. You must seek it or he will kill you both. Soon.”
“How soon?” His voice turned harder; he couldn’t help himself. The light backed away a little as it spun. He would not let this opportunity go without finding out at least something he could hold on to.
The night wisp stopped. “The first day of winter, Richard Cypher. When the sun is in the sky. If Darken Rahl does not kill you before then, and if he is not stopped, then on the first day of winter when the sun is in the sky, my kind will all die. You both will die. He will enjoy it.”
Richard tried to decide the best way to question a spinning point of light. “Shar, Kahlan is trying to save the others of your kind. I am trying to help her. You are giving your life to help her. If we fail, everyone dies, you just said so. Please, is there anything you can tell me to help us against Darken Rahl?”
The light spun and went in a little circle around the inside of the wayward pine, bringing light to the areas it went near. It stopped again in front of him.
“Already told you the answer. It is in you. Seek it or die. Sorry, Richard Cypher. Want to help. Don’t know the answer. Just that it is in you. Sorry sorry.”
Richard nodded, running his fingers through his hair. He didn’t know who was more frustrated, Shar or himself. Glancing over, he saw Kahlan sitting calmly, watching the night wisp. Shar spun and waited.
“All right, can you tell me why he’s trying to kill me? Is it because I help Kahlan, or is there another reason?”
Shar came close. “Other reasons? Secrets?”
“What!” Richard jumped to his feet. The night wisp followed him up.
“Don’t know why. Sorry. Just that he will.”
“What’s the wizard’s name?”
“Good question, Richard Cypher. Sorry. Don’t know.”
Richard sat back down and put his face in his hands. Shar spun, throwing off shafts of light, and flew in slow circles around his head. Somehow he knew she was trying to comfort him, and that she was near her end. She was dying, and she was trying to comfort him. He tried to swallow back the lump in his throat, so he could
“Good evening, Richard Cypher,” it said in a tiny little voice.
“Good evening to you, Shar.” His own voice was not much more than a whisper.
“Thank you for helping Kahlan today. In so doing you are also helping my kind. If you ever need the help of the night wisps, say my name and they will help you, for no enemy may know it.”
“Thank you, Shar, but the Midlands are the last place I would want to go. I’ll help Kahlan find the wizard, but then I must take us west and get us safely away from those who would kill us.”
The night wisp seemed to turn in the air for a time, considering. The silvery light felt warm and safe on his face.
“If that is what you wish, then you must do so,” Shar said. Richard felt relieved. The tiny point of light spun in the air before them again.
Shar spun to a stop. “But know this; Darken Rahl hunts you both. He will not rest. He will not stop. If you run, he will find you. There is no doubt of that. You have no defense against him. He will kill you both. Soon.”
Richard’s mouth was so dry he could hardly swallow. At least the gar would have been quick, he thought, and then it would be over. “Shar, isn’t there a way for us to escape?”
The light spun again, making flashes on his face and the branches of the wayward pine.
Shar stopped again. “If your back is to him, your eyes will not be. He will get you. He enjoys it.”
Richard stared. “But… is there nothing we can do?”
The tiny point of light spun again, coming closer to him this time before stopping. “Better question, Richard Cypher. The answer you want is within yourself. You must seek it. You must seek it or he will kill you both. Soon.”
“How soon?” His voice turned harder; he couldn’t help himself. The light backed away a little as it spun. He would not let this opportunity go without finding out at least something he could hold on to.
The night wisp stopped. “The first day of winter, Richard Cypher. When the sun is in the sky. If Darken Rahl does not kill you before then, and if he is not stopped, then on the first day of winter when the sun is in the sky, my kind will all die. You both will die. He will enjoy it.”
Richard tried to decide the best way to question a spinning point of light. “Shar, Kahlan is trying to save the others of your kind. I am trying to help her. You are giving your life to help her. If we fail, everyone dies, you just said so. Please, is there anything you can tell me to help us against Darken Rahl?”
The light spun and went in a little circle around the inside of the wayward pine, bringing light to the areas it went near. It stopped again in front of him.
“Already told you the answer. It is in you. Seek it or die. Sorry, Richard Cypher. Want to help. Don’t know the answer. Just that it is in you. Sorry sorry.”
Richard nodded, running his fingers through his hair. He didn’t know who was more frustrated, Shar or himself. Glancing over, he saw Kahlan sitting calmly, watching the night wisp. Shar spun and waited.
“All right, can you tell me why he’s trying to kill me? Is it because I help Kahlan, or is there another reason?”
Shar came close. “Other reasons? Secrets?”
“What!” Richard jumped to his feet. The night wisp followed him up.
“Don’t know why. Sorry. Just that he will.”
“What’s the wizard’s name?”
“Good question, Richard Cypher. Sorry. Don’t know.”
Richard sat back down and put his face in his hands. Shar spun, throwing off shafts of light, and flew in slow circles around his head. Somehow he knew she was trying to comfort him, and that she was near her end. She was dying, and she was trying to comfort him. He tried to swallow back the lump in his throat, so he could
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