"Since you are sure to win, Excellency, it's really only an insignificant promise of a reward, an idle bet. If you really believe that your team will certainly triumph, then I wouldn't have the pleasure of ever collecting such a reward."
"Then there would be no point in such a bet."
Karg gestured out at the Ja'La field. "You are sure of your team's success, aren't you, Excellency? Or are you having doubts?"
"All right, Karg," Jagang said at last, "if you win, she is yours for a time. But only for a time."
Commander bowed his head again. "Of course, Excellency. But, as we all know, you have no need to actually fear your team losing."
"No, I don't.* Jagang's black eyes turned to Nicci. "You don't mind my little wager, do you, darlin?" His grin returned. "After all, it's only hypothetical, since my team does not lose."
Nicci arched an eyebrow. "As I told you when I first arrived, it doesn't really matter what I want, now, does it?"
Jagang's smile remained as he watched her for a moment. It was a smile that looked like it covered thoughts of bloody murder at her public insolence.
As the intensity of the play on the field built, the crowd all around started pushing forward, trying to get a better view. Jagang's guards reacted by driving men back, giving the emperor even more room. They wanted to be sure that they had the space they needed to protect him. The spectators, seeing the guards' ill humor, reluctantly moved back.
As Jagang and Commander Karg watched the game, becoming completely absorbed by the action of the field, Kahlan checked on her special guards and saw that they, too, were getting caught up in the game. They kept moving up, a little at a time, craning their necks, trying to get a better view. Kahlan edged closer to Nicci. As the royal guards put muscle in their effort and moved the spectators back, it gave Kahlan and Nicci a wider angle of view so that they could see more of both the field and the players.
"The team with the red paint is run by the man I told you about," Kahlan whispered. "I think he painted himself and all his men with the red paint so that no one would recognize him."
As players ran past they got their first clear view of the wild designs painted on all the men of the red team.
When Nicci saw those designs, she looked startled. "Dear spirits . . ."
She took a step forward to get a better look. Kahlan, concerned by Nicci's abrupt change in demeanor and obvious alarm, went with her.
That was when Kahlan spotted the man everyone called Ruben. He was running up from the left with the broc tucked tightly in against his chest as he dodged men diving for him.
Kahlan leaned closer to Nicci and gestured to the left, drawing her attention to the man called Ruben.
"That's him," Kahlan said.
Nicci leaned out a little to look where Kahlan pointed. When she saw him, the blood drained from her face. Kahlan had never seen anyone go so ashen so fast.
"Richard..."
The instant Kahlan heard the name she knew it was right. The name fih the man. She didn't know why, but it just fit him.
There was no doubt in her mind that Nicci was right. His name was not Ruben, it was Richard. She felt a strange sense of relief just to know his name, to know his real name.
Kahlan, fearing that Nicci might faint, put a supporting hand to the small of the woman's back. Beneath that hand she could feel Nicci's whole body trembling.
Dodging men as he ran headlong up the field, his wing men to each side, the man she now knew was named Richard saw Jagang out of the corner of his eye. As he ran, his gaze swept behind the emperor and met Kahlan's gaze. The connection, that recognition in his eyes, lifted her heart.
When Richard spotted Nicci standing next to her, he missed a step.
That instant of hesitation gave the men chasing him their chance. They smashed into him, slamming him to the ground. The impact was so violent that the broc went flying.
Richard's right wing man dropped his shoulder, plowing into the rivals, sending them sprawling.
Richard lay facedown, unmoving.
Kahlan's heart felt as if it rose up into her throat.
Just in time, the other wing man used an elbow to the head of a man about to crash down on top of Richard. As the opponent tumbled down to the side, Richard finally began to move. Seeing men flying past above him, he rolled away from the battle as he caught his breath.
In a moment he was on his feet, if somewhat wobbly at first.
It was the first mistake Kahlan had ever seen the man make.
Nicci's lower lip trembled as she stood frozen, staring at Richard. Tears ud welled up in her blue eyes. Kahlan suddenly wondered if it could be. She discounted the possibility. It simply wasn't possible.
