"You are crazy, Drefan. I don't like this, but if this is how I am to die, then I will die. But I will never betray Lord Rahl."
"I am Lord Rahl! When I get rid of my brother, there will be no one to challenge my rule! I am the son of Darken Rahl, and the rightful master of D'Hara."turned her face away. He saw her swallow. Her feet were trembling. Her smooth breathing was interrupted now and again, caught up short. He chuckled. "I'll ask again, when the rats start gnawing their way through you, to get away from their hot, iron prison. When their sharp little claws start digging into your belly. When the rats start tunneling into your guts, trying to get out." Cara's whole body jerked. It jerked again. Her eyes widened as she stared up at the ceiling, trying to keep the moan from escaping her throat. He glanced back and saw a drop of blood run from under the rim of the bowl, down her side. "Well, looks like they already want out. Ready to talk, yet?" She spat at him, and then gasped sharply. Her wide blue eyes fixed on the ceiling.was trembling all over now. Her whole body stiffed. Every muscle strained. She started to pant. Tears filled the corners of her eyes, to run down the side of her face. She was feeling every little thing the rats did-every frantic bite, every desperate digging, ripping of their claws.let out a short little cry. Sharp, shrill, clipped. It was rapture. He knew it was only the beginning. Even if she talked, he had no intention of stopping this. He longed to hear screams. Real, from the gut screams. Cara obliged him, and let out her first.of his singular perception, another detail caught his attention. His vigilance had again rewarded him. Smiling, he turned to the sliph's well. Breathe.expelled the sliph, but she knew something was wrong even before she sucked a breath of air.piercing scream echoed around the stone room. Kahlan thought the shriek would make her ears bleed.she erupted from the sliph, before she could brace herself to react, big, strong hands reached down and seized her. She struggled to get her bearings, to make sense of what was happening as the sudden light and sound whirled in around her.hands tore the book from her grasp. An arm clamped around her neck, its big fist gripping her arm. She felt rope being wound around her wrist.nightmare came to life in her vision as she was dragged from the well, kicking and twisting and trying to get away. She went limp when a fist in her gut drove the wind from her lungs. Her knees smacked the stone floor. Her arms felt as if they were being wrenched from her shoulder sockets as they were twisted behind her back.fought to reach her Confessor's power-only to remember when she couldn't touch it that the spirits had walled it from her so she could be married to Drefan. She was defenseless. It was Drefan attacking her.was there, on the floor, her wrists bound above her head, the rope fastened to a pin in the wall. Her ankles, likewise secured with rope. were stretched toward the opposite wall. She had an iron pot chained over her middle. The smell of hot coals and burning flesh assailed Kahlan's nostrils, gagging her.pressed his knee to her arm as he knotted rope around her wrists. Kahlan tried to bite his leg. He backhanded her across the face so hard that her vision narrowed to a tiny spot. She fought to keep that vision, to stay conscious. She knew that she was lost if she passed out.arms bound behind her, unable to break her fall, she smacked into the stone floor face-first. Drefan pounced on her back, sitting on her, holding her down, as he bound her legs together. Kahlan struggled to pull a breath against the weight of him. Blood gushed from her nose. The rope around her wrists was so tight that already her fingers were tingling.screamed. It was the loudest scream Kahlan had ever heard. It sent icy needles stabbing into her head. It made her face hurt.was running from under the rim of the iron pot. Cara shook and thrashed. She stiffened and screamed again.lifted Kahlan's head by her hair. "Where's Richard?" "Richard? Richard is dead."grunted at a punch in her kidney. She couldn't get her breath. Drefan turned his attention to Cara.
"Ready to talk yet? Where did you hide Richard?"'s only answer was another shuddering scream. When it ended, she panted in pain.
"Why did you tell him?" Cara wept. "Why did you tell him about.. the rats? Dear spirits, why did you tell him about the rats?" Terror locked Kahlan's breath in her lungs., vivid red against white skin, ran in rivulets from under the pot's rim, and down Cara's side. Smoke curled up from the hot coals atop it. And then Kahlan saw the bloody claw wriggling from under the rim of the pot on Cara's stomach. Kahlan suddenly understood. It took all her force of will to keep from vomiting. Cara cried hysterically, thrashing at the bloody ropes holding her. Kahlan furiously squirmed forward, going for the chain, to try to undo it with her teeth-to try to get the iron pot off Cara. Drefan lifted Kahlan by her hair. "Your turn will come, wife."heaved her back. Kahlan smacked into the wall and slid down onto something hard and sharp. The pain brought stinging tears to her eyes. It was Nadine's bag, full of all those horn containers. She lurched and wrenched herself until she was able to slip to the side, off the bag, and get her breath back.turned his Darken Rahl eyes on her. "If you tell me where Richard is, I'll let Cara go."
"Don't tell him!" Cara screamed. "Don't tell him!"
"I couldn't if I wanted to," Kahlan called out to Cara. "I don't know where you hid him."picked up the book Kahlan had brought. "What's this?" Kahlan's gaze locked on the sinister black book. She had to have that book, or Richard would die.
"Well, no matter, you won't be needing it anymore."
"No!" Kahlan screamed when she saw what Drefan was going to do with the book. "Please!"looked back at her as he held the book out over the sliph's well. "Tell me where Richard is." He smiled, lifting an eyebrow. "No?"dropped the book down the well. Kahlan's heart sank with the book. The sliph, who liked to watch the people in the room, was nowhere to be seen now. She probably had been frightened away by the screams.
"Drefan, let Cara go. Please. You have me. Do what you want to with me, but please let her go."smiled as wicked a smile as Kahlan had ever seen. It was a twin to Darken Rahl's smile. "Oh, don't you worry, I intend to do what I want with you. When it is time."turned back to Cara. "How are the rats doing. Cara? Ready to talk yet?" Cara cursed him through clenched teeth.reached into a sack and brought out a rat, holding it by the scruff of its neck. He shook it in her face as she tried to turn away. He lowered it against her. Squeaking and twisting, its claws scratched and dug as it tried to get away from Drefan's grip, leaving red streaks along Cara's cheeks, chin, and lips. "Please," Cara wailed. "Please, get them away!" "Where's Richard?"
"Dear spirits, help me. Please help me. Please help me," she mumbled over and over. "Where's Richard?"'s body jerked violently. "Mama!" She shrieked. "Help me! Mama! Get them off! Mamaaaaa! "was alone in a cage with rats, in the grip of terror and pain. She was a helpless child again, begging for the comfort and protection of her mother, wailing for her mother.gasped in tears. This was her fault. She had told Drefan that Cara was afraid of rats. "Cara, forgive me! I didn't know!"thrashed at her ropes, a little girl, frantically begging for her mother to get the rats away.strained to pull a hand free. If she could only get a hand free of the ropes. But they were so tight. She tugged and pulled. Her fingers tingled. The coarse rope cut into her wrists.pressed her wrists against Nadine's bag, searching for something sharp to cut the ropes. The bag was cloth, the handle smooth wood.bag. Kahlan bent to the side, her fingers feeling for the button that held the bag closed. She found it. She struggled to undo the button, but her fingers were numb and at the angle that her arms were twisted, she couldn't make her fingers work properly. She dug at the button with her thumbnail, trying to hook it to the side, trying to rip it off. It was sewn on with heavy thread to stand up to the rigors of use and weight. At last, the button popped through its hole.scooped at the contents in the bag, trying to sling them out where she could see them. Every shrill wail from Cara made Kahlan flinch. Every time Cara cried for her mother to save her from the rats, Kahlan had to hold back a sob of her own.she glanced up, she saw Drefan wiping a rat across Cara's face. He had broken the back of another and draped it across her throat. Kahlan gritted her teeth and fingered the horn containers out of the bag.was her sister of the Agiel. Kahlan had to do something. Cara's only hope was Kahlan. She twisted her neck, trying to see the markings on the horns. She couldn't find the one she wanted.used her fingers, groping at the symbols scratched into the horn. She felt one that she thought was the right one, and her hopes soared, only to be dashed when she felt that there were three circles. She flicked each horn out of the way when she determined that it was not the one she needed.rooted in the bag and found another. Her fingers blindly felt the scratches. They went in a circle. She slipped her fingers along the horn and found another circle. She felt a heavily scratched straight line between them.held the horn in her fingertips and twisted, trying to see if she was right. Cara screamed and Kahlan dropped the horn. She scooted to the side so she could see it on the floor.had two circles scratched into the patina of the horn. A horizontal line ran through both circles. It was the right one: canin pepper.had warned her about taking off the wooden stopper, warned her about getting it in your face, your eyes. It would immobilize a person for a time, Nadine had said. Make them helpless, for a time.worked the horn back into her fingers. She wiggled the wooden stopper, trying to loosen it. It was cut to fit tightly, to keep the dangerous substance from leaking out.'s fingers were so numb they had no strength. She gritted her teeth as she tried to work the stopper loose. She didn't want it off, yet, but she had to know she could get it off.her hands behind her back, she couldn't throw it. She frantically tried to think of what she was going to do. She had to do something. If she didn't, Cara would soon be dead. And then Drefan would start in on his loving wife. Cara wailed in agony.
"Please, mama, get the rats away from Cari. Please, mama, please. Help me, please help me."pleading cries of hopeless terror ripped at Kahlan's heart. She could wait no longer. She would just have to figure out what to do when the time came. She had to act. "Drefan!"head twisted around. "Are you ready to tell me where Richard is?" Kahlan remembered something Nathan had told her. You must offer Richard's brother what he truly wants, if you are to save Richard. Maybe it would save Cara. "Richard? What would I want with Richard? You know that it's you I want." He smiled a knowing, satisfied smile. "Soon, my dear. In a little while. You can wait." He turned back to Cara.
"No, Drefan! I can't wait. I need you now. I want you now. I can't resist any longer. I can't pretend any longer. I need you." "I said-"
"Just like your mother." He froze at her words. "I need you like your whore of a mother needed your father."expression darkened. Like a provoked bull, he turned toward her, his piercing eyes riveted on her. "What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean. I need to be taken, like your father took your mother. I want you to take me like that. Only you can satisfy me. Do it. Do it now. Please."rose up, huge and imposing. His muscles rippled and knotted. His brow drew down in that grim Rahl glare.
"I knew it," he breathed. "I knew it. I knew you would finally give in to your filthy perversion." He hesitated, looking back at Cara.
"Yes. You're right. You're always right, Drefan. You're smarter than me. You were right all along. I can't fool you any longer. Give me what I want. Give me what I need. Please, Drefan, I'm begging you. I need you." The look on his face was frightening. It was madness. If she could have shrunk back into the stone, she would have.slipped free the knife at his belt as his tongue wet his lips. He started toward her.had had no idea just how effective her words had been. In sudden panic, Kahlan wiggled the wooden stopper. Drefan's whole face, the whole way he carried his body, changed. He was a seething monster coming at her. His eyes narrowed with bestial loathing, savage hatred. Hatred for her.swallowed back the sudden terror welling up in her throat. Dear spirits, what had she just done? She scuffed her feet against the stone floor, trying to back away. She was already against the wall. How was she going to get the powder in his face? Dear spirits, what do I do?wiggled the stopper with all her might. It popped off. Drefan went to a knee beside her.
"Tell me how much you want me to please you." "Yes! I want you. Now. Give me the pleasure only you can give me." He brought the knife up as he leaned toward her.heaved herself toward him, twisting, rolling to the side as hard as she could, flinging the horn full of powder at his face as she rolled onto hers.couldn't see, facedown on the stone. She didn't know if she had missed, if the oily powder had come out, if she had the horn turned the right way, if he was close enough. She held her breath, bracing for the thrust of his knife, imagining it coming, knowing it was coming. She could almost feel the sharp edge slicing her. She struggled against the panic of not knowing just where he was going to cut her.staggered back. She turned her face and saw him fall on his back, writhing, gasping for breath.flipped herself over and started scooting toward Cara. She tried to move around Drefan, but she didn't have much room to maneuver. His groping hand caught her ankles. She kicked, trying to pull away from his grip.fingers tightened around her ankles. His powerful arm dragged her toward him. He gasped for air, his other hand flailing about, trying to feel what was around him. He was blind.saw yellow powder on his cheek and neck. She hadn't gotten it in his eyes as she had hoped. She hadn't gotten it directly in his mouth, or nose. Just the side of his face. Most had missed. She didn't know how long that would stop him, but she didn't think for long. Dear spirits, let it be enough.horn was on the other side of him. She couldn't get to it. With all her strength, when he tugged on her leg, she used his pull to add momentum and kicked as hard as she could at his face. She caught his ear, tearing it partly away from his head. He bellowed and released her ankle., Kahlan pushed with her feet, to get away from his grasping fingers. She made it out of his reach. She bumped into Cara. Kahlan sat up and scooted back toward the woman.
"Hold on, Cara. Please hold on. I'm here. I'm going to get them off you. I swear I'll get them off you."
"Please, mama," Cara wailed, "It hurts so much.. It hurts. It hurts." Kahlan pulled her feet under herself so she could raise up enough. She craned her neck, looking over her shoulder, trying to see what she was doing. She seized the chain. It burned her fingers, making her recoil. She made herself grab the chain again. She tugged on the iron knot, shaking, twisting, pulling.burning fingers, she felt a link slip and the chain loosen. She stole a quick glance. Drefan was still struggling to breathe, but he had straightened his legs. He put his arms at his sides. What was he doing?felt a link pull past resistance. She wiggled the chain to loosen the knot, to give it more room to come undone. Another link slipped free. The chain loosened further. She tugged at it, refusing to let go, even though the hot iron was burning her fingers.'s breathing was evening out. He was laying perfectly still. What was he doing?cried out with joy when the chain rattled off the side of the pot. With her back to Cara, Kahlan hooked her fingers under the rim of the scalding pot and heaved it up and back, flipping it off Cara.rats tumbled to the floor, squirming and wriggling, trying to get their feet as they scurried away.was near tears with joy. "I got them off, Cara. I got them off you." Cara's head lolled from side to side. Her eyes rolled. She mumbled incoherently. When she looked over her shoulder and saw Cara's stomach, Kahlan had to look away, or be sick.scooted up toward Cara's hands. With frenzied effort, Kahlan dug at the knot of rope, but the knots were pulled impossibly tight from Cara's thrashing. Kahlan couldn't budge them. She wasn't going to be able to untie them. She would have to cut them.'s knife lay on the floor, near him. He was lying there, perfectly still. She had to hurry. She had to get the knife and cut Cara's ropes. She had to cut her own. Before he recovered.dug in her heels and scooted toward the knife. She turned around, feeling for it with her fingers.rose up and seized her. Holding her around the middle, he lifted her as if she weighed nothing. He brought the knife around in front of her face.
"Nasty stuff, powdered canin pepper. Lucky for me I know how to use my auras to overcome it. Now, my whore of a wife, it's time you paid the price for your perversion."67staggered toward the sliph's room. From a room not far away, where Cara and Berdine had put him, he had heard the screams. He had no idea how long he had been insensate, no idea how long it had been since they had taken him there, but the screams had brought him awake. Someone needed help. And the last scream, he knew-Kahlan. His head pounded in violent pain. He hurt everywhere. He hadn't thought he would be able to stand, but he did. He hadn't thought he would be able walk, but he did. He had to.was barefooted, and without a shirt. He had on only his pants. He knew that the lower Keep was cool, but he was covered in a sheen of sweat, hardly able to breathe through the heat he felt. He used all his willpower to force himself to move.straightened, put a hand to the side of the door into the sliph's room, and walked in.looked up. He had his arm around Kahlan's middle. He had a knife in his other hand. To the side, Cara was lying on the floor, tied in ropes. Her middle was ripped open. She was still alive, but shivering in agony. Richard couldn't make sense of it.
"What in the name of all that's good is going on, Drefan?" "Richard," he sneered. "Just the man I'm looking for." "Well, now I'm here. Let Kahlan go." "Oh, I will, dear brother. Soon. It is you I need." "Why?"'s eyebrows lifted. "So that I can be reinstated as Lord Rahl. It's my rightful place. The voices told me. My father told me. I am to be Lord Rahl. I was born to it."plague was a far distant drone in Richard's mind and body, yet this all seemed a dream, too. "Drop the knife, Drefan, and give up. It's over. Let Kahlan go"laughed. He threw his head back and roared with laughter. When it died out, Drefan's eyes narrowed with frightening resolve.
"She wants me. She begs for it. You know the truth of that, my dear brother. You saw what she is. She is a whore. She is just like all the others. Just like Nadine. Just like my mother. She must die, like all the rest."looked into Kahlan's eyes. What was going on? Dear spirits, how was he going to get her away from Drefan?
"You're wrong, Drefan. Your mother loved you: she took you to a place where you would be safe from Darken Rahl. She loved you. Please, let Kahlan go. I'm begging you."
"She is mine! My wife! I will do with her what I will!" Drefan slammed the knife into Kahlan's lower back. Richard flinched at hearing it hit bone. Kahlan grunted with the impact, her eyes going wide in shock. Drefan released her. She dropped to her knees and crumpled to her side.tried with all his might to make sense of this. He couldn't decide if this was real, or a dream. He had been having so many dreams, so many nightmares. This seemed like all the rest, but different. He didn't even know if he was alive anymore. The whole room swam before him.drew the Sword of Truth. The ring of steel that Richard knew so well echoed around the stone room, a chime that seemed to awaken him into a nightmare. Richard could see the rage from the sword, the magic, take Drefan's eyes.
"I'm all right, Richard," Kahlan panted as she stared up at him. "You don't have a weapon. Get out of here. Get away. I love you. Please, for me. Run."rage in Drefan's eyes was nothing to match the rage thundering into Richard's heart.
"Drop the sword, Drefan, now. Or I will kill you." Drefan swept the sword around. "How? With your bare hands?" Richard vividly remembered what Zedd had told him when first giving him the Sword of Truth: the sword was only a tool; the Seeker was the weapon. A true Seeker didn't need the sword.started forward. "And with hate in my heart."
"I will enjoy killing you, at last, Richard. Even if you don't have a weapon." "I am the weapon."was running. The distance between them shrank at an alarming rate. Kahlan screamed for him to get away. He hardly heard her. Richard was committed. Drefan lifted the sword overhead, pulling a breath in preparation to cleave Richard. That was the opening. Richard knew that a thrust was faster than a cut. He was in the iron grip of deadly determination. Richard was lost in the dance with death. Drefan bellowed in rage as the sword started down.dropped to his left knee, through the opening, using his forward momentum and a twist of his torso to add force to his strike. Fingers straight and stiff, he drove his arm ahead with all his might.the sword could touch him, Richard struck like lightning, driving his hand through Drefan's soft middle. In the blink of an eye, he had seized Drefan's spinal column and yanked it back out, ripping it apart.pitched backward, crashing against the sliph's well, slumping down in a spreading, crimson flood.bent to Kahlan, cupping her face with his left hand. He didn't want to touch her with Drefan's blood. She was panting in pain. From the corner of his eye, Richard could see Drefan's arm move.
"I can't feel my legs. Richard, I can't feel my legs. Dear spirits, what did he do to me?" Her voice quivered with panic. "I can't make them move."was already lost in need. He had forgotten how to use his power as the price of returning from the Temple of the Winds, but he had used it before. He had healed before. He was a wizard.ignored his dizzy head, his sick stomach; he couldn't allow that to stop him. From Nathan, Richard had learned that his power was called through need, if the need was great enough, or through anger, if the anger was great enough. He had never had more need than he had at that moment, nor more anger. "Richard. Oh, Richard, I love you. I want you to know. if we. if we…" "Hush," he said in a gentle voice. Her face was cut and bloody. It made him ache to see her pain, her panic. "I will heal you. Lie still, and I will make you whole again."
"Oh, Richard, I had the book. I lost it. Oh. Richard, I'm so sorry. I had it. I had it, but it's gone."a sinking feeling, he grasped what she was saying: lie was going to die. There was nothing to be done. now. He was lost. "Richard, please, heal Cara."
"No. I don't think I have enough strength to heal both of you." To heal, he had to take the pain from the one injured. Killing Drefan had taken nearly all the strength he had. "I must heal you."shook her head. "Please. Richard, if you love me, do as I ask. Heal Cara. It's my fault-what he did to her. My fault." A tear ran down her cheek. "I lost the book. I can't save you. Heal Cara." She stifled a cry. "We will be together soon, for all time, then."understood. They were both to die. They would be together in the spirit world. She didn't want to live without him.kissed her brow. "Hold on. Don't give up. Please. Kahlan, I love you. Don't give up."turned to Cara. He already felt so sick that the sight didn't affect him the way it normally would have. Her suffering, though, bent him with pain for her. He laid his hands across Cara's bloody, torn middle. "Cara, I'm here. Hold on. For me, hold on, so I can help you." She didn't seem to hear his words as she mumbled, her head lolling from side to side.closed his eyes and opened his heart, his need, his soul. He released himself into the current of empathy. He wanted nothing but to make Cara whole again. She had given her all for them. He didn't know if he had strength enough, but he gave all of himself over to it.descended into the swirl of her agony. He felt everything she felt, suffered with her. He gritted his teeth, held his breath, and pulled her pain into himself. onward, ever onward, without sparing anything to protect himself.shook with the suffering, and his mind wailed with it. He absorbed it into himself, and then asked for more. He asked for all of it. He demanded it.world was liquid, twisting, coursing pain. He was swept away in a molten river of it. Its fiery heat consumed his being. Time lost all meaning. There was only the pain.he felt it all gathered into himself, he let flow his empathy, his power: healing strength: healing heart.didn't know how to direct it, he just let it flow into her. It felt as if his whole self drained away into her need. She was baked, barren earth, soaking in life-giving rain.at last he opened his eyes and lifted his head. his arms were lying across the smooth skin of her midriff. She was whole again. Though she seemed still unaware of it, she was whole.turned. Kahlan was lying on her side, her breath coming in short, sharp pants. Her face was ashen and covered with sweat and blood, her eyes half closed.
"Richard," she whispered when he bent to her, "free my hands. I want to be hugging you, when.."she died. That was what she was going to say.snatched up a knife lying nearby, and sliced through the ropes. The anger was back, but only as a distant glow now. He could hardly see the room anymore. Hardly hear her. Hardly see her.wrists finally free, she threw an arm over his neck and drew him to her. Richard struggled to keep from falling on her. "Richard, Richard, Richard," she whispered. "I love you." Richard went to embrace her, and saw the pool of blood spreading under her. His rage ignited anew. His need ignited anew. He took her up in his arms, begging the spirits to spare her. "Please give me the strength to heal this loved one," he whispered in choking tears. "I have done everything required of me. I have sacrificed everything. Please, losing this loved one should not be part of it. I'm dying. Give me the time. Help me."was all he wanted, all he needed, as he held her to him. He wanted her to live, to be well, to be whole.her in his arms, he once again released himself into the torrent. He pulled the pain onward, heedless of it, welcoming it, drawing it with all his might. At the same time, he let flow his love, his warmth, his compassion. Kahlan gasped.could see that his arms were glowing, as if a spirit were sharing his body with him. Perhaps, he was already a spirit, but he didn't care. He cared only that he would heal her, and cared not at what cost. He would pay any price. Kahlan gasped with the feel of it, the feel of the power surging into her. Her legs began to tingle. It was the first time she had felt anything in them since Drefan had stabbed her.seemed to glow around her as he hugged her in his arms, held her in his warm, loving embrace.rapture of the sliph, by comparison, was torture. This was beyond anything she had ever felt in her life. She could feel his warm, healing magic coursing through every fiber of her.was like being born anew. Life and vitality welled up in her. Tears of bliss flooded from her eyes as she hung in Richard's arms, his magic completely overwhelming her.at last he parted from her, she moved without pain. Her legs moved. She felt whole. She was healed.wiped the blood from her lips as he gazed into her eyes. Kneeling on the floor together, Kahlan kissed him, tasting their salty tears. She parted, gripping his arms, looking into his eyes, seeing him as if in a new light. She had just shared something with him that was beyond words, beyond comprehension.stood, holding out her hand to help him up. Richard lifted his hand toward hers.then he toppled over onto his face.) "Richard!" She dropped down, rolling him over onto his back. He was hardly * breathing. "'Richard. Please, Richard, don't leave me. Please don't leave me!".clutched at his shoulders. He was burning with fever. His eyes were closed. He struggled for each shallow breath.
"Oh, Richard, I'm so sorry. I lost the book. Please, Richard, I love you. Don't die and leave me alone."
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