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  　The squat figure stared, appraising her. His bloodless lips pulled back and he hissed.

  　"Your mistress is waiting. Get going."

  　The stocky, hairless, long-armed figure finally moved on through the undergrowth. He skirted dangers Kahlan didn't see, and grudgingly pointed at things for her to avoid. Vines he circumvented reached for her as she passed, but she was too far away for them to catch her. Roots Samuel bypassed snarled up, trying to snare her.

  　The short figure, dressed only in pants held up with straps, glanced over his shoulder occasionally to make sure she followed. A couple of times, he gurgled his odd laugh as he bounded along.

  　After a time, they picked up a trail of sorts, and not long after that the light coming through the tangled mass of branches overhead became brighter. As Kahlan followed the repulsive little creature, they came at last to the edge of the dark wood, and the edge of a cliff.

  　Far below lay the verdant valley where lived the witch woman. That it was as beautiful a place as any in the Midlands didn't ease the anxious knot in Kahlan's stomach. All around the valley the massive rocky peaks of the surrounding mountains soared nearly straight up. The budding trees in the placid valley below swayed gently in the early morning breeze.

  　Descending the sheer walls of rock looked to be impossible, but Kahlan knew from being here before that there were steps carved in the rock. Samuel led her through a morass of brush, tight trees, and fern-covered boulders, to a place that would be nearly impossible to find without him to guide her. A trail hidden behind rocks, trees, ferns, and vines ran to the edge of the precipice and the steps leading down the cliff walls.

  　Samuel pointed off. down into the valley. "Mistress." "I know. Get moving."

  　Kahlan followed Samuel down the cliff's edge. Part of it was a narrow trail, but most of the way down was comprised of thousands of steps cut into the rugged rock wall. They twisted and turned downward, sometimes spiraling back under ones above.

  　Below, far off in the center of the valley, among the streams, grand trees, and rolling fields, sat Shota's graceful palace. Colorful flags flew atop towers and turrets as if to announce a festival. Kahlan could hear the distant flags snapping in the wind. She had trouble seeing it for the splendid place it was. She saw it as the center of the spiderweb. A place where threat lurked. Threat for Richard.

  　Samuel sprang down the steps ahead, happy to be going back to the protection of his mistress, no doubt thinking about cooking Kahlan in a stew when his mistress was finished with her.

  　Kahlan hardly noticed the hateful glances from the big yellow eyes. She, too, was lost in a world of loathing.

  　Shota wanted to harm Richard. Kahlan kept that thought foremost in her mind: it was key. Shota wanted to deny Richard happiness. Shota wanted Richard to suffer.

  　Kahlan could feel angry power welling up inside her, ready to do her bidding and eliminate the threat against Richard. Kahlan had at last found the way to defeat Shota. Shota had no shield against Subtractive power. It would slice through any magic she threw out.

  　Kahlan had found the path, the gateway, through the labyrinth of protection layered over her magic, to the core of its power. This side of her magic was protected

  　by precepts that governed its use. Like the Wizards' Keep, protected by shields of all kinds, there was a way to get through. She had found a way to get through the Keep, and she had used her reason to find the justification that traced its way through the maze of rationale forbidding this magic's use. She had tapped its ancient strength, its destructive power. Kahlan felt the power coursing up through her and down her arms. Blue light snarled and snapped around her fists. She was nearly lost in a trance of purpose.

  　For the first time, Kahlan wasn't afraid of the witch woman. If Shota didn't swear to leave Richard alone, to let him have his own life, Shota was going to be dust before this day was out.

  　At the bottom of the cliff, Kahlan followed behind Samuel as he bounded along the road among tree-dotted hills and green fields. Snow-capped peaks all around soared up past a scattering of clouds. Blue deepened in the sky as the sun rose over those peaks.

  　Kahlan felt as if she had enough power blazing within her to level those peaks. Shota had only to say or do the wrong thing-to prove herself a threat to Richard- and she would be no more.

  　The road led up a gentle rise from which Kahlan could see the spires of the palace through the trees ahead. Samuel glanced back to make sure she was still following, but Kahlan didn't need his direction; she knew that Shota waited in the grove of trees below.

  　The witch woman was the last person Kahlan ever wanted to see again, but if it was to be, then, this time, she intended it to be on her terms.

  　Samuel halted and pointed with a long finger. "Mistress." Yellow eyes glowered back at Kahlan. "Mistress wants you."

  　Kahlan lifted a warning finger to his face. Threads of blue light crackled around the finger.

  　"If you get in my way, or interfere, you will die."

  　He glanced from her finger back into her eyes. His bloodless lips drew back as he hissed, and then he skittered off into the trees.

  　In a cocoon of seething magic, Kahlan advanced down the slope toward the waiting witch woman. The breeze was spring-warm, the day bright and cheerful. Kahlan felt no cheer.

  　Sheltered among the towering maples, ash, and oak, sat a table covered with a white cloth and set with food and drink. Beyond the table, atop three square white marble platforms, stood a massive throne carved with gold-leaf vines, snakes, and other beasts.

  　Shota sat regally, one leg crossed casually over the other, her ageless almond eyes watching Kahlan's approach. Shota's arms rested on the chair's high, widely spaced arms, with her hands draped arrogantly over gold gargoyles. The gargoyles nuzzled her hands, as if hoping to be stroked. A rich canopy draped with heavy red brocade and trimmed with gold tassels shaded the throne's occupant from the morning sun, yet her luxuriant auburn hair shimmered as if touched by streamers of sunlight.

  　Kahlan halted, not far away, under the witch woman's rock-hard, penetrating gaze. The blue lightning screamed for release.

  　Shota clicked her lacquered fingernails together. A self-satisfied 【创建和谐家园】ile spread across her full red lips.

  　"Well, well, well," Shota said in her velvety voice. "The child assassin arrives at last."

  　"I am not an assassin," Kahlan said. "Nor am I a child. But I have had enough of your games."

  　Shota's 【创建和谐家园】ile slipped away. She put her hands to the chair's arms and stood. Points of her wispy, low-cut, variegated gray dress lifted in the gentle breeze. Her gaze never left Kahlan as she gracefully descended the three white marble platforms. "You're late." Shota held a hand out to the table. "The tea is getting cold." Kahlan flinched when a bolt of lightning struck from the blue sky, hitting the teapot. Amazingly, it didn't shatter.

  　Shota glanced down at Kahlan's hands, and then back to her eyes. "There. I believe it's hot, now. Please, won't you have a seat? We will have tea and ... conversation."

  　Knowing Shota had seen the ominous blue light, Kahlan returned the self-assured 【创建和谐家园】ile in kind. Shota drew out a chair and sat. She again held out a hand in invitation. "Please, have a seat. I imagine you have things you wish to discuss." Kahlan slid into a chair as Shota poured tea, holding on the white top with her other hand as she did so. Steam rose from the cups. The tea was indeed hot. Shota lifted a gold-trimmed platter, offering Kahlan toast. Kahlan warily pulled a golden-crisp slab from the platter. Shota slid a bowl of honeyed butter across the table. "Well," Shota said. "Isn't this unpleasant." Against her will, Kahlan 【创建和谐家园】iled. "Very."

  　Shota picked up her silver knife and spread honeyed butter across her slice of toast. She took a sip of tea.

  　"Eat, child. Murder is always best accomplished on a full stomach." "I have not come to murder you."

  　Shota's sly 【创建和谐家园】ile returned. "No, I suppose you have managed to justify it to yourself. Retribution, is it? Or perhaps self-defense. Punishment? Recompense? Justice?" The 【创建和谐家园】ooth 【创建和谐家园】ile widened. An eyebrow arched. "Bad manners?" "You sent Nadine to marry Richard."

  　"Ahh. Jealousy, then." Shota leaned back as she sipped her tea. "A noble motive, were it justified. I hope you realize that jealousy can be a cruel taskmaster."

  　Kahlan nibbled her crunchy toast. "Richard loves me, and I love him. We're engaged to be married."

  　"Yes, I know. For one who professes to love him, I would think you would be more understanding." "Understanding?"

  　"Of course. If you love someone, you want them to be happy. You want what's best for them."

  　"I make Richard happy. He wants me. I'm best for him." "Yes, well, we can't always have what we want, now can we?" Kahlan sucked honeyed butter from her finger. "Just tell me why you wish to hurt us."

  　Shota looked genuinely surprised. "Hurt you? Is that what you think? You think I am being spiteful?"

  　"Why else would you always try to keep us apart, to hurt us?" Shota took a dainty bite of toast. She chewed for a moment. "Has the plague come, yet?" The cup paused partway to Kahlan's lips. "How do you know about that?"

  　"I'm a witch woman. I see the current of events. Let me ask you a question. If you visited a young child sick with the plague, and the child's mother asked you if her child was going to recover, and you told her the truth, would you be guilty of causing the child's death because you foretold it?" "Of course not."

  　"Ah. It is only I, then, who am to be judged by different standards." "I'm not judging you. I simply want you to stop interfering with Richard's and my life together."

  　"A messenger is often blamed for the message."

  　"Shota, the last time we saw you, you said that if we stopped the Keeper, you would owe us a debt. You asked me to help Richard. We stopped the Keeper. It cost us dearly, but we did it. You owe us." "Yes, I know," Shota whispered. "That is why I sent Nadine." Kahlan could feel the rage of power surge within her. "Seems a strange way to show your appreciation-sending someone to try to ruin our lives." "No, child," Shota said gently. "You see things through blind eyes." Kahlan had to help Richard by finding out all she could, but she would defend herself and Richard if she had to. Until that became necessary, she could endure this wandering conversation, if it would help get the answers they needed. And they did need answers. "What do you mean?"

  　Shota sipped her tea. "Have you lain with Richard?"

  　Kahlan was taken off guard by the question, but she recovered quickly. She shrugged one shoulder in an offhanded manner. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I have." Shota's gaze rose from her tea. "You're lying."

  　Pleased by the 【创建和谐家园】oldering tone in Shota's voice, Kahlan lifted an eyebrow. "It's the truth. You don't like the message, and so now you hold malice toward the messenger?"

  　Shota's eyes narrowed. Her gaze locked on Kahlan as if drawing a bow and aiming an arrow.

  　"Where, Mother Confessor? Where did you lie with him?" Kahlan felt triumphant at Shota's obvious displeasure.

  　"Where? What difference does that make? Have you turned from witch woman to gossip, now? I was with him . . . in that way, and that's the truth, whether you like it or not. I'm no longer a virgin. I was with Richard; that's all that matters." Shota's gaze turned dangerous. "Where?" she repeated. Shota's tone was so threatening that Kahlan forgot she needn't be afraid of the witch woman.

  　"In a place between worlds," Kahlan said, suddenly embarrassed to reveal the details. "The good spirits . . . took us there," she stammered. "The good spirits . . . they wanted us to be together."

  　"I see." Shota's gaze cooled. Her 【创建和谐家园】all 【创建和谐家园】ile returned. "I'm afraid that doesn't count."

  　"Doesn't count! What in the name of all that's good does that mean? I was with him. That's all that matters. You're just vexed because it's true."

  　"True? You were not with him in this world, child. This is the world we live in. You were not with him here, where it counts. In this world, you are still a virgin." "That's absurd."

  　Shota shrugged. "Think what you will. I am satisfied that you have not been with him."

  　Kahlan folded her arms. "This world, or another, it doesn't matter. I was with him."

  　Shota's 【创建和谐家园】ooth brow puckered with mirth restrained. "And if you have been with him in the place between worlds, where the good spirits took you, then why have you not been with him in this world, since you are no longer a virgin, here, as you say?"

  　Kahlan blinked. "Well, I . . . we . . . thought it best to wait until we were wedded, that's all."

  　Shota's soft, exultant laugh drifted out through the morning air. "You see? You know the truth of what I say." She held the teacup between the tips of the fingers of both hands as she sipped, more balmy laughter escaping between each sip.

  　Kahlan fumed, somehow feeling she had lost the argument. She tried to look confident as she leaned back and took a drink of her own tea.

  　"If it pleases you to delude yourself with punctilios, then be my guest. I know what we did," Kahlan said. "I don't know why it's any concern of yours, anyway."

  　Shota looked up. "You know why it's my concern. Mother Confessor. Every Confessor bears a Confessor. If you have his child, it will be a boy. I told you both to remember that before you lay together. Lust dims thoughts of the consequences.

  　"From you, the boy would be a Confessor. From Richard, he would have the gift. Such a dangerous melding has never taken place before."

  　With a patient, reasoned tone, meant almost as much for herself as for the witch woman, Kahlan hid her inner terror at Shota's prediction.

  　"Shota, you are a witch woman of great talent, and you may know it would be a boy, I grant you that, but you could not know he would be like most of the male Confessors born in the past. Not all were like that. You have as much as admitted that you don't know if it would be so. You are not the Creator; you can't know what He will choose to do-if He even chooses to give us a child."

  　"I don't need to see the future in this. Almost every male Confessor was like that. They were beasts without conscience. My mother lived in the dark times caused by a male Confessor. You would visit upon the world not only a male Confessor, but one with the gift. You cannot even envision such a catacly【创建和谐家园】.

  　"It is for this very reason that Confessors are not supposed to love their mates. If she bears a male child, she must ask the hu【创建和谐家园】and to kill the baby. You love Richard. You would not ask that of him. I have warned you that I have the strength to do what you will not. I also told you that it will not be personal."

  　"You talk about the distant future as if it has come to pass. It has not," Kahlan said. "Events do not always unfold as you say. Yet, other things have already come to pass. Because of Richard, you still live. You told us that if Richard and I were able to close the veil, saving you and everyone else from the Keeper, you would be forever grateful to us both." "And so I am."

  　Kahlan leaned forward. "You show your gratitude not only by threatening to murder my child should I have one, but also by trying to kill me when I come to ask your help?"

  　Shota's brow twitched. "I have made no attempt on your life." "You sent Samuel up there to attack me, and then you have the effrontery to rebuke me for coming prepared to defend myself. The little monster threw me on

  　the ground and attacked me. If I hadn't had a weapon, who knows what he would have done. This is your gratitude? He said that when you were through with me, you would let him eat me. And then you expect me to believe in your benevolence? You dare to profess gratitude?"

  　Shota's gaze shifted toward the trees. "Samuel!" She set down her teacup. "Samuel! Come here at once!"

  　The squat figure loped out of the trees, using his knuckles to help himself bound across the grass. He ran to Shota and nuzzled against her legs. "Mistress," he purred.

  　"Samuel, what did I tell you about the Mother Confessor?" "Mistress told Samuel to go get her." Shota looked into Kahlan's eyes. "What else did I tell you?" "To bring her to you." "Samuel," she said with rising inflection. "Mistress said not to harm her."

  　"You attacked me!" Kahlan put in. "You threw me on the ground and jumped on me! You said you were going to eat me when your mistress was through with me." "Is that true, Samuel?"

  　"Samuel not hurt pretty lady," Samuel grumbled. "Is what she says true? Did you attack her?"

  　Samuel hissed at Kahlan. Shota thunked him on the head with a finger. He shrank back against her leg.

  　"Samuel, what did I tell you? What were my instructions?" "Samuel must guide Mother Confessor back. Samuel must not touch Mother Confessor. Samuel must not hurt Mother Confessor. Samuel must not threaten Mother Confessor."

  　Shota drummed her fingers on the table. "And did you disobey me, Samuel?" Samuel hid his head under the hem of her dress. ''Samuel, answer my question at once. Is what the Mother Confessor says true?" "Yes, mistress," Samuel whined. "I'm very disappointed in you, Samuel." "Samuel sorry."

  　"We will discuss this later. Leave us."

  　The witch woman's servant skittered away into the trees. Shota turned back to face Kahlan's eyes.

  　"I told him not to harm or threaten you. I can understand why you would be upset and think I meant you harm. Please accept my apology." She poured Kahlan more tea. "You see? I have no intention of hurting you."

  　Kahlan took a sip from her full cup. "Samuel is the least of it. I know you want to hurt me and Richard, but I'm not afraid of you anymore. You can no longer harm me."

  　Shota's 【创建和谐家园】ug 【创建和谐家园】ile returned. "Really?" "I'd suggest you not try to use your power against me." "My power? All things I do, all things everyone does, is using their power. To breathe is to use my power."

  　"I'm talking about hurting me. If you dare try it, you'll not survive the attempt." "Child, I have no wish to harm you, despite what you think." "A brave thing to say, now that you know you can't."

  　"Really? Did you ever think that the tea might be poisoned?" Her 【创建和谐家园】ile widened when Kahlan stiffened. "You . . . ?" "Of course not. I told you. I have no wish to harm you. If I wished to harm you, I could do any number of things. I could have simply put a viper behind your heels. Vipers dislike sudden movement."

  　If there was one thing Kahlan hated, it was snakes, and Shota knew it. "Relax, child. There is no viper under your chair." Shota took a bite of her toast.

  　Kahlan eased her breath out. "But you wished to make me think there might be."

  　"What I wished is for you to realize that confidence can be overrated. If it will please you, I will tell you that I have always regarded you as singularly dangerous for any number of reasons. That you have found a way to tap the other side of your magic means little to me.

  　"It is the other things you do that frighten me. Your womb frightens me. Your arrogant certitude frightens me."