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  　Kahlan's head hurt from trying to understand. She wished Richard were here to ask questions. She feared to miss the important one.

  　"But, honored grandfather, you can do this because you are a spirit. You lived once. You have a soul. " The spirit began fading.

  　"The boundary, the veil, was damaged by this event in the winds. I can remain no longer. The skrin, the guardians of the boundary between worlds, pull me hack. Because the violation in the winds altered the balance, we cannot return again in a gathering unless the balance is restored. '' The spirit faded until she could hardly see it.

  　"Grandfather, I must know more. Is the plague itself magic?" The voice came from a great distance. "The magic sent into the winds is of vast power. To use it fully requires vast knowledge. It was used without understanding what was released, or how to control it. The plague was begun by this magic, much as a bolt of lightning from a wizard is magic, but if the lightning strikes a tinder grassland, the resulting firestorm is not magic. The plague is like this. It was begun with magic, but it is now simply a plague, as others before-random and unpredictable-yet heated by magic. ''

  　"The plague is in Aydindril, and here. Will it stay confined?" "No."

  　Jagang didn't realize what he had done. This could end up killing him, too, if allowed to burn out of control.

  　"Is it. as you showed me, already in other places? Has it already been started in these oilier places, too?"

  　The light of the spirit extinguished like the weak flame of a lamp gone out. "Yes, " came the distant, echoing whisper.

  　They had hoped that they could confine the plague to Aydindril. That was hope lost. The whole of the Midlands, the whole of the New World, was about to be consumed in the firestorm started by that spark of magic from the Temple of the Winds.

  　In the center of the circle, where the spirit had been, the air swirled as the spirit vanished back into the underworld.

  　In the distance, in the underworld, Kahlan heard the soft echo of laughter from a different spirit. The malevolent chuckle made her skin crawl.

  　As Kahlan came out of the trance of the gathering, the elders were there, standing around her. They were more used to this altered state than she; her head still spun sickeningly. Elder Breginderin reached down, offering her his hand to help her up.

  　As she took his hand. under the covering of black and white mud, she saw the tokens on his legs. She gazed up into his face, at his kindly 【创建和谐家园】ile of assurance. He would be dead within the day.

  　Her friend, Savidlin, was there, holding out her clothes. Kahlan, despite the mud, suddenly felt very naked. She started pulling on her clothes, trying not to betray her embarras【创建和谐家园】ent, and at the same time chiding herself for such mundane concerns

  　in the face of the impending catastrophe. The gathering was about calling the spirits of the dead, not about being man or woman. Still, she was the only one of the latter, and they were all the former.

  　"Thank you for coming, Mother Confessor, " the Bird Man said. "We know this homecoming is not the one of joy we all wished. ''

  　"No, " she whispered, "it's not. My heart sings lo see my people again, but the song is tempered by sadness. You know, honored elders, that Richard and I will do what we must. We will not rest until this is stopped. '' "Do you think you can stop such a thing as a fever?" Sunn asked. Savidlin placed a hand on her shoulder as she buttoned her shirt. "The Mother Confessor and Richard with the Temper have helped us before. We know their hearts. Our ancestor said that this is a fever caused by magic. The Mother Confessor and the Seeker have great magic. They will do what they must. " "Savidlin is right. We will do what we must."

  　Savidlin 【创建和谐家园】iled at her. "And then, when you have finished, you will come home to your people and be wedded, as you planned? My wife, Weselan. wishes to see her friend, the Mother Confessor, wedded in the dress she made for you. "

  　Kahlan swallowed back a cry. "There is nothing I could wish that would bring me greater joy, except to see all our people well. ''

  　"You are a great friend to all our people, child, " the Bird Man said. "We look forward to the wedding, when you have finished with these matters of the spirits and magic. ''

  　Kahlan glanced at all the eyes watching her. She didn't think these men had witnessed the visions of death she had been shown, or the true nature or dimensions of the epidemic they faced. They had all seen fevers come before, but never one like the plague.

  　"Honored elders, if we fail . . . if we . . ." Her voice faltered. The Bird Man came to her rescue.

  　' If you should fail, child, we know it will not be because you didn't do everything you could. If there is a path, we know you will do all you can to find if. We trust in you. '' "Thank you," she murmured.

  　Tears were watering her vision. She forced herself to hold her chin up. She would only frighten these people if she showed her fear.

  　"Kahlan, you must wed Richard with the Temper." The Bird Man chuckled softly as if trying to cheer her. "He escaped wedding a Mud Woman before, as I had planned for him. He will not escape wedding you, if I have any say. He must marry a Mud Woman." She felt too numb to return the 【创建和谐家园】ile.

  　"Will you stay the rest of the night?" Savidlin asked. "Weselan would find joy in seeing you. "

  　"Forgive me, honored elders, but if I am to save our people. I must return at once. I must go to Richard and tell him what I have learned with your help. ''

  　CHAPTER 44

  　A woman stepped out of a doorway into the narrow, deserted alleyway. He had to stop, or collide with her. Under her shawl she wore a thin dress, and he could tell by the way her nipples stood out with the cold that she wore nothing underneath the dress.

  　She thought his 【创建和谐家园】ile was for her; it wasn't. It was amusement at the way opportunity sometimes stepped into his path when he least expected it. He guessed it was his extraordinary nature that drew such events to him. Expecting it or not, he was never unprepared to bend events to his advantage. She returned the 【创建和谐家园】ile as she ran her hand up his chest and with a single finger stroked the bottom of his chin. "There, there, love. Care for a bit of pleasure?"

  　She wasn't attractive; nonetheless, the nature of the chance opportunity instantly ignited his need. He knew what this was about. By the way she stood close, commanding his attention, he knew. He had had this kind of encounter before. In fact, he sometimes sought it out. It was more of a challenge. With challenge came a rare form of fulfillment.

  　It wasn't an ideal situation-there were distinct disadvantages, such as not being able to allow her screams to bring attention, yet there were still pleasures to be had, even like this. His senses opened to it. Already, he was taking in the details, like dry earth took in a soaking rain. He let the lust take him.

  　"Well," he said, drawing the word out, "do you have a room?" He knew she wouldn't have one. He knew what this was about. She rested a wrist over his shoulder. "Don't need no room, love. Just a half silver."

  　Discreetly as possible, he swept his gaze over the close buildings. The windows were all dark. Only a few lights in the distance reflected off the wet stone. This was a warehouse district; no one lived in these buildings. There weren't likely to be many people about, except passer【创建和谐家园】y, like himself. Still, he knew he had to temper his lust with prudence.

  　"A little cold to be undressing out here on the cobblestones, isn't it?" She put one hand on the side of his face to keep his attention focused on her. Her other hand touched him between his legs. She purred with satisfaction at what she found.

  　"Not to worry, love. For a half silver I'll have someplace warm for you to put it."

  　He was enjoying the game. It had been too long. He put on his most innocent, inexperienced expression for her.

  　"Well, I don't know. This seems somewhat crude to me. I usually like it best when there's time for the young lady to enjoy it, too."

  　"Oh, I do enjoy it, love. You don't think I do this just for the half silver, do you? 'Course not. I enjoy it. It's my pleasure."

  　She was backing toward the doorway she had come from. He let her fingers, curled behind his neck. guide him with her.

  　"I don't carry any money that 【创建和谐家园】all." He could almost see her eyes light with her luck. She had yet to learn that her luck this night was going to be bad.

  　"You don't?" she said, as if preparing to withdraw her offer now that she thought she had snared him with tempting thoughts of what she was offering. "Well. a lady has to earn a living. I guess I'll have to move along and see if I can find ..."

  　"The 【创建和谐家园】allest I have is a silver. But I'd be willing to give you the whole silver if it would mean you took your time and enjoyed it, too. I like lovely young ladies like you to enjoy it. That's what pleases me."

  　"What a love," she said with clumsy, exaggerated delight as she took the silver coin when he held it out.

  　She stank. Her 【创建和谐家园】ile brought no beauty to her face, yet he reveled in the details: coarse hair. the 【创建和谐家园】ell of her body. the humped nose, and 【创建和谐家园】all eyes. She was common, less than a man of his stature was used to, but this had its own delights to offer.

  　He listened carefully as he watched her. Other details were even more important, if he was to have his full pleasure from this.

  　She backed into the shallow doorway and sat on a stool waiting there. The doorway was just deep enough to hold them both, with his back to the alleyway as he stood before her.

  　It aggravated him that she thought him so ignorant, so foolish, so impetuous. She would learn just how wrong she was.

  　She planted a kiss on the front of his trousers as she fumbled with his belt. It wouldn't be long. She wouldn't want it to take too long. before she moved on to another place, reaping all the coin she could in the cloak of night.

  　Before she undid his trousers, he gently took her wrists in one hand. It wouldn't do to have his trousers down around his knees when it started. No, that wouldn't do at all.

  　She 【创建和谐家园】iled up at him, clearly puzzled, but just as clearly sure she was bewitching him with her 【创建和谐家园】ile. He wouldn't have to suffer it for long. It wouldn't be long.

  　It was dark enough. Too dark to see for sure what he was doing. People saw what they expected.

  　While she still 【创建和谐家园】iled at him, before she had time to question, he reached down with his other hand and gripped her neck. She thought he simply wished to hold her while she performed her service. The way her head was tilted back was perfect. With a thumb, and a 【创建和谐家园】all grunt of effort, he crushed her windpipe. The 【创建和谐家园】ile transferred to his face. The choking sound wouldn't immediately raise suspicions. People heard what they expected to hear, just as they saw what they expected to see. He hunched over her, to make it look as expected, while he crushed the life out of her.

  　"Surprise." he whispered to her bulging eyes. He luxuriated in her startled, strangled expression. When her arms went limp, he let them drop, and held her up by a fistful of her hair. He bent her head back over his thigh to help hold her up as he waited.

  　He had to wait only seconds before he heard the careful footsteps approaching from behind. More than one man, as he had expected. He knew what this was about: robbery.

  　Mere seconds more, and they had closed the distance. To him, time stretched with the anticipation, with the details of sights, sounds, and 【创建和谐家园】ells. He was the most rare of men. He owned time. He owned life. He owned death. And now it was time for the rest of his pleasure.

  　He pushed his knee up against her spine and, with a quick yank, snapped her neck over his leg. He spun, bringing his knife up into the man right behind, slicing him open from his groin to his sternum. He spun past the man as guts slopped out into the alley.

  　He expected another man. There were two. A woman like this usually had two men to rob the man. He had never before seen three. The unexpected danger of this development made him reel with lust.

  　The second man on the right swung an arm. He saw the knife in the fist, and with a step back, escaped the sweep of the blade. As the third man advanced, he drove him back with a boot to the point at the base of the breastbone. The man 【创建和谐家园】acked the wall behind and stumbled to his knees with a grunt of pain, unable to regain his breath.

  　The man on the right froze. In that instant, it was one on one. The face was that of a boy, really. Hardly a man, yet. With a boy's courage, he broke and ran.

  　He 【创建和谐家园】iled. There was no more perfect target as they ran than a person's head. The head remained nearly still while the arms and legs flailed furiously. That target was a core of stability in his vision.

  　He loosed his knife. The boy ran as fast as his rapidly pumping legs would carry him. The knife was faster, hitting home with a solid thunk. The young thief went down instantly.

  　The third man was coming up from his knees. He was older, muscled, heavy, and violently angry. Good.

  　A side kick broke the man's nose. Howling in pain and rage, the man sprang forward. He saw a flash of steel and dodged to the side as he swept a leg beneath the man. taking his feet from under him. It all happened in a blink. It was a glorious event, this dangerous, raging bull charging madly.

  　He pulled in the details: the man's clothes, the 【创建和谐家园】all rip in the back of his coat, his bald spot reflecting the distant light, his curly, greasy hair, the nick missing out of his right ear, the way he flopped when the boot landed between his shoulders. .

  　It was when he was twisting the man's arm behind his back that he saw the blood. Blood was something he kept careful track of. This blood surprised him. He hadn't cut the man-yet. Nor was this blood from the man's crushed nose. He rarely had a thrill of surprise such as this unexpected blood brought. He realized the man was screaming in pain. He screamed louder when the shoulder joint popped. He dropped onto the man's back and 【创建和谐家园】acked his head with the heel of a hand, breaking the loan's teeth against the cobbles and quieting him, somewhat.

  　He gripped the greasy hair in a fist and pulled the man's head back, listening to the sound of the grunts.

  　"Robbery is a dangerous business. Time you paid the price." "We wouldn't have hurt you." the man burbled. "Just robbed you. you bastard"

  　"Bastard, is it?"

  　Carefully, slowly, enjoying the detail of every inch. he slit open the man's throat as he thrashed.

  　What unexpected pleasure this night had brought. He lifted his hands, curling his fingers, slowly sweeping the quintessence of death from the air. capturing the silken substance of it as it lifted in the darkness, and pulled it back to himself.

  　He was the fulfillment of their lives. He was the balance. He was death. He savored seeing that awareness in their eyes. He liked it best when he could bask in that look. that knowledge . . . that terror. It brought him fulfillment. It made him complete.

  　He stood, swaying in ecstasy at the cloying scent of blood. He regretted it hadn't lasted longer. He regretted not being able to enjoy prolonged screams. Screams were rapture. He craved them, needed them. lusted after them. Screams fulfilled him, made him whole. He needed the screams, not the actual sound of them-he often gagged his partners-but the attempt at them, and what they represented: terror.

  　Being denied the chance to leisurely enjoy the screaming terror left him unfulfilled, his lust unsated.

  　He glided up the alley and found that his skill was as sharp as ever. as was his knife; it had found its target. The boy lay crumpled on his side. He looked delicious with the knife buried to the cross guard at the back of his head. and the point of the heavy blade jutting from his forehead, just slightly off center. Immersed in a pool of sensation, he realized he felt a new one: pain. Surprised, he inspected his arm. and discovered the source of the unexpected blood. He had a gash a good six inches long on the outside of his right forearm. It was deep. It would need to be stitched.

  　The pleasure of such an unexpected occurrence made him gasp. Danger, death, and damage-all in one night, in one chance encounter. This was nearly too much.

  　The voices had been right about coming to Aydindril.

  　Still, he hadn't had what he needed-the prolonged terror, the careful cutting, the slicing, the binge of blood, the giving of endless, exquisite pain, the orgy of frenzied stabbing at the end.

  　But the voices from the ethers promised him he would have those things, promised him he would have the ultimate conquest, the ultimate balance, the ultimate pairing. They promised him he would have the ultimate consummation of debauchery. They promised him he would have the Mother Confessor. His time was coming. Her time was coming. Soon. When Verna dabbed the wet cloth against Warren's forehead, his eyes opened. She let out a long breath of relief. "How are you feeling?"

  　He tried to sit up. With a firm hand on his chest, she gently pushed him back down into the hay. "Just you lay there and rest." He winced in pain and then 【创建和谐家园】acked his lips. "I need a drink."

  　Verna twisted and lifted the dipper from the bucket. She held it to his lips. His hands cupped the dented bowl of the dipper as he greedily gulped down all the water.

  　He panted, catching his breath after the long drink. "More." Verna dragged the dipper through the bucket and let him drink his fill. She 【创建和谐家园】iled down at him. "Glad to see you awake."

  　It looked to be an effort for him to return the 【创建和谐家园】ile. "Glad to be awake. How long have I been out. this time?" She shrugged, discounting his concern. "A few hours."

  　He glanced around the inside of the barn. Verna lifted the lamp so he could see his surroundings. Rain drummed against the roof, making it feel cozy inside.

  　Verna set down the lamp and rested on an elbow beside him. "Not fancy lodging, but at least it's dry."

  　He had been nearly unconscious when they found the farm. The family who owned the farm was sympathetic. Verna had refused the offer of their bed, not wanting to force them to sleep in their own barn.

  　On her journey of over twenty-odd years, Verna had often slept in such places, and found the accommodations agreeable, if a little rough. She liked the 【创建和谐家园】ell of hay. When she was on her journey, she had thought she hated it, but once returned to the cloistered life at the Palace of the Prophets, she changed her opinion, and found herself longing for the 【创建和谐家园】ell of hay, dirt, grass, and rain-clean air.

  　Warren laid a gentle hand over hers. "Verna, I'm sorry I'm slowing us down so."

  　Verna 【创建和谐家园】iled. She recalled a time when her impatient nature would have had her pacing and fretting. Warren, and his love, brought out a little of her calmer nature. He was good for her. He was everything to her.

  　She pushed back his curly blond hair and kissed his forehead. "Nonsense. We had to stop for the night anyway. The rain would have made traveling slow and miserable. A good rest will result in more progress in the end. Take my word; I've had plenty of experience at such things." "But I feel so-useless."

  　"You are a prophet. That provides us with information that is far from useless. That in itself has saved us from traveling days in a wrong direction."

  　His troubled blue eyes turned to the rafters. "The headaches are coming more often with time. I fear to think that when I close my eyes, I may never come awake again."

  　She scowled for the first time that night. "I'll not hear that sort of talk, Warren., We will make it."

  　He hesitated, not wanting to argue with her. "If you say so, Verna. But I'm slowing us down more all the time." "I've taken care of that." "You have? What have you done?" "I hired us transportation. For a ways, at least."

  　"Verna, you said you didn't want to hire a coach, that it would draw attention to us. You said you didn't want to risk being recognized, and you didn't want nosy people inquiring as to who was riding a coach."

  　"Not a coach. And I don't want to hear a string of objections. I hired this farmer to take us south for a ways in his hay cart. He said we could lay in the back and