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ned to hold him to her。 She wanted only to get to Aydindril； to Zedd； for help。
But she had to know what had happened here。 She stiffened her back with resolve。 She was the Mother Confessor。
She had intended to skirt Ebinissia； but for the last two days they had been ing across the frozen corpses of women。 Never any men； only women； from young to old； children to grandmothers。 Most were half naked； some without clothes at all。 And in the dead of winter。 While most had been alone； a few were together； huddled in frozen death； too exhausted； or too frightened； or too disoriented to have sought shelter。 They had run from Ebinissia not in disorderly haste； but in panic； choosing to freeze to death rather than remain。
Most； too； had been badly abused before they had scattered in every direction into the mountainous countryside。 Kahlan knew what had been done to them； what had made them make the choice they did。 The three men knew； too； but none would voice it aloud。
She pulled her warm mantle tighter around herself。 This atrocity couldn’t have been at the hands of the armies from D’Hara； it was far too recent。 The troops from D’Hara had been called home。 Surely； they wouldn’t have done this after they had been told the war was ended。
Unable to stand for another moment not knowing what fate had befallen Ebinissia； she pushed her bow farther up on her shoulder and started down the hillside。 Her leg muscles were at long last used to the wide…footed gait needed to walk on the snowshoes the men had made from willow and sinew。 Chandalen charged after her。
‘You must not go down there。 There could be dangerous。’
‘Danger；’ she corrected as she hitched her pack up higher。 ‘If there was danger； Prindin and Tossidin would not be out in the open。 You may e； or you may wait here； but I’m going down there。’
Knowing argument was useless； he followed in a rare fit of silence。 The bright afternoon sun brought no warmth to the bitterly cold day。 There was usually wind at the fringe of the Rang’Shada Mountains； but thankfully there was little this day； for a change。 It hadn’t snowed for several days； and they had been able to make better time in the clear weather。 Still； with every breath she took； the air felt as if it were turning the inside of her nose to ice。
She intercepted Prindin and Tossidin halfway down the slope。 They brought themselves to a halt before her； leaning on their spears； breathing heavily； which was unusual for them as nothing seemed to tire them； but they were unaccustomed to the altitude。 Their faces were pale； and their handsome twin smiles long gone。
‘Please； Mother Confessor；’ Prindin said； pausing to catch his breath from the strenuous climb； ‘you must not go to that place。 The ancestor spirits of those people have abandoned them。’
Kahlan untied a waterskin from her waist and pulled it from under her mantle； where her body’s heat kept the water from freezing。 She held it up to Prindin； urging him to take a drink before questioning him。
‘What did you see？ You didn’t go into the city； did you？ I told you not to go inside the walls。’
Prindin handed the waterskin to his panting brother。 ‘No。
We stay hidden； as you told us。 We do not go inside； but we do not need to。’ He licked a drop of water from his lower lip。 ‘We see enough from outside。’
She took back the waterskin when Tossidin finished； and replaced the stopper。 ‘Did you see any people？’
Tossidin stole a quick glance over his shoulder； down the hill。 ‘We see many people。’
Prindin wiped his nose on the back of his hand as he looked from his brother to her。 ‘Dead people。’
‘How many？ Dead from what？’
Tossidin tugged loose the thong holding his fur mantle tight at his neck。 ‘Dead from fighting。 Most are men with weapons： swords and spears and bows。 There are more than I know the words to count。 I have never seen that many men。 In my whole life； I have not seen that many men。 There has been war here。 War； and killing of those defeated。’
Kahlan stared at them for a moment as horror threatened to choke off her breath。 She had hoped that somehow the people of Ebinissia had escaped； that they had fled。
A war。 Had the D’Haran forces done this after the war was ended？ Or was it something else？
Her muscles at last unlocked and she started down the hill； the mantle billowing open； letting in the icy air。 Her heart pounded with dread at what had befallen the people of Ebinissia。 ‘I must go down there to see what has happened。’
‘Please； Mother Confessor； do not go；’ Prindin called after her。 ‘It is bad to see。’
The three men jumped to follow as she marched down the hill； the slope speeding her effort。 ‘I have seen dead people before。’
They began encountering the sprawled corpses … apparently the sites of skirmishes … a good distance from the city walls。 Snow had drifted against them； partially covering them。 In one place； a hand reached up from the snow； as if the man below were drowning； and reaching for air。 Most had not been touched by animals or birds； there being an overabundance for scavengers。 All were soldiers of the Galean army； frozen in death where they had fallen； blood…soaked clothes frozen rock…solid to them； ghastly wounds frozen open。
At the south wall； where huge oak doors crisscrossed with iron strapping had stood； was a gaping hole through the stone； its edges melted and burned black。 Kahlan stood staring at rock melted like wax from a candle that had guttered。 She knew of only one power that could do that： wizard’s fire。
Her mind fought to understand what she was seeing。 She knew what the results of wizard’s fire looked like； but there were no more wizards。 Except Zedd and； she guessed； Richard。 But this would not have been Zedd’s deed。
Outside the walls； off to either side； headless corpses were heaped in huge； frozen mounds。 Heads stared out from less orderly piles of their own。 Swords and shields and spears were discarded to separate heaps； looking like great； dead； steel porcupines。 This had been a mass execution； carried out at a number of stations at once to handle the numbers more efficiently。 All were Galean soldiers。
As she stared in numb shock at the splayed limbs draped over their fellows under them； Kahlan spoke softly to the three men behind her。 The word you did not know to use to count this many is thousand。 There are perhaps five thousand dead men here。’
Gently； Prindin planted the butt end of his spear in the snow； giving it an uneasy twist。 ‘I did not know there was a word needed to count this many men。’ His fist twisted the spear again； and his voice lowered to a whisper。 This will be a bad place when the warm weather es。’
‘It is a bad place now；’ his brother murmured to himself in his own tongue。
Kahlan knew this was the least of the dead。 She knew the tactics of defense for Ebinissia。 The walls were not secure fortifications； the way they had been in times long ago。 As the city had grown in the prosperity of the Midlands alliance； the older； stronger； fortified walls had been torn down； and the stone used to build these newer； more enpassing outer walls。 But they had been built less secure than in the past。 They were more a symbol of the size and pride of the Crown city than a strong defensible perimeter。
Under attack； the gates would have been closed； with the toughest； most experienced troops on the outside to stop the attackers before they had a chance to reach the walls。 The real defense for Ebinissia was the surrounding mountains； whose narrow passes prevented a broad attack。
Under Darken Rahl’s order； D’Haran forces had laid siege to Ebinissia for two months； but the defenders outside the walls were able to hold them back in the surrounding passes； pin them down； and harry them relentlessly until the attackers finally withdrew； licking their wounds； in search of easier prey。 Though the Ebinissians had prevailed； it had been at a great cost of lives to the defenders。 Had Darken Rahl been less concerned with finding the boxes； he could have sent greater numbers a