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He coveted this world’s breath of life。 He enjoyed watching people die。 He did not wish to stop it too soon； stop the suffering； the fear； the pain。
It felt as if her arm might tear from its socket as Prindin tugged her through the brush； and over a log half covered over with snow。 The tingling of the poison had spread across her chest。
Her left leg had gone numb。 At least； she thought； she couldn’t feel how much the arrow wound hurt。 The round； iron point had hit the bone； and Prindin had not been gentle about pulling it out。 At least it was numb； now。
When they reached the shelter； she could see bodies all about； not only the Galean men； but the men of the Imperial Order that Orsk had killed。 Soon； when Prindin was finished with her； he would turn her over to the army of the Order； and she would be beheaded。 It would be over； and there was nothing she could do to stop it。 She couldn’t even fight back。 She would never see Richard again。 Dear spirits； he would never know how much she loved him。
Prindin dragged her through the opening to the shelter and heaved her onto the mat of boughs。 As he lit two more candles from the one that was almost burned down； she struggled to breathe； to remain conscious。
‘I wish to be able to see you；’ he explained with a lecherous smile。 ‘ You are very fine to look upon。 I wish to see all of you。’
She had always liked his smile。 She didn’t like it now。
Prindin took off his fur mantle and tossed it aside。 His smile vanished。 His eyes were wild。 He didn’t speak in her tongue anymore； but only his own。
‘Take off your clothes。 I wish to look upon you； first。 To be aroused by the sight of you。’
Even if he had held a knife to her throat； she wouldn’t have been able to obey； she couldn’t move her arms。 ‘Prin…din；’ she managed to whisper； ‘the men will be back soon。 They will catch you here。’
‘They will be busy。 They are having a fight like they never expected。’ His smile returned。 ‘They will not be back soon； if at all。’ The smile changed in an instant to a twisted expression of hot rage。 ‘I said take off your clothes！’
‘Prindin； you are my friend。 Please。 Don’t do this。’
He crawled on top of her； yanking at her belt。 ‘Then I will do it for you！’
Tears； over her helplessness； over the loss of a friend to this madness； to the Keeper； ran down her cheeks。 ‘Prindin； why？’
He sat up； as if surprised by the question。 ‘The great spirit said I may have you before he takes your spirit to the underworld。 He said I am to have a reward； for the work I have done。 The great spirit is pleased with me for delivering you to him。’
The bite on her neck stung with prickling pain。 She shivered with sorrow for Tossidin and Chandalen。 She shivered at her own desolate； hopeless situation。 The tingling from the poison had spread across her shoulders。 She could feel the slight twinge of its first touch moving up her throat。
He squeezed her under him as he kissed the place on her neck where Darken Rahl’s lips had been； where the bite was。 The pain； the visions； sent a silent shriek through her。
‘Prindin 。。。 please 。。。 after you have me 。。。 let me go？’ She hoped that hearing her words in his tongue would mean more to him。 ‘Please？’
He lifted his head away； looking into her eyes。 ‘It would do no good for me to leave you。 You have been poisoned； by the tea； and by the arrow。 You will die soon； anyway。 You must be beheaded before you die of the poison。 It will be better。 You will not suffer the poison’s end。 That is my mercy to you。’
Prindin grinned as he started to bend over her again； kissing her neck。 Tears ran down her cheeks。
‘I hate you；’ she wept。 ‘You and your great spirit。’
He sprang up； standing； as best he could in the small shelter； with his fists at his sides as he glared down at her。
‘You are to be mine！ I have been promised！ I will have you！ Your power cannot harm me； I saw to that。 It is used up for now。 You are to be mine！ If you will not give yourself to me； I will take you！ You brought your hateful magic to my people； your hateful ways！ You are evil； and I will take you； to conquer your wickedness！ The great spirit has said it shall be so！’
Prindin pulled his buckskin shirt off over his head； off his wiry frame。 He leapt full onto her； landing with a grunt。 His face was right above hers。
They stared at each other in surprise。
He had no idea what had happened。 She knew what had happened； but had no idea how。
She could feel his warm blood flowing over her fist。 His pupils expanded。 He coughed； splattering little droplets of blood across her face。 With a long； slow gurgle； he went limp as his last breath left his lungs。
Tears ran down Kahlan’s face。 She didn’t have the strength to push him off her； she could hardly breathe under his weight。
And so she lay still； feeling his blood drain over her hand between her breasts and soak into her shirt。 The tingling of the poison had risen up her neck。
CHAPTER 47
In the tingling blackness； her lip hurt。 Something was jabbing against the cut； making it throb。 Something was in her mouth。 She thought it felt like a finger； poking into her mouth。
‘Swallow！’
Kahlan frowned in the darkness； in her sleep。
‘Swallow！ Do you hear me？ Swallow！’
Making a sour face； she did as manded。 The finger pushed more of the dry things into her mouth。
‘Swallow again！’
She swallowed； hoping the voice would leave her alone； now。 It did。 She sank back down into the tingling void。 She drifted in the nowhere place； unaware。 She had no concept of time； no idea how long she floated。
With a gasp； her eyes opened。 She blinked around at her shelter。 The candles were burned halfway down。 Her fur mantle was covering her。
Chandalen leaned over； peering down at her。 A broad smile spread on his lips。 He let out a long sigh of relief。
‘You are back；’ he said。 ‘You are safe； now。’
‘Chandalen？’ She tried to make sense of what she was seeing。 ‘Am I in the underworld； or are you are not dead？’
He laughed quietly。 ‘Chandalen is hard to kill。’
She worked her tongue； trying to wet her dry mouth。 She was awake； really awake； for the first time in as long as she could remember。 It seemed she had forgotten what it was like to be awake； how vibrant it felt。 Still； she did not move； afraid the blackness would return。
‘But； Prindin shot you with a ten…step arrow。 I saw it。’
He turned a bit； looking away in chagrin。 She could see that his black hair was matted with dried blood。 He flipped his hand； as if uneasy that he had to explain。
‘Remember I told you that our ancestors took quassin doe before they went into battle； so that if they were shot with a ten…step arrow； the poison would not kill them？’ She nodded。 He tenderly tested his wounded scalp。 ‘Well； in honor of my ancestors； my warrior ancestors； I ate some of the quassin doe leaves before I went to fight。 The quassin doe you gave to me back at that city。’ His eyebrows lifted； as if further justification was needed。 ‘It was to honor my ancestors。’
Kahlan smiled warmly to him as she put a hand to his arm。 ‘You have done your ancestors proud。’
He helped her sit up。 In the dim light； she saw that Prindin lay next to her； on his back。
The bone knife； the bone knife made from Chandalen’s grandfather’s bones； the one she had worn at her arm； jutted from Prindin’s chest。 The black feathers fanned out around the hilt end； draped like a shroud over the fatal wound。 Somehow； she had managed to put that knife between them when Prindin had leaped on her。 Somehow。
She remembered her numb； helpless plight。 She remembered the tingling feeling of the poison； and that she couldn’t move。 She remembered her terror。 She remembered Prindin’s leap onto her。
But she didn’t remember pulling the knife。
Her voice trembled。 ‘I’m so sorry； Chandalen。’ Her fingers covered her mouth。 ‘I’m so sorry that I killed your friend。’
Chandalen glared at the body。 ‘He