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Chandalen glared at the body。 ‘He was not my friend。 My friends do not try to kill me。’ He put a forting hand to her shoulder。 ‘He was sent by the great； dark spirit of the dead。 His heart was taken by evil。’
Kahlan clutched his sleeve。 ‘Chandalen； that great； dark spirit of the dead is trying to escape from behind the veil。 He wants to pull us all behind the veil； into the world of the dead。’
His brown eyes studied hers。 ‘I believe you。 We must get you to Aydindril； so you may help stop him。’
She sagged with relief。 Thank you； Chandalen。 Thank you for understanding； and for saving me with the quassin doe。’ Kahlan clutched his arm。 The men！ Prindin set a trap for them！ What time is it？’
He made a forting； hushing sound。 ‘When Captain Ryan came to Tossidin and me before the attack； I asked where you were。 I knew you would want to be with them。 He told me that you were sick。 That you could not wake。 It sounded to me like bandu。
‘Captain Ryan said you would not eat； and would have only tea Prindin made for you。 I knew then； what was happening。 I knew you had been poisoned； and the only thing you had was tea。
Tossidin and I were greatly worried for you。 We checked to see if the enemy had changed position。 We saw that they were waiting for the attack where we had planned it at first。 I made the men change the attack； and e from a different place than expected。 As soon as I gave the new orders； we rushed back here。
‘I knew Prindin had betrayed us； but Tossidin thought there must be some other explanation。 He trusted his brother and did not want to think evil of him。 He paid for his trust； his mistake； with his life。’
Kahlan looked away in the uneasy quiet。 She frowned back at him。 ‘What of the arrow？ What of the wound on your head？ We must see to your wounds。’
Chandalen pulled the neck of his buckskin shirt to the side； revealing a bandage over his left shoulder。 ‘The men returned in the night。 They stitched my head。 It is not as bad as it looks。 They also took out the arrow。’
He winced as he pulled the shirt back up on his shoulder。 ‘I taught Prindin well。 He used a bladed arrow。 Bladed arrows do more harm ing out than going in。 One of the men； the one who cuts and sews the wounded； cut out the arrow； and stitched me together。 The arrow hit the bone； so it did not go in too far。 My arm is stiff； and I will not be able to use it for a time。’
Kahlan felt her leg。 There was a bandage under her pants。 ‘Did he stitch my leg； too？’
‘No。 It did not need sewing； just to be wrapped； I did that。 Prindin used a round point on you。 That is not like I taught him。 I don’t know why he would do that。’
Kahlan could feel the presence of the body next to her。 ‘He wanted to be able to get it out of me； after he shot me with poison；’ she said quietly。 ‘He wanted it out of his way。 He was going to rape me before he gave me to the enemy。’
Chandalen watched the body； not wanting to look at her； and said he was glad that had not happened。
She touched his left hand。 ‘And I’m glad it was your shoulder； and not your throat。’
He frowned。 ‘I taught Prindin how to shoot。 He would never miss my throat from that distance。 Why did he not shoot my throat？’
She shrugged； feigning ignorance。 He grunted suspiciously。
‘Chandalen； why is his body still in here？ Why didn’t you drag him out？’
He moved his wounded arm a bit with his other； making it more fortable。 ‘Because Grandfather’s spirit knife is still in him。’ He regarded her with a serious expression。 ‘You have used the aid of Grandfather’s bones； his spirit； to protect yourself； to take another life。 Grandfather’s spirit is bonded to you now。 No other may touch his bone knife； now。 It is yours； and only you may touch it。 You must remove it。’
Kahlan momentarily contemplated whether or not she could just leave the knife where it was； and bury it with the body。 She thought maybe the bone knife should be put to rest； too。 But she discarded the thought。 To the Mud People this was powerful spirit magic。 She would insult Chandalen if she rejected the knife。
She thought； too； that maybe she would be insulting the spirit of Chandalen’s grandfather if she didn’t take back the knife。 She wasn’t entirely sure that it wasn’t the spirit in the bone knife that had killed Prindin to save her。 She didn’t know how the knife had gotten into her hand。
Kahlan reached out and wrapped her fingers around the round end protruding from Prindin’s chest。 It made a sucking sound as she pulled it from the body。 She wiped it clean on the balsam boughs covering the floor。
Kahlan brought the round end to her lips and kissed it lightly。 Thank you； spirit grandfather； for saving my life。’ Somehow； it seemed the right thing to do。
Chandalen smiled as she slid the bone knife into the band on her arm。 ‘You are a good Mud Person。 You knew what to do without me telling you。 Grandfather’s spirit will watch over you always。’
‘Chandalen； we must get to Aydindril。 The veil to the underworld is torn。 We’ve done what we must to help these men。 I must do my job； now。’
‘When we first found these men； I did not want to stay with them。 I wanted to be away from their fight so that you would be safe。’ He stared off at nothing。 ‘Somehow； I forgot that thought； and all I wanted to do was fight and kill the enemy。’
‘I know；’ she whispered； ‘that happened to me； too。 I forgot all about what I was supposed to be doing。 It’s almost as if we； too； listened to the great； dark spirit。 The veil is torn。 Maybe that’s why we were distracted。’
‘You think that this veil is torn； and because of that we forgot what we were to do； and wanted only to kill？’
‘Chandalen； I don’t know the answers to these things。 I must get to Aydindril。 The wizard will know what to do。 Richard needs help。 We have taken enough time here。 We must not waste any more。 We must talk to the men； and then be on our way。 Are they out there？’ He nodded。 ‘Then let’s get going。’
She started to rise； but he put his good hand to her arm and stopped her。 They have been waiting outside your shelter all night。 I would not let them e inside。’
He took his hand back as he seemed to search for the right words。 ‘I feared greatly that you would die this night。 I didn’t know if I had given you the quassin doe in time。 Prindin had been giving you poison without our knowing it； for a long time。 You almost went to the spirit world。
‘If you had died； I would never be able to return to my people again。 But that is not why I am glad you live。 I am glad because you are a good Mud Person。 You are a protector to our people； the same as Chandalen。 We each fight in our own way。’ He lifted an eyebrow。 ‘Lately； you have been fighting too much like Chandalen fights。 You are good at it； but you should leave that to me； and fight in the way you are meant to fight。’
Kahlan smiled。 ‘You’re right。 Thank you for sitting with me all night。 It was good to have you near。 I’m sorry you were hurt。’
He shrugged。 ‘Someday； when I find a woman for myself； I will have scars to show her； so she may see how brave Chandalen is。’
Kahlan laughed。 ‘I’m sure she will be impressed with your bravery when you were shot with an arrow。’
Chandalen gave her a crooked look。 ‘It does not prove I was brave because I was shot with an arrow。 Anyone can be shot。’ He lifted his chin。 ‘I am brave because I did not cry out when the the arrow was cut from me。’
Someday； Kahlan thought； some fortunate woman would have her hands full with this one。 ‘I’m glad the good spirits watched over you； and you are with me。’
He narrowed his eyes as he peered at her。 ‘I do not know what happened； but I think Prindin missed my throat because you were watching over me； too。’
She only grinned。 When she looked to the body； her grin withered。 She stroked the fur of her mantle。 ‘Poor Tossidin。 He loved his brother。 I’ll miss him。’
Chandalen glanced to the body。 ‘I have known them since they were young boys。 They both follow