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‘I am Supreme Councilor Thurstan！’ the one in the center； at the tallest chair； said。 ‘I demand to know the meaning of this intrusion！’
Richard was still ing。 ‘Be there one of you who did not vote to sentence the Mother Confessor to death？’
‘She was sentenced to death for treason！ Legally； and unanimously； sentenced by this council！ Guards！ Remove this man！’
Men came running across the vast floor； but Richard had already closed on the dais。 The councilors drew knives。
Richard leapt to the top of the desk with a scream of rage。 The blade cleaved Thurstan in two； from ear to crotch。 A swing to each side took off heads。 Several of the men tried to stab him。 They weren’t close to fast enough。 The sword found every robed figure； including the ones who tried to run。 It was over in seconds； before the guards had made half the distance。
Richard leapt back atop the desk。 He stood in the grip of unbridled wrath； holding the sword in both hands。 He waited for them to e。 He wanted them to e。
‘I am the Seeker！ These men have murdered the Mother Confessor！ They have paid the price of murder！ Decide if you wish to be on the side of dead cutthroats； or on the side of right！’
The ring of men slowed their advance； looking tentatively to one another。 Finally they stopped。 Richard stood panting。
One man looked back at the hole in the wall where the doors had been； and then glanced over the debris scattered across the floor。 ‘You are a wizard？’
Richard met the man’s eyes。 ‘Yes。 I guess I am。’
The man sheathed his sword。 This is wizard’s business。 It’s not our place to challenge wizards。 I’ll not die for something that’s not my place。’
Another sheathed his weapon。 Soon； the room rang with the clatter of steel being returned to hangers and scabbards。 They began leaving； the room echoing with the sound of their boots。 In a matter of moments； the vast council chamber was empty but for Richard。
He sprang down from the desk and stared at the tall chair in the center。 It was about the only thing not dripping with gore。 That would have been the Mother Confessor’s chair； Kahlan’s chair。 She would have sat in that chair。
Woodenly； Richard sheathed the sword。 It was over。 He had done everything there was to do。
The good spirits had deserted him。 They had deserted Kahlan。 He had sacrificed everything to see right done； and the good spirits had done nothing to help。
To the Keeper with the good spirits。
Richard dropped to his knees。 He thought about the Sword of Truth。 It had magic； he decided that he couldn’t count on it working for what he needed now。
Instead； he drew the knife at his belt。
He had done everything there was to do。
Richard put the point of the knife to his chest。
With cold precision； he looked down； to make sure it was pointed at his heart。 Kahlan’s hair； the hair he had taken from the hawker； stuck from his shirt。 Richard pulled the lock she had given him from his pocket。
She had given it to him to remind him she would always love him。 He wanted only to end his uncontrollable agony。
‘She is awake；’ Prince Harold said。 ‘She is asking for you。’
Kahlan finally pulled her gaze from the flames in the hearth。 She darted a cool glance at the wizard sitting next to Adie on a wooden bench。 Though Zedd had recovered his memory； Adie had not。 She still thought of herself as Elda； and was still blind。
Kahlan crossed the dark dining hall。 When they had arrived； the inn had been deserted； as had the rest of the town； for fear of the advance of the Keltish forces。 The empty town was a good place to rest in their run from Aydindril。 Two weeks on the run had left them all in need of a rest； and a little warmth。
A week out of Aydindril； their little pany； Zedd； Adie； Ahern； Jebra； Chandalen； Orsk； and Kahlan； had been intercepted by a small force led by Prince Harold。 Prince Harold and a handful of his men had escaped the slaughter of his forces in Aydindril； and had lain in wait。 When Queen Cyrilla was taken out to be beheaded； he made a daring raid； and in the confusion of people e to see the execution； he snatched his sister from the axeman。
Four days after joining with Prince Harold； they encountered Captain Ryan and his remaining nine hundred men。
They had wiped out the Imperial Order to a man。 It had cost them dearly； but they had carried out their mission。
Even her pride in them failed to rally her spirits； though she refused to betray that to those men。
After she wrung out a cloth in the basin； Kahlan sat on the edge of her half sister’s bed。 Cyrilla was aware； as she was from time to time； though she always slipped back into the dazed stupor before long。 When she was in that state； she saw nothing； heard nothing； and said nothing。 She simply stared。
Kahlan was heartened to see her tears now； as it meant she was awake。 When she was alert； only Kahlan could talk to her。 The sight of men sent her either into a screaming fit or back into a stupor。
Cyrilla clutched Kahlan’s arm as Kahlan wiped the cool cloth over her brow。 ‘Kahlan； have you thought about what I said？’
Kahlan pulled the cloth back。 ‘I don’t want to be the queen of Galea。 You are the queen； my sister。’
‘Please； Kahlan； our people need a leader。 I am not fit to do it now。’ She clutched her hand tighter to Kahlan’s arm。 Tears poured forth。 ‘Kahlan； you must do this for me； for them。’
Kahlan wiped the tears with the cloth。 ‘Cyrilla； things will turn out well； you will see。’
She clutched a fist over her belly。 ‘I cannot lead； now。’
‘Cyrilla； I understand。 I do。 Though they did not do to me what they did to you； I was in that pit。 I understand。 But you will recover yourself。 You will； I promise。’
‘And you will be the queen？ For our people？’
‘If I agree； it would only be temporary。 Only until you have regained your strength。’
‘No 。。。’ she moaned。 She sobbed； hiding her face against the pillow。 ‘Don’t 。。。 Please。 Dear spirits； help me。 No 。。。’
And then she was gone again。 Gone into the visions。 She went limp； still as death； staring up at the ceiling。 Kahlan kissed her cheek。
Prince Harold waited in the darkness outside the door。 ‘How is my sister？’
‘The same； I’m afraid。 But have faith。 She will recover。’
‘Kahlan； you must do as she asks。 She is the queen。’
‘Why can’t you be king？ That would make more sense。’
‘I must fight on for our people； for all the Midlands。 I cannot devote myself to the struggle if I’m burdened with concern over being king； too。 I’m a soldier； and I wish to serve in the way I know。 It is what I was meant to do。 You are an Amnell； daughter to King Wyborn； you must be the queen of Galea。’
Kahlan started to flip her long hair back over her shoulder； but it wasn’t there。 It was hard to forget the habits of a lifetime； to remember that her hair was chopped short。
‘I will think on it；’ she said； as she started off。
She stood once more before the fireplace； the only source of light in the dining hall； staring into the flames； watching the once living things turn to ash。 Everyone avoided her； and left her to herself。
After a time； she realized Zedd was standing beside her。 She was only now beginning to get used to him in those fancy robes。
He held his cup out。 ‘Why don’t you have a sip of spiced tea。’
She didn’t look up from the flames。 ‘No； thank you。’
He rolled the cup in his palms。 ‘Kahlan； you can’t go on blaming yourself。 It is not your fault。’
‘You wear lies poorly； wizard。 I saw the look in your eyes when I told you what I had done。 Remember？’
‘I’ve explained that to you。 You know I was under the spell cast by the three sorceresses； and only great emotional shock could break it。 Anger could do the task； but once anger is brought on； it must be allowed to rage uncontrolled if it is to break the spell。 I have told you how sorry I am for what I did to you。’
‘I saw the look in your eyes。 You wanted to kill me。’
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