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l； and then she gently patted his stomach。 ‘Button your shirt； Richard； or I may forget why I’m here。’
His face turned a deeper red。 Kahlan moved deliberately closer to his side as he began redoing the buttons。
‘Shota；’ he said as he tucked the tails in his pants； ‘I have to thank you。 You may not know it； but you really helped me before。 Helped me to figure it out。’
‘It was my intention to help you。’
‘You don’t understand。 I mean you helped me figure out how to be with Kahlan。 You helped me figure out how we could be together。 How to love her。’ He smiled。 ‘We’re going to be married。’
There was a moment of icy silence。
That’s right；’ Kahlan said； holding her chin up； ‘we love each other 。。。 and can be together now 。。。 Forever。’ She hated the way Shota made her feel explanations were necessary； and the way she fumbled with them。
Shota’s intense gaze slid to her and her smile slowly evaporated； making Kahlan have to swallow again。 ‘You ignorant children；’ Shota whispered as she slowly shook her head。 ‘You foolish； ignorant children。’
Richard’s expression was being heated。 ‘We may be ignorant； but we are not children； and we love each other。 And we are going to be married。 I was hoping you would be happy for us； Shota； since you played a small part in it。’
‘What I told you； dear boy； was that you needed to kill her。’
‘But that’s all over；’ Kahlan protested。 The problem has been solved。 It’s all right for us now。 Everything is all right。’
Kahlan gasped as she felt her feet lift off the ground。 Both she and Richard were flung across the room and up against the wall。 The impact knocked the wind from her lungs。 Little points of light floated and danced before her eyes。 She looked down； trying to clear her vision。
She and Richard were flattened against the mud…brick wall； a good three feet off the ground。 She could hardly breathe。 The only thing she could move was her head。 Even her clothes were flattened。 Her cloak lay against the wall as if it were the floor。 Richard was as helpless as she。 They both struggled； twisting their heads； but it was useless； they were stuck tight。
Shota glided across the room toward them； her eyes hot and dangerous。 She stopped in front of Kahlan。 ‘He didn’t need to kill you？ And it’s all right now； is it； Mother Confessor？’
‘Yes；’ Kahlan managed； trying to sound confident as she hung helpless。
‘Did it ever occur to you； Mother Confessor； that perhaps there are reasons behind what I say？’
‘Yes； but that has all。。。’
‘Did it ever occur to you； Mother Confessor； that there is a reason why Confessors are not supposed to love their mates？ And perhaps another reason he should have killed you？’
Kahlan couldn’t answer。 Her mind raced with frantic thoughts。
‘What are you talking about？’ Richard demanded。
Shota ignored him。 ‘Did it； Mother Confessor？’
Kahlan’s throat was so dry； she had to swallow twice before she could speak。 ‘What do you mean？ What reason？’
‘Have you lain with this man you love？ Have you done that yet； Mother Confessor？’
It was Kahlan’s turn to blush。 ‘What kind of question is that to ask someone！’
‘Answer the question； Mother Confessor；’ Shota hissed； ‘or I will skin you right now and use your hide to make myself something pretty。 I am of a mind to do it anyway。 You had better not even think of lying to me。’
‘I 。。。 We 。。。 No！ And what business is it of yours anyway！’
Shota stepped closer。 Her eyes sent a silent shriek through Kahlan。 ‘Maybe you’d better think twice before you do； Mother Confessor。’
‘What do you mean？’ she breathed； wide…eyed。
Shota folded her arms across her breasts。 Her voice became more menacing。 ‘Confessors are not supposed to love their mates； because if they bear a male child； she has to ask the husband to kill the baby。 The husband is supposed to have been taken by the Confessor’s power； so that he will do whatever she asks。 Without question。’
‘But 。。。’
Shota stepped even closer； her eyes filled with fury。 ‘If you love him； how could you ask that of him！ How could you ask Richard to kill his son？ Do you think he would？ Would you？ Would you kill the son of the man you love？ Would you； Mother Confessor？’
Shota’s words knifed into Kahlan’s heart and soul； leaving her barely able to whisper the answer。 ‘No。’
She felt her hopes and happiness collapsing。 In the joy of finding she could be with Richard； she hadn’t given any thought to the future。 To the consequences。 To children。 She had thought only of Richard and her being together。
Shota was screaming at her。 ‘And then what； Mother Confessor！ You will raise him？ And you will visit upon the world a male Confessor？ A male Confessor！’ She unfolded her arms； her white…knuckled fists dropping to her sides。 ‘You will bring the world to the dark times again！ The dark times！ Because of you！ Because you love this man！ Did you ever think of that； you ignorant child？’
The lump in Kahlan’s throat threatened to choke her。 She wanted to run from Shota； but she couldn’t move。 ‘Not all male Confessors are that way。’
‘Almost every one is！ Almost every one！’ She pointed a single finger at Richard without looking at him。 ‘Are you going to risk the world； because you love this man？ Risk sending everyone into the terror of the dark times； just because you would selfishly want the son of this man to live？’
‘Shota；’ Richard’s voice was surprisingly calm。 ‘Most Confessors bear girls。 You are worrying about something that probably won’t even happen。 We may not even have children。 Not all couples conceive。 You are extending your worries along a lot of forks in the road。’
Richard suddenly slid down the wall； landing with a grunt。 In a rage； Shota grabbed his shirt in her fists and lifted him； slamming him against the wall； knocking the wind from his lungs。 ‘Do you think I am as stupid as you？ I know the flow of time！ I am a witch woman！ I told you before； I know how certain events flow and unfold！ If you lie with this woman； she will have a male child！ She is a Confessor！ Every Confessor bears a Confessor！ Always！ If you give her a child； it will be a boy！’
She slammed him against the wall again。 Kahlan winced at the sound of his head hitting the wall。 Shota’s behavior was frightening； and seemed out of character。 She had impressed Kahlan before as menacing in the extreme； but she also seemed intelligent and reasonable。 At least to an extent。 She seemed different now； unstable。
Richard didn’t try to remove her hands； but Kahlan could see he was getting angry。 ‘Shota …’
She slammed him up against the wall again。 ‘Keep your tongue still or I will cut it out！’
Richard’s rage looked to match Shota’s。 ‘You were wrong before； Shota！ Wrong！ There are many ways for events to flow forward in time。 Had I listened to you the last time； and killed Kahlan when you wanted me to； Darken Rahl would rule us all now！ And it would have been because I followed your stupid advice！ It was through her that I defeated Darken Rahl！ If I had done as you wished； we would have lost！’
His chest heaved as he glared at her。 ‘If you have e all this way to threaten us about some perceived threat； you have wasted your time。 I didn’t do it your way the last time； and I will not do it your way now！ I will not kill her nor will I give her up on your word！ On anyone’s！’
Shota stared at him a moment and then removed her hands from his shirt。 ‘I did not e here about some ‘perceived’ threat to the future；’ she whispered。 ‘I did not e here to argue with you about making babies with Confessors； Richard Rahl。’
Richard jerked back in shock。 ‘I’m not 。。。’
‘I came here； because I may want to kill you for what you have done； Richard Rahl。 That you two ignorant children want to go make babies is a flea on the back of the true monster you have already created。’
‘Why are you calling me that？’ Richard whispered。
Shota studied his pale face。 ‘Because that is who