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was a burned handprint … the Keeper’s mark。 The blackened skin was cracked and bleeding。 His life； his soul； was bleeding away。
She fell on him； clutched at him； as she wept and shook uncontrollably。
Kahlan gripped her fingers into a fist in his hair and pressed her face against his cold cheek。 ‘Please； Richard；’ she cried in choking sobs； ‘please don’t leave me。 I would do anything for you。 I would die in your place。 Don’t die。 Don’t leave me。 Please； Richard。 Don’t die。’
She crouched against him； her world ending。 Dying。 She could think of nothing to do； other than cry that she loved him。 He was dying； and she could do nothing to stop it。 She could feel his breathing slow。
She willed herself to die with him； but death wouldn’t e。 She lost all sense of time。 She didn’t know if she had been there a few minutes； or a few hours。 She didn’t know what was real anymore。 It all felt like a nightmare。 With trembling fingers； she stroked his face。 His skin was dead cold。
‘You would be Kahlan。’
She spun around； sitting up； at the sound of the woman’s voice ing from behind her。 The door to the spirit house was closed again。 In the darkness； a white； spiritlike glow towered over her。 It appeared to be a spirit； a woman； her hands clasped in front of her。 She watched with a pleasant smile。 Her hair； as best as Kahlan could make of it； was plaited in a single braid。
‘Who are you？’
The figure sank down to sit in front of her。 The spirit had no clothes Kahlan could make out； but didn’t appear to be naked either。 The woman looked at Richard。 A glaze of both longing and anguish came over her fair features。 The spirit turned to Kahlan。
‘I am Denna。’
The shock of the name； and her proximity to Richard； brought Kahlan’s fist up in a jerk。 Lightning screamed to be released。 Before Kahlan could let it go； Denna spoke again。
‘He is dying。 He needs us。 Both of us。’
Kahlan hesitated。 ‘You can help him？’
‘We both can； maybe。 If you love him enough。’
Kahlan’s hopes flared。 ‘I would do anything。 Anything。’
Denna nodded。 ‘I hope so。’
Denna looked back to Richard and tenderly stroked his chest。 Kahlan was a blink away from releasing the power。 She didn’t know if Denna was trying to hurt him； or help him。 She hoped against hope。 This was her only chance to save Richard。 Richard took a deep breath。 Kahlan’s heart leapt。
Denna withdrew her hand and smiled。 ‘He is still with you。’
Kahlan lowered her fist a little； and wiped tears from her cheek with the fingers of her other hand。 She didn’t like the look of longing Denna had as she watched Richard。 Not one bit。 ‘How did you get here？ Richard couldn’t have called you； you are not his ancestor。’
Denna turned； her small； dreamy smile fading。 ‘It would be impossible to relate it to you accurately； but perhaps I could explain it enough that it would help you to understand。 I was in a place of darkness and peace。 It was disturbed as Darken Rahl passed through。 His passing through is something that is not supposed to happen。 As he neared； I sensed that Richard had somehow called him； and enabled him to pass from where he was； held by a veil； and to e here。
‘I know Darken Rahl all too well； so I followed him。 I would never have been able to pass through my own veil； but by latching on to him； I was able to e through； too； to follow in his wake。 I came because I knew what Darken Rahl would do to Richard。 I don’t know how to explain it better。’
Kahlan nodded。 She wasn’t seeing a spirit； she was seeing a woman who had taken Richard as her mate。 The power boiled angrily inside her。 She struggled to put it down； telling herself that this was to save Richard。 She didn’t know any other way； she had to let Denna help； if she could。 Kahlan had said she would do anything； and she meant it。 Even if it was not to try to kill someone who was already dead。 Someone she wanted to kill a thousand times and then another thousand。
‘Can you help him？ Can you save him？’
‘The Keeper’s mark has been placed upon him。 The mark will take the holder to the Keeper。 If another’s hand is placed over the mark； it will transfer to them； and take them instead； in his place。 Richard will not then be pulled to the Keeper。 He will live。’
Kahlan knew in that instant what she must do。 Without hesitation； she leaned over Richard； stretching her hand out。 Then I will take the mark。 I will go in his place so that he will live。’ She spread her fingers to match the black mark。 Her hand was only a scant inch above it。
‘Kahlan； don’t do that。’
She looked over her shoulder。 ‘Why？ If it will save him； then I am willing to go in his place。’
‘I know you are； but it is not that simple。 We must talk first。 It will not be easy； for either of us。 It will hurt both of us to really help him。’
Kahlan reluctantly sat back down and nodded。 She would have agreed to anything； paid any price； even talking to this 。。。 woman。 She put a hand protectively on Richard as she sat facing Denna。 ‘How do you know who I am？’
Denna grinned； almost laughed。 To know Richard is to know who Kahlan is。’
‘He told you about me？’
Denna’s smile faded。 ‘In a way。 I heard your name countless times。 When I hurt him until he was delirious； he cried your name。 Never another。 Not his mother’s； nor his father’s。 Only yours。 I hurt him until he didn’t know his own name； but he always knew yours。 I knew he would find a way to be with you despite your Confessor’s power。’ A little of her smile came back。 ‘I think Richard could find a way to make the sun rise at midnight。’
‘Why are you telling me this？’
‘Because I am going to ask you to help him； and I want you to understand exactly how much you will be hurting him before you agree to it。 You must understand what it is you will have to do in order to save him。 I won’t trick you into doing it。 It must be with your full knowledge。 Only in that way will you know how to save him。 If you don’t understand； you could fail。
‘He is in danger from more than this mark。 He is sick with a madness； madness I put there。 It will kill him as surely as will the Keeper’s mark。’
‘Richard is probably the most sane person I know。 He has no madness。 It is the mark we must remove。’
‘He is marked in other ways： he has the gift。 I knew from the moment he came to kill me。 I can see it in him now； the aura of it。 I know it is killing him； and I know his time is very short。 I don’t know how long； only that there is not much time left。 We can’t save him from the Keeper just to have him die anyway from the gift。’
Kahlan nodded as she wiped her nose on the back of her hand。 The Sisters of the Light say they can save him。 They say he must put a collar on to save himself。 Richard will not put it on。 He told me what you did to him； why he won’t wear a collar。 But Richard is not crazy。 He will see in the end what must be done； and do it。 That is the way he is。 He will see the truth。’
Denna shook her head。 ‘What he told you does not scratch the surface of it。 You cannot imagine what he has not told you。 I know his madness。 He will not tell you the rest of it。 I must。’
Kahlan’s anger boiled。 ‘I don’t think it would be wise for you to tell me。 If he doesn’t want to tell me； then I don’t think I should know it。’
‘You must。 You must understand him if you are to help him。 In some ways； I understand him better than you。 I have taken him to the edge of madness； and beyond。 I have seen him in a wasteland of insanity。
‘I have stood over him and held him there。’
Kahlan glared。 She recognized the look in Denna’s eyes when she looked at Richard。 She didn’t trust her。 ‘You love him。’
Denna stared at her。 ‘He loves you。 I used that love to hurt him。 I took him to the brink of death and held him there； on the cusp。 Others would bring a man to the edge faster； but they couldn’t hold him there。 They always went one step too far； too quickly； and killed them； ending it before they could extract the most exquisite pain； i