Confessor: Chainfire Trilogy Part 3

Richard had told her how when Darken Rahl had opened the box of Orden he had been sucked down into the underworld-along with all the sorcerer's sand he'd used to draw the spells. Up in the garden of life there was no more of that precious commodity. There was only dirt left where the sorcerer's sand had been.

Nicci looked up from another book she was thumbing through. "This has some information about the Temple of the Winds."

Richard looked up. "Really?"

She nodded. "You know, the thing that baffles me about that is how you said you crossed the world of the dead to get to it."

It had appeared during the lightning and Richard had crossed over on a road while it was visible.

"I'm sorry, Nicci, but I told you everything I know on the subject."

"According to this, and to what you told me you learned from studying accounts in old books, the Temple of the Winds was sent to the underworld. Because it was banished for protection, it resides somewhere distant across that great void. The whole purpose is to make it far away and impossible to get to."

"But it was right there when the conditions were right. I stepped right across into the temple."

She nodded absently as she went back to reading and pacing. She finally stopped again, looking impatient.

"It still doesn't make sense. It's impossible to get from here to there across the world of the dead. Crossing the void of the underworld is something like crossing the ocean. It would be like walking to the shoreline and stepping onto an island that's on the other side of the world without having to travel across the intervening ocean."

"Maybe the Temple of the Winds isn't really that far away in the underworld. Maybe it's like the island isn't really across the ocean, but just right there, close to the shoreline."

Nicci shook her head. "Not according to this, and not according to the things you told me. Every reference says that to banish the temple to safety they sent it across the underworld-rather like sending it across the universe itself."

"Lord Rahl," Cara called from the doorway.

Richard yawned again. "What is it, Cara?"

"I have some people here with me who need to see you."

As much as he would like a break, Richard didn't want to stop. He needed to learn all of it if he was ever to get Kahlan back.

"It seems to be important," Cara added when she saw him hesitating.

"All right, bring them in."

Cara led a group of six people in pristine white robes into the room. In the somewhat dark library, the white-robed figures almost glowed like good spirits. They all came to a halt on the other side of the massive mahogany table. They looked to Richard more like people fearing they might be executed than like people who wanted to see him.

Richard looked from the six nervous people, five men and one woman, to Cara.

"These are some of the crypt staff," she said.

"Crypt staff?"

"Yes, Lord Rahl. They take care of the tombs and such."

Richard looked at their faces again. They all looked away from his gaze to stare at the floor as they remained silent.

"Yes, I remember seeing some of you when I first came back-when we had the battle down there with the Imperial Order soldiers."

He couldn't imagine the horrific mess that would have had to be cleaned up. He had ordered that the bodies of the Order soldiers be thrown over the side of the plateau. They had more important things to worry about than caring for the remains of murderers.

The people nodded.

"What is it you wish to tell me?"

Cara waved a hand to dissuade him from that notion. "Lord Rahl, they are all mute."

Richard gestured with the pen in his hand as he leaned back in his chair. "All of you?"

The six people nodded together.

"Darken Rahl cut out the tongues of all the crypt staff so that they couldn't speak ill of his dead father."

Richard sighed at hearing such a terrible thing. "I'm sorry you were abused like that. If it makes you feel any better I share your feelings about the man."

Cara smiled as she looked at her six charges. "I told them of your part in his death."

The six smiled a little and nodded.

"So, what's this about? Can you help me understand what you want me to know?" he asked the six.

One of them reached out and carefully placed a folded, pristinely white cloth on the table. The man slid it toward Richard.

As Richard reached for it, a drop of ink dripped from his pen onto the white cloth.

"Sorry," he mumbled as he set the pen aside.

He pulled the cloth closer. He looked up at the six. "So, what is it?"

When they made no attempt to explain, he glanced at Cara. She only shrugged. "They were insistent that you see it."

One of them gestured with his hands held out flat, almost as if they were the pages of a book as it opened, then repeated the gesture.

"You want me to open it?"

All six nodded.

It didn't really feel like it could contain anything at all, but Richard carefully started opening the folds of cloth back onto the table. Nicci, standing beside the six, leaned over the table watching.