Faith of the Fallen

"What if," Kahlan asked, "we released it in a line along the face of the front? Right where it was needed. Then it would take less, wouldn't it?"

"Well I suppose." Verna threw up her hands. "But I told you, we can't use magic to help us or they will detect our conjuring and then they will shield for the glass as fast as we release it. It will be useless. Better to release what we have and hope for the best."

Kahlan glanced out over the empty plain faintly lit by the placid clouds veiling the moon. There was nothing to be seen out in the valley.

Soon, there would be. Soon, the virgin snow would be trampled by the boots of over a million men.

Only the sound of glass being crushed on stone and the thump of the steel rods in the barrels disturbed the quiet darkness. Soon, bloodcurdling battle cries would inundate the hush of the night.

Kahlan felt the suffocating dread she had felt when she first realized that all those men had caught her alone. She felt the anger, too.

"Collect what you've made so far," she said. "Let me have it."

They all stared at her.

Zedd's brow drew together in a wrinkled knot. "Just what are you thinking?"

Kahlan pulled her hair back from her face as she rapidly pieced together her plan, so that it was whole in her own mind, first.

"The enemy is attacking into the wind-not directly, but close enough for our purpose. I'm thinking that if I ride along the front of our line, right in front of the advancing enemy troops, and I release the glass dust, letting it dribble out as I go, then it will flow out in the wind behind me, right into the faces of the enemy. Delivering it right where it's needed, it won't take as much as it would were we to let it drift out from here hoping to spread it all across the valley." She looked from one startled face to another. "Do you see what I'm saying? Closer to the enemy, wouldn't it take much less to do the job?"

"Dear Creator," Verna protested, "do you have any idea how dangerous that would be?"

"Yes," Kahlan answered in grim resolve. "A lot less dangerous than facing a direct attack by their entire force. Now, would that work? Wouldn't it take considerably less if I were to ride along the front, trickling it out as I went, than letting it drift out to them from here? Well? We're running out of time."

"You're right-it wouldn't take nearly as much." Verna touched her lip as she stared off into the darkness while considering. "It's better than the way we were going to do it, that much is sure."

Kahlan started pushing her. "Get it together. Now. Hurry."

Verna abandoned her protests and ran off to collect what they had. Cara was about to unleash a tirade of objections when Zedd lifted a hand as if to ask she let him do the objecting, instead.

"Kahlan, it sounds like you might have something here, but someone else can do this. It's foolish to risk-"

"I'll be needing a diversion," she said, cutting him off. "Something to distract their attention. I'll be riding by in the dark, so they probably won't notice me, but it would be best if there were something to occupy their attention, just in case, something to make them look elsewhere-for the last time."

"As I was saying, someone else can-"

"No," she said in quiet finality. "I'll not ask someone else to do this. It was my idea. I'm doing it. I won't allow someone to take my place."

Kahlan deemed herself responsible for the peril they were in. It was she who had blundered and fallen for Jagang's trick. It was she who had come up with the plan and ordered the troops out. It was she who made Jagang's night attack possible.

Kahlan knew all too well the terror everyone felt, waiting for the attack. She felt it herself. She thought of Holly, fearful of being murdered by the marauding beasts coming out of the night for her. The fear was all too real.

It would be Kahlan who had lost the war for them, this very night, if they didn't get their army back across that pass to safety.

"I'm doing this myself," she repeated. "That's the way it's going to be. Standing here arguing about it can only cost us our chance. Now, I need a diversion, and I need one quickly."

Zedd let out an angry breath. The fire was back in his eyes. He flicked out his hand, pointing. "Warren is back there waiting for me. The two of us will move to separate locations and give you your diversion."

"What will you do?"

At last, Zedd surrendered to a grim, cunning grin. "Nothing fancy, this time. No clever devious tricks, like they no doubt expect. This time, we'll give them a good old-fashioned firefight."

Kahlan gave a sharp tug to the strap at her ribs holding her leather armor on her shoulders, chest, and back, cinching it down tight. She nodded once to seal the pact.

"Wizard's fire it is, then."

"Keep an eye to your right, to our side, as you ride. I don't want you to get in the way of what I mean for the enemy. You must also watch for what their gifted send back at me."