Stone of Tears

A couple of the men grabbed at her legs, pulling them apart. They growled that they would have what they wanted their own way. The biggest, the one with the gruff voice, hauled them back, throwing one against the wall. His head banged with a loud thunk.

“Let her talk! She makes sense!” He turned his vicious eyes on her. “Let’s hear your offer.”

Kahlan tried to slow her voice down, and sound like she might be intrigued by the idea. She tried to sound self-confident as she shrugged.

“If you do it my way, I’ll give you whatever you want. I’ll make sure you enjoy whatever you like.”

Some of the men chuckled. The big man’s eyes showed his suspicion. “Why? And how do we know you mean it?”

“Because I’ll be able to enjoy it, too, that way.” Kahlan swallowed back her fear. “Untie my hands, and I’ll show you I mean it.”

She leaned forward as he untied her hands, another man taking the opportunity to fondle her breasts. She remained still. At last, her hands were untied. She rubbed her aching wrists and then smiled at the big man as she ran her fingers down his cheek.

He slapped her hand away. “You’re running out of time. You better show us you mean what you say.”

Kahlan steeled herself as she leaned back against the wall. She pulled her dress up above her waist, drew her knees up, and spread her legs. She looked to the big man. Touch me.”

Three of the other men reached for her. She slapped their hands away. “I said one at a time!” She looked the big man in the eyes, when they came up. He towered over the other men. “What’s your name?”

“Tyler.”

“One at a time. You first, Tyler. Touch me.”

The stone walls echoed with the sound of heavy breathing. The big man reached out and stroked her. It took all her strength to keep her knees apart. She forced herself to breathe. She prayed he couldn’t see her shaking.

A grin spread on his hulking face as his husky hand groped her. She coyly pushed his hand away and put her knees together.

“See? Isn’t that better than some delicate woman who faints at the first touch and lies on the floor like a dead fish?”

The other men agreed that it surely was. Tyler gave her a suspicious look.

“You look like one of them Confessors.”

Kahlan sputtered a laugh. “Confessor!” She pulled out a short strand of hair. The feel of how short it was almost made her cry out in anguish. “does this look like I’m a Confessor?”

“No… but that dress…”

“Well,” Kahlan said, “she wasn’t wearing it, so I borrowed it.”

“Last I heard, they don’t behead people for stealing a dress. What did you do to get yourself thrown in with us?”

She held her chin up. “I didn’t do anything. I’m innocent.”

The men laughed. They said that they, too, were innocent. Tyler wasn’t laughing with them. He had a dangerous look in his eyes. She knew she had to do something, and quick.

With her heart thumping so hard she thought it might come right out of her chest, she took Tyler’s hand in both of hers, and put it back up between her legs, pressing her thighs to it.

Tyler’s leering grin swept the caution from his face. “so what is it you want us to do?” he asked.

“I’ll make myself available here, and the rest of you all go over there, while I’m with each man in turn. That way I’ll feel safe enough to enjoy it, and at ease enough to make sure you do, too.” She looked back to the big man and licked her lips as she smiled. “And I have one other condition. I want you first. I’ve always wanted a really big man.”

She shivered at the look in his eyes. She told herself that she was the Mother Confessor; she had to keep her head. She licked her lips again as she wiggled herself against his hand.

Tyler burst into laughter. The others all chuckled nervously with him. “You lofty ladies all act better than everyone else, but when it comes to it, you’re just a whore, like all the rest.”

His smile vanished in a way that made her heart skip a beat. “I wrung the neck of the last whore what acted like she was better than me, and decided to change her mind. That wizard told us what he’d do if we were to kill you, but that don’t mean we won’t make you regret it if you go back on your word.” Kahlan could only manage a smile and a nod. “Let’s get to it.”

A sweep of his arm scattered the others to the opposite side of the pit, while she was desperately seeking the feel of her magic. He told them they could decide among themselves who went next. And then he turned to her. He started unbuckling his pants.

Kahlan wildly searched her mind for a stall. She needed time to figure out how to find her power. “How about a kiss, first?”

“I don’t need no kiss,” he growled. “Open your legs, like before. I liked that.”

“Well, it’s just that a kiss from a big, handsome man gets a woman randy to please him.”

He paused a moment, then put his right arm around her shoulders and slammed her to the floor beside him. “You better get randy real quick, before I lose my patience.”

“I promise. Just kiss me a bit first.”