Temple of the Winds

Zedd stumbled and dropped half his load of waterskins. As he regained his balance, he stepped on one that had snagged a thorny berry bush. Bending to retrieve the waterskins, his stack of blankets toppled into the mud puddle created by the burst waterskin. He put a knee to the ground to regain his balance as he gathered up the scattered waterskins. His knee squashed the berries under the blanket. "Oops." He waved an apology to the Si Doak. "Sorry." The Si Doak leaped about in agitation, demanding he pick everything up at once. The man whose waterskin Zedd had ripped open over a thorn bush pointed angrily at his damaged property while jabbering demands of recompense.

"I said I was sorry," Zedd protested, even though they couldn't understand him. He bent to gather up the wet blankets. He lifted one up high and held it out between his widespread arms. inspecting it. "Oh dear. Look at that. We'll never get that stain out."

CHAPTER 46

Lord Rahl. you have had a hard ride." Berdine said. "I think you should be resting. We should go back. So you can rest. I mean."

The massive rampart, lit by the mellow light of the low sun. spread out before the three of them like a broad road. He wanted to be out of the Keep before dark. Not that the light of day would save him from dangerous magic, but somehow being in the Wizard's Keep after dark seemed worse. Raina leaned past him to speak. "It was your idea. Berdine." "My idea? I never suggested any such thing!" "Quiet, both of you." Richard murmured.

He was considering the feel of magic against his skin. They had advanced halfway across the long rampart toward the First Wizard's private enclave before the distinct caress of magic began tingling against his flesh. Both Mord-Sith had balked at its feel.

Kahlan had told him about this place, about the First Wizard's private enclave. She said that she used to come up to this rampart because it provided a beautiful view of Aydindril, and indeed there was that, but there was also the magic of powerful shields. Those shields kept everyone out of this small corner of the Wizard's Keep.

Kahlan had told him that in her life there had never been a wizard with enough power to pass these shields. Wizards had tried, but failed. The wizards living and working in the Keep as Kahlan was growing up simply didn't have the magic required to enter this part of it. Zedd was the First Wizard: no one had been in the First Wizard's enclave since before Kahlan and Richard were born. when Zedd had left the Midlands.

Kahlan had said that these shields exerted more magic as you got closer, that they made your hair stand on end and made it difficult to breathe. She had also said that if a person didn't have enough magic of their own. just getting too close to the shields could be deadly. Richard didn't discount in the slightest what she had said. but he had need to go in there.

Kahlan had also said that to enter required placing your hand on the cold metal plate beside the door. something no wizard she knew had ever been able to do. Richard had encountered shields like this one at the Palace of the Prophets, ones passed by touching a metal plate, but as far as he knew none of those were potentially deadly. He had been able to pass those shields, and he had been able to pass others in the Keep that required magic only he possessed, so he reasoned that he might be able to pass this one. He needed to get in there.

Berdine rubbed her arms. distressed by the tingle of the magic. "Are you sure you aren't tired? You rode all that way." "It wasn't that hard a ride," Richard said. "I'm not tired." He was too worried to rest. He had thought Kahlan would be back by now. He had been sure he would find her back home when he returned from Mount Kymer-mosst. She should have been back by now. But she wasn't. He would wait only until morning.

"I still don't think we should be doing this," Berdine muttered. "How is your foot? I don't think you should be on it."

Richard finally looked down at her. She was pressed up against his left side. Raina was pressed to his right. Each held her Agiel in her fist.

"My foot is just fine, thank you." He shifted his body to force them away a bit to give himself breathing room. "I only need one of you. No loss of face if you wish to remain here. Raina can go, if you don't want to."

Berdine scowled up at him. "I didn't say I wasn't going. I said you shouldn't be doing it."

"I have to. It wasn't anywhere else. It has to be here. I was told that important things, things not meant to be seen by just anyone, were kept in the First Wizard's enclave."

Berdine rolled her shoulders, easing the tension in her muscles. "If you insist on going, then I'm going, too. I'll not let you walk in there without me." "Raina?" he asked. "I don't need both of you. Do you want to wait here?" Raina gave him a dark, Mord-Sith glare in answer.