Temple of the Winds

Richard vaulted the low board fence where he had seen the movement. In mid-leap, he drew his sword. The air rang with the unique sound of steel.

He rolled as he landed, coming to his feet with the sword in both hands. He found himself face-to-face with a white goat. There was no man there. A crossbow lay on the ground, between the board fence and a squat goat shed.

Richard looked around in all directions. Sheets and shirts hung from lines. A woman, her hair wrapped in a blue scarf, stood on a balcony beyond the flapping laundry.

Richard slid his sword back into its scabbard and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Did you see a man here?" he yelled up at the woman.

She lifted her arm, pointing off to her right. "I saw someone running that way," she called from the distance.

Richard dashed off in the direction the woman had pointed. The alley narrowed. Beyond the tunnel of buildings, the passageway opened onto a street. He looked both ways.

He seized the arm of a young woman. "A man came through here. Which way did he go?"

In fright she tried to pull away, at the same time holding her hat on with her other hand. 'There be people all about. Which man?"

Richard released her arm. Up the street to his left, he saw a man righting an overturned handcart full of fresh greens. The man looked up when Richard skidded to a panting halt before him.

"What did he look like? The man who ran through here-what did he look like?"

The man straightened his broad-rimmed hat. "Don't know." He pointed. "I was looking for a good spot. I heard the sound as my cart fell over. I saw a dark shape, running up that way."

Richard ran on. The ancient part of the city branched into a warren of alleys, streets, and twisting passageways. Only by keeping track of the golden glow in the western sky could he keep his bearings. That didn't mean, though, that the man he chased had run in a specific direction. He was probably just running, trying to get away.

Richard came across a patrol of a dozen soldiers. Before they had time to salute, he was talking.

"A man came running through here, somewhere. Did any of you see him?" "We saw no one running. What did he look like?"

"I don't know. He attacked us with a crossbow and then ran. I want him found. Spread out and start searching."

Before they could be on their way, Raina came running up the street with a good fifty men.

"Did you see where he went?" she asked, gasping for breath. "No. I lost him in here somewhere. I want all of you to spread out and find him."

One of the soldiers, a sergeant, spoke up. "Lord Rahl, a man who wants to escape would make himself obvious by running. A man with any sense at all would simply round a corner and walk away."

The sergeant gestured back up the street to make his point. There were people everywhere going about their business, although a good many were staring at the excitement on their street. Any number of them could have been the man he was chasing.

"Any idea at all what this assassin looks like?"

Richard shook his head in frustration. "I never got a look at him." He raked back his hair as he caught his breath. "Split up. Half of you go back in the direction we came from. Question everyone you can find, to see if anyone got a look at him, at a man running. He may be walking now, but until he got somewhere along in here he was running."

Raina, Agiel in hand, took up her defensive position close beside him. "The rest of you come with me," Richard said. "We'll pick up some more men. I want to keep searching. Maybe we'll come across someone walking and he'll panic and try to run again. If he does, I want him. Alive."

It was late in the night by the time they returned to the Confessors' Palace. Soldiers there were already on high alert. Men stood with swords and battle-axes to hand, arrows nocked, and spears leveled. Others patrolled the expansive grounds. A mouse wouldn't have escaped their intense scrutiny.

As Kahlan, Berdine. Raina, Drefan, and Nadine accompanied him into the gathering hall inside. Richard saw Tristan Bashkar waiting there, hands clasped behind his back as he paced. He halted and looked up when he heard them coming.

Richard drifted to a stop as the contrite-looking ambassador approached. Those escorting Richard gathered in a knot behind him. except Kahlan, who stood close at his side. With a hand in the air. Tristan hailed them. "Lord Rahl, may I have a word with you, please?"

Richard swept his gaze over the man. noticing that he didn't rest his hand on a hip so as to show off his fancy knife. Richard held up a finger. "One moment, please."

Richard turned a little to the rest of them. "It's late. We have a lot of work to do, so I want you to get some rest. Berdine, I want you to go up to the Keep and stand guard with Cara tonight." Berdine frowned. "Both of us?"

Richard scowled. "Isn't that what I said? Yes, both of you. With this trouble, I don't want to take any chances."