Temple of the Winds

Richard recalled the words of one of the temple team before he was put to death. / can no longer countenance what we do with our gift. We are not the Creator, nor are we the Keeper. Even a vexatious prostitute has the right to live her life.

"Grissom, get a patrol together, and as soon as you've had some food and rest, get my message back to General Reibisch."

Grissom saluted again. "Yes, Lord Rahl. I'll get some food and supplies and be on my way within the hour." Richard nodded. The messenger took his leave.

"Lord Rahl," the general said, "if there's nothing else, I'd better see to my duties."

"Yes, general, there is one more thing. Cut the sick soldiers out of the camps. Put them in a separate camp. Let's see if we can limit the extent of the outbreak. Who knows, maybe we can even contain it.

"And I don't want any prostitutes in the camps. None. Maybe we can keep the distemper lighter, that way. Have all the women warned to stay away under penalty of death. Post archers with the sentries. If they continue to approach after being challenged, have the archers cut them down."

The general heaved a sigh. "I understand. Lord Rahl. I'll also separate out the men who have been with those women and have them tend to the sick soldiers." "Good idea."

Richard put his arm around Kahlan's waist as he watched the general and his guard hurry to their tasks. "Why didn't I think of that before? I might have kept the plague from the soldiers if only I'd thought of it." Kahlan didn't have an answer.

"Lord Rahl," Cara said, "I'm going up to the sliph to relieve Berdine." "I'll go with you. I want to see if Berdine has learned anything from the journal. Besides, I need to get out of here for a while. You want to go, too?" he asked Kahlan. Her arm tightened around him. 'Id like that."

Berdine was bent over the journal, reading. The sliph looked Richard's way before Berdine did.

"Do you wish to travel, Master? You will be pleased." "No," Richard said when the echo of the eerie voice had died out. "Thank you, sliph, but not now." Berdine leaned back and yawned as she stretched her arms. "Glad to see you, Cara. I can't stay awake any longer." "You look like you could use some sleep." Richard gestured to the open journal on the table before her. "Anything new?" Berdine glanced to the sliph as she stood. She picked up the journal and turned it around, offering it to him. She leaned closer and lowered her voice. "You remember telling me about what that man said before he was put to death.

What he said about even a vexatious. . woman having a right to her life?" Richard knew what Berdine was talking about. "Yes. You mean Wizard Ricker." "That's the one. Well, Kolo mentioned it briefly." She tapped a place in the journal. "Read here." Richard studied the sentence a moment until he had it translated in his head.

" 'Ricker's vexatious prostitute is watching me as I sit here pondering what damage the team has done. I heard today that we have lost Lothain. Ricker has had his revenge. »

"Do you know who Lothain is?" Berdine asked. "He was the head prosecutor at the Temple of the Winds trial. He was the one who went to undo the damage done by the team." Richard looked up. The sliph was watching him. He stepped closer. It had never occurred to him before. Why hadn't he thought of it before? "Sliph."

"Yes, Master? You wish to travel? Come. You will be pleased." Richard stepped closer. "No, I don't wish to travel, but I would like to talk to you. Do you remember the time, long ago, when there was a great war going on?" "Long? I am long enough to travel. Tell me where you wish to go. You will be pleased."

"No, I don't mean traveling. Do you remember any names?" "Names?"

"Names. Do you remember the name Ricker?" The silver face watched without expression. "I never betray my clients." "Sliph, you were a person, once, weren't you? A person like me?" The sliph smiled. "No."

Richard laid a hand on Kahlan's shoulder. "A person like this?" The silver smile widened. "Yes. I was a whore, like her." Kahlan cleared her throat. "I think Richard meant to ask if you were a woman, sliph."

"Yes, I was a woman, too." "What was your name?" Richard asked. "Name?" The sliph frowned, as if puzzled. "I am the sliph." "Who made you into the sliph?" "Some of my clients." "Why? Why did they make you into the sliph?"

"Because I never reveal my clients." "Sliph, could you explain that better?"

"Some of the wizards here, in this place, were my clients. The most powerful of them. I was a very exclusive whore, and very expensive. Many of the wizards contended for power. Others tried to use me to displace some of those who were my clients. Some wished to use me for their pleasure, but not the kind of pleasure I offered. I never reveal my clients."

"You mean they would have been pleased if you told them the names of the wizards who visited you, and maybe a little more about those visits."

"Yes. My clients feared these others would use me for this pleasure, and so they made me the sliph."