Temple of the Winds

They came to a doorway. Kahlan could just make out Drefan's sword standing up against the wall outside. Her fingers rested on its leatherbound hilt. Inside, she could just discern the rectangles where windows once stood. Beyond was the edge of the cliff, and the emptiness where the Temple of the Winds had once been.

"This is your wife," Cara said with that icy, horrid voice as she spoke into the room. "Here is your husband," she said to Kahlan.

"This marriage must be consummated. It is now your duty to do so. The winds have requirements. You may ask no more questions. Do not speak. The winds have reasons, and it is not for you to know them, only to obey, if you wish to end the death.

"As the test narrows, it becomes more intense.

"You must now lie as husband and wife. If either of you utters so much as one word, the test will end, and entry into the Temple of the Winds will be denied. There can be no appeal. The stolen magic will rage on, as will the death caused by it.

"Only after you have fulfilled the requirements of the consummation will the winds come. After the winds come-and you will have no doubt that it has happened-you may then speak to one another. Not before."

Cara turned Kahlan around and helped her out of her dress and the rest of her things. It wasn't hard for Kahlan not to speak; she had nothing to say.

Kahlan felt the black night air on her naked flesh. She glanced down at Drefan's sword, thinking briefly that when it was over, she could always use it on herself. If not, if he denied her access to it, there was always the cliff.

Cara gripped Kahlan by the wrist and led her forward. Forcefully, Cara made her kneel down, and then lean forward until Kahlan felt the edge of the pallet. "Your husband awaits you here. Go to him." Kahlan heard Cara's footsteps fade into the distance. Then she was alone with Drefan.

CHAPTER 58

As Kahlan felt her way, her hand brushed Drefan's hairy leg. She moved off to the side, to lie down beside him. There was a blanket over straw, or something softer than bare wood, anyway. At least it didn't hurt her back as would have the hard ground.

She lay on the pallet, staring up into the blackness with wide eyes. She couldn't see anything, other than the vague indication of the windows before them. She made an effort to slow her breathing, although she could do nothing to slow her panicked pulse.

This wasn't the worst thing, she told herself. Not the worst thing in the world. Not at all. This wasn't rape. Exactly.

After a time, she felt Drefan's hand settle on her belly. Kahlan shoved it away as she stifled a cry.

She shouldn't have done that, she told herself. What was a hand, compared to the plague? How many people in agony with the plague would gladly have traded places with her? Not the worst thing at all, a gentle hand.

Drefan's hand found hers, trying to give it a squeeze of reassurance. She yanked her hand away as if a snake had touched her. She didn't want his reassurance. She had not vowed to hold his hand. She had not vowed to accept his reassurance. She had committed to being his wife. not to holding his hand. She would let him do to her what she must let him do to her, but she didn't have to hold his hand.

Kahlan frantically tried to reason with herself. Richard had to get into the Temple of the Winds. The Temple of the Winds demanded this as the price of the path. The spirit of Chandalen's grandfather had warned her that she must not shirk her duty. She remembered his words all too well:

/ have not been shown the price, but I forewarn you that I do know that there is no way for you to circumvent or avoid it. It must be as it will he revealed to you, or all will be lost. I ask that when the winds show you the path. you take it, lest what I have shown you comes to be.

Kahlan remembered the scenes of mass death the spirit had shown her. If she failed to do as the winds asked, what she had been shown would come to pass. She had to let Drefan do this. Stalling would not make it any easier. This couldn't be easy for Drefan. Couldn't be easy at all, what with the way she shoved away his attempts at tenderness. That made her angry all over again. She didn't want his tenderness.

What did she want? Did she want him to be rough? Of course she had to let him touch her. How could he do this if he didn't touch her? Richard had to get into the Temple of the Winds. She had to let Drefan do this.

Kahlan reached over and took Drefan's wrist. She put his hand back where he had tried to put it before, on her belly. She let go of his hand. It stayed there.

What was he waiting for? She wanted to scream at him to get it over with, to do it and be done. To take what was his brother's by heart if not by vow.

She lay there, with Drefan's hand on her, listening to the dead silence of the night. She realized that she was listening for sounds coming from Nadine and Richard. She shut her eyes.