Temple of the Winds

Kahlan gazed into the Mord-Sith's eyes. And that was what they were: Mord-Sith eyes. This was not Berdine speaking, it was mistress Berdine, as cold and demanding as any Mord-Sith came. "Not until you tell me why," Kahlan said in a level tone. Berdine seized Kahlan's arm. "You are going up to the Keep with me. You can either go sitting in the saddle, or lying over it-your choice-but you are going, and you are going now."

Kahlan had never seen such a look of determination in Berdine's eyes. It was frightening. That was the only word for it: frightening. "All right, if it's that important to you, let's go. I just want to know why." Instead of answering, Berdine tightened her grip on Kahlan's arm and forced her to the door. Berdine cracked the door, checking, then opened it enough to stick her head out for a look. "It's clear," she whispered. "Come on." "Berdine, you're scaring me. What's going on?"

Without answering, Berdine shoved her through the door. They took the service stairs and avoided the passageways that were heavily patrolled. Berdine must have spoken with the guards they did encounter, because when the two of them approached, the guards turned the other way, looking off as if they had seen no one.

Two horses waited, both army horses, big bay geldings.

Berdine tossed a soldier's cloak at Kahlan. "Here, put this on to cover that white dress of yours so people won't recognize you, or Drefan will hear about it."

"Why don't you want Drefan to know where we're going?" Berdine seized Kahlan's ankle and stuffed her foot into the stirrup. The stirrup was big and loose, made for a man's boot. Berdine smacked Kahlan's bottom. "Get it up there."

Kahlan abandoned her resistance. Berdine obviously wasn't going to tell her what the urgency was about. The ride to the Wizard's Keep was silent, as was the march through the empty halls, passageway, and rooms.

Before they turned down the last stone corridor to the sliph, they encountered Cara standing guard outside a door. Cara, like Berdine, was unreadable in her stern demeanor as she watched Berdine and Kahlan hurry toward her.

At the door, Berdine seized the lever with one hand and Kahlan's arm with the other.

The look in Berdine's eye was unequivocal sobriety. "Don't you dare disappoint me. Mother Confessor, or you will find out exactly why Mord-Sith are so feared. Cara and I will be with the sliph."

Without looking back, Cara started out toward the sliph while Berdine, without further word, opened the door and roughly shoved Kahlan into the room. Kahlan stumbled, catching her balance as she glanced back to see Berdine pull shut the door.

Kahlan turned, and found herself looking into Richard's eyes. Her heart seemed to stop along with her breathing.

A half dozen candles in an iron stand reflected little points of light in his gray eyes. He seemed bigger than life. Every detail was as she remembered. Only his sword was missing from that of her mental image of him. Ambivalence kept her breath locked in her lungs. Finally, she found words. "The plague is ended." "I know."

The room felt so small. The stone so dark. The air so heavy. She labored to breathe, to slow her suddenly racing heart.

His forehead was beaded with sweat, even though it was cool in the depths of the Keep. A drop rolled down over his cheekbone, leaving a wet trail.

"Then what are you doing here? There can be no point to it. I have a husband. We have nothing to say to each other. . not after. . not here, like this, alone." His gaze left hers at hearing the cool tone of her voice. She had hoped it would force him to say it. Dear spirits, let him say he forgives me.

He said instead, "I asked Cara and Berdine to bring you here so I could talk to you. I came back because I must speak with you. Will you grant me that much?" Kahlan didn't know what to do with her hands. 'Of course, Richard."

He nodded his thanks. He looked in pain. He looked in anguish. His eyes had the dull gloss of distress.

She wanted nothing so much as for him to say that he forgave her. Only that would mend her broken heart. Those were the only words that would mean anything to her. She wanted him to say it, but he just stood there, while his gaze focused beyond the cold stone of the walls.

She decided that if he was going to say it, to forgive her, then the only way was to force him into it. "So, have you come to forgive me, Richard?"

His words came softly, but with great resolve. " "No, I did not come to forgive you. I can't forgive you, Kahlan." — She turned away. She finally found something to do with her hands; she pressed her fists against her stomach. "I see."

"Kahlan," he said from behind her, "I can't forgive you because it would be wrong of me to come here to forgive you.

"Would you have me forgive your humanity? Shall I forgive you slaking your thirst? Shall I forgive your eating when you hunger? Shall I forgive you for the feel of warm sunlight on your face?"

Kahlan wiped at her cheeks and then turned to him. "What are you talking about?"