Temple of the Winds

An enemy with magic had scythed through these men, but not without cost; close by lay an arm, severed above the elbow, By what it was wearing, she recognized it as Marlin's. The fingers of the hand clenched and unclenched with measured regularity.

Kahlan pushed herself up and turned to the door. She clasped wrists with Nadine and helped her up into the hall. "Careful."

Nadine gasped at the bloody sight. Kahlan expected her to faint, or scream hysterically. She didn't.

Men bristling swords, axes, pikes, and bows were charging up the hall from the left. The hall to the right was empty, silent, and dark beyond a lone torch. Kahlan went right. To her credit, Nadine chased right after her. The screams coming from the pit sent shivers up Kahlan's spine.

CHAPTER 10

Beyond the last, hissing torch, the hall disappeared into blackness. A soldier lay in a crumpled heap to the side, like dirty laundry waiting to be collected. His blackened sword lay in the center of the hall, its blade fractured into a tangled fray of twisted steel strips.

Kahlan paused and studied the still silence ahead. Just as there was nothing to be seen, there was nothing to be heard. Marlin could be anywhere, hiding around any intersection, crouched in any comer, with Jagang's self-satisfied smirk on his face as he lingered in the darkness to put an end to the pursuit. "Nadine, stay here."

"No. I told you, we protect our own. He wants to kill Richard. I'll not let him get away with it, not as long as I have a chance to help." "The only chance you will have is to get yourself killed." "I'm going."

Kahlan had neither the time nor desire to argue. If Nadine was going to go, at least she could make herself useful; Kahlan needed her hands free. "Then grab that torch."

Nadine yanked it from the bracket and waited expectantly. "I have to touch him," Kahlan told her. "If I touch him, I can kill him." "Who, Marlin or Jagang?"

Kahlan's heart pounded against her ribs. "Marlin. If Jagang could get into his mind, I expect he can get out. But who knows? If nothing else, at least Jagang will be gone, and his minion will be dead. That will end it. For now."

"That's what you were trying to do back in the pit? What did you mean about making a choice, one life for all the others?"

Kahlan grabbed her face, squeezing her cheeks. "You listen to me. This isn't just some Tommy Lancaster wanting to rape you; this is a man who is trying to kill us all. I have to stop him. If anyone else is touching him when I do, they will be destroyed along with him. If you or anyone else is touching him, I won't hesitate. Do you understand? I can't afford to hesitate. Too much is at stake." Nadine nodded. Kahlan released her. She redirected her anger to the task at hand. She could feel blood dripping from the ends of the fingers of her left hand. She didn't think she could lift her left arm, and she needed her right arm to touch Marlin. At least Nadine could hold a torch for her. Kahlan hoped that she wasn't making a mistake, hoped that Nadine wouldn't slow her. She hoped she wasn't letting Nadine come for the wrong reasons. Nadine took Kahlan's right hand and placed it to her bleeding left shoulder. "We don't have time to fix this, now. Hold that wound closed as tight as you can, until you need your hand, or you'll lose too much blood and not be able to do what you must."

A bit chagrined. Kahlan squeezed the wound. "Thanks if you're going to come, then stay behind me, and just light the way. If soldiers can't stop him, you can't hope to do better. I don't want you getting hurt for nothing." "Got it. Right behind you."

"Just remember what I said, and don't get in my way." Kahlan stretched up, looking back behind Nadine to the soldiers. "Use arrows or spears if you get a shot, but stay behind me. Get some more torches. We need to corner him."