Temple of the Winds

Reposing in his splendid violet and black robes, the regal effect somewhat diminished by the way his wavy white hair stuck out in its typical disarray, was Richard's grandfather. The rawboned old wizard glanced up from the platform as young women offered him platters of food to sample. A squat woman in a dark dress and cloak sat cross-legged beside him. "Zedd!" Richard bounded onto the platform. Zedd smiled and waved. "Oh, there you are, my boy." "You're alive! I knew you were alive!" "Well, of course I'm-"

That was all he got out before Richard scooped him up, squeezing so hard that Zedd lost his wind with a whoosh.

Zedd's fists beat on Richard's shoulders. "Richard!" he squeaked. "Bags, Richard! You're going to crush me! Leave go!"

Richard set him down, only to have Kahlan rush to embrace him. "Richard kept saying you were alive, but I didn't believe him." The woman rose up. "Good to see you, Richard." "A

She smiled. "No thanks to your fool grandfather." Her knowing eyes turned to Kahlan. "And this could be none other than the Mother Confessor herself."

Richard hugged her before the introductions. Zedd took a bite of a rice cake while he watched.

Richard brought Cara forward. She spoke before he had a chance. "I am Lord Rahl's bodyguard."

Richard looked to her eyes. "This is Cara, and she is more than a guard. She is our friend. Cara, this is my grandfather, Zedd, and A

"Retired Prelate," A

Zedd spoke with his mouth full. "Read it. Read all about it." "Read it? Where?" "In the Jocopo Treasure."

Kahlan leaned in. "There's writing on all that gold?"

Zedd waved the rice cake. "No, no, not the gold-the Jocopo Treasure. The prophecies. All those scrolls. They were the Jocopo Treasure. We burned them to keep them out of the hands of the Imperial Order. I read a few, before I destroyed them. That's where I read the prophecy about you two being married. A

"Well, it wasn't a difficult prophecy," A

Zedd shook a sticklike finger at Richard. "While you've been larking about in Aydindril, we've had real trouble." "Trouble? What sort of trouble?" "Awful trouble," A

"Yes," Zedd agreed. "We were captured, and held in the most horrid of condi- tions. It was awful. Simply awful. We barely got away with our lives." "Who captured you?" "The Nangtong." Kahlan cleared her throat. "The Nangtong? Why would the Nangtong capture you?"

Zedd tugged his robes straight. "They were going to sacrifice us. Human sacrifices, we almost were. We were in mortal danger the entire time."

Kahlan squinted skeptically. "The Nangtong are daring to engage in their forbidden rites?"

"Something about red moons," Zedd offered. "They feared the worst, and were only trying to protect themselves."

Kahlan cocked her head. "Nonetheless, I will have to pay them a visit and see to this."

"You could have been killed," Richard said.

"Piffle. A wizard and a sorceress are smarter than a wandering band of Nangtong. Aren't we, A

"Well, yes, as A

Richard's brow lifted. "Slavery!"

"Indeed. To the Si Doak. We were forced to labor as slaves. But the Si Doak didn't like us, for some reason, something about A

Zedd gri

"And why couldn't you get away from the Si Doak?" Kahlan asked. "You're a wizard. A

Zedd pointed at his bare wrists. "They put magic wristbands on us. We were helpless." He looked up. "Quite helpless. It was terrible. We were helpless slaves under the lash."

"That sounds dreadful," Richard said. "Then how did you get the bands off?" Zedd threw his arms up. "We couldn't."

Richard pressed one hand to his forehead and held the other up. "Well, they're off now."

Zedd scratched his chin. "Well, now they are. The bands are held on with magic. I-we-were smart enough to know better than to try to use magic. That would have bound them on even harder. We just had to wait, without using magic, until they lost their power. Once we were away from the Si Doak, and were burning the scrolls, they came undone, and fell off." "So, that was your plan all along?" "Of course it was!"

A

"We had to find the Jocopo Treasure. With all the currents of trouble about, I knew our best chance would be to do it without magic." He folded his arms. "And it worked, too, thus proving my point."

Chandalen stepped forward. "Many soldiers came toward us." He pointed off toward the southeast. "A large scouting party of men came to get these things that Zedd burned. While he and A

"A great battle was fought to the west, against the main force of the enemy. This army of the Order was destroyed.

"I went and spoke with a man called Reibisch, and he said that one named Nathan had sent him to destroy our enemy." Richard shook his head. "This is all very confusing."

Zedd flicked a hand. "Ah, well, you'll learn, someday, Richard. This wizard business is very complicated. Someday, when you decide to do something with your gift, other than sit around with your intended while I'm out risking my neck, then you will see. By the way, what have you been up to, while all the important work has been going on?"

"What have I been up to?" Kahlan smiled as she put a hand on his shoulder while Richard tried to think how to begin. "Ah, well, I'm the Lord Rahl, now, and all."

Zedd grunted and flopped down on the wooden platform. "Lord Rahl, indeed." He scooped up a roasted pepper. "The paperwork must be grueling."

Richard scratched his head while A

"It's a telltale, of sorts. I remember how they're stacked, so that if anyone has touched them, I'll know it." Zedd's hazel eyes opened wide. "What? Bags, Richard, what were you doing in there? That's a dangerous place! And how did you get in there?" Zedd pointed at Richard's chest. "That amulet! It's from in there. How did you get in there? Bags, Richard! Where's the Sword of Truth? I entrusted the sword to you! You weren't foolish enough to give it to someone?"

"Uh, well…I couldn't travel in the sliph with it, so I had to leave it in the First Wizard's enclave, so no one could get at it."

"Sliph? What's a sliph? Richard, you're the Seeker. You have to have your sword-it's your weapon. You can't just leave it lying about places."