Страница 177 из 207
De
“The day is not over yet, Mistress De
She slipped her arms around his neck, kissing him tenderly. She pulled her face away a few inches, stroked the back of his head. “I’m sorry, Richard, that I do these things to you, but I have been trained to do them, and can do nothing less—I live only to hurt you. Know that it is not by choice, but by training. I can be no more than what I am: Mord-Sith. If you are to die this day, my love, then make me proud, and die well.”
He was mate to a madwoman, he thought sadly. And one not of her own making.
She pushed the doors open and entered a grand garden. Richard would have been impressed, had his mind not been on other things. They went down a path between flowers and shrubs, past short, vine covered stone walls, and small trees, to an expanse of lawn. A glass roof let in the light, keeping the plants healthy and in flower.
In the distance were two identically huge men. Their folded arms had metal bands with sharp projections just above their elbows. Guards of some sort, Richard thought. To their side stood another man. Imposing muscles flexed on his smooth chest. His short-cropped blond hair stood up in spikes, with a single black streak ru
Near the center of the lawn, near a circle of white sand, in a warm shaft of late-afternoon sunlight, stood a man with his back to them. The sunlight made his white robes and shoulder-length blond hair glow. Sparks of the sunlight glinted off the gold belt and curved dagger at his waist.
As Richard and De
Together, they chanted. “Master Rahl guide us. Master Rahl teach us. Master Rahl protect us. In your light we thrive. In your mercy we are sheltered. In your wisdom we are humbled. We live only to serve. Our lives are yours.”
They chanted only once, then waited, Richard trembling slightly. He remembered that he was never to get near Master Rahl, to stay away from him, but couldn’t remember who told him so, only that it was important. He had to concentrate on De
“Rise, my children.”
Richard stood with his shoulder close against Mistress De
“You look surprisingly well this morning, my pet.”
“Mistress De
The blue eyes returned to his. The calmness, the peace, in Rahl’s face made Richard quiver. “My pet has told me you are nothing but trouble. I am pleased to see she has not lied to me. But not pleased to find it true.” He clasped his hands in a relaxed ma
De
A small smile came to Rahl’s lips. “Yes, I am sure you are.” He studied Richard’s face for an uncomfortable moment. “I have some questions. You are going to give me the answers.”
Richard felt himself shaking slightly. “Yes, Master Rahl.”
“Kneel,” he said softly.
Richard went to his knees with the aid of the Agiel on his shoulder. De
Darken Rahl looked down without emotion. “You have seen the Book of Counted Shadows before?”
Something powerful in the back of his mind told Richard he shouldn’t answer. When he said nothing, De
There was a stu
Blue eyes looked down at him. “You have seen the Book of Counted Shadows before?”
“Yes,” he heard himself say.
“Where is it now?”
Richard hesitated. He didn’t know how to answer—he didn’t know what the voice wanted. The pain exploded in his head again. When it stopped, he felt tears ru
“Where is it now?” the voice repeated.
“Please, don’t hurt me anymore,” he cried. “I don’t understand the question.”
“What is there not to understand? Simply tell me where the book is now.”
“The book, or the knowledge of the book?” Richard asked fearfully.
The blue eyes frowned. “The book.”
“I burned it in a fire. Years ago.”
Richard thought the eyes were going to tear him apart. “And where is the knowledge?”
Richard hesitated too long. When he was aware again, De
“Where is the knowledge that was in the book?”
“In my head. Before I burned the book, I learned the words, the knowledge.”
The man stood staring, unmoving. Richard cried softly.
“Recite the words of the book.”
Richard desperately didn’t want the Agiel in the back of his head again. He shook with the fear of it. “Verification of the truth of the words of the Book of Counted Shadows, if spoken by another, rather than read by the one who commands the boxes, can only be insured by the use of a Confessor…” Confessor.
Kahlan.
The name Kahlan went through Richard’s mind like a bolt of lightning. The power roared to life, blasting away the fog with the burning, white-hot glare of his memories. The door to the locked room in his mind was flung open. It all came back to him, brought back by the power as it rose in him. Richard was one with the power, at the thought of Darken Rahl having Kahlan—hurting her.
Darken Rahl turned to the other men. The one with the black stripe came forward.
“You see, my friend? The fates work for me. She is already on her way here with the Old One. Find her. See to it she is brought to me. Take two quads, but I want her alive, do you understand?” The man gave a nod. “You and your men will have the protection of my spell. The Old One is with her, but he will have no weapon against an underworld spell, if he is even alive by then.” Rahl’s voice became harder. “And Demmin, I don’t care what your men do to her, but she had better be alive when she gets here, and able to use her power.”
A little of the color left the man’s face. “I understand. It will be done as you wish, Lord Rahl.” He bowed deep.
He turned and left after meeting Richard’s eyes and giving a knowing smile.
Darken Rahl returned his blue eyes to Richard. “Continue.”
Richard had gone as far as he was going to go. He remembered everything.
It was time to die.
“I will not. There is nothing you can do to make me tell you. I welcome the pain. I welcome death.”
Before the Agiel could come, Rahl’s eyes snapped up to De