Into Darkness

42

The rest of the witch women all gathered around Kahlan, each of them briefly touching her in genuine sympathy as they explained how Shota had dragged them into her plans. They apologized for participating in the whole terrible ordeal. They all talked over each other, trying to explain that they had been living their own peaceful lives when Shota, as the grand witch, had summoned them with the magic of her oath and forced them to be part of her coven and thus her larger scheme.

One of the rather frightening-looking witch women, with one scarred, empty eye socket, a mangled nose, and no lips, approached. It took all of Kahlan’s strength not to recoil at the horror of her face. She touched Kahlan reverently.

“I have been persecuted my whole life for being a witch.” Her speech was halting and slurred because of her lack of lips, making it difficult to understand her.

The scar tissue where her lips had been cut off had thickened and tightened, pulling back from her gums and teeth, giving her a frightening look. The empty eye socket and the way her bared teeth grinned like those of a skull made it hard to look at her. She wet her teeth with her tongue before going on.

“I am named Yara. As you can plainly see,” the woman said, gesturing self-consciously at her face, “I have had vile things done to me by people who think my gift alone makes me evil. I hate that every day I must wear the scars of that hatred for all to see on my face.”

She choked up with emotion for a moment as a few tears ran down her cheek from her one eye. “But the one who was the most wicked of all was Shota, because she of all people should have known better. She knew what I had suffered, what I must live with for the rest of my life, and yet she used me anyway, used my face, to create fear in you. You have freed me, Mother Confessor. Thank you.”

With a tear still in her own eyes, Kahlan put an arm around her shoulder and gave her the same kind of hug she had given Niska. Kahlan understood all too well people who in the past had thought her evil because of her Confessor power.

She tapped the witch woman’s chest. “You keep your beauty in here, but I can see it.”

Another woman stepped forward to touch Kahlan’s arm. She was a lovely looking young woman, with unsettling birthmarks below each eye that made it look like blood was continually gushing from her eyes. While she was off-putting to look at, her gentle voice was the counter to the disturbing birthmarks.

“I am Thebe, Mother Confessor. All of us hope you can understand that none of this was our doing. We hold no ill will toward you and hope you can find it in your heart to hold none against us. We hope you can forgive us for taking part, even if it was against our will.”

“We were being used,” an older witch woman with long, wavy white hair said. She had a large wart on one side of her long nose. The tip of that nose drooped as if it were made of wax and she had let it get too close to a flame and it melted the end. “Shota used us much like the way she intended to use your two children, once they were born.”

“She lied at first,” another, very short witch woman said. She had wooden pegs for legs sticking out from beneath her tattered dress. “She had planned to kill you all along after you gave birth and keep your babies for herself. That is the most evil thing one woman could do to another, and to her children. She was using us as well, but what she was doing to you and the children you carry was much, much worse. I am so sorry for what almost happened.”

“None of us would ever think to harm anyone,” Yara said, as best she could without lips. “We have all been tormented by people for being born as witch women before anyone comes to know us for who we are. We simply want to be left alone to live our lives in peace.”

“But there were a few among us who had evil in their hearts,” Thebe said. “They were eager to participate in Shota’s grand scheme, eager to cause you pain. Those are the four who are now dead, as is Shota herself. I don’t think any of us ever dreamed that you would survive this plot, but we are truly thankful that you did.”

“We realize you have no reason to believe our sincerity,” another said, “but I swear to the good spirits, it is the truth.”

“I can vouch for the honesty of what they are saying,” Shale said. “I have spent time with these women. I know the heart of each. The hearts of the ones you killed were black, but these witch women are my sisters and their hearts are good.”

“I understand.” Kahlan spread her hands. “I am also sorry that all of you have suffered as well. Like my husband, I don’t assign guilt because of the sins of others. We each should be judged for who we are and what we do. My hope is that all of you can now go back to your homes and live in peace. Know that I hold no grudge against you. My hope for you all is that others won’t, either.”

They whispered among themselves for a moment, until there were nods among them all.

“We have all discussed it,” the one with the wavy white hair said, “and we all agreed that any of us will come to your aid should you ever ask us. We would be eager to try to make amends in any way possible.”

“No amends are necessary, but I will remember your offer should I ever need your help.” Kahlan let out a deep sigh. “Although she doesn’t necessarily deserve it, Shota has in the past helped Lord Rahl and me, so in view of that alone, I think you should take her body down to her home, in Agaden Reach, and bury her there.”

Heads tipped close together and whispering again broke out among them all.

“We will see to it, Mother Confessor,” Niska said. “You are more thoughtful than she would have been for you.”

Kahlan nodded. “I have known her for a long time, and while she intended to do something evil, the woman was more complex than this one act driven by the thought of such power going to her head. She has paid the price for that act.”

“We hope your husband is safe,” a woman in the back said, “but if he is not, we stand ready to help you in any way we can.”

“There is one thing we could do,” Shale said, looking around at the rest of the witch women. “When Shota made the Mother Confessor start to miscarry, Lord Rahl gave her the raw milk of mother’s breath while I made up the preparation.”

Worried whispers broke out among the women. They obviously thought that was troubling. They cast concerned looks at Kahlan. She fretted as to the reason.

Yara lifted a hand. “We could all join our gifts and cast a birthing spell to help ease your delivery, and also that the two babies might be born healthy.”

Shale smiled. “That is what I was thinking.”

Kahlan felt her worry ease a little. “I would be grateful for such a spell.”

The women all gathered in a tight circle around Kahlan, their hands over each other’s shoulders. They closed their eyes as they whispered a chant in unison. Kahlan didn’t understand the words, but she understood the heartfelt intentions.

As soon as they had finished, they stepped back and, following Shale’s lead, went to their knees and bowed forward.

Kahlan recognized the honor. She waited a moment in the silence and then said, “Rise, my children.”

It was the Mother Confessor’s formal recognition of those under her protection.

As they were coming up, Kahlan heard a sound and turned to see the red leather of the Mord-Sith emerging from the mist. In the gloomy swamp, such a flash of color was hard to miss.

She didn’t see Richard.