Into Darkness

43

Kahlan’s eyes opened wide with dread as she saw all six Mord-Sith materialize out of the mist, but she didn’t see Richard.

Panic started to rise up within her at seeing that he wasn’t with them.

But then, off behind the Mord-Sith, she finally saw him emerge out of the swirling haze, like a good spirit come among them.

It felt as if her heart leaped up into her throat with relief at seeing him. She had been sick with worry that he was dead, but dealing with Shota was the problem at hand, so she’d had to set that worry aside to look after herself and the twins.

Kahlan cried out in excitement as she ran the dozen strides to meet him. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed the side of his face at least a half-dozen times. He squeezed her tight in return, momentarily lifting her from her feet. Finally, she separated from him and stood back to wipe tears of joy from beneath her eyes.

“What took you so long?” she asked him.

Richard shrugged. “Well, a building fell on me … .”

She blinked in astonishment that he had survived such a thing and was actually alive. “Shota told us that she had spelled your legs so that you couldn’t run to safety. She wanted the whole palace to come down on you. How did you get out?”

He didn’t seem at all concerned about what had happened.

“The good spirits watched over me.”

“Actually,” Vika said as she gestured among the Mord-Sith, “we dug him out. I don’t recall seeing any of the good spirits there, helping, but we did have a lot of help from the people of Bindamoon. Lord Rahl didn’t make it easy, though. He managed to stand under the center of the palace as the entire thing collapsed, so it was a lot of trouble getting him out, I don’t mind telling you.”

“We knew you would be angry if we just left him there,” Berdine said, offhandedly. “So we thought it best if we got him out and brought him along with us.”

Richard rolled his eyes. “The people in Bindamoon turned out to be a huge help in saving my life. They were more than thankful to be rid of Iron Jack, the palace, and the ‘queen.’ But it was Rikka, Nyda, Cassia, Vale, Berdine, and Vika who organized and directed them in the rescue effort. I am indebted to them.”

“As am I,” Kahlan said as she put a hand on the forearms of two of the Mord-Sith. “I was so worried. Thank you for not giving up on him. I don’t know what I would do had you …” Her voice choked up and she couldn’t say the rest.

“Kahlan killed the five evil witches,” Shale said into the awkward silence. “One of them was Shota.” She grinned, then. “With her bare hands.”

The Mord-Sith all looked a bit astonished, but proud.

Richard nodded with a serious look. “I would have expected no less. I’m just surprised it took her so long.” He winked at Kahlan.

She gripped Shale’s arm, then, and pulled her closer, as if presenting her to Richard. “I couldn’t have done it without Shale. She gave me a snake to use.”

“A snake?” Richard frowned. “You hate snakes.”

Kahlan showed him a sly smile. “Not white ones.”

“Ah, I see.” He flashed a smile at Shale as he gripped her shoulder. “Glad you were able to help.”

Kahlan turned and held her arm out toward the group of witch women all watching him with a mixture of awe and terror, fearing that, like so many others, he would think they were evil just because they were witches. Worse, they knew that he had the power to strike them down on the spot should he so wish.

“These ladies here were not willing participants in Shota’s scheme. They were all forced to answer Shota’s call to coven, the same as Shale. The ones who wanted to be part of it are now all dead.”

“I know,” Richard said. “I heard the last of it as we were coming in. I stayed out of sight and watched to make sure there wasn’t going to be any more trouble. I wanted to be able to come in and surprise anyone who might still attack you. It turns out that, thankfully, it wasn’t necessary.”

“No,” Kahlan said with a smile as she looked over at the women. “These women are all on our side. Shota was using them.”

He bowed his head to the nervous women. “Thank you all for helping the mother of my children, my beloved wife, and the Mother Confessor. You have my most heartfelt gratitude.”

There were giggles and nods as the witch women all finally stepped closer.

Richard turned to Niska, taking in the writing tattooed all over her flesh. He spoke words Kahlan didn’t understand, but by Niska’s wide eyes, it was clear she knew what he was saying. She bowed deeply.

“Thank you, Lord Rahl. Although I am their keeper, I have not heard these words spoken aloud since I was but a girl. It is a reminder to me of the importance of the messages I carry to preserve the ancient language of Creation.”

“Keep yourself and the words safe,” Richard told Niska. “Both are important for future generations.”

With a slight smile, Niska bowed her head. “By your command, Lord Rahl.”

He turned and gestured to the woman without any lips. “May I know your name?”

She bowed, too fearful to look up at him, or maybe too ashamed of her appearance. “I am Yara, Lord Rahl.”

With two fingers, he beckoned her close.

Yara reluctantly stepped up to him, and then, upon his urging, up closer to him. Richard gently gripped her shoulders and turned her around. He leaned in and spoke softly in her ear.

“You know about Additive Magic, Yara, yes?”

She nodded. “Of course, Lord Rahl.”

“Good. Now, I’d like you to close your eye for me.”

She did, and Richard gently put his hand over her mouth from behind. As he held his hand there, he bowed his head until his forehead touched the back of her head. Kahlan didn’t know what he could be doing, but as she watched, Yara brought her hands together in front of herself to twine her fingers together as if in anxiety, or maybe pain. She could see the witch woman’s breathing grow short and sharp. They stood that way for quite a time, until Richard finally took his hand away from her mouth.

Kahlan was astonished to see that Yara now had normal-looking lips where there had been only lumpy scars before. Her disfigured nose, too, was restored to normal.

Her hand rushed up to touch them. She turned and knelt beside the water to look at her reflection. As she stood, she started crying.

“I’m sorry,” Richard said as she turned to him, “but I don’t know if it would be possible to create a new eye for you with Additive Magic. If it is, I’m afraid that I don’t know how to do such a thing. But I could at least do this little bit to help fix some of the harm that was done to you by ignorant people.”

Weeping, she fell to her knees before him and grabbed the bottom of his trouser leg, kissing it repeatedly.

“None of that, Yara,” he said, reaching down to touch the back of her shoulder. “It’s not necessary. It was my honor as the Lord Rahl to help you. More than that, it is my duty to try to set wrongs right where I was able.”

She finally stood and returned to the others. Some of them touched her lips in wonder as they all expressed their astonishment.

Richard motioned then for the young woman with the birthmarks under her eyes to come to him. Holding her hands together, she approached him with her head bowed.

Richard lifted her chin with a finger to look into her eyes. “Those aren’t birthmarks, are they?”

“You know?”

He nodded. “Yes. Someone marked you.”

She nodded. “I am called Thebe. When I was young, I was cursed by a sorceress with these marks. She said it was to let anyone who looks upon me know that I am to be shunned as a filthy witch.”

Richard shook his head in disgust, then turned her around and spoke softly in her ear. “You know of Subtractive Magic, yes?”

She nodded. “Underworld magic.”

Richard smiled as he put a hand over her eyes. “Well, yes, but it is also part of my power. And, as far as sorceresses’ curses go, this one is relatively simple.”

After a moment, when he took his hand away, the frightening bloodlike marks under her eyes were gone.

“Thebe!” Niska exclaimed. “The curse marks under your eyes are gone!”

Thebe started to go to the ground before Richard, but he caught her arm first. “Not necessary, Thebe. It was a simple thing and I was glad to remove the marks for you.”

She bowed. “Thank you, Lord Rahl, for removing this curse from my face. It has long made people shun me. Some even spit on me. It has caused me great loneliness. People fear and hate me without knowing me. They wouldn’t allow me to help them with my gift.”

Richard smiled. “I think they will shun you no more. In fact, I suspect you will find that a lot of young men are bewitched by your beauty.”

She lowered her head with a shy smile.

Richard gestured at the woman with the two peg legs. She immediately held up both hands to ward him off.

“Thank you, Lord Rahl, but I do not wish to have my legs back. My knees used to hurt me so bad that I could hardly walk. With these, I can walk. They do me just fine if it pleases you.”

Richard showed her a smile. “Then I would not think of changing them.”

Kahlan wasn’t sure if Shale looked amazed, or concerned. She leaned close to whisper to him.

“How did you do those things?” the sorceress asked. “I didn’t know that magic had such powers. How does it work?”

Richard stared off into the swamp a moment before he answered. “I have no idea. Sometimes when I need it badly enough, my gift works. This was one of those times. I sincerely felt the need of it, the need of helping them, and it worked. That is the way with war wizards, I believe. Or at least with my power. It is brought to life by need.”

He turned his attention to the group watching him. “I’m sorry that Shota pulled you all into this. Thank you for your concern for the Mother Confessor, and your help, but we must leave at once. We have a long way to travel and I want to get us where we are going before our children are born.”

“Lord Rahl … ?” Shale said, hesitantly.

Richard seemed to know what she was about to say. He dismissed her concern with a quick gesture.

“Of course you’re coming with us, Shale. We need you with us. The children of D’Hara need you when it is time to be born, and after that, too. Besides, this is going to be a long and dangerous journey. We need to keep the Law of Nines intact. We can’t do all that without you.”

She sighed in relief and smiled as she gave him a single nod.

When Richard said that they needed to get going, Kahlan held the hand of each witch woman in turn, wishing them well on their own journeys home.

“Don’t forget,” the witch woman with the wavy white hair said. “If either you or Lord Rahl is ever in need of our help for any reason, we will always do what is within our ability.”

Niska retrieved Kahlan’s knife from near Nea’s remains. Her pack was not far away. She brought both back and handed Kahlan her knife, handle-first. “We will do as you have asked and bury Shota down in Agaden Reach.”

Richard rested the palm of his left hand on the hilt of his sword as he looked at all the women watching him. “Do you all know about the Glee?” There were worried looks all around. They obviously all knew what the Glee were. “The Golden Goddess, their leader, continually tries to get into the minds of people in our world in order to find out where the Mother Confessor and I are so that she can send the Glee to kill us and prevent these babies from being born.”

“What can we do to help?” Niska asked.

“You can all guard your minds. If you sense a power probing your thoughts, use your gift to shut it out.”

All of them nodded and spoke up to say that they would be careful.