Hateful Things

22

Kahlan stuffed some of her things into a backpack on the bed as Richard did the same. They needed to get out of the People’s Palace to confuse the Golden Goddess and lead the Glee away from all the innocent people there.

Kahlan was cautiously excited about being at the safety of the Wizard’s Keep. Not only were there a lot of gifted people there, the Keep itself was filled with all kinds of protective shields. Any of the Glee that the goddess sent there would be in danger without realizing it. There were lethal shields in any number of places throughout the Keep that would incinerate anything that didn’t belong there or have the proper magic to allow safe passage. The whole Keep would be a death trap for the Glee.

For the first time in days, Kahlan felt a glimmer of hope.

The Keep would also be a place of safety for her to have their children.

Once they were safely in the Keep and it would soon become obvious, Kahlan would finally be able to tell Richard that she was pregnant with twins. They would be safe there, with Sisters of the Light and others to protect her. The Keep had protective magic to protect from invasions. The whole purpose of the Keep was to protect the First Wizard and the gifted working there.

At the Keep, Richard would be able to figure out a way to stop the goddess. Kahlan didn’t know why she hadn’t thought of the Keep sooner.

The Wizard’s Keep was also Richard’s other ancestral home. The People’s Palace had always been the seat of power for the House of Rahl, but the Wizard’s Keep had always been the ancestral home to the First Wizard. It was his Keep. Part of its purpose was to protect him.

If it was safe enough to leave the Keep, Kahlan could possibly give birth to their children at the nearby Confessors’ Palace, where she had been born. That was her ancestral home. There were people there who had known Kahlan since she had been born. If it was safe enough to leave the Keep, her dream would be to have her children at the Confessors’ Palace. The daughters of a Confessor were always Confessors, so Kahlan would dearly love to have her daughter be born at the Confessors’ Palace. The twins could then be raised in the safety of the Keep.

As a young girl, Kahlan had spend a great deal of time in the Keep, under the watchful eye of wizards. The Keep was a place of power for the First Wizard. It would protect his children. And, in turn, those children would continue their lines of magic to protect their world. That would bring life back to the Wizard’s Keep the way it had been alive when she had been a girl.

Both she and Richard changed out of their official clothes and into their traveling clothes. Richard put some of his war-wizard outfit in his pack, but kept on the black shirt, the special weapons belt, and the broad, leather-padded, silver wristbands with ancient symbols in the language of Creation. Kahlan didn’t need to pack her Mother Confessor’s dress, because the Confessors’ Palace was there in Aydindril, near the Keep. She had other dresses of the Mother Confessor there, all the same silky fabric, all with the same square-cut neckline.

Her whole life she had grown up wearing the black dresses that all Confessors wore. Only the woman chosen by her sister Confessors wore the white dress of the Mother Confessor. Kahlan had been the youngest woman ever named Mother Confessor. It was a testament to the strength of her power.

When she and Richard emerged from their bedroom, all six Mord-Sith, all in red leather, were waiting out in the round entryway along with Shale. Each of the Mord-Sith had a small pack with her. Shale was dressed in her black traveling clothes with a black cloak draped over her shoulders and held together at the top with bone buttons connected by a short silver chain. She had her pack with her as well.

They were all obviously intending to go with Richard and Kahlan. That was fine with Kahlan, and she knew it would be with Richard, too. Of course, their wishes were irrelevant, because the Mord-Sith would have already decided that they were going.

Importantly, the goddess couldn’t use them or Shale, so the Mord-Sith would be fearless guardians of her children. Kahlan was grateful that they were coming along to the Keep.

A large force of the First File, Lieutenant Dolan in command, waited off a ways in the wide corridor. With what had happened in the containment-field library, as well as the two women being murdered, to say nothing of the horrific discovery down in the lower reaches of the palace, the men all looked grim and tense. Kahlan couldn’t help looking to see if any of them averted their eyes. None did.

“We need to get down to the sliph,” Richard told Berdine confidentially, so that the soldiers wouldn’t overhear. “I don’t want anyone but us nine knowing where we are going.”

She nodded. “I know a fast route. It will also keep us out of sight.”

Richard nodded to her and then went down the hall a short distance to meet the man in command. “Lieutenant, I need to leave on an important mission.”

The man tipped his head. “Of course, Lord Rahl. How many men do you want to take with you?”

“None. Right now I’m in too much of a hurry.” At the look on the man’s face, he added, “I will send for some of the First File when I can. In the meantime, you know the threat here at the palace. You know how dangerous these creatures are. As you saw, they bleed, so they can be killed if you can catch them in time before they can vanish.”

The lieutenant looked uneasy. “While you were getting your things, there was another attack back not far away in one of the hallways branching from this corridor. Two of my men were killed.”

The muscles in Richard’s jaw flexed in anger.

“They need to eliminate Kahlan and me so that they can rampage unrestrained across our world, hunting our species to extinction. That’s one reason we need to leave. By leaving I hope to confuse them. Since they are focused on us, the sooner we leave the palace, the less the danger to the people here. At least for now.

“Tell Mr. Burkett that the Lord Rahl has had to leave on an important mission. The man is used to taking care of the palace while the Lord Rahl is gone. He will know what to do. Help him in any way you can.”

“I will see to it, Lord Rahl.”

“With Kahlan and me gone, the First File will be the only protection for the people here at the palace. I don’t want any of the First File to leave the palace for any reason. I’m counting on you and the First File to stand here in my place and protect everyone. I will be the magic against magic, doing what is necessary to end the threat.”

Lieutenant Dolan, looking resolute, clapped a fist to the leather armor over his heart.

“The Mord-Sith will protect us from here on out. You and the men must see to protecting the people here.”

The man reluctantly saluted again, tapping his fist to his heart.

Richard turned to Berdine. “Let’s go.”