“We are searching for Drefan Rahl,” Marsden Taboor said.
Richard rubbed his thumb along the edge of the desk as he watched the three men. “I’m sorry, but your High Priest is dead.”
The two in back shared a look.
Marsden Taboor’s expression darkened. “High Priest? I am the High Priest of the Raug’Moss, and have been since before Drefan was born.”
Richard frowned. “Drefan told us he was the High Priest.”
Marsden Taboor stroked his temple as he searched for words.
“Lord Rahl, I’m afraid that your brother was… given to delusion. If he told you that he was the High Priest of the Raug’Moss, then he was deceiving you for reasons I fear to imagine.
“He was left with us by his mother, when he was a young boy. We raised him, knowing what his father would do should he come to discover a son without the gift. Drefan could be—dangerous. Once we realized this, we kept him confined, within our community, to prevent him from hurting anyone.
“He was talented at healing, and we always hoped that he would come to be at peace with himself. We hoped that through healing he could find a way to prove his worth, in his own right.
“A while back, he vanished. Several of our healers were found dead. They had been killed in a most unpleasant fashion: torture. We have been searching for Drefan since. We have been to several places where he had been, and found women who had been murdered in a similar way.
“Drefan had an unsavory attitude toward women. His father, too, was not inclined to be kind toward women. Though he escaped his father in body, I think he failed to escape him in spirit.
“I pray he has not caused harm to anyone here.”
Richard was silent for a time before he spoke.
“We had a plague. A terrible plague. Thousands died. Without regard for himself, Drefan, upholding the noble ideals of the Raug’Moss, worked to help those stricken. He shared his knowledge, and in that way may have prevented yet more from dying.
“My brother, in his own way, helped stop the plague, and in so doing, he died.”
Marsden Taboor folded his hands before him again as he studied Richard’s eyes. “Is this the way you wish it remembered?”
“He was my brother. Partly because of his being here, I learned the power of forgiveness.”
Kahlan squeezed Richard’s hand under the table.
“Thank you for seeing me, Lord Rahl.” Marsden Taboor bowed. “In your light we thrive.”
“Thank you,” Richard whispered.
The three healers started away, but Marsden Taboor turned back. “I knew your father. You do not take after him. Drefan did. Not many will mourn the passing of your father, or your brother.
“I can see in your eyes, Lord Rahl, a healer, a true healer, besides a warrior. A wizard, as a healer, must be in balance, or he is lost. D’Hara is well served, at long last. Call on us if you have need.”
Ulic let out a sigh when the doors closed. “Lord Rahl, there are other representatives also wishing to see you.”
“If you are well enough,” Cara added.
“Someone always wants to see us.” Richard stood and held out his hand to Kahlan. “General Kerson can see them. Don’t we have something more important to do?”
“Are you sure you are well enough?” Kahlan asked.
“I’ve never felt better. You haven’t had a change of mind, have you?”
Kahlan smiled as she took his hand and stood. “Never. If Lord Rahl is fully recovered, what are we waiting for? My things are ready.”
“About time,” Berdine muttered.
As they waited for Richard to return, Kahlan put a reassuring hand on Cara’s back. “She wouldn’t lie to us, Cara. If the sliph says you can travel, you can travel.”
The sliph had tested Cara, Berdine, Ulic, and Egan, all of them thinking that, as guards, they should go along to protect Richard and Kahlan.
Only Cara had passed the sliph’s test. Richard guessed that it was because Cara had linked with the Andolian leader, Legate Rishi, and he must have an element of both sides of the magic. Cara didn’t like anything to do with magic, and the sliph was definitely magic enough to give her pause.
Kahlan leaned close, and whispered in Cara’s ear. “You have passed bigger tests than this, in this room. I am a sister of the Agiel; I will hold your hand the whole way.”
Cara eyed Kahlan, and then the sliph.
“You have to do it, Cara,” Berdine pleaded. “You will be the only Mord-Sith at the wedding of our Lord Rahl and Mother Confessor.”
Cara’s brow twitched as she leaned toward Berdine. “Lord Rahl healed you one time.” Berdine nodded. “Since then, have you felt a… special bond with him?”
Berdine smiled. “Yes. That is why I want you to go. I’ll be all right. I know Raina would want you to go, too.” She gave Ulic a backhanded slap on his stomach. “Besides, someone has to stay here and keep Ulic and Egan in line.”
Ulic and Egan, together, rolled their eyes.
Cara put a hand on Kahlan’s arm as she leaned close and whispered, “Since Lord Rahl healed you, have you felt… have you felt it, too?”
Kahlan smiled. “I felt it before he healed me. It is called love, Cara. Truly caring about someone else, not only because you are bonded to them, but because you share something in your heart. When he healed you, you felt his love for you.”
“But I knew before that.”
Kahlan shrugged. “Maybe it was just a more vivid way of feeling it.”
Cara lifted her Agiel, rolling it in her fingers. “Maybe, he is a brother of the Agiel.”
Kahlan smiled. “With all we’ve been through together, I guess we are all as close as family.”
Richard strode into the room. “I’m ready. Shall we travel?”
Richard couldn’t take the Sword of Truth into the sliph; its magic was incompatible with life being sustained while traveling. He had gone up to leave his sword in the First Wizard’s enclave, where it would be safe, where no one but he could get to it. Except Zedd, of course. But Zedd was no longer living. At least, Kahlan didn’t think he was alive. Richard refused to doubt that he was.
Richard rubbed his hands together. “So, Cara, are you going, or not? I would really like you to be there. It would mean a lot to us.”
Cara smiled. “I must go. You are incapable of protecting yourself. Without a Mord-Sith, you would be helpless.”
Richard turned to the silver face watching them. “Sliph, I kn
ow that I put you to sleep before, but you didn’t stay asleep. Why?”
“You did not put me into the deep sleep from which only one such as yourself can call me. You put me—at rest. Others can call me if I am only at rest.”
“But we can’t allow those others to use you. Can’t you refuse? Can’t you just not go to them if they call? We can’t have you taking Jagang’s wizards and such all over Creation to cause trouble.”
The sliph regarded him with a thoughtful expression. “Those who made me the sliph made me this way. I must travel with those who ask, if they have the price of power required.” She moved to the edge of her well, closer to him. “But if I was asleep, only you have the power to call me, master, and then the others could not use me.”
“But I tried to put you to sleep before, and it didn’t work.”
The sliph’s smile returned. “You did not have the silver required, before.”
“Silver?”
The sliph reached out and touched his wristbands. “Silver.”
“You mean, when I crossed my wrists to put you to sleep before, it didn’t work because I didn’t have these? And now, if I put you to sleep, it will work?”
“Yes, master.”
Richard thought a moment. “Does it—hurt, or anything, when you are put into this sleep?”
“No. It is rapture, for me, when I sleep, because I am with the rest of my soul.”
Richard’s eyes widened. “When you sleep, you go to the world of souls?”
“Yes, master. I am not to tell anyone how it is that they can put me into the sleep, but you are the only master, and since you wished to know, you will not be angry that I tell you.”
Richard sighed with relief. “Thank you, sliph. You have given us a way to prevent the wrong people from using you. I’m glad to know that you will be pleased to go into your sleep.”
Richard hugged Berdine. “Take care of everything until we get back.”
“I am to be in charge, then?” Berdine asked.
Richard frowned suspiciously. “All three of you are in charge.”
“Are you sure you heard that, mistress Berdine?” Ulic asked. “I don’t want you to later say that you heard no such orders.”