Upon hearing Zedd's story, Kahlan immediately goes into denial. Cara would not betray them. While it had taken a little time for Kahlan to trust Cara when they first met, once her trust had been won, there was no swaying her from it. Cara is her friend and Cara would not do what Zedd has said.

Kahlan remembers watching Cara shoot down Shota's offer of a collaboration because it would've meant leaving herself and Richard at the witch's mercy. She remembers an arrow pointing at her chest, threatening to end the Confessor line for all eternity, then Cara's foot kicking it away, even though Kahlan's hand had been around her throat mere moments previously. She remembers Cara trying valiantly to kill herself to give Kahlan a few more hours of air.

Cara is her friend. Cara would not do this.

Then she sees her. The swagger, the smirk. That's not her Cara. Her Cara is gone. Someone took her Cara away. Her eyes land on Dahlia. That bitch.

Kahlan feels her power prickle at her eyes before she even touches the woman. Dahlia has no time to react and Kahlan's fingers wrap around her throat, squeezing harder than strictly necessary for a confession. Her eyes go black and she watches Dahlia's follow suit, her body going slack under Kahlan's hand. Kahlan rarely confesses out of anger, and she tells herself that this is no different. But she cannot deny the satisfaction that surges through her when the Mord'Sith utters the usual plea to be commanded.

Kahlan knows there isn't much time. She sinks to her knees in front of the grovelling Dahlia and grabs her face, forcing her to look into her eyes.

"What have you done to Cara? How do I fix it?" she demands.

"I'm sorry, Mistress," Dahlia sobs. "She cannot be saved, Lord Rahl broke her beyond repair."

"I don't believe that," Kahlan spits. "She's Cara. She's strong…the strongest person I know."

"I know, Mistress," Dahlia agrees. "And it's true, she wouldn't break. He tried and tried, but she wouldn't break. So he enchanted an agiel with dark magic. He used the pain of all of her past victims to power it. No-one could withstand that."

Kahlan is shaking with rage now, barely able to hold off the Con Dar. She can hardly imagine what Cara must have gone through, how she must have suffered.

"You were supposed to be her friend," Kahlan whispers. "You…she trusted you. And you let this happen…"

"I'm so sorry, Mistress," Dahlia said, her eyes dropping to the ground. "She called out for you…over and over…she screamed your name above all else. She loves you."

Kahlan can almost feel her heart shatter in her chest. Knowing that Cara called for her; refusing to break; waiting to be rescued. But she hardens herself as she looks into the lovestruck eyes of Cara's betrayer.

"Yes, she loves me. And I love her," she says, evenly. "That is something you will never understand. I'm going to get her back and I'm never going to let her walk away with someone like you again."

"Yes, Mistress," Dahlia chokes out; there isn't much time left.

"Where is Rahl taking the Stone?" Kahlan demands.

"I'm sorry, I don't know. But Cara knows!" Dahlia says, a smile lighting up her face as she thinks she's provided her mistress with the information she wants.

Kahlan feels the knife in her heart twist a little deeper. If they don't find a way to bring Cara back, Kahlan will have to confess her for the information. Dahlia lets out a moan of pain and Kahlan lets her drop to the ground, forgotten.