Chapter One
Kahlan sat on the Mother Confessor's chair, deep in her own thoughts. They were waiting for Nikolas, or at least that's what she thought the Mord-Sith had told her. She hadn't really been paying attention. Something about this capture didn't feel right. It was too easy.
Somewhere Kahlan thought she heard a door open, but she didn't notice. Not until Nikolas came up to her, the stubble of his beard scratching her face as he kissed her cheek. He sat down in the chair that was next to hers. The very existence of that chair disturbed something in Kahlan, but she pushed it aside, just like she always did.
"Are you ready for this?" Nikolas asked, but she was still lost in thought. "Kahlan?" Nikolas's voice pierced though her thoughts. He was staring at her, concern passing across his features.
"Yes." She said. "Yes, I'm ready. Bring her in please." Kahlan ordered, turning to the one Mord-Sith that Kahlan didn't want to see.
"Of course, Mother Confessor." Hope spoke; her fist pounding her heart, but Kahlan didn't miss the look that passed between her and Nikolas. Pain racked her chest.
The woman they brought in surprised Kahlan. She had changed so much, but Kahlan figured being with Richard did that to you. Some things were familiar, the cocky smile, the color of her hair, but it was much shorter, and the fact that she was wearing a dress just seemed unnatural.
Most prisoners wouldn't dare to look their captors in the eye, but not her. "Mother Confessor, Lord Rahl." Denna smirked. "How wonderful it is to see you again."
Kahlan saw Nikolas glance in her direction, asking if she wanted to speak first, but there was no one watching, and Kahlan didn't want to face her nightmares.
"Where is he?" Nikolas demanded.
Denna looked at him sadly. "You'll have to do better than that, Lord Rahl. I know I may not look it, but I'm still Mord-Sith."
"I would rather not resort to that." Nikolas told her, "But I will if you force me."
"No one can force you to do anything, Nik." Denna mocked, unafraid of his threat. "That's what Richard would tell you."
"If she won't talk, maybe we should skip to the torture." Kahlan said, turning to Nikolas. She wanted to get out of there.
"Can't face your fears, Mother Confessor?" Denna smiled at her cruelly. "When was the last time I saw you?"
"You'll pay with your life for that, Denna." Nikolas threatened, he tried to grab Kahlan's hand to offer support, but she didn't take it. He went on like it had never occurred. "But first, we must know where Richard is."
"And again." Denna turned to Hope, "Does he really just expect me to tell him?" A pause as Denna realized whom she had turned to. "You would know better than anyone right? You are his whore – "
Denna was cut off as Hope's fist slammed into her face. She fell to the floor, and the young Mord-Sith followed, as she began punching the older woman. Denna raised her chained hands, trying to protect herself as she was pummeled.
Kahlan looked away.
"Hope." Nikolas tried weakly. "Hope!" He yelled, and then two Mord-Sith were pulling Hope off Denna. They threw her towards Nikolas, and she looked up at him from the floor, angry that he had stopped her. "Go compose yourself." He ordered, sighing.
She pulled herself off the floor and stomped away, the ring of Denna's laughter following her. "Oh, Lord Rahl!" She laughed. "There is some serious tension in this room." She wiped blood from the corner of her mouth.
"Take her away." Kahlan whispered.
"What was that, Mother Confessor? I think you should speak up."
"Take her away!" Kahlan screamed, and the other Mord-Sith rushed to do her biding. It took all of a minute to drag Denna, smirking, from the room.
Nikolas and Kahlan sat in silence for a moment. "Kahlan – " Nikolas started, but she cut him off.
"Do whatever you need to, but I don't want her alive any longer than necessary." Kahlan stood up.
"Kahlan."
"Don't!" She shrieked at him. Then softly she continued. "Just don't, Niki." She left him sitting there.
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Nikolas sat waiting in his chambers. He heard the door to the main room slam open, and sighed. This was going to be a fun night. The door to his bedchambers opened and Hope stormed into view. She didn't cross the threshold.
"Hope." He said tiredly, he felt like he hadn't slept in a year.
"Lord Rahl." She said icily.
He signed, "Can we just not do this, Hope? You know that I couldn't let you kill her, besides – "
"I'm not your whore." She stated, but Nikolas noticed a quaver in her voice.
He stood up. "Of course not." He said, suddenly understanding. "You are incredibly important to me, Hope." He paused. "I thought you knew that."
He saw her visibly relax. "I do." She whispered. "I do know that." But she sounded like she hadn't been sure.
He walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "I love you Hope." He told her, pulling her gently into the room.
She let herself be dragged towards the bed, and suddenly Nikolas found himself on top of her as she lie on the bed, panting. They were kissing, and pulling off each other's clothes, and it seemed like the millionth time that Nikolas had cursed the leather that encased her body.
"I'm still angry." Hope reminded him between kisses, her words hard to understand from the panting.
He kissed her, enjoying the feeling of her hot naked body on his flesh. "I hope so."
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"The plan has been set in motion." Richard told the Black Cloak. "I can see the activity in Aydindril."
"Denna succeeded?"
"Yes." He paused. "Now it's our turn." He turned to the other people in the camp. "Let's go."
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"Let's go Dahlia!" Cara threw a dress at the naked woman, trying to ignore the other person who had been in the bed; he was now scrambling from the house, his pants in his hands.
"Cara." Dahlia groaned. "Can't you just leave me here?" Cara didn't answer. "Or better yet you could join me." Her eyebrows rose seductively. "That would be fun, wouldn't it?"
"We don't have time for this, get dressed before I drag you down the street naked. You know he doesn't like to be kept waiting." Cara tore the blankets from the bed.
Dahlia pursed her lips, not at all concerned about being nude, though she did start to push herself off the bed. "Fine, but I want you to get me another lover."
"I told you before, that's not going to happen. You shouldn't even have a lover." Cara told her as she watched the dress slip slowly down Dahlia's form.
"Come now Cara, you don't expect me to believe that you haven't blown off some steam over these four years, do you?" Dahlia smoothed her dress down.
"It's different." Cara stalked out of the room, expecting Dahlia to follow.
"Oh? How's that?" Dahlia matched her stride for stride.
"I don't have someone counting on me to be faithful." Dahlia stopped suddenly as Cara kept walking. She went on for a moment, wondering if Dahlia would catch up.
She did. "It's different." She muttered. They were nearing the meeting place, and suddenly Cara was pushed into the side of a building. "Come on, Cara. You know you want to." Dahlia's lips moved against Cara's, her tongue licked Cara's teeth.
"Mind if I butt in?" Brutus kissed them both on the cheek. Cara shot him a glare, but Dahlia only smiled and giggled.
"You, me, and Cara? Now that would be far more fun than last time, wouldn't, you agree?" Dahlia playfully pecked Brutus on the mouth and was met with a smirk.
"Oh I do." He said in a husky voice.
Cara pushed off the wall, shoving between Brutus and Dahlia and moving them away from each other. "We're going to be late." She stated. "You know how he is when we're late."
Dahlia looked up in the sky. "I thought this meeting started an hour ago."
"That's just what we told you." Brutus teased, grabbing her hand.
Dahlia shook it off and caught up with Cara. "Why did you come get me?" She asked and then added, "You represent us, ever since . . ."
Cara opened the door of the meeting place, holding it open to let Dahlia walk in. "Because you need to be here."
Dahlia walked in, followed by Brutus and Cara. "Glad you could make it." Leo griped from the corner. He was frowning. "Especially you, Dahlia."
"Why is it so important I'm here?" She asked, exasperated, though smiling.
"Hello, Dahlia." She turned around, the smile falling from her face as she saw Benjamin Meiffert.
"We found your husband."