Promethean Heat, Chapter 8
Disclaimer and Warning: They still aren't mine. No flip comments this time, because there's even more unpleasant and out-of-character behavior ahead. Just know that I'm going somewhere with this.
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Anson walked back into the camp, frowning. He wanted to go back to check on Kahlan, make sure she was all right, but he didn't want to make things worse for her. He sighed in frustration.
"What's wrong, Anson?" Devlin said, coming up.
Anson looked at him, trying to decide what to tell him. He knows them better than I do, he thought. Tell him everything. "It's Richard. I went after Kahlan to make sure she was okay, and Richard followed us."
Devlin had a bad feeling, remembering Richard's previous outburst.
"Devlin, I think he…he thinks Kahlan and I--" Anson started, but couldn't finish the thought. "We aren't, I swear it!" he added, knowing that his behavior hadn't exactly helped the situation. "Not that I don't have my fantasies, but you know how she feels about him. He's all she talks about! Besides, she's a Confessor. I was only flirting! I'd have to be crazy to follow through on any of it!"
"I know, Anson. I know," Devlin said, smiling inwardly at the thought of his own fantasies. You'd have to be dead not to have thoughts about that woman, he thought. "Nobody will fault you."
"The Seeker would," Anson said. "But it's not me I'm worried about. It's her." He swallowed. "The look on his face scared me, Devlin."
Devlin shook his head in frustration. "This isn't like Richard at all," he said, frowning in confusion. The confusion faded, slowly replaced by worry. He looked up at Anson. "Come with me. We need to talk to Zedd."
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"Richard," she said, stepping away from the flaming torch in front of her, "stop this."
He advanced on her, the torch dangerously close to her. "No, you're going to tell me exactly what you've been doing with him."
"I haven't been doing anything with him," Kahlan said emphatically. "What is wrong with you?"
"I've been a fool," he said, stepping forward again, forcing her back against a tree. "I should have seen it before."
"Seen what?" Kahlan said angrily, but as she said it, she saw a dangerous look in his eyes.
"Shota was right," he said, with a bitter smile.
"What are you saying?" Kahlan gasped, feeling like she'd been kicked in the stomach, and all her anger was gone in an instant, replaced by hurt.
"She said you'd betray me, and you did." The torch came closer, and Kahlan ducked to the side, away from the heat.
"Richard, no," she said, stumbling backwards away from the tree, trying to think of a way to reach him. "I haven't betrayed you. I haven't! I don't know what's happening to you, but you have to believe--"
"Liar." He spat the word.
"What? No!" Kahlan felt unsteady, rocked by the barrage of accusations. "Richard, I--"
"Liar!" he shouted, his face livid. Kahlan had never seen him like this, not even after his father had been killed. "You told me you loved me!" He advanced on her aggressively.
"Richard," Kahlan said desperately, backing away from him, and she realized she was actually afraid of him at that moment. This isn't him, she thought, shaken. Something's wrong. "I didn't lie, I meant it--"
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Zedd looked up at Anson, baffled. "So you think Richard's jealous?"
Anson nodded. "I don't think there's any other explanation."
"But…why?" Zedd said. "Kahlan would never--"
"You know it, and I know it, but Richard seems to have lost sight of that," Devlin said. "And I'm beginning to wonder why."
There was something in his tone that made Zedd frown. "You mean magic?" he said slowly.
Devlin nodded. "Is it possible?"
"Well, yes, of course it's possible," Zedd said. "It's not even that difficult. Jealousy and anger are some of the easiest emotions to augment. Even a third-rate wizard…" He stopped, remembering the weasel-faced man who'd freed his fingers in that tent. He'd had an air of magic about him, feeble, yes, but definitely there. And with the way Richard's connection with the Sword of Truth fed off strong emotions… That pathetic excuse for a sorcerer did more damage than I could have imagined, he thought. I wish I'd killed him when I had the chance.
Zedd struggled tiredly to his feet, and Devlin sprang to help him. "Where are they?" Zedd said to Anson.
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Richard lunged forward, grabbed Kahlan's arm and pulled her to him, his face inches from hers. "You meant it?" he spat, and she winced at the anger behind his words more than the pain of his hand clenching her arm. "Like you meant it when you said it to him?"
Kahlan looked at him, unable to comprehend what he was saying. He really thinks I-- "Richard, I never--"
He shook her. "I heard him!" he roared. "He said he loves you! And that you love him!"
Kahlan felt cold settle in her stomach. He's not even connected to reality anymore, she thought, and suddenly realized what was going on. This is some sort of spell. "No, Richard, no! That never happened!" But he wasn't listening. Kahlan's heart sank. "Richard, please," she pleaded, "He never said that. I never told him anything. I could never love anyone but--"
He backhanded her across the face, and Kahlan fell hard, her head ringing.
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Author's Note: This scene freaked me out a little when I wrote it, so forgive me. But it was right for the story. This is not intended to diminish domestic violence in any way. I tried to write it without it, and it just didn't work.