Cara/Dahlia, during Eternity
The Sense of Hearing
"Amazing grace…"
Grace—Cara's eyes filled with tears at the thought of her sister. The pain receded, to be replaced by all Cara's regret, that she had been such a poor sister to Grace, whose husband might make Cara's fingers itch for her agiels, but who was surely not to blame for the mess Cara had made of their lives—depriving Grace, at one blow, of mother, father, and sister.
"How sweet the sound…" Dahlia was closer now, singing in Cara's ear. She reached up to stroke Cara's hair, making a faint sound of distaste at how short it was.
Dahlia's face swam before Cara's eyes. Her lips were so red…
"That saved a wretch…" Dahlia pulled back and struck Cara across the face with her agiel; the surprise, as much as anything else, made Cara utter a faint scream just as Dahlia raised her voice triumphantly: "like me!"
A wretch, indeed, Cara thought. All she had done—was she a fool to think it possible to escape her past? It stood before her in human form—Dahlia, and somewhere, no doubt peacefully napping, Darken Rahl.
But she would not even think of him.
Nor would she ever give her former lovers the satisfaction of knowing that the fate of her son had already done much to break her.
She had been a fool ever to expect better from Darken Rahl—but that Dahlia could betray her like this—
"I once was lost…" Dahlia sang pointedly. Cara quite agreed—but she was lost no longer.
Richard. Kahlan. Even Zedd. Cara had real friends now—who would never betray her. "But now am found," she sang softly, smiling through her cracked lips.
Dahlia screamed her frustration—but Cara was no longer listening.