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〃Yes； Princess Violet。〃 She curtsied。 She turned and started to leave。
〃I'm going for a fitting。〃 Rachel turned back to her。 〃Then I want to go to the jewel room； and try on some things； to go with my new dress。 When you're finished with the cooks； go get the key and wait for me in the jewel room。〃
Rachel's mouth felt as if it were stuck together。 〃But Princess； wouldn't you rather wait until tomorrow； when the dress is finished； to see how pretty the jewelry will look with the dress？〃
Princess Violet looked surprised。 〃Well； yes； that would be good； to see the jewels with the dress。〃 She thought another minute； then started up the steps。 〃I'm glad I thought of that。〃
Rachel let out a breath； then headed off to the servants' stairs。 The Princess called down to her。
〃On second thought； Rachel； I need to pick out something for tonight's dinner； so I need to go to the jewel room anyway。 Meet me there in a little while。〃
〃But； Princess 。。 。
〃But nothing。 After you deliver my message to the cooks； go get the key and wait for me in the jewel room。 I'll be there as soon as I'm done with the fitting。〃
The Princess went up the grand stairs and disappeared。
What was she going to do now？ Giller was going to meet her in the jewel room； too。 She was breathing hard； as if she was going to cry。 What was she going to do？
She was going to do as Giller said； that's what。 She was going to be brave。 So those people didn't get their heads chopped off。 She stopped herself from crying and went down the steps to the kitchen。 She wondered what Giller wanted a big loaf of bread for。
…＋
〃Well； what do you think？〃 he whispered。 〃Any ideas？〃
Kahlan was lying close； next to him on the ground； frowning while she looked over the edge to the scene below。
〃I can't even imagine；〃 she whispered back。 〃I have never seen so many short…tailed gars together in one place。〃
〃What could they be burning？〃
〃They're not burning anything。 The smoke is ing from the ground。 This place is called Fire Spring。 Those are vents where steam es up from the ground； and from other openings water boils up from below； and more over there where other things boil； foul…smelling yellow liquid and thick mud。 The fumes keep people away from this place。 I have no idea what gars would be doing here。〃
〃Well； look there； near the back where the hill rises up； where the biggest vent is。 There's something on top of it； something egg…shaped； with steam ing out around it。 They keep going up to look at it； to touch it。〃
She shook her head。 〃Your eyes are better than mine。 I can't tell what it is； or even that it's round。〃
Richard could hear and feel rumbles from the ground； some followed by great belches of steam roaring from the vents。 The awful suffocating smell of sulfur wafted up to where they hid in the stunted trees of the high ridge。
〃Maybe we should go have a closer look；〃 he whispered； half to himself； as he watched the gars moving about below。
〃That would be beyond foolhardy；〃 she whispered harshly。 〃It would be just plain stupid。 One gar would be trouble enough； or have you forgotten so quickly。 There must be dozens down there。〃
〃I guess；〃 he plained。 〃What's that behind them； just above； on the side of the hill？ A cave？〃
Her eyes went to the dark maw。 〃Yes。 It's called the Shadrin's Cave。 Some say it goes all the way through the mountain； to the valley on the other side。 But I don't know of anyone who knows for sure； or who would want to find out。〃
He watched the gars tearing an animal apart； fighting over it。 〃What's a Shadrin？〃
〃The Shadrin is a beast that is supposed to live in the caves。 Some say it's just a myth； others swear it is real； but nobody wants to go find out for sure。〃
He looked over at her as she watched the gars。 〃And what do you think？〃
Kahlan shrugged。 〃I don't know。 There are many places in the Midlands where there are supposed to be beasts。 I have been to many； and found no beasts。 Most of these stories are just that； stories。 But not all。〃
Richard was glad she was talking。 It was the most she had said in days。 The odd behavior of the gars seemed to have over whelmed her with curiosity； and brought her； for the moment； out of her withdrawal。 But they couldn't lie there talking； they were wasting time。 Besides； if they stayed too long； the gars' flies would find them。 They both crawled backward； clear of the edge； then crept farther away； keeping their heads down and their movements quiet。 Kahlan withdrew once again into silence。
Once away from the gars； they started down the road again； to Tamarang； the border land of the Wilds； the land ruled by Queen Milena。 Before they had gone far； they came to a divide in the road。 Richard assumed they would go to the right； as Kahlan had said that Tamarang lay to the east。 The gars and Fire Spring had been off to their left。 Kahlan went down the left road。
〃What're you doing？〃 He had had to watch her like a hawk since leaving Agaden Reach。 He couldn't trust her anymore。 All she wanted to do was die； and he knew she would manage it if he didn't watch her every… move。
She looked back at him with the same blank expression she had worn for days。 〃This is called an inverted fork。 Up ahead； where it's hard to see because of the lay of the land and the heavy woods； the roads cross over each other and switch directions。 Because of the thick trees； it's hard to tell where the sun is； which direction you are going。 If we take the right fork here； we will end up with the gars。 This one； to the left； goes to Tamarang。〃
He frowned。 〃Why would anyone go to the trouble to build a road like that？〃
〃It's just one little way the old rulers of Tamarang used to help confuse invaders from the Wilds。 Sometimes it slowed them down a little； gave the defenders time to retreat and regroup if they needed to； then to fall on the attackers again。〃
He studied her face a moment； trying to judge if she was telling the truth。 It infuriated him that he had to worry about whether Kahlan was telling him the truth。
〃You're the guide；〃 he said at last。 〃Lead on。〃
At his word； she turned without ment and walked on。 Richard didn't know how much more of this he could take。 She would only talk when it was required； wouldn't listen when he tried to make conversation； and backed away whenever he got close。 She acted as if his touch would be poison； but he knew it was really her touch she worried about。 He had hoped that the way she was talking when they had spotted the gars signaled a change； but he was wrong。 She had quickly reverted to her dark mood。
She had reduced herself to a prisoner on a forced march； had reduced him to a reluctant jailer。 He kept her knife in his belt。 He knew what would happen if he gave it back to her。 With every step； she was drifting farther and farther from him。 He knew he was losing her； but didn't have the slightest idea what to do about it。
At night； when it was time for her watch； for him to sleep； he had to tie her hands and feet to prevent her from killing herself when he wasn't watching。 When he bound her； she endured it limply。 He endured it with great pain。 Even then； he had to sleep with one eye open。 He slept by her feet so if she saw or heard something； she could wake him。 He was dead tired from the strain。
He wished they had never gone to。 Shota。 The idea that Zedd would turn on him was unthinkable； the idea that Kahlan would was unbearable。
Richard took out some food。 He kept his voice cheerful； hoping to perk her up。 〃Here； have some of this dried fish？〃 He smiled。 〃It's really awful。〃
She didn't laugh at his joke。 〃No； thank you。 I'm not hungry。〃
Richard struggled to keep the smile on his face； struggled to keep his voice from betraying his anger。 His head was pounding。 〃Kahlan； you've hardly eaten for days。 You have to eat。〃
〃I said I don't want any。〃
〃e on； for me？〃 he coaxed。
〃What are you going to do next？ Hold me down and force it in my mouth？〃
The calmness in her voice infuriated him； but he covered it as best he could with his tone； if not his words。 〃If I have to。〃
She spun at him； her chest heaving。 〃Richard； please！ Just let me go？ I don't want to be with you！ Just let me go！〃 It was the first emotion she had shown since leaving Agaden Reach。
It was his turn to hide his emotions。 〃No。〃
She glared at him with fire in her green eyes。 〃You can't watch me every minute。 Sooner or later 。 。 。〃 〃Every minute 。 。 。 if I have to。〃
They stood glaring angrily at each other； then the emotion on her face was gone； and she turned back to the road； walking on。
They had only stopped for a few minutes； but it had been enough for the thing that followed them to make another mistake； a rare one。 It had let its guard down briefly； and let itself get too close…close enough for Richard to see its fierce yellow eyes again； if only for an instant。
He had been aware that they were being followed since the second day out of the Reach。 Years spent alone in the woods made him aware when he