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eath； reaching for the egg。 Richard whacked off a wing。 It spun； howling； toward the ground。 No more came。
Scarlet carried him high into the air； up and away from Fire Spring。 Hanging in her claw； he felt like a meal being taken back to the young。 Her grip was hurting his ribs a little； but he didn't plain。 He didn't want her to loosen her hold on him； it was a long way down。
They flew for hours。 Richard managed to rearrange himself and get a little more fortable in her talons as he watched the hills and trees pass below。 He saw streams and fields； even a few small towns。 The hills grew； being rocky； as if the stone were sprouting from the landscape。 Jagged rock cliffs and peaks rose up before them。 Stroking the air smoothly； Scarlet lifted them higher； over rock Richard thought would scrape his feet。 She took them into a desolate land； barren of life。 Brown and gray stone looked to have been haphazardly stacked up by a giant； like coins on a table； into thin columns； some singular； others clumped in bunches； still more having toppled。
Beyond and above the columns of rock stood massive； craggy stone cliffs； riddled with splits and cracks； shelves and projections。 A few clouds drifted past the face of the cliffs。 Scarlet banked toward a wall of rock。 It seemed to Richard that they would run smack into it； but before they did； she brought them up short with a fluttering of her huge wings； setting him on a ledge before landing herself。
At the back of the ledge was an opening into the rock。 Scarlet squeezed her bulk through。 In the back； in the cool darkness； was a nest of rock； where she placed the egg； then breathed fire over it。 Richard watched as she stroked the egg with a claw； turning it gently； inspecting it； cooing to it。 She played fire gently over the egg； turning her head； listening； watching。
〃Is it all right？〃 Richard asked quietly。
Her head turned to him； a dreamy look in her yellow eyes。 〃Yes。 It is well。〃
Richard nodded。 〃I'm glad； Scarlet。 I really am。〃
He started toward her as she lay down next to the egg。 Her head came up in warning。
He halted。 〃I just want my pack。 It's hanging on a spike； on your shoulder。〃 〃Sorry。 Go ahead。〃
Richard retrieved the pack and went to the side； against the wall； a little closer to the light。 He glanced over the ledge。 It looked to be thousands of feet down。 Richard fervently hoped Scarlet was a dragon of her word。 He sat down and pulled out a fresh pair of pants。
He found something else； too： the； jar from Denna's room。 Inside was some of the aum。 cream he had made when Rahl had hurt her。 She must have taken what was left over and put it in his pack。 Looking down at the Agiel； he smiled sadly at the memory of her。 How could he care about someone who had done those things to him？ He had forgiven her； that was how； forgiven her with the white magic。
The aum cream felt wonderful。 He let out a little moan。 It cooled the burning of his wounds； soothed the pain。 Richard said a silent thank…you to Denna for putting it in his pack。 He took off the shredded remnants of his pants。
〃You look funny without your pants。〃
Richard spun around。 Scarlet was watching him。
〃Those are not reassuring words for a man to hear from a female； even if the female is a dragon。〃 Turning his back to her； he pulled on his fresh pants。
〃You are injured。 From the gars？〃
Richard shook his head。 〃In the cave。〃 His voice was quiet with the haunting fear of the memory。 He sat down； leaning against the wall； watching his boots。 〃I had to go through a small hole in the rock。 It was the only way。 I became stuck。〃 He looked up at the big yellow eyes。 〃Since I left my home to stop Darken Rahl； I've been frightened often。 But when I was stuck in that hole； in the dark； the rock pressing against me so tight I couldn't breathe 。 。 。 well； that was one of the worst times。 While I was stuck there； something grabbed my leg； dug into the flesh with sharp little claws。 It did this to me as I tried to get away。〃
Scarlet watched him in silence a long time； one claw over the egg。 〃Thank you； Richard Cypher； for doing as you said you would。 For getting my egg back。 You are brave； even if you are not a dragon。 I never believed a man would risk himself so； for a dragon。〃 〃I did it for more than your egg。 I did it because I had to； to get help finding my friends。〃
Scarlet shook her head。 〃Honest； too。 I think maybe you would have done it anyway。 I am sorry you were injured； and that you had to be frightened so； to help me。 Men try to kill dragons。 You…may be the first who has ever helped one。 For any reason。 I had my doubts。〃
〃Well； it's a good thing you showed up when you did。 Those gars almost had me。 By the way； I thought I told you to stay put。 What were you doing ing after me？〃
〃I'm embarrassed to admit； I thought you were trying to escape。 I was ing for a closer look； when I heard the uproar。 I will make it up to you。 I will help you find your friends； as I promised。〃
Richard grinned。 〃Thanks； Scarlet。 But what about the egg？ Can you leave it alone？ Maybe Rahl will steal it again。〃
〃Not from here； he won't。 I searched a long time for this place after he stole my egg； so if I ever got it back； I would have a safe place for it。 He will not be able to reach it here。 As for leaving it； that is not a problem。 When dragons hunt for food； they simply heat the rock with their flame； to keep the egg warm in their absence。〃
〃Scarlet； time is short。 When can we start？〃
〃Right now。〃
CHAPTER 46
IT was w FRUSTRATING day。 Scarlet flew low over thick woods as they both scanned the roads and trails。 Richard was discouraged that they had seen no sign of his friends。 He was so exhausted that he could hardy hold on to Scarlet's spikes as she flew him over the land； searching； but he didn't want to rest； he had to find Zedd and Kahlan。 On top of being tired； he had a terrific headache from concentrating his eyesight so。 He forgot his fatigue； his lack of sleep； every time they spotted people on the ground； only to have to tell Scarlet each time that it wasn't his friends。
The dragon went low； skimming the tops of pine trees at the edge of a field。 She let out a piercing scream that made Richard jump and banked into a steep turn that made him dizzy。 A buck broke into a run across the field； flushed from cover by the dragon's roar。 Building speed in a quick dive； she swooped into the field。 Without effort； Scarlet snatched the deer from the tall brown grass； snapping its neck in the process。 Richard felt intimidated by how easy it was for her to take the prey。
Scarlet pulled higher into the air； into the golden light of the setting sun； among the puffy clouds。 Richard felt as if his heart were sinking with the sun。 He knew Scarlet was heading back to her egg。 He wanted to tell her to search some more； while there was still light； but he knew she had to get back to her nest； her egg。
In near darkness； Scarlet landed on the ledge of rock； waiting for him to climb down over her red scales before she hurried to her egg。 Richard went to one side and curled up in his cloak； shivering with the cold。
After she checked her egg； cooed to it； and warmed it with fire； she turned to see about the buck。 She paused to say to Richard。 〃You don't look like you could eat much。 I guess I could let you have some。〃
〃Will you cook it for me？ I don't eat raw meat。〃
She said she would； so he cut himself a chunk； stuck it on the end of his sword； and； holding it up； turned his head from the heat while she blew a thin stream of flame over it。 Richard returned to the side； eating his meal； trying not to watch as the dragon tore the buck apart with fang and claw； tossing great chunks in the air and swallowing with hardly a chew。
〃If we don't find your friends； what will you do？〃
Richard swallowed。 〃We had better find them； that's all。〃
〃The first day of winter is four days from tomorrow。〃
With a finger and thumb； he pulled off a small strip of meat。 〃I know。〃
〃For a dragon； it is better to die than be ruled。〃
Richard looked up at her as she swished her tail。 〃If choosing for yourself； maybe； but what of others？ You chose to be ruled； to save your egg； to give it a chance at life。〃
Scarlet grunted without answering and turned once more to her egg； stroking her talons over it。
Richard knew that if he couldn't find the last box and stop Rahl； he would have to save everyone else's life； he would have to spare Kahlan the torture of a Mord…Sith … he would have to agree to help Darken Rahl open the right box。 Then Kahlan could live the kind of life a； Confessor； was used to。
It was a desperately depressing thought…that he could help Darken Rahl gain unchallenged power over everyone。 But what choice did he have？ Maybe what Shota said was right。 Maybe Zedd and Kahlan would try to kill him。 Maybe he should be killed for even thinking of helping Darken Rahl。 If he had to choose； though； he would not let Kahlan be hurt by a Mord…Sith。 He would have to help Rahl。
Richard lay back down； too sick at his choices to f