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at the same time； her own panic。
Two men were on the floor； one holding his crotch； the other sprawled out； blood gushing from his ruined face。 His nose was crushed。 There were ten others； all trying to get at her at once。 They threw each other back； trying to force themselves on top of her； the biggest working his way in。 Kahlan couldn’t get her breath。
With frantic effort； the spark of thought sprang forth。 She remembered asking Zedd if he could remove her power。 She had wanted to be free of it so she could be with Richard。 Zedd had told her that it wasn’t possible to rid a Confessor of her power； that she was born with the magic； and it couldn’t be separated from her as long as she was alive。
How could Ranson have stripped her of her power？ Zedd was a wizard of the First Order； there was no wizard with more power than a wizard of the First Order。 Why wouldn’t Ranson have wanted to rape her first？ He said she disgusted him。 But he said he wanted to strip her of her dignity。 Why wouldn’t he want to do it？
Unless he was afraid。
Afraid she would figure it out。 Figure what out？
It came to her。 The Wizard’s First Rule。
People would believe anything； if they wanted to believe。 Or if they were afraid it was true。 She was afraid it was true that he had stripped her of her power。 Maybe he had used magic to give her pain and mask her ability to sense her own magic； to try to trick her into believing what she feared。
As the men groped at her； she groped for her power。 She tried to find the calmness； the place of her magic； but it just wasn’t there。 All she felt was emptiness。 Where she always felt the swell of magic before； she now felt only a numb； hollow void。
She wanted to cry at the feel of the men’s hands on her legs； and between them； but she couldn’t allow herself to lose control； her only chance。 Try as she might； she couldn’t find the magic； couldn’t call it forth。 It was simply gone。 She desperately wanted her hands free。
‘Wait！’ she screamed。
The men all stopped for a moment； their faces pulling back； looking at her。 She gasped to catch her breath。
Talk； she ordered of herself； while you have the chance。 ‘You’re doing it all wrong！’
They laughed。 ‘We think we’ll figure it out；’ one said。
Kahlan struggled to control her fear； and think。 They were going to do what they were going to do； and she couldn’t stop them。 Fighting them in this way was going to acplish nothing； except to feed her panic。 She had only one chance； and that was to use her head。 She had to slow them down and give herself time to think。
‘If you do it this way； you will just be denying yourselves the full satisfaction of it。’
They frowned。 ‘What do you mean？’
‘If you’re all fighting each other； and me； you won’t be able to really enjoy me as a woman。 Wouldn’t it be more enjoyable if I cooperated？’
They all looked at one another。 One to the side spoke up。 ‘She has a point。 The queen wasn’t nearly so much good after she went numb on us。’
‘Queen？’ Kahlan asked。 ‘What queen？ You men are just bragging on me。 You’ve had no queen。’
‘Queen Cyrilla；’ a different man said。 ‘She fainted on us； then went feebleminded。 Just lay there the whole time； like a dead fish。 But we had her anyway； had a queen。 Still 。。。’
Kahlan fought back the scream； fought to keep the meaning of what she had just learned from making her start kicking again。 That would only get her the same as Cyrilla。
Her only chance was to use her head。 She needed time to search for her magic； and if she somehow did find it； she needed the men separated。 Otherwise； nine men would overpower that one。 She had to have things organized first； in case the magic worked。 And； she needed the strongest to be the one。
For an instant； she abandoned her idea； fearing it wouldn’t save her； and worse； fearing she wouldn’t have the nerve to do it。 But then she bleakly realized that even if it didn’t work； it didn’t matter。 They were going to rape her one way or the other。 Her only chance was to try。 She had nothing to lose。
‘That’s what I mean。 Wouldn’t you rather have my cooperation？ I’m going to be down here for days。 You’ll each have more than your share of time on me。 Wouldn’t you rather I helped？ That way； you could all have what you want。’ She thought she might vomit。
‘Keep talking；’ the biggest man said in a gruff voice。
Kahlan stiffened her resolve。 ‘I’ve never 。。。 had a man before。’ They all hooted at their luck。 She waited until their leers came back to her。 She fought back the urge to shriek at the looks in those eyes。 ‘Like I said； I’ve never had a man。 I know you men are going to have me； and I can’t stop you。 If it’s going to be done anyway； I’d rather 。。。 enjoy it。’
Their hungry smiles widened。 ‘Yea？ Well； what do you think you’d enjoy most； little lady？’
‘If you did it one at a time。 Wouldn’t that be better for you； too？ If you weren’t fighting each other； if you waited your turn； then you could concentrate on enjoying everything a real woman has to offer。’
A couple of the men grabbed at her legs； pulling them apart。 They growled that they would have what they wanted their own way。 The biggest； the one with the gruff voice； hauled them back； throwing one against the wall。 His head banged with a loud thunk。
‘Let her talk！ She makes sense！’ He turned his vicious eyes on her。 ‘Let’s hear your offer。’
Kahlan tried to slow her voice down； and sound like she might be intrigued by the idea。 She tried to sound self…confident as she shrugged。
‘If you do it my way； I’ll give you whatever you want。 I’ll make sure you enjoy whatever you like。’
Some of the men chuckled。 The big man’s eyes showed his suspicion。 ‘Why？ And how do we know you mean it？’
‘Because I’ll be able to enjoy it； too； that way。’ Kahlan swallowed back her fear。 ‘Untie my hands； and I’ll show you I mean it。’
She leaned forward as he untied her hands； another man taking the opportunity to fondle her breasts。 She remained still。 At last； her hands were untied。 She rubbed her aching wrists and then smiled at the big man as she ran her fingers down his cheek。
He slapped her hand away。 ‘You’re running out of time。 You better show us you mean what you say。’
Kahlan steeled herself as she leaned back against the wall。 She pulled her dress up above her waist； drew her knees up； and spread her legs。 She looked to the big man。 Touch me。’
Three of the other men reached for her。 She slapped their hands away。 ‘I said one at a time！’ She looked the big man in the eyes； when they came up。 He towered over the other men。 ‘What’s your name？’
‘Tyler。’
‘One at a time。 You first； Tyler。 Touch me。’
The stone walls echoed with the sound of heavy breathing。 The big man reached out and stroked her。 It took all her strength to keep her knees apart。 She forced herself to breathe。 She prayed he couldn’t see her shaking。
A grin spread on his hulking face as his husky hand groped her。 She coyly pushed his hand away and put her knees together。
‘See？ Isn’t that better than some delicate woman who faints at the first touch and lies on the floor like a dead fish？’
The other men agreed that it surely was。 Tyler gave her a suspicious look。
‘You look like one of them Confessors。’
Kahlan sputtered a laugh。 ‘Confessor！’ She pulled out a short strand of hair。 The feel of how short it was almost made her cry out in anguish。 ‘Does this look like I’m a Confessor？’
‘No 。。。 but that dress 。。。’
‘Well；’ Kahlan said； ‘she wasn’t wearing it； so I borrowed it。’
‘Last I heard； they don’t behead people for stealing a dress。 What did you do to get yourself thrown in with us？’
She held her chin up。 ‘I didn’t do anything。 I’m innocent。’
The men laughed。 They said that they； too； were innocent。 Tyler wasn’t laughing with them。 He had a dangerous look in his eyes。 She knew she had to do something； and quick。
With her heart thumping so hard she thought it might e right out of her chest； she took Tyler’s hand in both of hers； and put it back up between her legs； pressing her thighs to it。
Tyler’s leering grin swept the caution from his face。 ‘So what is it you want us to do？’ he asked。
‘I’ll make myself available here； and the rest of you all go over there； while I’m with each man in turn。 That way I’ll feel safe enough to enjoy it； and at ease enough to make sure you do； too。’ She looked back to the big man and licked her lips as she smiled。 ‘And I have one other condition。 I want you first。 I’ve always wanted a really big man。’
She shivered at the look in his eyes。 She told herself that she was the Mother Confessor； she had to keep her head。 She licked her lips again as she wiggled herself against his hand。
Tyler burst into laughter。 The others all chuckled nervously with him。 ‘You lofty ladies all act better than everyone else； but when it es to it； you’re just a whore； like all the rest。’