Temple of the Winds

Books by Terry Goodkind

RICHARD AND KAHLAN

The Omen Machine

THE SWORD OF TRUTH

Wizard’s First Rule

Stone of Tears

Blood of the Fold

Temple of the Winds

Soul of the Fire

Faith of the Fallen

The Pillars of Creation

Naked Empire

Chainfire

Phantom

Confessor

CONTEMPORARY FICTION

The Law of Nines

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.

To my friend Rachel Kahlandt,

who understands

“Let me kill him,” Cara said, her boot strikes sounding like rawhide mallets hammering the polished marble floor.

The supple leather boots Kahlan wore beneath her elegant, white Confessor’s dress whispered against the cold stone as she tried to keep pace without letting her legs break into a run.

“
No.”

Cara exhibited no response, keeping her blue eyes ahead to the wide corridor stretching into the distance. A dozen leather- and chain-mail-clad D’Haran soldiers, their unadorned swords sheathed, or crescent-bladed battle-axes hooked on belt hangers, crossed at an intersection just ahead. Though their weapons weren’t drawn, every wooden hilt was gripped in a ready fist as vigilant eyes scrutinized the shadows among the doorways and columns to each side. Their hasty bows toward Kahlan only briefly interrupted their attention to their task.

“
We can’t just kill him,” Kahlan explained. “We need answers.”

An eyebrow lifted over one icy blue eye. “Oh, I didn’t say he wouldn’t give us answers before he dies. He will answer any question you have when I’m finished with him.” A mirthless smile ghosted across her flawless face. “That is the job of a Mord-Sith: getting people to answer questions”—she paused as the smile returned to widen with professional satisfaction—“before they die.”

Kahlan heaved a sigh. “Cara, that’s no longer your job—your life. Your job now is to protect Richard.”

“
That is why you should let me kill him. We should not take a risk by letting this man live.”

“
No. We first have to find out what’s going on, and we’re not going to start out doing it the way you want.”

Cara’s smile, humorless as it was, had vanished again. “As you wish, Mother Confessor.”

Kahlan wondered how the woman had managed to change into her skintight red leather outfit so fast. Whenever there was so much as a whiff of trouble, at least one of the three Mord-Sith seemed to materialize out of nowhere in her red leather. Red, as they often pointed out, didn’t show blood.

“
Are you sure he said that, this man? Those were his words?”

“
Yes, Mother Confessor, his exact words. You should let me kill him before he has a chance to try to bring them to pass.”

Kahlan ignored the repeated request as they hurried on down the hall. “Where’s Richard?”

“
You wish me to get Lord Rahl?”

“
No! I just want to know where he is, in case there’s trouble.”

“
I would say that this qualifies as trouble.”

“
You said that there must be two hundred soldiers holding weapons on him. How much trouble can one man cause with all those swords, axes, and arrows pointed at him?”