Temple of the Winds (30 page)

“
I haven’t had much of an appetite since I left home, thinking about … I mean, what with my travels, I was busy, and I’ve slimmed down a bit, so I was able to take in the seams and save the dress. It’s not too tight. It’s fine.”

“
In view of your aid, I will see to it that you get another dress that would be more comfortable.”

“
No. This one’s fine.”

“
I see.”

“
Well, your cut looks no worse this morning. That’s encouraging.” She carefully wiped at the old poultice. “I saw Richard on the way out. He looked upset. You two haven’t had a fight, I hope?”

Kahlan’s forbearance evaporated. “No. He was upset because of something else.”

Nadine paused at her work. She turned to her bag and brought back a horn. The fragrance of pine pitch filled the air when she opened it. Kahlan winced as Nadine dabbed on the poultice. When she was satisfied, she began winding the bandage back around Kahlan’s arm.

“
There’s no need to be embarrassed,” Nadine said in a casual tone. “Lovers sometimes have spats. They don’t always end a relationship. I’m sure Richard will come to his senses. Eventually.”

“
Actually,” Kahlan said, “I told him that I understood about you and him. About what happened. That was why he was so upset.”

Nadine’s wrapping slowed. “What do you mean?”

“
I told him what you said about letting him catch you kissing his brother. The little ‘shove’ you gave him. Remember?”

Nadine brought the tails of the bandage around, her fingers suddenly working swiftly at tying them. “Oh, that.”

“
Yes, that.”

Nadine avoided looking up. She slipped the sleeve of the dress over Kahlan’s hand. As soon as she had pulled the dress up over Kahlan’s shoulder, she dropped the horn back in her bag.

“
That should do it. I should replace the poultice later today.”

Kahlan watched as Nadine hefted her bag and scurried for the door. Kahlan called her name. Nadine reluctantly paused and turned partway back.

“
Seems you lied to me. Richard told me what really happened.”

Nadine’s freckles vanished in a crimson glow. Kahlan stood and gestured toward a tufted velvet chair.

“
Care to set things right? To tell me your side of it?”

Nadine stood woodenly for a moment, then sank into the chair. She folded her hands in her lap and stared down at them. “I told you, I had to give him a shove.”

“
You call that a shove?”

Nadine turned even redder. “Well.” She flicked a hand. “I knew how boys lost their heads over … over their lust. I figured that was my best chance of getting him to … to lay claim to me.”

Kahlan was confused, but she didn’t let it show. “Seems it would have been a little late for that.”

“
Well, not necessarily. I was bound to end up with one of them when I let Richard catch me like that, naked, atop Michael, having a good time of it. Michael was game for me, that was for sure.”

Kahlan’s brow rose. “How did you figure that—”

“
I had it worked out. Richard would come in behind me. He’d see me on Michael’s lance, crying out with the pleasure of it, and he’d be taken with lust by the sight, and by my willingness. Then he’d lose his head, his inhibition, and at last he’d have to have me, too.”

Kahlan stared dumbly. “How was that going to get you Richard?”

Nadine cleared her throat. “Well, it was like this; I figured that Richard would enjoy having me. I’d make sure of that. Then, I’d tell him no the next time he wanted me, and he’d want me so much, after he’d had a sampling, that he’d claim me. If Michael wanted to claim me, too, then it’s my choice, and I’d choose Richard.

“
If Richard didn’t claim me, and I got pregnant, then I’d say it was his and he’d marry me because it could be his. If I didn’t get pregnant, and he wouldn’t claim me, well, then, there was still Michael. I figured second best was better than none.”

Kahlan didn’t know what had happened; Richard hadn’t said. She feared Nadine would stop her story right there. Kahlan couldn’t very well admit she didn’t know what happened next, and worse, she feared to hear just how successful Nadine’s bizarre plan had been. In the first version, the kissing version, Richard had turned away. But Kahlan now knew that version wasn’t true.

She watched the vein in the side of the Nadine’s neck throb. Kahlan folded her arms and waited.

At last, Nadine collected her voice and continued. “Well, that was my plan, anyway. It seemed to make sense. I figured I’d get Richard out of it, at best, and Michael at worst.

“
It didn’t work the way I thought. Richard walked in and froze. I smiled over my shoulder. I invited him to come join the fun, or else to come to me later and I’d see to him, too.”

Kahlan held her breath.

“
That was the first time I saw that look in Richard’s eyes. He didn’t say a word. He just turned and walked out.”

Nadine stuck a hand in under the hair hanging around her face and wiped it across her nose as she sniffled. “I thought I’d at least have Michael. He laughed at me when I told him he’d claimed me. He just laughed. He never wanted to be with me again after that. He’d gotten what he wanted. I was no use to him after that. He moved on to other girls.”

“
But, if you were willing to … Dear spirits, why didn’t you simply seduce Richard?”

“
Because I was worried he might expect that and have his resistance built up for it. I wasn’t the only girl he danced with. I was afraid he wouldn’t want to commit, and that if I simply tried to seduce him, he might be ready for that and turn me down. I’d heard a rumor that Bess Pratter tried that. It didn’t seem to have worked for her. I was afraid it wouldn’t be enough of a shove.

“
I figured that jealousy would be the thing that pushed him off the fence. I figured my plan would take him by such surprise that he’d just lose his head with jealousy and lust, and then I’d have him. I’ve heard tell there’s nothing more powerful in a man than jealousy and lust.”

With both hands, Nadine pushed her hair back on her head. “I can’t believe Richard told you. I didn’t think he would ever tell anyone.”

“
He didn’t,” Kahlan whispered. “Richard only stared at me when I told him that you said he caught you kissing his brother. He didn’t tell me the story. You just did that all by yourself.”

Nadine’s face sank into her hands.

“
You may have grown up with Richard, but you didn’t know him. Dear spirits, you didn’t know the first thing about him.”

“
It might have worked. You don’t know as much as you think. Richard is just a boy from Hartland who never had anything and has had his head turned by fine things and people doing his bidding. That’s why it might have worked—because he just wants what he sees. I was just trying to make him see what I have to offer.”

Kahlan’s head throbbed. She pinched the bridge of her nose as she shut her eyes.

“
Nadine, as the good spirits are my witness, you have got to be just about the stupidest woman I have ever met.”

Nadine sprang up from the chair. “You think I’m so stupid? You love him. You want him.” She jabbed her finger at her own chest. “You know how it feels, in here, to want him. I wanted him no less than you. If you had to, you would do the same thing. Right now, as well as you know him, you’d do the same if you thought it was your only chance. Your only chance! Tell me you wouldn’t!”

“
Nadine,” Kahlan said in a calm voice, “you don’t know the first thing about love. Love isn’t about taking what you want; it’s about wanting happiness for the one you love.”

Nadine leaned in with a venomous expression. “You’d do the same as I did, if you had to!”

The words of the prophecy whispered through Kahlan’s head.

Lightning will find him on that path, for the one in white, his true beloved, will betray him …

“
You’re wrong, Nadine. I wouldn’t. Not for anything in this world would I chance hurting Richard. Not for anything. I would live a life of lonely misery before I would hurt him. I would even let you have him before I would hurt him.”

A breathless, beaming Berdine lurched to a halt as Kahlan watched Nadine storm off down the hall.

“
Mother Confessor, Lord Rahl wants me to stay up all night and do work for him. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Kahlan’s brow twitched. “If you say so, Berdine.”

Grinning, Berdine ran on down the hall in the direction Nadine had gone. Richard was talking to a knot of soldiers just up the hall in the other direction. Beyond the soldiers, a ways further up the hall, Cara and Egan stood watching.

When Richard saw Kahlan, he left the guards and came to meet her. When he was close enough, she twisted a fistful of his shirt and pulled him close.

“
Answer me one thing, Richard Rahl,” she hissed through gritted teeth.

“
What’s that?” Richard asked in innocent bewilderment.

“
Why did you ever dance with that whore!”

“
Kahlan, I’ve never heard you use such language.” Richard glanced down the hall in the direction Nadine had gone. “How did you get her to tell you?”

“
I tricked her into it.”

Richard smiled a sly smile. “You told her that I told you the story, didn’t you.”

His smile widened when she nodded. “I’ve been a bad influence on you,” he said.

“
Richard, I’m sorry I asked her to stay. I didn’t know. If I ever get my hands on Shota, I’m going to strangle her. Forgive me for asking Nadine to stay.”

“
Nothing to forgive. My emotions just got in the way of seeing that. You were right to ask her to stay.”

“
Richard, are you sure?”

“
Shota and the prophecy both mentioned ‘the wind.’ Nadine plays some part in this; she has to stay, for now. I’d better have her guarded, so she doesn’t leave.”

“
We don’t need guards. Nadine won’t leave.”

“
How can you be so sure?”

“
Vultures don’t give up. They circle as long as they think there are bones to pick.” Kahlan looked back down the empty hall. “She actually had the nerve to tell me that I would do what she had done, if I had to.”

“
I feel a bit sorry for Nadine. She has a lot of good in her, too, but I doubt she will ever truly experience love.”

Kahlan felt the heat of him at her back. “How could Michael do that to you? How could you ever have forgiven him?”

“
He was my brother,” Richard whispered. “I would have forgiven anything he did against me. Someday I will stand before the good spirits; I didn’t want to give them a reason to say I was no better.

“
It was what he did to others that I couldn’t forgive.”

She put a comforting hand to his arm. “I guess I see why you want me to go with you to meet Drefan. The spirits tested you with Michael. I think you will find Drefan a better brother. He may be a bit arrogant, but he’s a healer. Besides, it would be hard to find two that wicked.”

“
Nadine is a healer, too.”

“
Not compared to Drefan. His talent borders on magic.”

“
Do you think he wields magic?”

“
I don’t think so, but I have no way of telling.”

“
I will know. If he does have magic, I will know.”

Guards at their post near the Mother Confessor’s room saluted after Richard gave them instructions. Kahlan walked close at his side as they moved on down the hall. Cara stood up straighter when Richard paused before her. Even Egan perked up expectantly. Kahlan thought Cara looked tired and miserable.

“
Cara,” Richard finally said, “I’m going to see this healer who helped you. I hear he’s another bastard son of Darken Rahl, like me. Why don’t you come along. I wouldn’t mind having a … friend, with me.”

Cara’s brow wrinkled together in near tears. “If you wish, Lord Rahl.”

“
I wish. You, too, Egan. Egan, I told the soldiers that you all are permitted to pass. Go get Raina and Ulic and bring them along, too.”

“
Right behind you, Lord Rahl,” Egan said with a rare smile.

“
Where did you ask Drefan to wait?” Kahlan asked.

“
I told the guards to take him to a guest room in the southeast wing.”