tg.stone of tears-第229章

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　she　told　herself。　Fight。
　
　For　Richard。
　
　As　she　had　done　countless　times；　she　released　her　restraint；　although　she　felt　no　power　pushing　against　it。
　
　It　was　like　leaping　into　a　dark；　bottomless　pit。
　
　There　was　thunder　but　no　sound。
　
　The　violent　jolt　to　the　air　brought　down　a　shower　of　stone　dust。
　
　The　men　all　cried　out　with　the　pain　of　being　so　close　when　her　power　was　released。
　
　Kahlan　almost　screamed　with　joy。　She　could　feel　the　magic　in　her　middle　again。　It　was　weak；　from　having　just　been　used；　but　she　could　feel　it　again。　It　was　back。　It　had　never　left；　Ranson　had　used　magic　to　make　her　believe　a　lie。
　
　Tyler’s　jaw　had　gone　slack　as　he　pulled　back；　looking　down　into　her　eyes。　‘Mistress！’　he　whispered。　‘mand　me。’
　
　The　other　men　were　scrambling　toward　them。
　
　‘Protect　me！’
　
　Heads　cracked　against　the　walls；　sending　splashes　of　blood　across　the　stone。　Tyler　snapped　a　man’s　arm。　Wails　of　pain　echoed　around　the　room。　There　was　a　furious　battle　for　a　few　minutes；　until　Kahlan　was　able　to　direct　Tyler　in　acplishing　what　she　wanted　…　a　truce。
　
　She　didn’t　want　him　to　fight　all　the　men；　if　they　succeeded　in　getting　the　better　of　him；　then　she　was　finished。　She　wanted　them　separated；　the　men　keeping　their　distance；　and　Tyler　guarding　her。　That　was　her　best　chance　of　surviving　until　she　could　recover　her　power。
　
　She　screamed　orders　to　the　men；　as　well　as　Tyler。　Six　were　left　standing；　in　fighting　form；　and　enragedT　One　was　writhing　on　the　ground；　screaming　in　pain；　a　shattered　bone　jutting　from　his　forearm；　and　the　other　four；　including　the　one　she　had　kicked　in　the　face；　were　not　moving。
　
　Kahlan　told　the　men　that　she　would　keep　Tyler　at　bay　as　long　as　they　stayed　in　their　corner。　Reluctantly；　they　moved　to　the　opposite　side；　dragging　the　others　with　them。　The　screams　kept　them　convinced　that　they　should　bide　their　time　before　taking　on　the　big　man　with　the　wild　eyes。　She　made　them　throw　her　her　smallclothes；　under　threat　of　sending　Tyler　to　get　them。
　
　Kahlan　sat　in　the　corner；　her　back　against　the　wall。　Tyler　stood　before　her；　in　a　half　crouch；　dancing　on　the　balls　of　his　feet；　his　arms　out　and　ready。　The　men　watched　as　they　rested　against　the　other　wall。　Kahlan　knew　that　this　uneasy　truce　could　not　go　on　for　days。　Sooner　or　later；　Tyler　would　run　out　of　energy。　Then　they　would　have　him。　Then　they　would　have　her。　The　men　knew　that；　too。
　
　
　CHAPTER　60
　
　The　night　wore　on；　with　the　men　watching；　and　Tyler　guarding　her。　She　caught　a　few　moments　of　uneasy　sleep　from　time　to　time。　Kahlan　had　no　idea　what　time　it　was；　but　she　judged　it　to　be　between　the　middle　of　the　night　and　close　to　dawn。
　
　Though　she　was　afraid；　and　knew　that　they　were　going　to　e　to　behead　her　sooner　or　later；　she　felt　joy　that　her　power　was　back；　and　that　she　had　beaten　them　with　that　much　of　it。　The　good　spirits　hadn’t　helped　her；　she　had　helped　herself。　She　felt　self…satisfaction　at　what　she　had　done。　She　had　not　given　up。
　
　And　the　good　spirits　had　left　her　to　it；　as　they　always　did。　Kahlan　was　furious　with　the　good　spirits。　Though　she　had　lived　her　whole　life　to　see　their　ideals　upheld；　they　never　once　helped　her。
　
　Well；　no　more。　She　was　finished　with　the　good　spirits；　as　she　was　finished　with　trying　to　help　the　ungrateful　people　of　the　Midlands。　What　had　it　gotten　her？　She　had　learned　in　the　council　chambers　what　it　had　gotten　her。　It　had　gotten　her　the　undying　hatred　of　her　people。　The　very　people　she　fought　for　thought　she　harmed　children。　People　didn’t　like　Confessors；　and　were　afraid　of　them　for　a　variety　of　reasons；　but　she　had　been　stunned　to　learn　what　people　really　believed　about　her。
　
　From　now　on；　she　was　going　to　worry　about　herself；　her　friends；　and　Richard；　and　to　the　Keeper　with　the　rest　of　them。　He　could　have　them　all。　She　was　through　with　it　all。
　
　She　was　the　Mother　Confessor　no　longer。　She　was　Kahlan。
　
　The　torch　sputtered　out；　plunging　the　pit　into　blackness。
　
　Thank　you　again；　good　spirits！’　she　screamed　at　the　top　of　her　lungs。　Her　words　echoed　around　the　pit。　‘To　the　Keeper　with　you！’
　
　The　men　set　upon　Tyler　in　the　dark。　Kahlan　didn’t　know　what　was　happening。　She　could　hear　grunts　and　screams　and　thuds。
　
　She　heard　an　echoing；　banging　sound。　She　couldn’t　understand　what　it　was。　And　then　she　heard　a　muffled　voice　calling　out　her　title。　The　familiar　voice　was　ing　from　above。
　
　‘Chandalen！　Chandalen！　I’m　down　here！　Open　the　door！’
　
　‘Mother　Confessor！’　came　the　voice　from　beyond　the　door。　‘How　do　I　open　the　door！’
　
　Kahlan　let　out　a　shriek　when　a　hand　snatched　her　ankle　and　pulled　her　from　her　feet。　Chandalen　called　out　at　the　sound　of　her　scream。　Tyler　grabbed　the　fingers　around　her　ankle　and　bent　them　back　until　they　snapped。　The　man　screamed　in　the　dark。
　
　‘Chandalen！　You　need　a　key！　Use　the　key！’
　
　‘Key？　What　is　this　key！’
　
　‘Chandalen！’　She　shoved　a　head　away　from　her　middle。　‘Chandalen！　Remember　when　we　were　in　the　city　with　the　dead　people？　Remember　the　queen’s　room　that　was　locked？　Remember　I　showed　you　a　key　to　open　the　door？　Chandalen；　one　of　the　guards　up　there　has　a　ring　on　his　belt！　It　has　the　key！　Hurry！’
　
　Kahlan　recognized　Tyler’s　grunt　as　he　was　slammed　to　the　wall。　She　could　hear　the　bone…jarring　blows　of　his　fist。　She　could　hear　a　metallic　noise　from　above。
　
　‘Mother　Confessor！　It　will　not　turn！’
　
　Then　it’s　the　wrong　one！　Try　another！’
　
　Someone　crashed　into　her；　knocking　her　to　the　floor。　She　clawed　at　his　eyes。　He　punched　at　her　middle。
　
　A　sudden　shaft　of　light　descended　into　the　pit。　Tyler　saw　the　man　on　her　and　threw　him　off。　A　ladder　dropped　down。
　
　Tyler！　Keep　them　away　from　the　ladder！’
　
　Kahlan　threw　herself　onto　the　ladder　and　scrambled　up。　The　men　piled　on　Tyler。　She　heard　him　groan　and　then　his　neck　snap。　Her　foot　slipped　through　a　rung　when　a　fist　punched　the　back　of　her　calf。　Hands　grabbed　at　her　ankles。　Kahlan　kicked　the　face　of　the　man　right　behind　and　then　clambered　up。　He　tumbled　back；　taking　the　others　with　him。　They　charged　back　up　in　a　rush。
　
　Kahlan　stretched　for　the　hand　extended　down。　Chandalen　clamped　onto　her　wrist　and　yanked　her　through　the　doorway。　He　stabbed　the　man　right　behind　her。　As　the　man　toppled　back；　Chandalen　slammed　the　door　closed。　Panting；　she　fell　into　his　arms。
　
　‘e；　Mother　Confessor。　We　must　get　out　of　this　place。’
　
　There　were　dead　guards　everywhere；　all　killed　silently；　from　behind；　by　Chandalen’s　troga。　He　held　her　hand　as　they　ran　through　the　dank；　dark　halls　and　up　stairs。　She　wondered　how　Chandalen　had　managed　to　find　his　way　down　here。　Someone　must　have　shown　him　the　way。
　
　Around　a　corner；　they　came　to　the　sight　of　a　bloody　battle。　Bodies　were　sprawled　everywhere。　Only　one　man　was　standing。　Orsk。　His　great　battle…axe　dripped　with　gore。　Orsk　nearly　leapt　out　of　his　skin　with　joy　when　he　saw　her。　She　was　almost　thrilled　to　see　his　scarred　face。
　
　‘I　made　him　wait；’　Chandalen　explained　as　he　pulled　her　through　the　bloody　mess。　‘I　told　him　that　I　would　bring　you；　if　he　waited　and　guarded　this　hall。’
　
　Chandalen　frowned　at　her。　Kahlan　realized　he　was　staring　at　her　hair；　or　what　was　left　of　it。　He　said　nothing；　though；　and　she　was　glad　for　that。　It　felt　more　than　strange　not　to　feel　the　weight　of　her　hair；　it　was　heartbreaking。　She　had　loved　her　hair；　so　had　Richard。
　
　Kahlan　bent　and　took　a　war　axe　from　one　of　the　dead　guards。　With　her　power　not　yet　recovered；　she　felt　better　with　a　weapon　in　her　hands。
　
　Chandalen；　dragging　Kahlan　along　by　her　hand；　with　Orsk　protecting　the　rear；　burst　through　a　door。　Directly　outside；　the　captain　of　the　guards　had　a　woman　pressed　up　against　the　wall。　Her　arms　were　wrapped　around　his　neck　as　she　kissed　him；　his　hands　were　up　her　dress。
　
　As　they　charged　past；　and　the　startled　captain　looked　up；　Chandalen　drove　his　long　knife　into　the　man’s　ribs。
　
　‘e！’　he　said　to　the　woman。　‘We　have　her！’
　
　The　woman　fell　into　line　with　the　rest　of　them　as　they　wound　their　way　up　through　the　palace。　Puzzled；　Kahlan　looked　back。　The　woman　in　the　hooded　cloak