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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 was the woman who had fainted … Jebra Bevinvier。
‘What’s going on？’ Kahlan asked Jebra。
‘Forgive me； Mother Confessor； for fainting。 I had a vision of you being beheaded。 It was so horrifying that I fainted。 I knew I must help； so that the vision would not e true。
You told me that you had a friend in the woods。 I went and found him。’
They all flattened up against a wall and waited for a patrol to pass through an adjoining room。 When their echoing footsteps faded； Chandalen turned with a hot look to Jebra。
‘What were you doing with that man！’
She blinked in surprise。 ‘He was the captain of the guards。 He was making the rounds with a whole detachment。 I convinced him to send the guards away for a while。 I did the only thing I could think of to keep fifty men from trapping you down there。’
Chandalen grumbled that maybe it made sense。 As they headed on； Kahlan told Jebra that she had done a brave thing； and that she understood what courage it took to do it。 Jebra protested that she was no heroine； and didn’t want to be one。
At an intersection with a vaulted corridor； Mistress Sander…holt was waiting。 Letting out a cry； Kahlan threw her arms around the woman。 Mistress Sanderholt held her bandaged hands out。
‘Not now； Mother Confessor。 You must escape。 This way is clear。’
As the others rushed in the direction Mistress Sanderholt indicated； Kahlan went the other way。 They all turned and ran after。
‘What are you doing！’ Chandalen yelled。 ‘We must escape！’
‘I have to get something from my room。’
‘What could be more important than escaping！’
‘Grandfather’s knife；’ she said as she ran。
When they realized they were not going to be able to change her mind； they all followed after as she led them up through the labyrinth of smaller and less frequently patrolled halls。 Several times they did encounter guards。 Orsk fiercely hacked them to pieces when they charged after her。
As she came around a corner at the top of a stairway； a surprised guard spun to her。 With all her strength； Kahlan buried her axe in the center of his chest。 His sword skittered across the floor as he went down on his back。
As he thrashed on the floor； Kahlan put a foot against his heaving stomach and tried to pull the axe out。 Bubbles of air and blood frothed forth； but the axe was stuck tight in his breastbone； so she scooped up his Keltish sword instead。 Chandalen lifted an eyebrow。 Before they reached her room； she had cause to use the sword； and with similar； deadly effect。
The others waited in the outer room； recovering their wind； while she rushed into her bedroom。 She froze when she saw her blue wedding dress。 She swept it up and held it to her breast。 That was what she had e for。 She didn’t want to leave it； she was never returning to this place。 Kahlan shed a tear on the dress； rolled it into a tight bundle； and stuffed it in her pack。
All the other clothes from her pack were cleaned； too； and laid out for her。 She stuffed them in the pack after strapping the bone knife around her left arm。 She threw the mantle around her shoulders。 Hurriedly； she strung the bow。
She swept through the outer room； her pack and quiver on her back； and her bow on her shoulder。 She had everything she wanted。 Everything that meant anything to her。 She paused a moment； looking at her room for the last time as she idly turned the round bone on her necklace； and then led the others out and down a back way； headed for an outside door。
She lost count of how many men Chandalen took out with his troga or knife。 When a big guard charged out of a side hall and tried to roll them down； Kahlan ran him through with the sword。 The four of them were grim death moving through the palace。 The alarm bells rang frantically in the tower。
On the landing leading to the great staircase； Orsk lopped off a guard’s head。 The body rolled down the stairs； spilling a trail of blood； as if unrolling a red carpet