Severed Souls(152)

Behind him was a Mord-Sith wearing black leather. Even through his pain, Richard found himself astonished to see the woman. Kahlan had told him about her, but it was puzzling as to why there were Mord-Sith other than the ones he knew at the People’s Palace. The Mord-Sith, after all, were a creation of Richard’s more ruthless ancestors.

“Well, well, Lord Rahl, how nice to see you again.”

Again, a flip answer sprang to mind, but instead of giving voice to it, Richard didn’t say anything. This was all part of Ludwig Dreier’s elaborate scheme and nothing Richard could do or say was going to change the man’s plans.

The abbot walked to Samantha first, leaning down a little in order to look up into her face. “A sorceress, I see. How lovely. In the past I have been able to get useful prophecy from the gifted.” He tweaked her nose. “I believe you might come in handy, little one.”

“Let us go,” Samantha said, nearly in tears, “we’ve done nothing to you.”

“That’s a matter open to debate, but perhaps another time. It’s the middle of the night and I’m not in the mood for it.”

The Mord-Sith gave Samantha a cold, meaningful look as Ludwig Dreier moved on to Nicci.

“Another sorceress, I see,” he said. “But not merely a sorceress. A woman with skills and talents beyond those she was born with.”

Nicci glared at the man, and like Richard didn’t waste any effort in answering him. Nicci had grown up and spent most of her life in the clutches of sadistic men. She knew not to waste her time trying to talk reason to madness.

“Again, a gifted woman who I believe will be able to provide remarkable prophecy once properly prepared. I am sure her living entrails will reveal great secrets.” He looked back over his shoulder. “Don’t you think?”

The Mord-Sith showed him a cunning smile. “I believe you may be correct, Lord Dreier.”

“Lord Dreier!” Richard said. “You have got to be kidding me. Why didn’t you just skip right to Emperor Dreier?”

The man’s intense focus turned to Richard. He moved closer. “An excellent suggestion, now that you mention it. I like the sound of that. Ah, but first I have work to do before that day comes.”

“What kind of work?” Richard asked before he remembered that he had planned on remaining silent.

“Well, you see, Hannis Arc has awakened the spirit king—with the aid of your gifted blood, no less—and that has made things more … chaotic, more complicated. I am going to need to use prophecy to help me overcome the obstacle of that remarkable event and such powerful men.” He held up a finger as he leaned closer. “But I assure you, I will.”

“You don’t have a clue as to what you’re up against,” Richard said as he glared.

Ludwig Dreier smiled as if it were a joke only he understood. “Actually, I do.”

“And what is it you want from us?” Richard asked.

The man flicked a hand as he walked on to Kahlan. “Many things. All in due time. We will start on that tomorrow. Tonight you can stand there as you wait until after I’ve had a good night’s sleep. I want to be well rested so that I can fully enjoy overseeing what is to come.”

He lifted Kahlan’s chin. When he withdrew his hand, Kahlan’s head flopped back down. Richard could see it reopen the wound across the front of her throat where the iron collar was cutting into her flesh from the weight of her head.

“Erika, be a dear and wake her for me, would you please?”

For the first time, the Mord-Sith, standing in front of Richard, staring at him the way Mord-Sith liked to do to intimidate a helpless victim, smiled. He understood all too well the meaning in that smile. She was telling him that she knew that she was really hurting him more than she could ever hurt Kahlan.





CHAPTER

76

Erika finally looked away from Richard as she turned. “With pleasure, Lord Dreier.”

The sound of the woman’s boots striking the stone floor as she strode over to Kahlan echoed around the dusty dungeon. Richard remembered that steady, deliberate sound all too well. Mord-Sith didn’t like to hurry in their work.

Without ceremony, Erika gritted her teeth and with a grunt of effort rammed her Agiel into Kahlan’s midsection.

Kahlan’s eyes and mouth opened wide as she woke with a shocked gasp of agony. She screamed, then, trying to back away, but she was already against the wall. She could do nothing as she hung defenseless. Richard could see not only the pain, but the bewildered shock of it on the face of the woman he loved more than his own life.

His growl of effort echoed around the room as he tried with all his might to rip the chains from the wall. The iron cut into his flesh, but the restraints did not budge.