"Grandfather, I must know more. Is the plague itself magic?" The voice came from a great distance. "The magic sent into the winds is of vast power. To use it fully requires vast knowledge. It was used without understanding what was released, or how to control it. The plague was begun by this magic, much as a bolt of lightning from a wizard is magic, but if the lightning strikes a tinder grassland, the resulting firestorm is not magic. The plague is like this. It was begun with magic, but it is now simply a plague, as others before-random and unpredictable-yet heated by magic.

"The plague is in Aydindril, and here. Will it stay confined?" "No."

Jagang didn't realize what he had done. This could end up killing him, too, if allowed to burn out of control.

"Is it. as you showed me, already in other places? Has it already been started in these oilier places, too?"

The light of the spirit extinguished like the weak flame of a lamp gone out. «Yes,» came the distant, echoing whisper.

They had hoped that they could confine the plague to Aydindril. That was hope lost. The whole of the Midlands, the whole of the New World, was about to be consumed in the firestorm started by that spark of magic from the Temple of the Winds.

In the center of the circle, where the spirit had been, the air swirled as the spirit vanished back into the underworld.

In the distance, in the underworld, Kahlan heard the soft echo of laughter from a different spirit. The malevolent chuckle made her skin crawl.

As Kahlan came out of the trance of the gathering, the elders were there, standing around her. They were more used to this altered state than she; her head still spun sickeningly. Elder Breginderin reached down, offering her his hand to help her up.

As she took his hand. under the covering of black and white mud, she saw the tokens on his legs. She gazed up into his face, at his kindly smile of assurance. He would be dead within the day.

Her friend, Savidlin, was there, holding out her clothes. Kahlan, despite the mud, suddenly felt very naked. She started pulling on her clothes, trying not to betray her embarrassment, and at the same time chiding herself for such mundane concerns in the face of the impending catastrophe. The gathering was about calling the spirits of the dead, not about being man or woman. Still, she was the only one of the latter, and they were all the former.

"Thank you for coming, Mother Confessor, " the Bird Man said. "We know this homecoming is not the one of joy we all wished.

«No,» she whispered, "it's not. My heart sings lo see my people again, but the song is tempered by sadness. You know, honored elders, that Richard and I will do what we must. We will not rest until this is stopped. ' "Do you think you can stop such a thing as a fever?" Sunn asked. Savidlin placed a hand on her shoulder as she buttoned her shirt. "The Mother Confessor and Richard with the Temper have helped us before. We know their hearts. Our ancestor said that this is a fever caused by magic. The Mother Confessor and the Seeker have great magic. They will do what they must. " "Savidlin is right. We will do what we must."

Savidlin smiled at her. "And then, when you have finished, you will come home to your people and be wedded, as you planned? My wife, Weselan. wishes to see her friend, the Mother Confessor, wedded in the dress she made for you.»

Kahlan swallowed back a cry. "There is nothing I could wish that would bring me greater joy, except to see all our people well.

"You are a great friend to all our people, child, " the Bird Man said. "We look forward to the wedding, when you have finished with these matters of the spirits and magic.

Kahlan glanced at all the eyes watching her. She didn't think these men had witnessed the visions of death she had been shown, or the true nature or dimensions of the epidemic they faced. They had all seen fevers come before, but never one like the plague.

"Honored elders, if we fail. . if we. ." Her voice faltered. The Bird Man came to her rescue.

' If you should fail, child, we know it will not be because you didn't do everything you could. If there is a path, we know you will do all you can to find if. We trust in you. ' "Thank you," she murmured.

Tears were watering her vision. She forced herself to hold her chin up. She would only frighten these people if she showed her fear.

"Kahlan, you must wed Richard with the Temper." The Bird Man chuckled softly as if trying to cheer her. "He escaped wedding a Mud Woman before, as I had planned for him. He will not escape wedding you, if I have any say. He must marry a Mud Woman." She felt too numb to return the smile.

"Will you stay the rest of the night?" Savidlin asked. "Weselan would find joy in seeing you.»

"Forgive me, honored elders, but if I am to save our people. I must return at once. I must go to Richard and tell him what I have learned with your help.

CHAPTER 44

A woman stepped out of a doorway into the narrow, deserted alleyway. He had to stop, or collide with her. Under her shawl she wore a thin dress, and he could tell by the way her nipples stood out with the cold that she wore nothing underneath the dress.

She thought his smile was for her; it wasn't. It was amusement at the way opportunity sometimes stepped into his path when he least expected it. He guessed it was his extraordinary nature that drew such events to him. Expecting it or not, he was never unprepared to bend events to his advantage. She returned the smile as she ran her hand up his chest and with a single finger stroked the bottom of his chin. "There, there, love. Care for a bit of pleasure?"

She wasn't attractive; nonetheless, the nature of the chance opportunity instantly ignited his need. He knew what this was about. By the way she stood close, commanding his attention, he knew. He had had this kind of encounter before. In fact, he sometimes sought it out. It was more of a challenge. With challenge came a rare form of fulfillment.

It wasn't an ideal situation-there were distinct disadvantages, such as not being able to allow her screams to bring attention, yet there were still pleasures to be had, even like this. His senses opened to it. Already, he was taking in the details, like dry earth took in a soaking rain. He let the lust take him.

"Well," he said, drawing the word out, "do you have a room?" He knew she wouldn't have one. He knew what this was about. She rested a wrist over his shoulder. "Don't need no room, love. Just a half silver."

Discreetly as possible, he swept his gaze over the close buildings. The windows were all dark. Only a few lights in the distance reflected off the wet stone. This was a warehouse district; no one lived in these buildings. There weren't likely to be many people about, except passersby, like himself. Still, he knew he had to temper his lust with prudence.

"A little cold to be undressing out here on the cobblestones, isn't it?" She put one hand on the side of his face to keep his attention focused on her. Her other hand touched him between his legs. She purred with satisfaction at what she found.

"Not to worry, love. For a half silver I'll have someplace warm for you to put it."

He was enjoying the game. It had been too long. He put on his most innocent, inexperienced expression for her.

"Well, I don't know. This seems somewhat crude to me. I usually like it best when there's time for the young lady to enjoy it, too."

"Oh, I do enjoy it, love. You don't think I do this just for the half silver, do you? 'Course not. I enjoy it. It's my pleasure."

She was backing toward the doorway she had come from. He let her fingers, curled behind his neck. guide him with her.

"I don't carry any money that small." He could almost see her eyes light with her luck. She had yet to learn that her luck this night was going to be bad.