Wizard's First Rule - Terry Goodkind [159]
The Bird Man smiled and gave a nod.
CHAPTER 24
“I hate my mother.”
The Master, sitting cross-legged on the grass, looked down at the bitter expression on the boy’s face and waited a moment before he answered in a quiet voice. “That is a very strong thing to say, Carl. I would not want you to say something you would come to regret when you had thought it over.”
“I’ve thought it over plenty,” Carl snapped. “We’ve talked about it a long time. I know now how they’ve twisted me around, deceived me. How selfish they are.” He squinted his eyes. “How they are enemies of the people.”
Rahl glanced up at the windows, at the last tinge of fading sunlight turning the wisps of clouds a beautiful deep reddish purple, frosted with tips of gold. Tonight. Tonight, at long last, would be the night he returned to the underworld.
For most of long days and nights he had kept the boy awake with the special gruel, allowing him to sleep for only brief spells, kept him awake to hammer away at him until his mind was empty, and could be molded. He had talked to the boy endlessly, convincing him how others had used him, abused him, and lied to him. Sometimes he had left the boy to think over what he had been told, and used the excuse to visit his father’s tomb and read the sacred inscriptions again, or to snatch some rest.
And then, last night, he had taken that girl to his bed, to get some relaxation; a small, momentary diversion. An interlude of gentleness to feel another’s soft flesh against his, to relieve his pent-up excitement. She should have been honored, especially after he had been so tender with her, so charming. She had been anxious enough to be with him.
But what did she do? She laughed. When she saw the scars, she laughed.
As he thought of it now Rahl had to strain to control his rage, strain to show the boy a smile, strain to hide his impatience to get on with it. He thought of what he had done to the girl, the exhilaration of his violence unleashed, her ripping screams. The smile came more easily to his lips. She would laugh at him no more.
“What’s the big grin for?” Carl asked.
Rahl looked down at the boy’s big brown eyes. “I was just thinking about how proud I am of you.” His smile widened as he remembered the way her hot sticky blood pumped and spurted as she screamed. Where was her haughty laughter then?
“Me?” Carl asked, smiling shyly.
Rahl’s blond head nodded. “Yes, Carl, you. Not many young men of your age would be intelligent enough to see the world as it really is. To see beyond their own lives to the wider dangers and wonders all about. To see how hard I work to bring safety and peace to the people.” He shook his head sadly. “Sometimes it hurts my heart to see the very ones for whom I struggle so hard turn their backs to me, reject my tireless efforts, or worse yet, join with the enemies of the people.
“I have not wanted to burden you with worry for me, but right now, as I speak with you, there are evil people who plot to conquer us, to crush us. They have brought down the boundary that protected D’Hara, and now the second boundary too. I fear they plot an invasion. I have tried to warn the people of the danger from Westland, to get them to do something to protect themselves, but they are poor and simple people, they look to me for protection.”
Carl’s eyes widened. “Father Rahl, are you in danger?”
Rahl brushed the matter away with a wave of his hand. “It’s not me I fear for, it’s the people. If I were to die, who would protect them?”
“Die?” Carl’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Father Rahl! We need you! Please don’t let them get you! Please let me fight at your side. I want to help protect you. I couldn’t stand the thought of you getting hurt.”
Rahl’s breathing quickened, his heart raced. The time was near. It would not be long now. He smiled warmly at Carl as he remembered the girl’s hoarse screams. “I could not stand the thought of you being in danger for me. Carl,