Wizard's First Rule - Terry Goodkind [220]
Richard started to open his mouth, but Shota put a finger gently to his lips. Her warm body, firm beneath the thin dress, pressed against him. “Don’t spoil my opinion of you by answering too quickly. You may have anything you want. Don’t waste the wish. Think it over carefully before you ask. It’s an important wish, offered for a reason, and perhaps the most important wish you will ever have. Haste could mean death.”
Richard was seething, in spite of how strangely attracted he was to this woman. “I don’t have to think it over. My wish is for you not to kill my friends. To leave them unharmed, and let them go.”
Shota sighed. “I’m afraid that would complicate things.”
“Oh? So, your word means nothing?”
She gave him a reproachful glare. Her voice had a hint of harshness to it. “My word means everything. I simply want you to know it would complicate matters. You came here for the answer to an important question. You have a wish coming. You have merely to ask the question as your wish, and I will grant it.
“Isn’t that what you really want? Ask yourself what’s more important; how many will die if you fail in your duty.” She squeezed his waist again, her beautiful smile returning. “Richard, the sword is confusing you. The magic is interfering with your judgment. Put it away, then think again. If you are wise, you will heed my warning; it is not without reason.”
Richard angrily thrust the sword back into its scabbard to show her he wouldn’t change his mind. He looked back at Zedd, standing frozen in place. He looked over at Kahlan, snakes writhing all over her. When their eyes met, his heart ached for her. He knew what Kahlan wanted him to do; he could see it in her eyes: she wanted him to use the wish to find the box. Richard turned away from her, unable to witness her torment another moment. He regarded Shota with determination.
“I’ve put the sword away, Shota. It changes nothing. You are going to answer my question anyway. Your life, too, depends upon my knowing the answer. You have as much as admitted it. I’m not wasting my wish. To use it to get an answer you already intend to give me would be a waste of my friends’ lives. Now, grant my wish!”
Shota regarded him with ancient eyes. “Dear Richard,” she said softly, “a Seeker needs his anger, but don’t let it fill your head to the exclusion of wisdom. Do not judge too quickly actions you do not fully understand. Not all acts are as they seem. Some are meant to save you.”
Her hand came up slowly to the side of his face, reminding him again of his mother. Her gentleness made him feel calm, and somehow sad. In that moment, he felt his fear of her wane.
“Please, Shota,” he whispered, “I have made my wish. Grant it.”
“Your wish, dear Richard, is granted,” she said in a sad whisper.
He turned to Kahlan. The snakes were still on her. “Shota, you made a promise.”
“I promised I would not kill her, and that she could leave. When you go, she may go with you, I will not kill her. But she is still a danger to me. If she remains still the snakes will not harm her.”
“You said Kahlan would have tried to kill you. That isn’t true; she guided me here seeking your help, the same as me. Even though she intended you no harm, you would have killed her. And now you do this to her!”
“Richard,” she touched a finger to her chin, thinking, “you come here thinking me evil, didn’t you? Even though you knew nothing of me, you were ready to bring harm to me, based on what you invented in your head. You have committed to belief that which you have heard from others.” There was no malice in her voice. “People who are jealous or afraid say these things. People also say that to use fire is wrong, and that those who use fire are evil. Does that make it true? People say the old wizard is evil, and that people die because of