Wizard's First Rule - Terry Goodkind [39]
“What are you doing with this creature!”
Kahlan was calm and impassive. Richard was aghast. “Zedd…”
“Has she touched you?”
“Well, I…” Richard was trying to remember the times she had touched him, when Zedd cut him off again.
“No, of course not. I can see she hasn’t. Richard, do you know what she is?” He turned to her. “She’s a…”
Kahlan gave Zedd a look of such cold danger that it froze him in place.
Richard kept his voice calm, but firm. “I know exactly what she is: she is my friend. A friend who yesterday saved me from getting killed as my father was, and again saved me from being killed by some beast called a gar.” Kahlan’s expression relaxed. The old man stared at her a little longer before turning to Richard. “Zedd, Kahlan is my friend. We are both in a lot of trouble and need to help each other.”
Zedd stood in silence, searching Richard’s eyes. He nodded. “Trouble indeed.”
“Zedd, we need your help. Please?” Kahlan came and stood next to him. “We don’t have much time.” Zedd didn’t look inclined to be any part of it, but Richard went on anyway, watching Zedd’s eyes. “Yesterday, after I found her, she was attacked by a quad. Another will come soon.” He saw what he was looking for; a quick flash of hatred, softening into empathy.
Zedd looked to Kahlan as if seeing her for the first time. They faced each other for a long while. At the mention of the quad the look on Kahlan’s face became one of torment. Zedd came forward and put his spindly arms around her protectively, holding her head to his shoulder. She reached around and embraced him gratefully, burying her face in his robes to conceal her tears. “It’s all right, dear one, you are safe here,” he said softly. “Let’s go down to the house and you can tell me of this trouble, and then we must tend to Richard’s fever.” She nodded against his shoulder.
Kahlan parted from him. “Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander. I have never heard such a name.”
He smiled proudly, his thin lips pushing back his cheeks into deep wrinkles. “I’m sure you haven’t, dear one, I’m sure you haven’t. By the way, can you cook?” He put his arm around her shoulder, holding her tight as he started walking her down the hill. “I’m hungry and haven’t had a suitably cooked meal in years.” He glanced back. “Come along, Richard, while you still can.”
“If you help Richard’s fever, I will make you a big pot of spice soup,” she offered.
“Spice soup!” Zedd swooned. “I haven’t had a proper spice soup in years. Richard is lousy at making it.”
Richard trudged behind, the emotional strain having taken much of his remaining strength. The casual way Zedd was handling the fever scared him. He knew this was his old friend’s way of trying not to frighten him about the seriousness of the matter. He could feel his pulse in his sore hand.
Since Zedd was from the Midlands, Richard had thought he could gain his compassion with the mention of the quad. Richard was relieved, if somewhat surprised, at how the two of them were suddenly so amiable. He reached up as he walked, touching the tooth for reassurance.
He was, however, quite disturbed by what he now knew.
Near a back corner of the house sat a table where Zedd liked to take his meals in good weather. It afforded him the opportunity to keep an eye to the clouds while he ate. Zedd sat them down together on a bench while he went inside and brought out carrots, berries, cheese, and apple juice, putting them on the wooden tabletop worn smooth with years of use, then sat himself on the bench opposite them. He gave Richard a mug of something brown and thick that smelled of almonds and told him to drink it slowly.
His eyes came to Richard. “Tell me of the trouble.”
Richard related how he was bitten by a vine, and told Zedd about seeing the thing in the sky, seeing Kahlan at Trunt Lake, and being followed by the four men. He told the whole story with every detail he could remember. He knew Zedd liked to have every detail, no matter