Wizard's First Rule - Terry Goodkind [69]
Kahlan’s face went white. “Zedd, Richard is right. This is how Rahl thinks, the mark of his way. He likes to do things in a manner you do not expect. We have to get out of here this very minute.”
“Bags! I have been an old fool! You are right. We must leave now, but I can’t leave without my rock.” He started off around the house.
“Zedd, there’s no time!”
The old man was already running up the hill, robes and hair flying, off into the darkness. Kahlan followed Richard into the house. They had been lulled into laziness. He couldn’t believe how foolish he had been to underestimate Rahl. Snatching up his pack from the corner by the hearth, he ran into his room, checking under his shirt for the tooth. Finding it safe, he came back with his forest cloak. Richard threw it around Kahlan’s shoulders and took a quick glance around to see if there was anything else he could grab, but there was no time to think, nothing worth their lives, so he took her by the arm and headed for the door. Outside, in the grass in front of the house, Zedd was already back, breathing hard.
“What about the rock?” Richard asked. There was no way Zedd could lift it, much less carry it.
“In my pocket,” the wizard said with a smile. Richard couldn’t spare the time to wonder at this. The cat was suddenly there, somehow aware of their urgency, rubbing up against their legs. Zedd picked it up. “Can’t leave you here, Cat. There’s trouble coming.” Zedd lifted the flap of Richard’s pack and tucked the cat inside.
Richard had an uneasy feeling. He looked about, scanning the darkness, seeking something out of place, something hidden. He saw nothing, but felt eyes watching.
Kahlan noticed his searching. “What’s wrong?”
Even though he could see nothing, he felt the eyes. It must be his fear, he decided. “Nothing. Let’s go.”
Richard led them through a sparsely wooded area he knew well enough to walk blindfolded, to the trail he wanted, and turned south. They moved along quickly in silence, with the exception of Zedd muttering occasionally about how stupid he had been. After a while, Kahlan told him he was too reproachful of himself. They had all been fooled, and each felt the sting of blame, but they had made good their escape, and that was all that mattered.
It was an easy trail, almost a road, and the company of three walked side by side, Richard in the middle, Zedd to his left, Kahlan to his right. The cat poked his head up from Richard’s backpack and looked about as they walked. It was a mode of travel he had enjoyed since he was a kitten. The moonlight was enough to light their way. Richard saw a few wayward pines looming against the sky, but he knew there could be no stopping. They had to get away from here. The night was cold but he was warm enough with the effort of their rapid pace. Kahlan wrapped his cloak tightly around herself.
After about a half hour Zedd brought them to a halt. He reached into his robes and pulled out a small handful of powder. He threw it back down the path, the way they had come. Silver sparkles shot from his hand and followed their trail back into the darkness. The sparkles tinkled as they went, disappearing around a bend.
Richard started back up the trail. “What was that?”
“Just a little magic dust. It will cover our trail, so Rahl won’t know where we went.”
“He still has the cloud to follow us with.”
“Yes, but that will only give him a general area. If we keep moving, it will be of little use to him. It’s only when you stop, like you did at my house, that he can hunt you.”
They continued on to the south, the