in； and tried to skid to a halt。 But this was not flat； it was water slicked tumble…down ice； and as they slipped and slid and tripped and fell at a charge； they had no chance。
Kahlan could hear the pop of horses’ legs breaking； as thousands of pounds of muscle moving at full speed could not be stopped by hooves catching in crevices。 The bareback riders were helpless passengers。
The men shouted encouragement to their mounts； and the ones behind didn’t recognize quickly enough the change in shrieking from anger to fright。 Those behind crashed into those ahead； tumbling over and past each other。 Bareback； with only halters and no aggressive battle bits； the riders didn’t have the control they were accustomed to； and were carried helplessly forward。
Some leapt from their mounts as they came through the trees； and could see what lay ahead； but their momentum was too great； the distance too short； their fate beyond retrieval。 The horses behind； their leg bones snapping； crashed down atop the ones already fallen； who were desperately grasping for a hold。 There was none。 It became a waterfall of living flesh； cascading over the edge。
Kahlan sat still； wearing her Confessor’s face； as she listened to the screams of men and horses mingled together into one long wail as they disappeared over the mountainside。 In the span of mere seconds； it was finished； more than fifty men and their mounts had plunged to their deaths。
When the night had been silent for a time； she dismounted and circled around； to keep her false trail free of any off…leading tracks； to the edge of the ice flow。 In the dim light she could see the dark stains of blood over the ice mounds。 Blood from broken legs； blood from cracked skulls。 There were none of the enemy left on the cliff。
As she turned to leave； she heard low grunts of desperation。 Kahlan pulled her knife and carefully inched her way to the source of the sounds； toward the edge。 Grasping a stout limb； she leaned out over the slanting ice flow。 Forest debris was frozen in the ice； sticks and leaves had made a small dam at the edge； to be covered over as the ice grew。 It left a few branches sticking out of the wall of ice。
Around one of these branches were clutched fingers。 A man clung by his fingertips to the branch； his legs dangling over a drop of close to a thousand feet。 He was grunting with effort as he tried to catch his feet up on the ice； but it was too slippery to give him any toehold。
Kahlan stood at the edge； holding the branch for support； as she watched him shivering。 Dribbles of water bubbled over the ice； over his face； matting his hair and soaking his Keltish uniform。 His teeth chattered。
He looked up to see her standing over him in the moonlight。 ‘Help me！ Please help me！’ He couldn’t have been past her age。
She regarded him without emotion。 He had big eyes； the kind of eyes young women would surely have swooned over。 But the young women in Ebinissia would not have swooned when they saw those eyes。
‘In the name of the good spirits； help me！’
Kahlan squatted down； closer to him。 ‘What is your name？’
‘Huon！ My name’s Huon！ Now please help me！’
Kahlan lay down on the ice； hooking a foot around a tangled root； taking a good grip on the stout spruce limb with one hand。 She extended her other hand partway out； but not far enough for Huon to reach。
‘I will help you； Huon； on a condition。 I have sworn no mercy； and none shall be granted。 If you take my hand； I will release my power into you。 You will be mine； now and forever。 If you are to live； it will be as one touched by a Confessor。 If you would think to pull me over the edge with you before I can release my magic； let me assure you I would not make the offer were there that chance。 I have touched more men than I can count。 You will have no time。 You will be mine。’
He blinked icy water dripping down on him from his eyes； shook it from his face； and stared up at her。
Kahlan extended her hand toward him。 ‘From now on； Huon； either way； your old life is ended。 If you live it will not be as who you are now。 That man will be gone forever。 You will be mine。’
‘Please；’ he whispered； ‘just help me up。 I won’t hurt you。 I swear to let you be on your way。 It would take me hours to make it back to camp on foot； and you’ll be long gone by then anyway。 Please； just help me up。’
‘How many people in Ebinissia did you hear beg for their lives？ To how many did you grant mercy？’ Her words came as cold as the ice she lay on。 ‘I am the Mother Confessor。 I have proclaimed war without quarter on the Imperial Order。 The oath stands as long as one of you lives。 Choose； Huon。 Death； or to be touched by my power。 Either way； who you are dies。’
‘The people of Ebinissia got what they deserved。 I’d rather take the hand of the Keeper himself than be touched by your filthy magic。 The good spirits would never accept me to them if I were touched by your dark and profane magic。’ His lip curled in a sneer。 To the Keeper with you； Confessor！’
Huon threw his arms open and silently dropped away into the darkness。
As she rode back to the Galean recruits； she thought about the things Riggs； Karsh； and Slagle had told her。 She also thought about the creatures of magic living in the Midlands。
She thought about the beautiful land of the night wisp； with open fields deep in ancient； remote forests； where the wisps gathered at twilight to dance together in the air above the grasses and wildflowers； like joyous fireflies。 She had spent many a night lying on her back in the grass as they hovered above her and spoke with her of things mon to all life： of dreams and hopes； of loves。
She thought about the creatures living in Long Lake； translucent things hard to see； seeming almost made of liquid glass； or of the water that was their home； with whom she had never spoken； but whom she had watched emerge at night to bask in the moonlight on rock and shore； creatures who had no voice； but with whom she had shared understanding； and had promised to protect。
She thought about the whispering tree people； whom she had spoken with in a hauntingly beautiful experience； fright…eningly eerie； but somehow gently peaceful at the same time。
The whispering tree people were all joined as one； through their roots touching under the earth； and each spoke as if they were all but one； as if there were no individuals； yet each had a name to whisper to you if you made it promises of simple favors； a mass munity that was at the same time all only one。 To cut down a tree there would be to bring the pain of that one’s death to all； they could not escape the contact they felt with each other。 If people went into that land and cut down the trees； it would be torture to all。 Kahlan had seen them in pain before。 Their wails could make the stars cry。
There were other creatures； too； that were magic； and people； too； who possessed it。 Sometimes it was hard to place a line between creatures of the wild and people。 Some people of the Midlands were part creature； or perhaps some creatures were part people。 They were strange and delightful； and very shy。
And so it went throughout various forms of magic； from the simplest things in the Howling Caves that could let you peek through solid rock to see their nests； to people like the Mud People； who had only simple magic that would do but one thing。
As Mother Confessor； all these； and many more； were her charges； and as Mother Confessor； she manded all to protect these magic places； so no one people would bear the brunt of burden against others。 It was an arrangement backed by Confessors and wizards extending back for thousands of years。
The twilight beings； Riggs had called them。 That was the name given to these magical creatures by the Blood of the Fold； among others； because many of them came out only at night。 For this reason； the Blood associated them with darkness； and so； out of fear； with the darkness of the Keeper of the Dead。
The Blood considered magic the force through which the Keeper extended his influence into this world； into the world of the living。 The Blood were as unreasonable and thickheaded as any men alive。 And they considered it their duty to send to the land of the dead any who they thought served the Keeper。 That was just about anyone who disagreed with their view of things。 In some lands the Blood were outlawed； and in some； like Nicobarese； they were encouraged and paid by the Crown。
Maybe Riggs was right。 Maybe she should have brought the rule of law to stop men like this。 But that had never been the intent of the council … to make all to bow in all things to one。 The strength and beauty of the Midlands was in its diversity； even if some of that diversity was ugly。 What was ugly to one was beautiful to another； and so it was that each land was to be left to rule itself； as long as it brought no force of arms to another。 It was a tolerant suffering of things repugnant to allow things beautiful to blossom。 It was a sometimes difficult and fine line to hold the council to： forcing lands to work together in some things； but allowing them to be autonomous in others。
But perhaps Riggs was right。 People in some lands suffered the cruel or poor rule of their greedy or inept leaders； with no hope of matters being brought to change from without。 Though the wise； but smaller； lands had not to live in fear of outside conquest。 If the suffering of the people under less fortunate rule could be ended with wise central rule； would not matters be improved？
Yet when all lived under the same rule； every other form of existence was extinguished； never to have the chance to grow； though one of them might have been a superior way。 The kind of single rule the Imperial Order represented was slavery。
Kahlan was surprised to encounter Galean sentries farther from their camp than before。 They were no longer spread too far apart； and they were well hidden； popping up with drawn bows and bared steel when she was almost upon them。 Chan…dalen； Prindin； and Tossidin had obviously been at work。 The sentries put fists to hearts when they recognized her。
The dawn was turning the sky to a dark steel gray。 It was warmer than it had been； with the clouds covering the land like a warming quilt。 She was dead tired in the saddle as Nick plodded through the snow toward the camp； but as she came into sight of men rushing about； she came alert with the thoughts of what needed to be done。
Chandalen； Prindin； Captain Ryan； and Lieutenant Hobson were speaking with a group of men when they saw her riding toward the camp。 The four came at a run to meet her at the edge of the activity。 Men were cooking； eating； stowing gear； preparing weapons； and tending to wagons and horses。 She spotted Tossidin； in his white wolf mantle； off some distance with Lieutenant Sloan； waving his arms in explanation as he talked to men who stood mute； with their spears all standing upright in the snow； the tight mob of them looking like a dark porcupine against the white ground。
Kahlan let out a weary moan as she dismounted before the four men who h