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Kahlan's face was ashen as she rose。 〃This is my fault。〃 She pushed out of the wayward pine。 He tried to grab her arm； but she tore away from him。
Richard set his pack aside and followed。 Kahlan stood off a ways； her arms folded below her breasts； her back to him。 She stared off into the woods。
〃Kahlan； it isn't your fault。〃
She nodded。 〃It was my hair。 Didn't you see the fear in her eyes when she looked at my hair？ I have seen that look a thousand times。 Do you have any idea what it's like to frighten people； even children； all the time？〃 He didn't answer。 〃Richard？ Cut my hair for me？〃
〃What？〃
She turned to him； pleading in her eyes。 〃Cut it off for me？〃
He watched the hurt in her eyes。 〃Why haven't you just cut it yourself？〃
She turned away。 〃I cannot。 The magic will not allow a Confessor to cut her own hair。 If we try； it brings pain so great； it prevents us from doing so。〃
〃How could that be？〃 〃Remember the pain you suffered； from the magic of the sword； when you killed a man the first time？ It is the same pain。 It will render a Confessor unconscious before the task can be acplished。 I tried only once。 Every Confessor tries once。 But only once。 Our hair must be cut by another when it needs trimming。 But none would dare to cut it all of。〃 She turned to him once more。 〃Will you do it for me？ Will you cut my hair？〃
He looked away from her eyes； to the brightening slate blue sky； trying to understand what it was he was feeling； what it was she must be feeling。 There was so much he didn't know about her； still。 Her life； her world； was a mystery to him。 There had been a time when he wanted to know it all。 Now he knew he never could； the gulf between them was filled with magic。 Magic； designed； it seemed； explicitly to keep them apart。
His eyes returned to her。 〃No。〃。
〃May I know why？〃
〃Because I respect you for who you are。 The Kahlan I know wouldn't want to fool people by trying to make them think she is less than she is。 Even if you did fool some； it would change nothing。 You are who you are： the Mother Confessor。 We all can be no more； or less； than who we are。〃 He smiled。 〃A wise woman； a friend of mine； told me that once。〃
〃Any man would leap for the chance to cut a Confessor's hair。〃
〃Not this one。 This one is your friend。〃
She gave a nod； her arms still folded against her stomach。 〃She must be cold。 She didn't even take a blanket。〃
〃She didn't take any food either； other than that loaf of bread she's saving for some reason； and she was starving。〃
Kahlan smiled at last。 〃She ate more than you and me together。 At least her belly is full。 Richard； when she gets to Homers Mill 。 。 。〃
〃She isn't going to Homers Mill。〃
Kahlan came closer。 〃But that's where her grandmother is。〃
Richard shook his head。 〃She doesn't have a grandmother。 When she said her grandmother was in Homers Mill； and I told her she couldn't go there； she didn't even falter。 She simply said she would go somewhere else。 She never gave it a thought； never asked about her grandmother； or even raised an objection。 She's running from something。〃
〃Running？ Maybe from whoever put those bruises on her arms。〃
〃And on her back。 Whenever my hand touched one； she flinched； but she didn't say anything。 She wanted to be hugged that badly。〃 Kahlan's brow wrinkled with sorrow。 〃I'd say she was running from whoever cut her hair like that。〃
〃Her hair？〃
He nodded again。 〃It was meant to mark her； maybe as property。 No one would cut someone's hair like that； except to give a message。 Especially in the Midlands； where everyone pays so much attention to hair。 It was deliberate； a message of power over her。 That's why I cut it for。 her； to remove the mark。〃
Kahlan stared at nothing in particular。 〃That was why she was so happy to have it cut even；〃 she whispered。
〃There is more to it； though； than simply running away。 She lies easier than a gambler。 She lies with the ease of someone who has a powerful need。〃
Her eyes came to his again。 〃Like what？〃
〃I don't know。〃 He sighed。 〃But it has something to do with that loaf 'of bread。〃
〃The bread？ Do you really think so？〃
〃She had no shoes； no cloak； nothing but her doll。 It's her most precious possession； she's devoted to it； yet she let us touch it。 But she wouldn't let us get within an arm's length of that loaf of bread。 I don't know much about the magic in the Midlands； but where I e from； a little girl will not value a loaf of bread more than her doll； and I don't think it's any different here。 Did you see the look in her eyes when you reached for the bread； and she snatched it away？ If she had had a knife； and you hadn't backed off； she would have used it on you。〃
〃Richard；〃 she admonished； 〃you can't really believe that about a little girl。 A loaf of bread couldn't be that important to her。〃
〃No？ You said yourself she ate as much as both of us put together。 I was beginning to think she was related to Zedd。 Explain why if she was half starved； she hadn't even nibbled on that loaf of bread：〃 He shook his head。 〃There is something going on； and that loaf of bread is at the center of it。〃
Kahlan took a step toward him。 〃So； we're going after her？〃
Richard felt the weight of the tooth against his chest。 He took a deep breath； letting it out slowly。 〃No。 As Zedd is fond of saying； nothing is ever easy。 How can we justify going after one little girl； to solve the riddle of her loaf of bread； while Rahl goes after the box？〃
She took his hand in one of hers； looked down at it。 〃I hate what Darken Rahl does to us； the way he twists us。〃 She squeezed his hand。 〃She got into our hearts awfully quick。〃
Richard gave her a one…armed hug。 〃That she did。 She's one special little girl。 I hope she finds what she's after； and that she is safe。〃 He let go …of Kahlan and started for the wayward pine； to get their things。 〃Let's get moving。〃
Neither wanted to think about how they felt； that they were deserting Rachel； condemning her to the embrace of dangers she knew nothing about and was defenseless against； and so both set their minds to covering as much ground as fast as they could。 The bright day wore on with an endless expanse of rugged forest； and with their exertion they didn't notice the cold。
Richard was always glad when he saw a spiderweb stretched across the trail； he had begun to think of spiders as his guardians。 When he had been a guide； he had always been annoyed to have them tickle his face。 Thank you； sister spider； he said to himself every time he passed one now。
Near midday； they stopped for a break on sunlit rocks in an icy stream。 Richard splashed the frigid water on his face； trying to work up some energy。 He was tired already。 Lunch was cold； too； and lasted only as long as it took to bolt it down。 They both stuffed the last bites in their； mouths； brushed their hands off on their pants； and hopped down off the flat； pink rock。
As much as he tried not to think about Rachel； he found himself frowning with worry before he realized he was doing it again。 He