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The two of them walked on through the silent streets； past the shops and inns of the old city quarter。 Every door； every window； was broken in。 Shards of glass sparkled in the sunlight； shimmering tears for the dead。 The invading horde had swept through every building； searching out anything alive。
‘How do this many thousands； all living in this one place； find land to feed their families？ There could not be enough game to hunt； or fields for all to plant。’
Kahlan tried to see the city through his eyes。 It must be a great puzzle to him。 ‘They don’t all hunt； or plant the land。 The people who lived here specialized。’
‘Specialized？ What is this？’
‘It means that different people have different jobs。 They work at one thing。 They use silver or gold to buy the things they need that they don’t grow or make themselves。’
‘Where do they get this silver or gold？’
‘People who want the thing they specialize in pay for it with silver or gold。’
‘And where do these others get this silver or gold？’
‘They get it from people who pay them for the things they do。’
Chandalen looked at her skeptically。 ‘Why do they not trade？ It would be easier to trade。’
‘Well； in a way； it is trading。 Often； the person who wants what you have has nothing you want； so they give you money … silver or gold made into flat； round disks called coins …instead。 Then you can use the money to buy things you need。’
‘Buy。’ Chandalen seemed to test the strange word with his tongue as he looked off down a street to their right while shaking his head in disbelief。 ‘Why would people work； then？
Why would they not just go and get this silver or gold money？’
‘Some do。 They hunt silver and gold。 But that is hard work； too。 Gold is hard to find and dig out of the ground。 That is why it is used for money： because it is rare。 If it were easy to find； like grains of sand； then no one would take it in trade。 If money were easy to get； or to make； it would bee worthless； and then in the end this system of trade； with worthless money； would fail； and everyone would starve。’
He came to a halt with a frown。 ‘What is this money made from？ What is this silver or gold you speak of？’
She didn’t stop with him； and he had to take a few bounding steps to catch back up with her。 ‘Gold is 。。。 The medallion； the necklace； that the Bantak gave as a gift to the Mud People； to show they did not wish to make war； that is made of gold。’ Chandalen nodded with a knowing grunt。 Kahlan halted this time。 ‘Do you know where the Bantak got that much gold？’
Chandalen swept his gaze across the slate rooftops。 ‘Of course。 They got it from us。’
Kahlan gripped his arm covered with his mantle and pulled him around。 ‘What do you mean； they got it from you？’
He tensed at her touch。 He didn’t like her hand … a Confessor’s hand … on him。 That the fur mantle separated actual contact of flesh was of no consequence； their flesh was close enough。 If she relaxed her restraint of the power； that thin piece of hide would be no impediment； Kahlan had loosed her power through armor before。 She released her grip and he visibly relaxed。 ‘Chandalen； where did the Mud People get that much gold？’
He looked at her as if she were a child asking where you might find dirt。 ‘From the holes in the ground。 In our land； to the north where it is rocky and nothing much will grow or live； there are holes in the ground。 They have this gold in them。 It is a bad place。 The air is hot and bad。 It is said that men die if they stay too long in the ground。 The yellow metal is in these deep holes。 It is too soft to make good weapons； so it is of no use。’
He dismissed its importance with a wave of his hand。 ‘But the Bantak say their ancestors’ spirits like the look of the yellow metal； and so we let them e onto our land and go in the holes so they may get it to make things their ancestors’ spirits may like to look upon when they e to this world。’
‘Chandalen； do others know of these holes in the ground； of the gold that is in them？’
He shrugged。 ‘We do not let outsiders e to our land。 But I told you； it is too soft to make weapons with； so it is of no use。 It pleases the Bantak； and they are good traders with us； so we let them take what they want。 They do not take much； though； because it is a bad place to go into。 No one would want to go there； except the Bantak； to please their ancestors’ spirits。’
How could she explain it to him？ He didn’t understand the ways of the outside world。 ‘Chandalen； you must never use this gold。’ He made a face that said he had already explained how useless it was； and no one would want it。 ‘You may think it is useless； but others would kill to get it。 If people knew you had gold on your land； they would swarm over you to get it。 The craving for gold makes men crazy； and they would do anything to get it。 They would kill Mud People。’
Chandalen straightened with a smug expression。 He took his hand from the bowstring and tapped his chest。 ‘I； and my men； protect our people。 We would keep the outsiders away。’
Kahlan swept her arm around； taking in the hundreds upon hundreds of dead around her。 ‘Against this many？ Against thousands？’ Chandalen had never seen this many people。 He understood little of the numbers that lived outside his lands。 Thousands who would never stop ing until they swept you aside？’
His eyes followed the arc her arm had taken。 His brow wrinkled with the frown of a worry unfamiliar to him； his arrogance evaporating as he took in the dead。 ‘Our ancestors’ spirits have warned us not to speak of the holes in the ground with the bad air。 We only let the Bantak go there； no one else。’
‘See that it stays that way；’ she said。 ‘Or they will e and steal it。’
‘That would be wrong； to steal from a people。’ He put renewed tension to the bowstring as she let out a noisy breath of frustration。 ‘If I make a bow to trade； everyone knows it is the work of Chandalen； because it is such a fine bow。 If anyone steals it； everyone knows what it is and where it came from； and the thief would be caught； and be made to give it back。 Maybe he would be sent away from his people。 How do these people tell who the money belongs to； if it is taken by a thief？’
Kahlan’s mind reeled from the effort of trying to explain such things to Chandalen。 At least it was keeping her from having to think about the dead all about her。 She started walking again through the snow； having to step over a man’s back because there was no way around； they were fallen so close。
‘It is difficult。 Because of this； people guard their money。 If anyone is caught stealing； the punishment is severe； to discourage thieving。’
‘How are thieves punished？’
‘If they didn’t steal much； and are lucky； they might be locked in a small room until their family can make reparations for what they stole。’
‘Locked？ What is this？’
‘A lock is way of barring a door。 The stone rooms that thieves are placed in have a door they are not able to open from the inside。 It has a