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screaming fit or back into a stupor。
Cyrilla clutched Kahlan’s arm as Kahlan wiped the cool cloth over her brow。 ‘Kahlan； have you thought about what I said？’
Kahlan pulled the cloth back。 ‘I don’t want to be the queen of Galea。 You are the queen； my sister。’
‘Please； Kahlan； our people need a leader。 I am not fit to do it now。’ She clutched her hand tighter to Kahlan’s arm。 Tears poured forth。 ‘Kahlan； you must do this for me； for them。’
Kahlan wiped the tears with the cloth。 ‘Cyrilla； things will turn out well； you will see。’
She clutched a fist over her belly。 ‘I cannot lead； now。’
‘Cyrilla； I understand。 I do。 Though they did not do to me what they did to you； I was in that pit。 I understand。 But you will recover yourself。 You will； I promise。’
‘And you will be the queen？ For our people？’
‘If I agree； it would only be temporary。 Only until you have regained your strength。’
‘No 。。。’ she moaned。 She sobbed； hiding her face against the pillow。 ‘Don’t 。。。 Please。 Dear spirits； help me。 No 。。。’
And then she was gone again。 Gone into the visions。 She went limp； still as death； staring up at the ceiling。 Kahlan kissed her cheek。
Prince Harold waited in the darkness outside the door。 ‘How is my sister？’
‘The same； I’m afraid。 But have faith。 She will recover。’
‘Kahlan； you must do as she asks。 She is the queen。’
‘Why can’t you be king？ That would make more sense。’
‘I must fight on for our people； for all the Midlands。 I cannot devote myself to the struggle if I’m burdened with concern over being king； too。 I’m a soldier； and I wish to serve in the way I know。 It is what I was meant to do。 You are an Amnell； daughter to King Wyborn； you must be the queen of Galea。’
Kahlan started to flip her long hair back over her shoulder； but it wasn’t there。 It was hard to forget the habits of a lifetime； to remember that her hair was chopped short。
‘I will think on it；’ she said； as she started off。
She stood once more before the fireplace； the only source of light in the dining hall； staring into the flames； watching the once living things turn to ash。 Everyone avoided her； and left her to herself。
After a time； she realized Zedd was standing beside her。 She was only now beginning to get used to him in those fancy robes。
He held his cup out。 ‘Why don’t you have a sip of spiced tea。’
She didn’t look up from the flames。 ‘No； thank you。’
He rolled the cup in his palms。 ‘Kahlan； you can’t go on blaming yourself。 It is not your fault。’
‘You wear lies poorly； wizard。 I saw the look in your eyes when I told you what I had done。 Remember？’
‘I’ve explained that to you。 You know I was under the spell cast by the three sorceresses； and only great emotional shock could break it。 Anger could do the task； but once anger is brought on； it must be allowed to rage uncontrolled if it is to break the spell。 I have told you how sorry I am for what I did to you。’
‘I saw the look in your eyes。 You wanted to kill me。’
He watched from under his eyebrows。 ‘I had to do that； Mother Confessor。 。。。’
‘Kahlan。 I told you； I am no longer the Mother Confessor。’
‘Call yourself what you will； but you are who you are。 Denying the name does not make it so。 And as I told you； I had to do that； too。 To bring on a death spell； the person to be spelled has to be convinced they are to die； or it will not work。
‘Once the anger brought back my memory； I knew I had to use a death spell； so I simply used what was happening to do what had to be done。 It was an act of desperation。 Had I not done it in that way； people would not have believed they saw you beheaded。’
Kahlan shuddered at the memory of that magic。 As long as she lived； she would never forget the chill touch of the death spell。
‘You should have used magic to destroy that council of evil； instead。 You should have saved me by killing those men。’
‘And then everyone would have known you were still alive。 Everyone there was under the madness of hate。 Had I done that； then we would have had the entire army； and tens of thousands of people； chasing after us。 This way； no one chases us。 We can now proceed with what must be done。’
‘You can proceed。 I have quit the cause of the good spirits。’
‘Kahlan； you know what would happen if we were to give up。 It was you yourself； last autumn； who came to Westland to find me and tell me that very thing。 You helped convince me that if we abandon the side of magic； of right； of helping those who are powerless； then the enemy is handed an uncon…tested victory。’
The spirits saw fit to leave me without help。 They stood by as I delivered Richard into the hands of the Sisters of the Light； they let me hurt him； let him be taken from me forever。 The good spirits have chosen their side； and it is not with me。’
‘It is not the good spirits’ job to govern the world of the living。 It is our job； the job of the living； to tend our own world。’
‘Tell it to someone who cares。’
‘You care。 You just don’t realize it at the moment。 I’ve lost Richard； too； but I know that I cannot allow that to deter me from right。 Do you think Richard would love you if you were really the kind of person who could abandon those who needed your help？’
She said nothing； so he pressed the attack。
‘Richard loves you partly because of your passion for life。 He loves you because you fight for it with everything you have； with the same ardor as his。 You have already proven that。’
‘He was the only thing I ever wanted out of life； the only thing I asked the good spirits for。 And look what I have done to him。 He thinks I betrayed him。 I made him put a collar around his neck； the thing he feared more than death。 I am not fit to help anyone。 I only bring harm。’
‘Kahlan； you have magic。 I have told you； magic must not be allowed to die。 The world of life needs magic。 If magic is extinguished； all life will be impoverished； and could even be destroyed。
‘No one knows about the forces we have。 We will go to Ebinissia； no one will expect that； and pull the Midlands forces together from there to strike back against them。 No one will know we have brought Ebinissia back from the ashes of death。’
‘All right！ If it will still your tongue； I will be the queen。 But only until Cyrilla is better。’
The fire crackled and popped。 Zedd spoke in quiet admonition。 ‘You know that is not what I mean； Mother Confessor。’
Kahlan said nothing。 She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying。 She would not let him see her cry。
The wizards of old created the Confessors。 You have unique magic。 It has elements to it that no other magic has； not even mine。 Kahlan； you are the last Confessor。 Your magic must not be allowed to die with you。 Richard is lost to us。 That’s the way it is。 We must go on。 Life； and magic； must go on。
‘You must take a mate and give the world that magic into the future。’
Still； she stared into the flames。
‘Kahla