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ou ever think of that； you ignorant child？’
The lump in Kahlan’s throat threatened to choke her。 She wanted to run from Shota； but she couldn’t move。 ‘Not all male Confessors are that way。’
‘Almost every one is！ Almost every one！’ She pointed a single finger at Richard without looking at him。 ‘Are you going to risk the world； because you love this man？ Risk sending everyone into the terror of the dark times； just because you would selfishly want the son of this man to live？’
‘Shota；’ Richard’s voice was surprisingly calm。 ‘Most Confessors bear girls。 You are worrying about something that probably won’t even happen。 We may not even have children。 Not all couples conceive。 You are extending your worries along a lot of forks in the road。’
Richard suddenly slid down the wall； landing with a grunt。 In a rage； Shota grabbed his shirt in her fists and lifted him； slamming him against the wall； knocking the wind from his lungs。 ‘Do you think I am as stupid as you？ I know the flow of time！ I am a witch woman！ I told you before； I know how certain events flow and unfold！ If you lie with this woman； she will have a male child！ She is a Confessor！ Every Confessor bears a Confessor！ Always！ If you give her a child； it will be a boy！’
She slammed him against the wall again。 Kahlan winced at the sound of his head hitting the wall。 Shota’s behavior was frightening； and seemed out of character。 She had impressed Kahlan before as menacing in the extreme； but she also seemed intelligent and reasonable。 At least to an extent。 She seemed different now； unstable。
Richard didn’t try to remove her hands； but Kahlan could see he was getting angry。 ‘Shota …’
She slammed him up against the wall again。 ‘Keep your tongue still or I will cut it out！’
Richard’s rage looked to match Shota’s。 ‘You were wrong before； Shota！ Wrong！ There are many ways for events to flow forward in time。 Had I listened to you the last time； and killed Kahlan when you wanted me to； Darken Rahl would rule us all now！ And it would have been because I followed your stupid advice！ It was through her that I defeated Darken Rahl！ If I had done as you wished； we would have lost！’
His chest heaved as he glared at her。 ‘If you have e all this way to threaten us about some perceived threat； you have wasted your time。 I didn’t do it your way the last time； and I will not do it your way now！ I will not kill her nor will I give her up on your word！ On anyone’s！’
Shota stared at him a moment and then removed her hands from his shirt。 ‘I did not e here about some ‘perceived’ threat to the future；’ she whispered。 ‘I did not e here to argue with you about making babies with Confessors； Richard Rahl。’
Richard jerked back in shock。 ‘I’m not 。。。’
‘I came here； because I may want to kill you for what you have done； Richard Rahl。 That you two ignorant children want to go make babies is a flea on the back of the true monster you have already created。’
‘Why are you calling me that？’ Richard whispered。
Shota studied his pale face。 ‘Because that is who you are。’
‘I am Richard Cypher。 George Cypher was my father。’
‘You were raised by a man named Cypher。 You were sired by one named Darken Rahl。 He raped your mother。’
Richard’s face turned whiter。 Kahlan ached for him。 She understood now； knew it was true。 This was what she had seen in him； she had seen the face of his father； Darken Rahl。 She tried desperately to free herself； to go to him； but couldn’t。
Richard shook his head。 ‘No。 That’s not true。 It just isn’t possible。’
‘True；’ Shota snapped。 ‘Your father was Darken Rahl。 Your grandfather is Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander。’
‘Zedd？’ he whispered。 ‘Zedd is my grandfather？’ He straightened。 ‘Darken Rahl 。。。 No； he can’t be。 It’s not true。’
He turned and looked up at Kahlan。 He saw it in her face； saw that she knew it was。 He turned back to Shota。 ‘Zedd would have told me。 He would have。 I don’t believe you。’
‘I don’t care；’ she said in a flat tone。 ‘I don’t care what you believe。 I know the truth。’ Her emotion came back。 ‘And the truth is you are the bastard son of a bastard son of a bastard son！ And each one of those bastard sons； all the way back； had the gift。 Worse； Zedd has the gift。 You have the gift； but it is from two bloodlines of wizards。’ She glared at his wide eyes。 ‘You are a very dangerous person； Richard Rahl。’ Richard looked like he might fall down。 ‘You have the gift。 In this case； I would be more inclined to call it a curse。’
‘I would agree with you about that；’ Richard whispered。
‘You know you have the gift？ We are going to have no argument about that？’ Richard could only nod。 ‘The rest of it I could not care less about。 You are the son of Darken Rahl； and on the other side； the grandson of Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander。 He is the father of your mother。 If you choose to ignore the truth of that； I don’t care。 Believe as you will。 Delude yourself as you will。 I am not here to argue your ancestry。’
Richard leaned back until the wall stopped him。 He ran his fingers through his hair。 ‘Go away； Shota。 Please； go away。’ His voice sounded as if all life had gone out of him。 ‘I don’t want to hear anything else you have to say。 Just go away。 Leave me alone。’
‘I am disappointed in you； Richard。’
‘I don’t care。’
‘I didn’t know you were this stupid。’
‘I don’t care。’
‘I thought George Cypher meant something to you。 I thought you had some kind of honor。’
His head came up。 ‘What do you mean？’
‘George Cypher raised you。 Gave you his time； his love。 He taught you； cared for you； provided for you。 Shaped you。 And you would throw that away because someone else raped your mother？ That is what is important to you？’
Richard’s eyes lit with fire。 His hands started ing up。 Kahlan thought he was going to try to strangle Shota； but then his hands sank back to his sides。 ‘But 。。。 if Darken Rahl is my father 。。。’
Shota threw her arms up in the air。 ‘What？ You are suddenly going to start acting like him？ You are going to spontaneously start doing vile things because you now know？ You fear you will go out and kill innocent people because you learned your real father is Darken Rahl？ You will ignore the things you learned from George Cypher because you find your name is Rahl？ And you call yourself the Seeker。 I am disappointed in you； Richard。 I thought you were your own man。 Not the reflection of others’ impressions of your ancestors。’
Richard hung his head as Shota frowned angrily and watched him in silence。 At last he took a deep breath。 ‘I’m sorry； Shota。 Thank you for not letting me be any more stupid than I already am。’ His eyes were wet as he turned to Kahlan。 ‘Please； Shota； let her down。’
Kahlan felt the pressure lift； and she slid down the wall； her boots thumping against the ground。 The glare Shota gave her made her stay where she was； even though she wanted to go to Richard。 He stared at his boots。
Shota put her fingers under his chin and lifted his