Faith of the Fallen   ::   Goodkind Terry

Kneeling on the floor in the far corner, she flipped back the flap and saw his things inside-his war wizard's clothes were in the bottom. Near tears, she clutched the pack to her chest.

It had been over a year since she had seen him. For almost half the time she had known him, he had been gone from her. It seemed she could not endure another moment.

Kahlan heard a sudden noise. Cara seized the wrist of a young man as he charged in brandishing a knife. In one fluid motion she had his arm twisted behind his back.

Kahlan thrust her hand into the air. "Cara! No."

Cara made a sour face as she lowered her Agiel from the young man's throat. His eyes were wide with both fear, and indignation.

"Thieves! You're thieves! That's not yours! Put it back!"

Kahlan rushed to the youth, motioning for him to keep his voice down.

"Is your name Kamil, or Nabbi?"

The young man blinked in surprise. He licked his lips as he glanced over his shoulder at the woman towering above him.

"I'm Kamil. Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"I'm a friend. Gadi told me-"

"Then you're no friend!"

Before he could scream for help, Cara clamped a hand over his mouth.

Kahlan shushed him. "Gadi murdered a friend of ours. After we captured him, Gadi told me your name."

When she saw that he was taken aback by the news, Kahlan signaled for Cara to lower her hand.

"Gadi killed someone?"

"That's right," Cara said.

He stole a quick glance over his shoulder. "What did you do to him? To Gadi?" "We put him to death," Kahlan said, not revealing the full extent of the deed.

The young man smiled. "Then you really are friends. Gadi is a bad person. He hurt my friend. I hope he suffered."

"It took him a long time to die," Cara said.

The young man swallowed when he saw her grin from over his shoulder.

Kahlan gestured and Cara released him.

"So, who are you two?" he asked.

"My name is Kahlan, and this is Cara."

"So, what are you doing here?"

"That's a little complicated, but we're looking for Richard."

His suspicion returned. "Yeah?"

Kahlan smiled. He was indeed Richard's friend. She put her hand to the side of his shoulder as she held his gaze.

"I'm his wife. His real wife."

Kamil blinked dumbly. "But, but-,

Kahlan's voice hardened. "Nicci isn't his wife." -

His eyes brimmed with tears as a grin overcame him. "I knew it. I knew he didn't love her.