； came abreast of her。 ‘Drivers！ Watch for the scout ahead！ He’ll show you the stakes to follow。’ They nodded that they remembered。
Men in D’Haran uniforms； with white cloth swatches sewn into their epaulets to show that they were in fact the Galean men who had infiltrated the enemy camp in the uniforms of the sentries； ran past。 ‘Don’t forget to pull up the stakes before you get up on the horses。’
They were to double or triple up on the draft horses and ride to one of the other small camps established around the enemy。 Earlier in the day； they had made trails all over the valley so that without the sticks stuck in the snow to mark the proper trail； none would know the way to those camps。
The trail through the snow from all the men on foot would be easy for the enemy to follow。 But they had plans to take care of that。
In the distance； back toward the Order； she saw the rear guard engaged in a pitched battle。 Lieutenant Sloan was supposed to keep that from happening； and keep the rear moving。 Cursing anew； she galloped her horse back。 Without pause； she charged between the two forces； spun and charged through again； separating the two sides。 The leather…clad D’Harans fell back at the sight of the white spirit woman atop a white horse。
She waded in among the Galeans。 ‘What’s the matter with you！ You know the orders！ Run； or you won’t make it！’
The men started moving； trying to drag a body with them。
‘Where’s Lieutenant Sloan！ He’s supposed to be back here！’
The men nodded to the body they were dragging。 The side of the head was gone； and she could see the exposed brain。 It was Lieutenant Sloan。 The D’Harans charged in again。 She pulled the reins and Nick reared。 The D’Harans fell back once more。
‘He’s dead！ Leave him！ Run！ Run； you idiots！ If any of you stops again for anything； I’ll make you fight the rest of this war naked！ Now run！’
This time they took off in earnest； kicking up snow； running for their lives。 Again she swept past the line of drunken D’Harans； causing them to stumble backward and fall over one another in panic。 She had to stall these men to give her own time to gain enough of a lead。
She ran Nick through the D’Harans； trampling those who got in the way。 The men scattered in momentary dread of the white spirit woman； some calling to the spirits for protection。 But others came back swinging weapons。 If they caught Nick’s legs 。。。
She fought back with her sword and her warhorse； as they closed around her。 Her men were fading into the fog。 Run； she bid them； run。 She swung the sword at men who reached out。 The next time she glanced back； she saw nothing but dark fog and mist。 She was losing her sense of direction as she wheeled Nick around； charging at the men； trying to buy her own men the time they needed to escape。
She tried to break away； but the enemy swarmed around her； with more ing all the time。 Some yelled at the others that she was just a woman； and not a spirit； and they weren’t going to let a woman get away。 She felt more naked than she had felt all night。
Men threw themselves around Nick’s legs； and although he reared and kicked them off； even more took their place； staggering the big horse with their weight。 Kahlan hacked furiously at the men； shearing off arms； splitting skulls； and stabbing bodies。
With a sea of men all around her； she suddenly realized that her situation was untenable。 She knew that if they got her off her horse； she was finished； and her horse was being hobbled。 Try as she might； she couldn’t get the men away。
For the first time that night； she truly feared she wasn’t going to make it。 She was going to die； here； in the snow； in this mist…shrouded valley。 She would never see Richard again。
She felt an abrupt； icy pain in the bite on her neck。 Darken Rahl’s bite。 She thought she heard quiet laughter in the air。
She slashed away at the men grabbing for her。 Powerful fingers clutched her legs。 The pain of those fingers urged her into frantic stabbing。 Nick managed to spin； the men’s feet flying outward； but they held on tight。 She slashed and hacked the arms。 More caught hold of her horse’s bit； taking control from her。 A horse was valuable plunder； and they didn’t want it killed； as long as they thought they were in control of the situation。
A big soldier grabbed the horn of her saddle； dragging himself up。 ‘Don’t kill her！ It’s the Mother Confessor！ Don’t kill her！ She must be alive when she’s beheaded！’
She slashed the side of his neck； A fountain of hot blood gushed across her thigh。 Another yelled； ‘Don’t kill her！ Bring the bitch down！’ A cheer went up from the reaching men。
She swung at the grasping hands。 Fingers raked her legs。 Eyes all around leered up at her。 She slashed wildly as Nick stumbled sideways； trying to pull his head free； but the men held his bit tight。
A man leapt up from behind and snatched her by the hair。 She let out a cry as he yanked her backward off the saddle。 Hands grappled her as she tumbled to the ground。 Everyone went down in a pile under her。 Big hands seized her by her legs； her waist； her ankles； and her breasts。
Fingers wrapped around the blade； trying to wrench it from her。 She twisted the hilt； severing the fingers。 She swung and stabbed ferociously。 Bodies pressed her to the cold ground； pressed the wind from her lungs。 She bit the fingers covering her mouth。 A huge fist struck her across the jaw。
They finally seized her flailing arms。
There were too many。
Dear Richard； I love you。
CHAPTER 45
Kahlan struggled to draw a breath； but with the weight of men on her； she couldn’t。 Tears stung her eyes。 More men piled on。 A beefy elbow in her middle pressed into her； feeling as if it would squash her in two。 Drunken breath bathed her face。
Her vision dwindled to a small spot。 Everything around the center was going black； and the center was shrinking。 She swallowed a mouthful of blood。 Her own。
She heard what sounded like the distant rumble of thunder。 At first； she could only feel the vibration in her back against the ground； but then the sound swelled； growing louder； sharper。 The screams of men reached her ears。
Some of the men over her looked up。 Their weight lifted a bit； and she sucked air into her lungs。 It was the sweetest breath she had ever drawn。
As the giant of a man atop her； the one who had struck her face； turned to the sound of thunder； turned his fierce eye from her； she saw that his other had a scar across it； and down his cheek。 That empty eye was sewn shut。 Somehow； her left hand squirmed free。 She seized his throat。
She heard a metallic rattle。 The thunder； she suddenly realized； was horses’ hooves。 Erupting out of the fog； Brin and Peter； atop Daisy and Pip； galloped at a full charge down the line of D’Harans； mowing them down with the chain。 They raced toward her like a landslide felling trees。 The men stared in frozen shock。 Kahlan’s fingers clutched around the one…eyed man’s throat。
And then she released her power。
The magic slammed into him。
Thunder without sound rattled all the chain mail。
The staggering jolt made the men flinch back。 They all cried out with the pain of being so close as the magic was loosed。 A ring of snow lifted； sweeping outward in a circle。
Nick was standing over her； and he jumped with the pain； too。 His hind leg came down on a man’s head right next to her ear。 Bone crunched under the weight。 Hot blood and gore splattered the side of her face。
The one eye of the man above her gaped at her。 ‘Mistress！’ he whispered。 ‘Please mand me。’
‘Protect me！’ she screamed。
He sat up abruptly； his massive muscles bulging。 He held the hair of a man in each fist。 He tossed them back as if they were mere children。
Her sword arm was free。 She swung at a man to the other side； the blade ruining his face。 The one…eyed man roared as he tossed men aside。 The draft horses rushed onward at a full charge。
She was free of the hands。 She leaped to her feet。 The chain was almost upon