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otherwise shaved head, it was obvious that he was a half person.
    Without delay, the man lunged toward Kahlan.
    Even as the sword was clearing its scabbard, sending the unique ring of steel through the forest, Laurin grabbed the man from behind with a fist around his upright shock of hair. She snatched his head back and in quick, efficient fashion cut his throat deep enough to sever his windpipe.
    The man dropped heavily to his knees at Kahlan’s feet, her sword hovering over him. He held both hands over the gushing wound at his throat. She was filled with a rush of anger from the ancient weapon. That rage demanded swift violence, but it was obvious that enough violence had already been done and he was no longer a threat. She stepped aside as he toppled forward, his legs across the bank of the stream with the upper half of his body lying in the shallow stream. As the water splashed over the man, air burbled from his lungs through the gaping gash. Blood gushing out ran down the stream in a red fan.
    Laurin looked rather sheepish. “Sorry, Mother Confessor. I would have been quicker”–she flicked her Agiel, hanging by a fine gold chain from her right wrist, up into her fist–“but without the bond to Lord Rahl, this doesn’t work. So I had to use a knife. It’s slower.”
    â€œIt was fast enough and that’s all that really matters,” Kahlan said, gripping the sword tightly as she scanned the dark woods, searching for others she expected to descend out of the woods any moment.
    â€œBesides,” Kahlan added, her heart racing, “not knowing what his occult powers may have been, a knife is the only thing we know for certain works.”
    The three Mord-Sith moved to stand with their backs to Kahlan, protectively surrounding her, all with their knives out.
    â€œDo you sense any more?” Kahlan whispered to Nicci.
    The sorceress peered around in the shadows. “No. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. I think that sometimes they may be able to use occult powers to shield themselves.”
    Kahlan knew that the half people usually howled when they came on a running attack through the woods. She didn’t hear any cries from off in the darkness.
    Hunter returned to sit on a rock not far up above them. He looked down at the man lying half in the stream, and then yawned.
    â€œHe doesn’t look too concerned,” Kahlan said.
    â€œMaybe it was a straggler,” Cassia said. “With the barrier down and the half people on the loose now, there are bound to be some wandering through the forests of the Dark Lands.”
    â€œThat’s possible,” Kahlan said, “but we’re pretty far out in the middle of nowhere. It’s also possible that there are a lot more with him.”
    Cassia signaled silently to the other two and then the three of them swiftly vanished into the darkness to check. Nicci stood on a small rock, slowly turning all the way around as she tried to use her gift to tell if there were more.
    In a short time the three Mord-Sith reappeared.
    â€œNothing,” Vale said.
    The other two shook their heads to confirm that they didn’t see anything either.
    When Hunter turned and started off once again, looking unconcerned, Kahlan and Nicci shared a look.
    â€œI think if there were more, he would probably know,” Nicci suggested.
    â€œLet’s hope you’re right,” Kahlan said as she started out once more.
    But she kept the sword out just in case.

 
    CHAPTER
    6
    They traveled deep into the night without further incident. It was nerve-racking to continually fear that every sound might mean an imminent attack. Kahlan had drawn her sword half a dozen times, erring on the side of safety. None of them took lightly the possibility of a surprise attack. They were all tense and wary as they followed Hunter onto ever-higher ground.
    Hunter almost never made any sound as he walked, and seemed magically able