Temple 41

**Chapter 41**

Kahlan asks Shota about the Temple of the Winds, but Shota knows nothing about it. She says that she sees the future in much the same way as most people see their memories: some are clear, some are hazy, and sometimes she can't see the full context. When she told Nadine to tell Richard that "the winds hunt him," that was unlike her usual foresight: *"as if someone else's memory was being forced on me. As if someone else was using me to pass on a message."*

We learn that Shota knows of Jagang, that he *"plays tricks, trying to get into my dreams. I won't allow it."*

Remember how the only way for a gifted person to resist a dream walker is to swear loyalty to Richard? How the hell is Shota able to ignore that rule? \~/

Anyway, Shota emphasizes that the message could not have come from Jagang, Kahlan recaps what happened with the children dying of plague, and the two of them speculate on the whereabouts of the Temple of the Winds. Shota says that she knows of no way to stop the plague, but since it was started with magic . . . hint hint. She then specifies that *"Richard is the only one with the power to do whatever it is that can help."*

What a useless and nebulous statement, while doubling as RICHARD IS SPECIAL AND NO ONE ELSE MATTERS. \~/

Shota *finally* deigns to explain why she sent Nadine to marry Richard: she had a vision of Richard marrying someone who was not Kahlan, so she did what she could to ensure that it would at least be someone he knew and liked. I don't know where Shota got her information from, but it's been made clear that Richard cares for Nadine slightly less than he cares for his socks. Shota claims that the spirits (not "the good spirits," just the spirits) are involved.

Kahlan angsts about how she can never love anyone but Richard, which might be moving if I didn't actively despise her. Shota says that if Kahlan truly loves Richard, she should hope that he and Nadine will be happy together. She also suggests that Kahlan will betray Richard, which naturally gets Kahlan upset. This leads to a discussion of prophecies, and Kahlan admitting that she would betray Richard if it meant saving his life.

Shota asks if Richard and Kahlan would marry other people if it meant ending the plague, and Kahlan says they would. Shota says that Kahlan will receive one more message from the winds, involving the moon: *"This will be the consequential communion."*

Shota reiterates that if Richard and Kahlan have a son, she will try to kill him. Again with the child-murder. It's getting as bad as the rape. Kahlan decides there's nothing more to do, so she and Shota meander back to the sliph's well. Along the way, Kahlan says she's glad Shota has Agaden Reach, and asks what happened to the wizard who chased her out. Shota says she skinned him alive, because every character in this goddamned book is a sadistic monster.

Kahlan muses that *"It was small wonder that even wizards rarely dared to enter Agaden Reach; Shota was more than a match for a wizard."* This flatly contradicts what we were told, that sorceress > witch, and wizard > sorceress, therefore, wizard > witch. \~/

Kahlan thinks that *"the witch woman seemed also to have a compassion that Kahlan hadn't expected."*

. . .

*LESS THAN HALF A PAGE AGO YOU TOLD US SHE SKINNED A MAN ALIVE, WATCHED HIM BLEED TO DEATH, AND USED HIS SKIN TO UPHOLSTER HER CHAIR.*

And now you're claiming she's ***compassionate?!***

\~/\~/

Shota says that the wizard said he forgave her, and asked for her forgiveness, claiming there was *"magic in forgiveness, in the Fourth Rule. Magic to heal. In forgiveness you grant, and more so in the forgiveness you recieve."*

Shota refused to forgive him because she's a cruel and brutal monster, and also *"He forgot to place the word 'sincere' before 'forgiveness.' "*

Ha. Ha. Ha. \~/

Drinks: 6

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