"Terry Goodkind - Sword of Truth 5 - Soul of the Fire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Goodkind Terry)

SOUL OF FIRE
by TERRY GOODKIND


CHAPTER 1

"I WONDER WHAT'S BOTHERING the chickens," Richard said.

Kahlan nuzzled tighter against his shoulder. "Maybe your grandfather is
pestering them now, too." When he didn't reply, she tilted her head back to
squint up at him in the dim firelight. He was watching the door. "Or maybe
they're grouchy because we kept them awake most of the night."

Richard grinned and kissed her forehead. The brief squawking on the other side
of the door had ceased. No doubt the village children, still reveling in the
wedding celebration, had been chasing the chickens from a favorite roost on
the squat wall outside the spirit house. She told him as much.

Faint sounds of distant laughter, conversation, and singing drifted into their
quiet sanctuary. The scent of the balsam sticks that were always burned in the
spirit-house hearth mingled with the tang of sweat earned in passion, and the
spicy-sweet aroma of roasted peppers and onions. Kahlan watched the firelight
reflecting in his gray eyes a moment before lying back in his arms to sway
gently to the sounds of the drums and the boldas.

Paddles scraped up and down ridges carved on the hollow, bell-shaped boldas
produced an eerie, haunting melody that seeped through the solitude of the
spirit house on its

way out onto the grasslands, welcoming spirit ancestors to the celebration.

Richard stretched to the side and retrieved a round, flat piece of tava bread
from the platter Zedd, his grandfather, had brought them. "It's still warm.
Want some?"

"Bored with your new wife so soon, Lord Rahl?"

Richard's contented laugh brought a smile to her lips. "We really are married,
aren't we? It wasn't just a dream, was it?"

Kahlan loved his laugh. So many times she had prayed to the good spirits that
he would be able to laugh again- that they both would.

"Just a dream come true," she murmured.

She urged him from the tava bread for a long kiss. His breathing quickened as
he clutched her in his powerful arms. She slid her hands across the sweat-
slick muscles of his broad shoulders to run her fingers through the thick
tangle of his hair as she moaned against his mouth.