Main Events
Denna continues training Richard brutally, breaking his spirit. They travel to the People's Palace in D'Hara. Denna introduces Richard to Constance, another Mord-Sith who becomes Denna's second in training him. Constance is even more cruel than Denna, never varying her touch and never giving him rest. Denna sometimes protects Richard from Constance's worst excesses.
Denna is punished by Lord Darken Rahl for being too easy on Richard—Constance reported her. Richard helps heal Denna's wounds with ohm cream, a remedy he learned from Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander. Denna tells Richard about how Mord-Sith are broken: they must watch their trainer break their mother until she dies, then break their father until they kill him. Denna reveals that Master Rahl himself broke her the third time, and his "reward" left her barren. Richard is horrified by what was done to her. That night, Denna asks Richard to make love to her without the Agiel, wanting to know what it's like without pain.