Goodkind Terry. The Omen Machine

The Omen Machine is Terry Goodkind's 14th novel, and the first in a new series about Richard and Kahlan. Events in the book take place directly after the end of Confessor. Richard and Kahlan are contentedly enjoying Cara's marriage when a boy named Henrik approaches them. He warns them of dark things to come before scratching them both and running away. This unexpected turn of events leaves them perplexed. Soon after, Cara warns Richard and the group that something or someone was watching her in her room. At first unbelieving, Richard and Kahlan notice the same spooky presence on their own. Shortly after these events, prophecies starts coming from the most unexpected places and people. Ominously, all of the prophecies that are being uttered are also appearing in a book titled End Notes.
Because of all these new prophecies, the representatives of the different lands are demanding answers that they have no right to demand from the Lord Rahl and the Mother Confessor. After trying to reason with them about the dangerous implications of prophecy, the Mother Confessor and Nicci devise a plan to scare the people out of asking so many questions, seeing it as the only way. Threatened with death from a prophecy just made up by Nicci, the people are shamed and regretful of their pestering; because of this, the continuous demands are stopped for the time being.
While Kahlan is dealing with the more diplomatic area, Richard finds a machine underground after the roof of the "Garden of Life" collapsed (as indicated in a prophecy), thus leaving a hole in the ground. Richard's discovery leads him to notice that the emblem on the machine is exactly the same as on a wordbook for translating the language of creation found earlier, only reversed. This emblem is the High D'Haran word for "Regula" which is translated to "to regulate with sovereign authority". The book is key to helping Richard decipher the prophecies because the machine presents the prophecies in the language of Creation.
Meanwhile, the scratch on Kahlan's arm is worsening and causing Richard great worry. After Zedd's attempt to fix her cut, they leave her to rest. When Kahlan feverishly wakes, she finds a pack of dogs surrounding her. A fight and chase then ensues until Kahlan runs away in a carriage. When Richard finds out that Kahlan is gone, he traces her footsteps and sends soldiers in every direction to try to find her. Little does he know that Kahlan is very far away by this point. Richard races after her on the fastest horse he can find, leaving a message for Zedd and Nicci that he is going to the Hedge Maid.
Kahlan arrives to the Hedge Maids home, and frees Henrik who is tied to the wall. She is then captured by the Hedge Maid, and is tied to the wall. The Hedge Maid collects and drinks Kahlan's blood. At this point, Richard breaks in and tries to save Kahlan, who is unconscious, but he is also captured by the Hedge Maid and is tied to the wall. Richard remembers the machine's last warning, protects his and Kahlan's ears and cuts the leather strips on the Hedge Maid's mouth, thus freeing her dead soul. As she screams her life away, she and her servants vanish. Richard and Kahlan are found by Nicci, and Zedd, who take them to the Garden of Life to heal them.