wrong。’
He exchanged the empty bowl for the full； holding it to his nose and inhaling the aroma。 ‘Maybe when the boundary finally failed； there was no longer any hold over them； and they simply came out of the pass。’
‘Maybe。 When the boundary failed； most of the beasts went with it； back into the underworld。 Some were freed of their bonds and escaped into the surrounding country。 I never saw any grippers until the winter came； nearly a month ago。 I fear something else happened； for them to be here。’
Zedd knew very well what had happened； but didn’t say so。 Instead； he asked； Adie； why don’t you leave？ e away with me。 To Aydindril。 It would be 。。。’
‘No！’ Her mouth snapped closed。 She seemed almost surprised by her own voice。 She smoothed her robe with her hand； letting the anger leave her face and then took the spoon out of the hand with the bowl and returned to dishing out stew。 ‘No。 This be my home。’
Zedd watched silently as she worked over the kettle。 When finished； she carried her bowl to the table； set it down； and retrieved a loaf of bread from over the counter； from a shelf behind a blue…and…white…striped curtain。 She pointed with the bread to the other empty chair。 Zedd set his bowl on the table and sat； hiking his robes up as he folded his legs underneath himself。 Adie lowered herself into the chair opposite him and sliced off a chunk of bread； using the knifepoint to push it across the table before she looked up to meet his eyes。
‘Please； Zedd； do not ask me to leave my home。’
‘I am only worried for you； Adie。’
Adie dunked a chunk of bread in her stew。 ‘That be a lie。’
He looked up from under his eyebrows as he picked up his bread。 ‘It’s not a lie。’
She ate without lifting her head。’ ‘Only’ be a lie。’
Zedd went back to his stew and ate in earnest。 ‘Umm。 Thish ish womerful；’ he mumbled around a hot chunk of meat。 She nodded her thanks。 He ate until his bowl was empty； then took it to the fireplace and filled it once more。
On his way back to the table； he swept his hand around at the room； pointing with his spoon。 ‘You have a lovely home； Adie。 Quite lovely。’ He sat and picked up the bread she passed to him。 He put his elbows on the table； his sleeves slipping up his forearms as he broke the bread in half。 ‘But I don’t think you should be living here； all alone。 Not with the grippers and all。’ He gestured with the bread to the north。 ‘Why don’t you e with me to Aydindril？ It’s a lovely place； too。 You would like it there。 There’s plenty of room。 Kahlan could see to it you have your choice of places to live。 Why； you could even stay at the Keep； if you preferred。’
Her white eyes stayed on her meal。 ‘No。’
‘Why not？ We could have a good time there。 A sorceress could have a grand time in the Keep。 There are books and。。。’
‘I said no。’
He watched her as she went back to eating stew。 He pushed his sleeves up farther and did the same。 He couldn’t eat long。 He set the spoon in the bowl and looked up from under his eyebrows。
‘Adie； there is more to the story； more I haven’t told you。’
She lifted an eyebrow。 ‘I hope you do not expect me to look surprised。 I not be good at pretending。’ She bent back over her bowl。
‘Adie； the veil is torn。’
Her hand paused with the spoon halfway to her mouth。 She didn’t look up。 ‘Baa。 What do you know of the veil。 You do not know what you speak of The spoon pleted its journey。
‘I know it’s torn。’
She scooped up the last piece of potato from her bowl。 ‘You speak of things that are not possible； wizard。 The veil not be torn。’ She stood； picking up her empty bowl。 ‘Be at ease； old man； if the veil be torn； we would have a lot more than grippers to be worried about。 But we don’t。’
Zedd turned； putting a hand on the back of his chair； watching her limp toward the kettle hanging from the crane in the fireplace。 ‘The Stone of Tears is in this world；’ he said in a quiet voice。
Adie halted。 Her bowl fell to the floor； clattering in the thick silence； and rolled away。 Her hands were held out before her as if she still held it。 Her back was stiff。 ‘Do not say such a thing aloud；’ she whispered； ‘unless you be certain beyond doubt。 Unless you be certain on your honor as First Wizard。 Unless you be willing to offer your soul to the Keeper if you be lying。’
Zedd’s fierce； hazel eyes watched her back。 ‘I pledge my soul to the Keeper if I’m telling you a lie。 May he take me this instant。 The Stone of Tears is in this world。 I have seen it。’
‘Dear spirits； protect us；’ she whispered weakly。 Still； she did not move。 ‘Tell me what fool thing you have done； wizard。’
‘Adie； e and sit down。 First； I want you to tell me what you are doing living here； in the pass； or what used to be the pass。 What you have been doing living at the edge of the underworld； and why you won’t leave。’
She spun to face him； one hand gripping the skirt of her robe。 ‘That be my business。’
With his hand on the chair back； Zedd pushed himself to his feet。 ‘Adie； I must know。 This is important。 I must know what you have been doing； so that I may know if it can be a help。
‘I know very well the pain you live with。 I saw it； remember？ I don’t know what caused it； but I know how deep it is。 I would ask you to share the story with me。 I ask you as a friend to confide in me。 Please don’t make me ask as First Wizard。’
Her eyes rose to meet his at the last of what he said。 The flash of anger faded and she nodded。 ‘Very well。 Perhaps I have kept it to myself too long。 Perhaps it would be a relief to tell someone 。。。 a friend。 Perhaps you will not want my help； after you hear。 If you still do； I expect you to tell me all that has happened。’ She thrust a finger in his direction。 ‘All。’
Zedd gave her a small smile of encouragement。 ‘Of course。’
She limped to her chair。 Just as she sat down； the largest skull on the shelves suddenly thudded to the floor。 Both stared at it。 Zedd walked over and picked it up in both hands。 His thin fingers stroked tapered； curved fangs as long as his hand。 The skull was flat on the bottom； it shouldn’t have been able to roll off the shelf。 He replaced it solidly as Adie watched。
‘It seems；’ she said in her rasp； ‘that the bones want to be on the floor lately。 They keep falling down。’
Zedd returned to his chair after a final frown to the skull。 ‘Tell me about the bones； why you have them； what you do with them； everything。 Start at the beginning。’
‘Everything。’ She folded her arms across her lap； briefly looking as if she wanted to run for the door。 ‘It be a painful story to tell。’
‘Not a word of it will ever touch my lips； Adie。’
CHAPTER 22
Adie drew a long breath。 ‘I be born in the town of Choora； in the land of Nicobarese。 My mother did not have the gift of sorcery。 She be a skip； as it be called。 My grandmother Lindel be the one before me to have it。 My mother be grateful to the good spirits she be a skip； but bitter at them that I be gifted。
‘In Nicobarese； those with the gift be loathed and distrusted。 It be thought the gift be allied to the flows of power not only from the Creator； but also from the Keeper。 Even ones using the gift for good be suspected of being a baneling。 You know of the banelings； yes？’
Zedd tore off a piece of bread。 ‘Yes。 Ones turned to the Keeper。 Sworn to him。 They hide in the light； as well as the shadows； serving his wishes； working to his ends。 They can be anyone。 Some work for good for years； hiding； waiting to be called。 But when they are called； they do the Keeper’s bidding。
They are also called by different names； but they’ are all agents of the Keeper。 Some books call them that： agents。 Some are important people； like Darken Rahl； used for important tasks。 Some are everyday people； used for dirty little deeds。 Those with the gift； like Darken Rahl； are the most difficult for the Keeper to turn。 Those without it are easier； but even they are rare。’
Adie’s eyes widened。 ‘Darken Rahl be a baneling？’
Zedd lifted an eyebrow as he nodded。 ‘Admitted it to me himself。 He said he was an agent； but it’s the same thing； whatever the word； and I’ve heard any number。 They all serve the Keeper。’
‘This be dangerous news。’
Zedd sopped up some stew with the piece of bread。 ‘I bring very little of any other kind。 You were saying about your grandmother Lindel？’
‘In the time of Grandmother Lmdel’s youth； sorceresses be put to death for anything that fate brought： sickness； accidents； still births。 Put to death； wrongly； for being banelings。 Some of the gifted fought back at being wrongly persecuted。 They fought well。 It deepened the hatred； and only served to confirm the fears of many of the Nicobarese people。
‘At last； there was a truce。 Nicobarese leaders agreed to let the gifted women be； if they would give a soul oath； as a way of proving they not be banelings； an oath not to use their power unless permission be granted by a governing body； the king’s circle of their town； for instance。 It be an oath to the people。 An oath not to use the gift and bring the Keeper’s notice。’
Zedd swallowed a mouthful of stew。 ‘Why would people think sorceresses were banelings？’
‘Because it be easier to blame a woman for their troubles than to admit the truth； and more satisfying to accuse than to curse the unknown。 Those with the gift use power that can help people； but it can also be used to harm them。 Because it can be used to harm； it be believed the power must be given； at least in part； by the Keeper。’
‘Superstitious nonsense；’ he growled。
‘As you well know； superstition needs no grounding in truth； but once rooted； it grows a strong though twisted tree。’
He grunted his assent。 ‘So no sorceress used her power？’
Adie shook her head。 ‘No。 Unless it be for some mon good； and they went before the king’s circle of their town first and asked permission。 Every sorceress went before the circle of their town or district and swore an oath to the people； an oath on her soul； to abide by the wishes of the people。 Swore a solemn oath not to use her power on or for another unless asked to do so by the agreement of the circle。’
Zedd put his spoon down in disgust。 ‘But they had the gift。 How could they not use it？’
‘They used it； but only in private。 Never where anyone could see； and never on another。’
Zedd leaned back in his chair； shaking his head in silent wonder at the Wizard’s First Rule； at the things people would believe； while Adie went on。
‘Grandmother Lindel be a stern old woman who lived by herself。 She never wanted anything to do with teaching me about using the gift。 She told me only to let it be。 And my mother； of course； could teach me nothing。 So I learned on my own as I grew； as the gift grew； but I knew very well the wickedness of using it。 I be lectured on that almost every day。 To use the gift in a manner not permitted was made to seem like touching the taint of the Keeper himself； and I bel