in a manner not permitted was made to seem like touching the taint of the Keeper himself； and I believed it so。 I feared greatly going against what I be taught。 I be a fruit of the tree of that superstition。
‘One day； when I be eight or nine； I be in the town square with my mother and father； on market day； and across the square； a building caught fire。 There be a girl； about my age； on the second floor； trapped by the flames。 She screamed for help。 No one could reach her because the fire be all through the first floor。 Her screams of terror burned every nerve in me。 I started to cry。 I wanted to help。 I could not stand the screams。’ Adie folded her hands in her lap and looked down at the table。 ‘I made the fire to go out。 The girl be saved。’
Zedd watched her placid expression as she stared at the table。 ‘I don’t suppose anyone； except the girl and her parents； were happy？’
Adie shook her head。 ‘Everyone knew I had the gift。 They knew it be me who had done it。 My mother stood and cried。 My father just stood looking the other way。 He would not look at me； at an agent of the Keeper’s evil。
‘Someone went for Grandmother Lindel； she was respected because of how she stood by the oath。 When Grandmother Lindel came； she took me and the girl before the men of the king’s circle。 Grandmother Lindel switched the girl who I saved。 She bawled a good long time。’
Zedd was incredulous。 ‘She beat the girl！ Why？’
‘For letting the Keeper use her to bring forth the use of the gift。’ Adie sighed。 The girl and I had known each other； had been friends； of a sort。 She never spoke to me again。’
Adie hugged her arms across her stomach。 ‘And then Grandmother Lindel stripped me naked in front of those men； and switched me until I was covered with welts and blood。 I screamed more than the girl had in the fire。 Then she marched me； naked and bloody； through the town； to her house。 The humiliation be worse than the beating。
‘When we got to her house； I asked how she could be so of hers still on her face。 And then she said； ‘Though you be wild of spirit； child； you have worked to tame it。 The people have asked for your oath； and you have given it。 May I not live to see you break it。 You owe no debt beyond that。 I will take care of the circle and see to Mathrin Galliene。 You will wed Pell。’ I wept into the hem of her dress。’
Adie was silent； staring into the fire； lost in the memories。 Zedd lifted an eyebrow。 ‘Well； did you wed your love？’
‘Yes；’ she whispered in her soft rasp。 She took the spoon off its hook and stirred the stew while Zedd watched her。 At last； she hung it back at its place。 ‘For three months； I thought life be beyond bliss。’
Her mouth worked soundlessly as she stared into nothingness。 Zedd put an arm around her shoulder and gently led her back to the table。 ‘Sit； Adie。 Let me bring you a cup of tea。’
She was still sitting； her hands folded together on the table； staring off； when he returned with the steaming cups。 He placed one in her thin hands as he sat opposite her。 He didn’t press her to go on before she was ready。
At last； she did。 ‘One day； the day of my birth and nineteen years； Pell and I had taken a walk in the country。 I be with child。’ She lifted the cup in both hands and took a sip。 ‘We spent the day walking past farms； thinking of names for our child； holding hands； and 。。。 well； you know the foolishness of love at that age。
‘On our way back； we had to walk past the Choora mill； just outside of town。 I thought it strange no one be there。 Someone always be at the mill。’ Adie closed her eyes for a moment and then took another sip of tea。 ‘As it turned out； there be people there。 The Blood of the Fold。 They be waiting for us。’
Zedd knew of them。 In the larger cities of Nicobarese； the Blood of the Fold were an organized corps of men who hunted banelings； rooted out evil； as they saw it。 In other lands； there were men like them； who went by other names； but they were the same。 None were especially picky about proof。 A corpse was the only proof they need show of their job well done。 If they said the body was that of a baneling； then it was。 In the smaller towns； the Blood were usually selfappointed toughs and thugs。 The Blood of the Fold were widely feared。 With good reason。
‘They took us 。。。’ Her voice broke； but only that once。。。。 ‘into separate rooms in the bottom of the mill。 It be dark； and smelled of the damp stone walls and grain dust。 I did not know what be done to Pell。 I be almost too terrified to breathe。
‘Mathrin Galliene said Pell and I be banelings。 He said I would not wed as I should have because I wished to bring the Keeper’s notice to Choora。 There be a sickness； a fever； in the country that summer； and it brought death to many a family。 Mathrin Galliene said Pell and I brought the sickness。 I denied it be so； and spoke the oath to show proof。’ Adie turned the cup in her fingers as she stared at it。
Zedd touched her hand。 ‘Drink； Adie。 It will help you。’ He had put a pinch of cloud leaf into her tea； to help relax her。
She took a long swallow。 ‘Mathrin Galliene said Pell and I be banelings； and the graveyard be full of the proof of that。 He said he wanted only for Pell and I to tell the truth； to confess。 The other men of the Blood be growling like hounds around a rabbit； ready to tear us apart。 I be terrified for Pell。
As they beat me； I knew they would be doing worse to him； to make him name me a baneling。 Nothing be better for the Blood than to have someone name a loved one as a baneling。 They would not listen when I denied it。’ She looked up into his eyes。 ‘They would not listen。’
‘Anything you said；’ Zedd offered quietly； ‘would have made no difference； Adie。 It wouldn’t have mattered。 When you are in a leghold trap； reasoning with the steel does no good。’
She nodded。 ‘I know。’ Her face was a calm mask over a thunderhead。 ‘I could have stopped it； had I used the gift； but it be against everything I be taught； believed。 It be as if using the gift would prove to myself that what the men said be true。 I felt it would have been blasphemy against the Creator。 I be as helpless while the men beat me as if I did not have the gift。’
She drained the tea from her cup。 ‘Even as I screamed； I could hear Pell’s screams echoing from another room。’
Zedd went to the fire and brought the pot back； filling her cup again。 ‘It wasn’t your fault； Adie。 Don’t blame yourself。’
She flicked a glance up at him as he poured himself another cup。 They wanted me to name Pell as a baneling。 I told them I would not； that they could kill me； but they could not make me say that it be so。
‘Mathrin bent close to me； put his face close to mine。 In my head； I can still see his smile。 He said； ‘I believe you； girl。 But it doesn’t matter； because it not be you we want to name the baneling。 It be Pell we want to speak the name of the baneling。 It be you we want Pell to name。 You be the bane…ling。’
Then the men held me down。 Mathrin tried to pour something down my throat。 It burned my mouth。 He held my nose。 It be swallow or drown。 I wished to drown； but I swallowed without wanting to。 It burned my throat like swallowing fire。 I could not speak。 I could not make a sound。 I could not even scream。 No sound be there。 Only burning pain。 More pain than I had ever known。’ She took a sip of tea； as if to soothe her throat。
Then the men took me in the room with Pell and tied me to a chair in front of him。 Mathrin held me by my hair so I could not move。 It broke my heart to see what they had done to my Pell。 His face be white as snow。 They had cut off most of his fingers； one knuckle at a time。’ Her own fingers tightened around her cup as she stared into the vision。
‘Mathrin told Pell that I had confessed that Pell be a baneling。 Pell’s eyes be big； looking at me。 I tried to scream that it not be true； but no sound came。 I tried to shake my head that it not be true； but Mathrin held me so I could not。
‘Pell told them he did not believe them。 They cut off another finger。 They told him they only do it because I named him。 Only do it on my word。 Pell kept his eyes on me as he shook； and kept telling them he did not believe them。 They told Pell I had told them I wished him to be killed because he be a baneling。 Still Pell said he did not believe them。 He said he loved me。
Then he told Pell I had named him a baneling； and that if it not be so； I could deny it and they would let us both go free。 He told Pell that I had promised I would not deny it because he be a baneling； and I wanted him to die for it。 Pell screamed for me to tell them。 Screamed for me to deny it。 He screamed my name； screamed for me to say something。
‘I tried； but I could say nothing。 My throat be fire。 My voice did not work。 Mathrin held me by my hair； I could not move。 Pell’s eyes be big as he stared at me。 As I sat silent。
Then Pell spoke to me。 ‘How could you do that to me； Adie？ How could you name me a baneling？’ Then he cried。
‘Mathrin asked him to name me a baneling。 He said that if he did； they would believe him over me； because I had the gift； and he would be freed。 Pell whispered； ‘I will not say that of her to save my life。 Even though she has betrayed me。’ Those words broke my heart。’
As she stared off at nothing； Zedd noticed a candle on the counter behind her melt into a puddle。 He could feel the waves of power radiating from her。 He realized he was holding his breath。 He eased it out。
‘Mathrin cut Pell’s throat；’ she said simply。 ‘He severed Pell’s head and held it before me。 He said he wanted me to see what following the Keeper had brought on Pell。 He said it be the last thing he wanted me to ever see。 The men held my head back and pulled my eyes open。 Mathrin poured the burning liquid in them。
‘I be blinded。
‘In that moment； something happened inside me。 My Pell was gone； he died thinking I had betrayed him； my life was about to end。 I suddenly realized how it be my own fault； for holding to an oath。 The life of my love； for an ignorant oath； for a foolish superstition。 Nothing mattered anymore； everything be gone to me。
‘I turned the gift loose； turned the rage loose。 I broke my oath not to use the gift to harm another。 I could not see； but I could hear； I could hear their blood hit the stone walls。 I struck out wildly。 I shredded every living thing in that room； be it man or mouse。 I could not see； so I simply struck at any life I could feel。 I could not tell if any had escaped。 In a way； I be glad to be blind； or seeing what I be doing； I might have stopped before I finished。
‘When all be still； dead； I felt my way around the room； counting the bodies。 One be missing。
‘I crawled to my grandmother Lindel’s。 How I made my way； I cannot imagine； except to think the gift guided me。 When she saw me； she be furious。 She pulled me to my feet and demanded to know if I had broken my oath。’
Zedd leaned forward。 ‘But you couldn’t speak。 How did you answer？’
Adie smiled a small； cold smile。 ‘I picked her up by the t