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into the air。 It cannot be seen； but it be there。 Something like that with the skrin。
‘On rare occasions； in their duty to repel all from the cusp where the world of the living and the world of the dead touch； they be pulled into this world。 Few people know of them because it so rarely happens。’ Zedd was frowning。 ‘It be very plex。 I will explain it better another time。 The important thing be that this bone from the skrin hides you from them。’
Adie took a sip of her tea while Zedd pulled his necklace out of his robes； taking a new look at it。 ‘And it must hide you from other beasts； too； to get through the pass？’ She nodded。 ‘How did you know about the pass？ I put the boundary up； and I didn’t know the pass existed。’
She turned the teacup around and around in her fingers。 ‘After I left my grandmother； I sought out women with the gift； women who could teach me things about the world of the dead。 After Mathrin died； I studied harder； with more urgency。 Each woman could tell me only what small bit she knew； but they usually knew one who knew more。 I traveled the Midlands； going among them； gathering knowledge。 I collected all those bits of knowledge； piecing them together。 In this manner； I learned a little of how the worlds interact。
‘By putting up a boundary across parts of this world； it be a little like stoppering up a teakettle and then putting it on the fire。 Without a vent； something will blow off。 I knew that if there be magic wise enough to know how to bring the underworld into this； it must have a way to equalize each side of the boundary。 A vent of some sort。 A pass。’
Zedd lifted an eyebrow； staring off into his thoughts； as he drew his thumb down his chin。 ‘Of course。 That makes sense。 Balance。 All force； all magic； must be balanced。’ He focused his eyes on her。 ‘When I brought up the boundary； I was using magic I didn’t fully understand。 It was in an ancient book； from the wizards of old； who had more power than I can fathom。 Using their instructions to bring up the boundary was an act of desperation。’
‘It be hard for me to imagine you being desperate。’
‘Sometimes； that’s all life is： one desperate act after another。’
Adie nodded。 ‘Perhaps you be right。 I was desperate to hide from the Keeper。 I remembered what Mathrin had said： he be hiding right under my nose。 I reasoned that the safest place for me to hide from the Keeper would be where he wouldn’t look： right under his nose； right at the edge of his world。 So I came to the pass。
‘The pass did not be this world； yet it did not be the underworld either。 It be a mix of both。 A place where both worlds boiled together a little bit。 With the bones； I be able to hide from the Keeper。 He and the beasts from his world could not see me。’
‘Hide？’ The woman had more iron in her than the kettle hanging on the fire。 If he knew Adie； there was more to it。 Zedd gave her a stern stare。 ‘You came here； simply to hide？’
She averted her eyes as she fingered the small； round bone on her necklace； and then at last tucked it back into her robes。 There be another reason。 I made an oath。 To myself。 I swore I would find a way to contact my Pell； to tell him I did not betray him。’ She took a long swallow of tea。 ‘I have spent most of my life here； in the pass； trying to find a way to reach into the world of the dead； to tell him。 The pass be part of that world。’
Zedd pushed at his cup with a finger。 ‘The boundary； the pass； is gone； Adie。 I need your help in this world。’
She laid her arms on the table。 ‘When you grew my foot back for me； it brought back everything that had happened； made it fresh； as if I be reliving it。 It made me remember some things I had forgotten for a long time。 It made me remember hurts that still be there； though time had dimmed them。’
‘I’m sorry； Adie；’ he whispered。 ‘I should have taken your past into consideration； but I didn’t suspect you had lived through that much pain。 Forgive me。’
There be nothing to forgive。 You gave me a gift by giving me my foot back。 You did not know the things I have done。 It not be your fault I did them。 You did not know I be a baneling。’
He cast her a harsh glare。 ‘You think that because you have fought back against wickedness； you have bee wicked？’
‘I have done worse than a man like you can understand。’
Zedd nodded slightly。 ‘Is that so。 Let me tell you a little story。 I had a love once； like your Pell。 Her name was Erilyn。 My time with her was like your time with Pell。’ A slow smile came to his lips； as his memory touched the mist of those pleasant times。 The smile withered。 ‘Until Panis Rahl sent a quad after her。’
Adie reached out and laid a hand on his。 ‘Zedd； you do not need to 。。。’
Zedd brought his other fist down on the table； making the cups jump。 ‘You can’t imagine what the four of them did to her。’ He leaned forward； his face standing out red against his white hair。 He ground his teeth together。 ‘I hunted them down。 What I did to each of them would make whatever you did to Mathrin seem a lark。 I went after Panis Rahl； but couldn’t reach him； so I went after his armies。 For every man you killed； Adie； I killed a thousand。 Even my own side feared me。 I was the wind of death。 I did what was needed to stop Panis Rahl。 And maybe more。’
He settled his weight back in the chair。 ‘If there is such a thing as a man of virtue； you do not sit with him now。’
‘You did only what you had to。 That does not diminish your virtue。’
He arched an eyebrow。 ‘Wise words； spoken by a wise woman。 Perhaps you should listen to them。’ She remained silent。 He put his elbows on the table and idly picked up the cup； rolling it in his palms as he went on。 ‘In a way； I was luckier than you。 I had more time with my Erilyn。 And I didn’t lose my daughter。’
‘Panis Rahl did not try to kill your daughter； too？’
‘Yes。 Indeed； he thought he had。 I 。。。 cast a death spell。 To make them think they had seen her death。 It was the only way to protect her； to keep them from trying until they succeeded。’
A death spell 。。。’ Adie whispered a benediction in her native tongue。 That be a dangerous web。 I would not reproach you for doing such a thing； you had cause； but such a thing does not go unnoticed by the spirits。 You be lucky it worked； and it saved her。 You be very fortunate the good spirits be with you on that day。’
‘I guess sometimes it’s hard to tell which side of luck you’re looking at。 I raised her without a mother。 She had grown into a fine young woman when it happened。
‘Darken Rahl had been standing next to his father when I sent the Wizard’s Fire through the boundary。 He was standing next to his father when my fire found him。 Some of it burned Darken Rahl。 He spent his growing years learning； so he could finish what his father had started； and extract his vengeance。 He learned how to cross the boundary； he was ing into the Midlands； and I never knew。
‘He raped my daughter。
‘He didn’t know who she was … everyone thought my daughter was dead … or he would have killed her sure。 But he hurt her。’ He pressed his palms together。 The cup shattered。 He turned his hands up； to see if they had been cut； and was a little surprised they weren’t。 Adie said nothing。
‘After that； I took her to Westland； to hide； to protect her。 I never knew if it was more of that bad luck； or if somehow wickedness found her； but she died。 Burned to death in her house。 Though I always suspected the irony was more than coincidence； I never found proof it was so。 Perhaps； after all； the good spirits hadn’t been with me on the day I cast her death spell。’
‘I be sorry； Zedd；’ Adie said in a soft rasp。
He waved off her pity with a flourish of his hand。 ‘I still had her boy。’ With the side of his finger； he pushed the shards of the cup into a little pile in the center of the wooden tabletop。 ‘Darken Rahl’s son。 The spawn of an agent of the Keeper。 But my daughter’s son too； and my grandson。 Innocent of the crimes that brought him to be。 A fine boy。’
He looked up at her from under his bushy eyebrows。 ‘I believe you know him。 His name is Richard。’
Adie lurched forward in her chair。 ‘Richard！ Richard is your 。。。’ She leaned back； shaking her head。 ‘Wizards and their secrets。’ She scowled a little； but then softened her expression。 ‘Perhaps you had just cause for a secret such as this。 Does Richard have the gift？’
Zedd lifted his eyebrows as he nodded。 ‘Indeed he does。 That was one reason I hid him in Westland。 I feared he had the gift； though I wasn’t sure； and I wanted him to be safe from danger。 As you said； the Keeper lusts for those with the gift more than any other。 I knew that if I began teaching him； used magic very much myself； the gaze of danger would settle on him。
‘I wanted to let him grow； bee strong of character； before I tested him； and if he had the gift； taught him。 I had always suspected he had the gift。 Sometimes； I hoped he did not。 But I now know he does。 He used it to stop Darken Rahl。 Used magic。’
He leaned forward。 ‘I suspec