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e 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 suspect he has the gift from both his grandfather and his father。 From two different lines of wizards。’
‘I see；’ was all she said。
‘But we have more important things to worry about right now。 Darken Rahl used the boxes of Orden。 He opened one； the wrong one； for him anyway。 But maybe the wrong one for us too。 There are books back at the Keep that speak of it。 They warn that if the boxes are used； if the Magic of Orden is used； and even if the person who put them in play makes a mistake and it kills him； it can still tear the veil。
‘Adie； I don’t know as much about the underworld as you。 You have been studying it most of your life。 I need your help。 I need you to e to Aydindril with me to study the books to see what can be done。 I’ve read many of them and don’t understand much of their meaning。 Perhaps you will。 Even if you only see one thing I miss； it could be important。’
She stared at the table with a bitter expression。 ‘I be an old woman。 I be an old woman who has weled the Keeper into my heart。’
Zedd watched her； but she didn’t meet his eyes。 He pushed his chair back and stood。 ‘An old woman？ No。 A foolish woman； maybe。’ She didn’t reply。 Her gaze stayed pointedly on the table。
Zedd strolled across the room and inspected the bones hanging on the wall。 He clasped his hands behind his back as he studied the talismans of the dead。
‘Maybe I am just an old man then。 Hmm？ A foolish old man。 Maybe I should let a young man do this work。’ He glanced over his shoulder。 She was watching him。 ‘But if a young man is good； then even younger would be better。 In fact； why not let a child do it？ That would be better yet。 Maybe there is a ten…year…old…boy somewhere who will be willing to do something to stop the dead from swallowing the living。’
He threw his hands up in the air。 ‘According to you； it would seem； knowledge is of no use； only youth。’
‘Now you are being foolish； old man。 You know what I mean。’
Zedd stepped back to the table and gave a shrug of his bony shoulders。 ‘If you just sit here in this house instead of helping with what you know； then you might as well be the thing you fear most： an agent of the Keeper。’
He put his knuckles to the table and glowered as he leaned over her。 ‘If you don’t fight him； then you help him。 That is what his plan has been all along。 Not to turn you to him； but to make you fear stopping him。’
She looked into his eyes； uneasiness stealing into her expression。 ‘What do you mean？’
‘He has already done all he needed； Adie。 He made you afraid of yourself。 The Keeper has an eternity of patience。 He doesn’t need you to work for him。 It takes effort to turn one with the gift。 You weren’t worth the trouble。 He needed only for you not to work against him。 He did all that was necessary。 He didn’t waste an effort to do more。
‘In some ways he is as blind to this world as we are to his。 He has only so much influence here； he must choose his tasks carefully。 He doesn’t spend w