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ak’s spirit guide。 His scowl made his heavily wrinkled loose skin seem even more deeply creased than she remembered。 She also didn’t remember him scowling like this； she remembered only his easy smile。
‘I speak for the Bantak；’ Ma Ban Grid said。 He had only two bottom teeth in front。 His jaw wobbled easily with the difficult…to…pronounce Bantak words。 He glanced at Richard。 ‘Who is this one？’
Kahlan returned Ma Ban Grid’s scowl。 ‘Now Ma Ban Grid would question the Mother Confessor before she is weled before his eyes？’
The Bantak men shuffled their feet uneasily。 Ma Ban Grid did not。 His gaze was solid and unwavering。 ‘These are not right times。 These are not our lands。 We are not here to wele visitors before the eyes of the Bantak。 We have e to kill the Mud People。’
‘Why？’
Ma Ban Grid peered down his nose at her。 ‘They have invited war； as our spirit brethren have warned us they would。 They have proven it by killing one of mine。 We must kill them before they can kill us all。’
‘There will be no war！ There will be no killing！ I am the Mother Confessor and I will not allow it！ The Bantak will suffer by my hand if they do this！’
The band of men broke into worried whispers and moved back a pace。 The spirit guide stood his ground。
‘The spirit brethren have also told me that the Mother Confessor no longer holds mand over the people of the Midlands。 They say that as proof； she has been stripped of the pany of a wizard。’ He gave her a smug look。 ‘I see no wizard。 As always； the spirits speak true to Ma Ban Grid。’
Kahlan stared speechless at the old man。
Richard leaned toward her。 ‘What are they saying？’ Kahlan told him what Ma Ban Grid had said。 He stepped up next to her。 ‘I want to speak to them。 Translate for me？’
Kahlan nodded。 ‘They wanted to know who you are。 I didn’t tell them。’
Richard’s eyes turned cold with menace。 ‘I will let them know who I am。’ His voice took on the same cold quality as his eyes。 ‘And they aren’t going to like it。’
He turned his hawklike glare on the men； deliberately ignoring Ma Ban Grid； and she saw in those eyes the rage of the sword’s magic。 He was calling the magic forth even as the sword sat in its scabbard。 ‘You men are following an old fool； an old fool by the name of Ma Ban Grid； who is not wise enough to know true spirits from false spirits。’ The men gasped at the insult。 Richard turned his penetrating gaze to Ma Ban Grid。 ‘Is this not true； old fool？’
Ma Ban Grid stammered with anger a moment before he could get any words out。 ‘ Who are you to dare to insult me like this！’
Richard glared at him。 ‘Your false spirits told you the Mud People killed one of yours。 The false spirits lied to you； and you； in your foolishness； believed them。’
‘Lie！ We found his head！ The Mud People killed him！ They want war with us！ We will kill them all。 Every last one！ They have killed one of mine！’
‘I am growing tired of talking to one as stupid as you； old man。 The Bantak are a witless people if they put one such as you in charge of talking to the spirit brethren。’
‘Richard； what are you doing？’ she whispered。
Translate。’
When she did； Ma Ban Grid’s face reddened more with each word。 He looked ready to burst into flames。
Richard leaned closer to him。 ‘The Mud People didn’t kill the one that was yours。 I did。’
‘Richard！ I can’t tell them that。 They will kill us。’
He continued to glare at Ma Ban Grid as he spoke softly to her。 ‘Something is frightening these people into doing this。 They are going to kill us and then go and kill a lot of the Mud People unless I can make them even more frightened of us。 Translate。’
She let out a noisy breath at him and then told the Bantak what Richard had said。 The weapons came back up。
‘You！ You killed one of mine！’
Richard shrugged。 ‘Yes。’ He pointed at his forehead。 ‘I put an arrow right here。 One arrow。 Right here。 Right through his head； as he was about to put his spear in the back of a man。 A man who had no hate in his heart for the Bantak。 I killed him as I would kill a coyote sneaking up to steal one of my lambs。 One who would take a life by such cowardice deserves to die。 One who would listen to false spirits； and send one of his own to do such a thing； does not deserve to lead a people。’
‘We will kill you！’
‘Really？ Maybe you will try； but you cannot kill me。’ Richard turned his back to the old man and walked about twenty paces away； the men opening up to let him pass。 He turned back。 ‘I used one arrow to kill one of yours。 Use one arrow to try to kill me； and we will see who the good spirits protect。 Pick any man you wish。 Have him do to me as I did to yours。 Shoot me with an arrow。’ He pointed angrily at his forehead again。 ‘Right here； where I shot the coward who would kill for false spirits！’
‘Richard！ Have you lost your mind？ I’m not going to tell them to shoot you。’
‘Kahlan； I can do this。 I can feel it。’
‘You did it once。 What if it doesn’t work this time？ I’m not going to stand here and let you be killed。’
‘Kahlan； if we don’t stop these people； here； now； both of us are going to be killed； and then the Keeper is going to escape。 Tonight is the gathering； that is what’s important。 I’m using the Wizard’s First Rule； the first step to believing is wanting to believe something is true； or being afraid it is。 Up until now； they have been believing something because they wanted to。 I have to make them afraid that what I am going to say is true。’
‘What are you going to say？’
‘Hurry up。 Translate before I lose their interest and they decide to kill us and then go after the Mud People。’
She turned back to Ma Ban Grid and； reluctantly； translated。 The men all started shouting that they wanted to be the one to shoot the arrow。 Ma Ban Grid’s eyes moved among them as they yelled and waved their arms。
He smiled。 ‘All you men may shoot this evil one who has killed one of mine。 Everyone！ Shoot him！’
The bows came up。 Richard glared。 ‘Coward！ Do you men see how foolish this old man is？ He knows he listens to false spirits！ He would have you listen to them also！ He knows the good spirits protect me in my challenge。 He is afraid to have you see he is a fool。 This proves it！’
Ma Ban Grid’s jaw tightened。 He held his arm up for his men to halt。 At last he turned to a man with a bow and snatched it from his hands。 ‘I will show you the spirits I hear are true！ You will die for killing one of mine！ For saying our spirit brethren are false spirits！’
He drew a poison arrow back and in a blink shot it at Richard。 A cheer rose from the men。 Kahlan’s breath caught in her throat。 She went cold with fear。
Richard snatched the arrow out of the air right in front of his face。
The men gasped and then fell silent as Richard marched back to the spirit guide； the arrow in his hand； and fire in his eyes。 He stopped before Ma Ban Grid and snapped the arrow in front of his face to the sound of fearful murmurs。
His voice was deadly。 ‘The good spirits protect me； old fool。 You listen to false spirits。’
‘Who are you？’ Ma Ban Grid whispered； wide…eyed。
Richard slowly drew the Sword of Truth。 The soft ring of steel filled the quiet dawn。 He placed the sword’s point at Ma Ban Grid’s throat。
‘I am Richard； the Seeker。 Mate to the Mother Confessor。’ Worried whispers drifted through the cold air。 ‘And； I am a wizard。 Her wizard。’
Eyes as far as she could see widened。 Jaws dropped。 Ma Ban Grid’s face slackened a little。 He glanced to the sword。
‘Wizard？ You？’
‘Wizard！’ Richard’s angry glare swept across the gathered men。 ‘Wizard。 I mand the magic。 The gift。 It would seem； old fool； your false spirits have lied to you。 They said the Mother Confessor had no wizard。 They sent one of yours to start a war the Mud People do not want。 They have used you for their own purposes。 Perhaps a wise spirit guide would have known this； perhaps an old fool would not。’ Grumbling broke out among t