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The men all shook their heads and started jabbering again。 Siddin’s father held up his hand for quiet。 He pointed at himself and the other men and held up three fingers； then he pointed at the picture on the ground that had a dress and said Kahlan’s name； and then he pointed north。
Chase pointed at the picture of the sun； then the picture of Kahlan； then at the men； holding up three fingers； then north。 ‘Three weeks ago； Kahlan and three of your men went north； to Aydindril？’
The men all nodded and said ‘Kahlan’ and ‘Aydindril。’
Chase put a knee to the ground as he leaned forward； tapping the picture of the other person。 ‘But Richard went； too。’ He pointed north again。 ‘Richard went to Aydindril too。 With Kahlan。’
The men all turned to the man with the long silver hair。 He looked at Chase and then shook his head。 The carved piece of bone hanging from a leather thong around his neck swung back and forth。 He pointed down at the picture of the man with a sword； and then pointed in a different direction。
Chase stared at the man for a long minute； then he frowned； as if he didn’t understand。 The man leaned over with the stick and drew three more people； each with a dress。 He looked up from under his eyebrows as if he wanted to make sure Chase was watching； and then he drew an X across two of the figures。 His eyes returned to Chase again as he folded his arms over his knees； waiting。
‘What does that mean？ Dead？ Is that what you mean； they are dead？’ The men stared； not moving。 Chase pulled a single finger； like a knife； across his throat。 ‘Dead？’
The man with the silver hair gave one nod and said ‘dead；’ but it sounded a little funny； the way he made the word seem longer than it should。 He pointed with his stick to the picture of the sun； then the picture of Kahlan； and then he pointed over his shoulder to the way they went。 He pointed to the sun again； then at the picture of Richard； then at the picture of the woman without the X； then he pointed in a different direction。
Chase stood。 His chest rose and then fell as he let out the deep breath。 He was awfully tall。 He stared in the direction the man with the silver hair said Richard had gone。 ‘East。 That’s deeper into the wilds；’ he whispered to himself。 ‘Why isn’t he with Kahlan？’ He rubbed his chin。 Rachel thought he looked worried。 It couldn’t be that he looked scared。 Nothing scared Chase。 ‘Dear spirits； why would Richard go deeper into the wilds？ What could possess Kahlan to let that boy go into the wilds？ And who is he with？’ The men all glanced at each other； as if they were wondering why Chase was talking to the air。
Chase squatted back down； all his leather creaking； and pointed at the drawing of the third woman and frowned and shrugged at the men。 He pointed at the picture of Richard and the woman and pointed east again。 He held the palms of his hands up near his shoulders as he shrugged and made faces to show he didn’t understand。
The man with the long silver hair gave Chase a sad look as he let out a long breath。 He pointed at the third woman； the one without an X； and then he turned and took a rope from a man behind him。 He wrapped the rope around his own neck。 He looked to Chase’s frown and then he pointed to the picture of Richard。 When Chase looked up and their eyes met； the man pulled the rope tight with a snap。 He pointed east。 He touched the stick to the picture of Kahlan and then pulled his fingers down his cheeks； from the corners of his eye； like tears； then pointed north。
Chase stood。 It was almost a jump。 His face was pale。 ‘She took him；’ he whispered。 ‘This woman captured Richard； and took him into the wilds。’
Rachel stood next to him。 ‘What does it mean； Chase？ Why didn’t Kahlan go with him？’
He looked down at her。 His face had an odd； still look that made her stomach knot up。 ‘She went for help。 She went to Aydindril。 To get Zedd。’
No one made a sound。 He stared back out to the east as he hooked a thumb behind his big silver belt buckle。
‘Dear spirits；’ he whispered to himself； ‘if Richard really did go into the wilds； turn him north。 Don’t let him go to the south； or even Zedd won’t be able to help him。’
Rachel hugged her doll tight。 ‘What’s the wilds？’
‘A very bad place； little one。’ He stared out unblinking toward the darkening sky。 ‘A very bad place。’
The way he said it； all calm and quiet； gave her goose bumps。
Zedd could feel the muscles in the horse’s back flexing under him as he ducked beneath a branch while slowing the animal。 Zedd favored riding bareback。 If he needed to ride a horse； he preferred to let the animal feel as unencumbered as possible。 He thought it only fair。 Most seemed to appreciate his consideration； this one especially。 She gave him more than she ever would have under a saddle； and he had taken everything she had given。
He had proffered his saddle and the rest of the tack to a man named Haff。 Haff had the biggest ears Zedd had ever seen。 How a man with ears the like of those had ever found a wife was a wonder。 But have a wife he did； and four children； too； and he looked to have more need of the tack than Zedd。 Not to ride； of course； but to sell。 His crops and stores had been carried off by soldiers of the D’Haran army。
It was the least Zedd could do。 After all； Rachel was soaked to the bone； and Haff offered them a dry place to sleep； even if it was in a dilapidated little barn； and his wife offered them a cabbage soup； thin as it was； asking nothing in return。 It was worth a saddle just to see the look on Chase’s face when Zedd said he wasn’t hungry。
The big man ate enough for three men； though； and he should have known better。 There was going to be much hunger this winter。 The tack wouldn’t bring its worth； not with hunger spreading like a dark wind before a thunder…head； but it would bring something； maybe enough to take the hardest edge off the winter。
Zedd saw Chase put a coin in each of the four children’s pockets； when he thought no one was looking； growling at them in a tone that would make a grown man blanch； but which for some odd reason made children only smile； not to look in the pocket until he was gone。 He hoped it wasn’t gold。 The boundary warden could smell a thief open a window in the next town and probably tell you his name； too； but he had no wits about him around children。
Haff suspiciously wanted to know what he was to do in return for the tack。 Zedd told him he was to swear his undying loyalty to the Mother Confessor； and the new Lord Rahl of D’Hara； both of whom had put a stop to things the like of which had been done to him。 The man had stared at him； his big ears sticking out under that ridiculous knit hat with a tassel on each side that only served to draw attention where it wasn’t needed； and had said； ‘Done；’ with a firm nod。
A small start： one loyal； for the price of a saddle。 That it would all be so easy。 But that was weeks ago。 Now； he was alone。
The sweet smell of a birch fire drifted to him through the thick woods； the horse lifting her nose to it as she stepped carefully along the narrow path。 In the still air； gathering darkness sent deepening shadows across the way。 Even before the small house came into view； he could hear the racket： the sound of furniture being overturned； the crash of pots and pans； and demons being cursed。 The horse’s ears pricked toward the motion as they rode down the twisting trail。 Zedd gave her a reassuring pat on the neck。
The little house； wood walls dark with age； and a roof thickly layered with ferns and dry pine needles； was set back into the towering trees； nestled among rough trunks dark in the day’s end。 He dismounted to the side of the brown； dead ferns spreading like a garden in front of the house。 The horse rolled her eyes toward him as he came around to give her a scratch under her jaw。
‘Be a good girl and find yourself something to eat。’ He put a finger under the horse’s chin； forcing her head up。 ‘But stay close？’ The horse nickered。 With a smile； Zedd rubbed her gray nose。 ‘Good girl。’