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ecause she wanted me well； so I could leave。
‘A few days later； Grandmother Lindel came home to tell me that she had been called before the king’s circle and questioned。 She said all the men at the mill； all the Blood of the Fold； be dead； except Mathrin。 He had escaped。 She told the circle she had not seen me。 They believed her； or said they did because they did not want to confront her and additionally a sorceress who had killed that many men in such a shocking manner； so they let her go about her business。’
Some of the tension seemed to ease from her shoulders。 She studied the teacup a moment and then took another sip。 She held the cup out for him to warm。 Zedd poured a little more。 He idly wished he had put some of the powdered cloud leaf in his own tea。 He didn’t think that was the end of the story。
‘I lost my child；’ Adie said in a soft rasp。
Zedd looked up。 ‘I’m sorry； Adie。’
She looked up to meet his eyes。 ‘I know。’ She took one of his hands in both hers after he set down the kettle。 ‘I know。’ She took her hands back。 ‘My throat healed。’ She touched her fingers lightly to her neck； then knitted them together。 ‘But it left me with a voice like dragging iron over rock。’
He smiled at her。 ‘I like your voice。 Iron fits the rest of you。’
The ghost of a smile passed across her face。 ‘My eyes； though； did not grow better。 I be blind。 Grandmother Lindel not be as strong as me； but she be old； and had seen many a trick with the gift。 She taught me to see without my eyes。 She taught me to see with the gift。 It not be the same as eyes； but in some ways； it be better。 In some ways； I see more。
‘After I be healed； Grandmother Lindel wanted me to leave。 She not be fond of living with one who had broken the oath； even though I be of her blood。 She feared I would bring trouble。 Whether from the Keeper； for breaking my oath； or from the Blood of the Fold； she did not know； but she feared trouble would e because of me。’
Zedd leaned back in his chair； stretching his tense muscles a bit。 ‘And did trouble e？’
‘Oh； yes；’ Adie hissed； raising her eyebrows as she leaned forward。 ‘Trouble came。 Mathrin Galliene brought them： twenty Blood of the Fold。 Ones paid by the Crown。 Professionals。 Battle…hard men； big men； grim…faced； savage men； all pretty on horseback in neat ranks with swords； shields； and banners； every spear held just so； at the same angle。 All pretty in their chain mail and polished breastplates shining with the embossed crest of the Crown； and all wearing helmets with red plumes that flicked as they rode。 Every horse white。
‘I stood on the porch and watched with the eyes of the gift as they spread rank before me with perfect precision； like they be performing for the king himself。 Every horse put every foot the same； stopping in a line at the lifting of a finger from the mander。 They be spread out before me； ready； eager； to do their grisly duty。 Mathrin waited behind them on his horse； watching。 The mander called out to me； ‘You be under arrest as a baneling； and are to be executed as such。’’
Adie lifted her head from the specters of her memory； her eyes meeting Zedd’s。 ‘I thought of Pell。 My Pell。’
Her expression hardened into an iron mask。 ‘Not one sword cleared a scabbard； not one spear be leveled； not one foot touched the ground； before they died。 I swept the line； from left to right； one man at a time； everything I had； into each in turn； quick as a thought。 Thump thump thump。 Every one； except the mander。 He sat still and stone…faced upon his white horse as men in armor crashed to the ground to each side of him。
‘When it be finished； when the last shield had clattered into silence； I met his eyes。 ‘Armor；’ I told him； ‘be of no use against a true baneling。 Or a sorceress。 It only be of use against innocent people。’ Then I told him he was to deliver a message to the king for me； from one sorceress named Adie。 In a calm； firm voice； he asked the message。 I said； ‘Tell him that if he sends another of the Blood of the Fold to take me； it will be the last living order he ever gives。’ He looked at me for a moment without a hint of emotion in his cold eyes； and then he turned his horse and walked it away without looking back。’
Her gaze sank to the table。 ‘My grandmother turned her back to me。 She told me to leave the shelter of her roof and never to return。’
A little wince touched Zedd’s face before he caught it； at the thought of a sorceress with enough power to kill men in that fashion。 It was exceedingly rare for a sorceress to be that strong in the gift。 ‘What of Mathrin？ You didn’t kill him？’
She shook her head。 A humorless smile played across her lips。
‘No。 I took him with me。’
‘Took him with you？’
‘I bonded him to me。 Bonded his life to mine。 Bonded him so that he always knew where I be； and so that every new moon he was pelled to e to me； no matter where I be； no matter what he wished。 He had to follow me； at least close enough so that he could e to me every new moon。’
Frowning； Zedd studied the dregs in his tea cup。 ‘I met a man； once； in Winstead； the capital and Crown seat of Kelton。 His name was Mathrin。 He was a beggar； missing the fingers on one hand； as I recall。 He was blind。 His eyes had been 。。。’ Zedd’s eyes suddenly fixed on hers。 She was watching him。 ‘His eyes had been gouged out。’
Adie nodded。 ‘Indeed they had。’ Her face was iron again。
‘Every new moon； he came to me； and I cut something off him； letting his screams try to fill the emptiness in me。’
Zedd leaned back； his hands pressed to the tabletop。 Iron indeed。 ‘So you made a new home in Kelton？’
‘No。 I made no home。 I traveled； seeking out women with the gift； ones who could help me in my studies。 None knew very much of what I sought； but each knew at least a little that others did not。
‘Mathrin followed； and every new moon he came to me； and I cut something else from him。 I wanted him to live forever； to suffer forever。 He be the one who beat me； down there； with his fists； so I would lose Pell’s child。 He be the one who killed Pell。 He be the one who blinded me。’
Her white eyes shone red in the lamplight as she stared off again。 ‘He be the one who made Pell believe I had betrayed him。 I wanted Mathrin Galliene to suffer forever。’
Zedd gestured vaguely with his hand。 ‘How long did he 。。。 last？’
Adie sighed。 ‘Not long enough； and too long。’ Zedd frowned。 ‘One day； a thought occurred to me： I had never used the gift to prevent Mathrin from killing himself。 Why would he still e to me？ Let me make him to suffer like I did？ Why would he not simply end it？ So； the next time he came； and I cut something else off； I also cut the bond。 Cut his need to e the next time。 But I did it in a way so as he would not notice； so he could simply forget about me； if he wished。’
‘So that was the last you saw of him？’
She gave a grim shake of her head。 ‘No。 I thought it would be； but he returned with the next new moon。 Returned when he needn’t have。 It made my blood run cold； to wonder why。 I decided that it be time for him to pay with his life for what he had done to me； and Pell； and all the others。 But I resolved that before he gave me his life； he would give me the answer。
‘In my travels； I had learned many things。 Things for which I thought I would never have use。 That night I found use。 I used them to learn what torture Mathrin feared above all others。 The trick be used to learn fears； but be useless to learn other secrets。 Against his will； the words tumbled out of him； his fears spilled out。
‘I left him to sweat all that night and the whole next day while I went in search of the things I needed： the things he feared above all else。 When I finally returned with them； he be nearly insane with fright。 His fears be well founded。 I asked him to confess his secret。 He said no。
‘I dumped out the sack； put the little cages and the other things in front of him as he sat naked and helpless on the floor。 I picked up each； held it before his sightless face； and describe