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‘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 described it； told him what be in each little cage or basket or jar。 Again I asked him to confess。 He be sweating and panting and shaking； but he said no。 Mathrin thought I be bluffing； that I did not have the courage。 Mathrin be wrong。
‘I steeled myself； and brought his worst fears to life for him。’
Zedd’s brow bunched up into wrinkles。 Curiosity won out over dread。 ‘What did you do？’
She lifted her head to look into his eyes。 That be the one thing I will not tell you。 It not be important anyway。
‘Mathrin would not talk； and suffered so much that I almost stopped several times。 Each time I wanted to stop； I thought about the last thing my eyes had seen before he blinded me： Pell’s head held in Mathrin’s fist before me。’ Adie swallowed； her voice so low Zedd could hardly hear her。 ‘And I remembered Pell’s last words： ‘I will not say that of her to save my life。 Even though she has betrayed me。’’
She closed her eyes for a moment。 They came open and she went on。 ‘Mathrin be on the edge of death。 I thought he was not going to tell me why he came to me。 But just before he died； he became still； despite what was being done to him。 And then he said he would tell me； because he be about to die； because this； too； had been by plan。 I asked him again why he had e back。
‘He leaned toward me。 ‘Don’t you know； Adie？’ he asked me。 ‘Don’t you know what I be？ I be a baneling。 I have been hiding right under your nose all this time。 You have kept me near you all this time； and the Keeper knew right where you be。 The Keeper lusts for those with the gift above all else。’ I had thought that that be it； that he be a baneling。 I told him he had failed； it had done him no good； as he be about to die for his crimes。
‘He smiled at me。’ She leaned forward。 ‘Smiled！ And he said； ‘You be wrong Adie。 I have not failed。 I have done the Keeper’s bidding。 I have fulfilled my task。 Perfectly。 All this be by plan。 I have made you do exactly as he wished。 I shall be rewarded。 I be the one who started the fire when you be little。 I be the one who did those things to Pell。 Not because I thought him or you a baneling。 I be the baneling。 I did it to make you break your oath。 To make you wele the Keeper’s hate into your heart。
‘‘Breaking your oath be the first step； and look what you have done since。 Look at what you be doing right now。 Look at how far you have slipped toward him。 You be within his grasp now。 You may not have given him your oath； but you do his bidding。 You have bee what you hate。 You have bee me； you be a baneling。 The Keeper smiles upon you； Adie； and thanks you for weling him into your heart。’ Mathrin slumped； and fell back； dead。’
Adie dissolved into tears； her head sagging into her hands。 Zedd unlocked his joints and swept around the table； holding her to him as he stood next to her； holding her head against his stomach； stroking her hair； forting her as she cried。
‘Not so； dear lady。 Not so at all。’
She wept against his robes； shaking her head。 ‘You think you be so smart； wizard？ You not be so smart as you think。 You be wrong about this。’
Zedd knelt beside her chair； holding her hands in his； looking up into her stricken face。 ‘I’m smart enough to know that the Keeper； or one of his minions； would not let you have the satisfaction of knowing you had won a battle against him。’
‘But I 。。。’
‘You fought back。 You struck out from your hurt； not for a lust of the things you did。 Not for a want to help the Keeper。’
Her brow wrinkled together with her effort to stop the tears。 ‘You be so sure？ Sure enough to trust one such as I？’
Zedd smiled。 ‘I’m sure。 I may not know everything； but I know you are no baneling。 You are the victim； not the criminal。’
She shook her head。 ‘I not be so sure as you。’
After Mathrin died； did you go on killing？ Seeking vengeance against any innocent？’
‘No； of course not。’
‘Had you been an agent； you would have given yourself over to the Keeper； to his wishes； and gone on to hurt those who fought him。 You are no baneling； dear lady。 My heart weeps for the things the Keeper took from you； but he did not take your soul； that is still yours。 Put those fears aside。’
He held her hands and gave them soft squeezes。 She didn’t try to take her hands back； but let them stay in his； as if to soak up the fort as they trembled。
Adie wiped the tears from her cheek。 ‘Pour me some more tea？ But no more powdered cloud leaf； or I will fall asleep before I can finish the story。’
Zedd arched an eyebrow。 She had known what he had done。 He patted her shoulder as he rose to his feet。 He poured her tea and then pulled his chair forward and sat again while she sipped。
After she drank half of her cup； she looked to have regained her control。 ‘The war with D’Hara be burning hot； but it be near the end。 I felt the boundary go up。 Felt it e into this world。’
‘So you came here right after the boundary went up？’
‘No。 I studied with a few women first。 Some taught me a few things about bones。’ She pulled a little necklace from under her robes。 She fingered the small； round bone； with red and yellow beads to each side。 It was just like the one she had given him to get him through the pass。 He still wore it around his neck。 ‘This be a bone from the base of a skull like that on the shelf over there； the one that fell on the floor。 The beast be called a skrin。 Skrin be guardian beasts to the underworld； something like the heart hounds； except they guard in both directions。 The best way to explain it is that they be part of the veil； though that not be accurate。 In this world they be solid； have form； but in the other； they be only a force。’
Zedd frowned。 ‘Force？’
Adie held out her spoon and let it drop on the table。 ‘Force。 We cannot see it； but force be there。 It makes the spoon drop； and keeps it from flying up 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 b