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ut 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 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