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have gone unnoticed。 What are you getting at？’
‘Well； if the veil has never been torn； how could the screel…ings have been sent before？ How would we know what they were？ How could they have a name already put to them？’
It was Richard’s turn to frown。 ‘Maybe we only know them as screelings because they have been named in the prophecy。’
‘You have read this prophecy？’
‘Well； no。 Kahlan told it to me。’
‘And she read it herself； with her own eyes； yes？’
‘No。 She learned it when she was young。’ Richard’s irritated frown deepened。 ‘In a song。 She learned it from wizards。’
‘In a song。’ Sister Verna didn’t look over； but her smile widened。 ‘Richard； I do not mean to belittle your fears； but things repeated； over and over； especially in a song； have a way of changing。
‘As for prophecies； well； they are harder to understand than a witch woman。 We have vaults full of them at the palace。 As part of your studies； perhaps you will be allowed to work with them。 I have read all of them we have； and I can tell you that they are beyond the minds of most。 If you aren’t cautious； you can find a prophecy that will say whatever you want to hear。 Or at least you will think it is what you want to hear。 Some wizards devote their lives to the study of them； and yet even they understand only a tiny fraction of their truth。’
‘This is a danger not to be taken so lightly。’
‘Do you think the veil is torn that simply？ Have faith； Richard。 The Creator placed the veil。 Have faith in Him。’
Richard rode in silence for a time。 Sister Verna did seem to make sense。 He felt as if his understanding of the world was tilting。
But it was difficult for him to think too hard on the subject； Kahlan kept creeping back into his mind。 His anguish at her wanting him to put on a collar to prove his love； knowing it would take him from her； tore at his heart。 The betrayal burned painfully in his chest。
He picked at the reins with his thumbnail。 At last he turned once more to the Sister。 ‘That’s not all。 I haven’t told you the worst of it。’
She smiled a motherly smile。 ‘There is more？ Tell me then。 Perhaps I can put your fears to rest。’
Richard let out a deep breath； trying to release at least a little of the pain with it。 ‘The man I killed； Darken Rahl； my father； well； when he died； he was sent to the underworld。 To the Kee 。。。 the Nameless One。 Last night； he escaped。 Escaped through the tear in the veil。 He is back in this world； back to tear the veil the rest of the way。’
‘And you know he was sent to the Nameless One。 You were in the underworld to see him arrive there； at the side of the Nameless One； yes？’
The woman had a way of poking his temper awake。 He tried to ignore the sting of the jab。 ‘I talked to him when he came back to this world。 He told me。 He told me he was here to tear the veil the rest of the way。 He said the Keeper would have us all。 A dead man； e back to this world。 Do you see？ The only way his spirit could be here is if he came through the veil。’
‘You were just sitting there； and this dead man walked up and spoke to you； yes？’
Richard frowned deeply at her； but she didn’t look over to see it。 ‘It was at a gathering； with the Mud People。 I was trying to talk to their ancestors’ spirits； to try to find out how to close the veil； and he appeared。’
‘Ahhh。’ She nodded in satisfaction。 ‘I see。’
‘What does that mean！’
Sister Verna’s face set into an expression of tolerance； born of explaining things to children。 ‘Did the Mud People have you drink or eat some sacred potion before you saw this spirit？’
‘No！’
‘You simply sat down with them and saw spirits； yes？’
‘Well； not exactly。 There is a banquet first。 For a couple of days。 The elders eat and drink special things。 But I never did。 Then we were painted with mud； and then I went into the spirit house with the seven elders。 We sat in a circle； and they chanted awhile。 Then they passed around a basket and we took out a spirit frog； and rubbed the slime from its back onto our skin。 。。。’
‘Frogs。’ Sister Verna looked over。 ‘Red frogs； yes？’
‘Yes。 Red spirit frogs。’
With a smile she looked back ahead。 ‘I know of them。 And it made your skin tingle； yes？ And it is then you saw spirits？’
That’s a pretty simplistic version； but I guess you could distill it down like that。 What are you trying to say？’
‘You have traveled the Midlands often？ You have seen many of her peoples？’
‘No。 I’m from Westland。 I don’t know much about the people of the Midlands。’
She nodded to herself again。 There are many peoples in the Midlands； unbelievers； who do not know of the light of the Creator。 They worship all sorts of things。 Idols and spirits and such。 They are savages who hold to customs of worship centered around these false beliefs。 They mostly have one thing in mon。 They use sacred food or drink to help them ‘see’ their ‘spirit protectors。’’
She looked over to make sure he was paying attention。 The Mud People apparently use the substance on the red frogs to help them have these visions of what they wish to see。’
‘Visions？’
‘The Creator has placed many plants and animals in our world for us to use。 The power of these things work in invisible ways。 A tea； for example； of the bark of willow can help reduce a fever。 We can’t see it work； but we know it does。 There are many things that if eaten will make us sick； even kill us。 The Creator gave us minds to learn the difference。 There are some things that if eaten； or in the case of the red frogs； rubbed into our skin； will make us see things； just as we see things when we dream。
‘Savages who don’t know better think the things they see are real。 That is what happened to you。 You rubbed the slime of a red frog into your skin and it gave you visions。 Your rightful fear of the Nameless One made it all the more real to you。 If these ‘spirits’ were real； why would you need to use some special plant； or food； or drink； or in this case； red frogs； to see and talk to them？
‘Please don’t think I am mocking you； Richard。 The visions can seem very real。 When you are under their influence； they can seem as real as anything。 But they are not。’
Richard was reluctant to believe the Sister’s explanation； but he understood what she was talking about。 From a young age； Zedd had taken him into the woods to find special plants to help people： aum to take away pain and help minor wounds heal faster； and wattle root to ease the pain of deeper wounds。 Zedd had showed him other plants that would help fevers； digestion； the pain of childbirth； dizzy spells； and he had also told him about plants to avoid； plants that were dangerous； and plants that would make people see things that weren’t there： visions。
But he didn’t think he had imagined Darken Rahl。 ‘He burned me。’ Richard tapped his shirt where the bandage was。 ‘I couldn’t have been having visions。 Darken Rahl was there； he reached out and touched me； and it burned my skin。 Pm not imagining that。’