tg.stone of tears-第94章

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r　be　grateful　to　the　good　spirits　she　be　a　skip；　but　bitter　at　them　that　I　be　gifted。
　
　‘In　Nicobarese；　those　with　the　gift　be　loathed　and　distrusted。　It　be　thought　the　gift　be　allied　to　the　flows　of　power　not　only　from　the　Creator；　but　also　from　the　Keeper。　Even　ones　using　the　gift　for　good　be　suspected　of　being　a　baneling。　You　know　of　the　banelings；　yes？’
　
　Zedd　tore　off　a　piece　of　bread。　‘Yes。　Ones　turned　to　the　Keeper。　Sworn　to　him。　They　hide　in　the　light；　as　well　as　the　shadows；　serving　his　wishes；　working　to　his　ends。　They　can　be　anyone。　Some　work　for　good　for　years；　hiding；　waiting　to　be　called。　But　when　they　are　called；　they　do　the　Keeper’s　bidding。
　
　They　are　also　called　by　different　names；　but　they’　are　all　agents　of　the　Keeper。　Some　books　call　them　that：　agents。　Some　are　important　people；　like　Darken　Rahl；　used　for　important　tasks。　Some　are　everyday　people；　used　for　dirty　little　deeds。　Those　with　the　gift；　like　Darken　Rahl；　are　the　most　difficult　for　the　Keeper　to　turn。　Those　without　it　are　easier；　but　even　they　are　rare。’
　
　Adie’s　eyes　widened。　‘Darken　Rahl　be　a　baneling？’
　
　Zedd　lifted　an　eyebrow　as　he　nodded。　‘Admitted　it　to　me　himself。　He　said　he　was　an　agent；　but　it’s　the　same　thing；　whatever　the　word；　and　I’ve　heard　any　number。　They　all　serve　the　Keeper。’
　
　‘This　be　dangerous　news。’
　
　Zedd　sopped　up　some　stew　with　the　piece　of　bread。　‘I　bring　very　little　of　any　other　kind。　You　were　saying　about　your　grandmother　Lindel？’
　
　‘In　the　time　of　Grandmother　Lmdel’s　youth；　sorceresses　be　put　to　death　for　anything　that　fate　brought：　sickness；　accidents；　still　births。　Put　to　death；　wrongly；　for　being　banelings。　Some　of　the　gifted　fought　back　at　being　wrongly　persecuted。　They　fought　well。　It　deepened　the　hatred；　and　only　served　to　confirm　the　fears　of　many　of　the　Nicobarese　people。
　
　‘At　last；　there　was　a　truce。　Nicobarese　leaders　agreed　to　let　the　gifted　women　be；　if　they　would　give　a　soul　oath；　as　a　way　of　proving　they　not　be　banelings；　an　oath　not　to　use　their　power　unless　permission　be　granted　by　a　governing　body；　the　king’s　circle　of　their　town；　for　instance。　It　be　an　oath　to　the　people。　An　oath　not　to　use　the　gift　and　bring　the　Keeper’s　notice。’
　
　Zedd　swallowed　a　mouthful　of　stew。　‘Why　would　people　think　sorceresses　were　banelings？’
　
　‘Because　it　be　easier　to　blame　a　woman　for　their　troubles　than　to　admit　the　truth；　and　more　satisfying　to　accuse　than　to　curse　the　unknown。　Those　with　the　gift　use　power　that　can　help　people；　but　it　can　also　be　used　to　harm　them。　Because　it　can　be　used　to　harm；　it　be　believed　the　power　must　be　given；　at　least　in　part；　by　the　Keeper。’
　
　‘Superstitious　nonsense；’　he　growled。
　
　‘As　you　well　know；　superstition　needs　no　grounding　in　truth；　but　once　rooted；　it　grows　a　strong　though　twisted　tree。’
　
　He　grunted　his　assent。　‘So　no　sorceress　used　her　power？’
　
　Adie　shook　her　head。　‘No。　Unless　it　be　for　some　mon　good；　and　they　went　before　the　king’s　circle　of　their　town　first　and　asked　permission。　Every　sorceress　went　before　the　circle　of　their　town　or　district　and　swore　an　oath　to　the　people；　an　oath　on　her　soul；　to　abide　by　the　wishes　of　the　people。　Swore　a　solemn　oath　not　to　use　her　power　on　or　for　another　unless　asked　to　do　so　by　the　agreement　of　the　circle。’
　
　Zedd　put　his　spoon　down　in　disgust。　‘But　they　had　the　gift。　How　could　they　not　use　it？’
　
　‘They　used　it；　but　only　in　private。　Never　where　anyone　could　see；　and　never　on　another。’
　
　Zedd　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　shaking　his　head　in　silent　wonder　at　the　Wizard’s　First　Rule；　at　the　things　people　would　believe；　while　Adie　went　on。
　
　‘Grandmother　Lindel　be　a　stern　old　woman　who　lived　by　herself。　She　never　wanted　anything　to　do　with　teaching　me　about　using　the　gift。　She　told　me　only　to　let　it　be。　And　my　mother；　of　course；　could　teach　me　nothing。　So　I　learned　on　my　own　as　I　grew；　as　the　gift　grew；　but　I　knew　very　well　the　wickedness　of　using　it。　I　be　lectured　on　that　almost　every　day。　To　use　the　gift　in　a　manner　not　permitted　was　made　to　seem　like　touching　the　taint　of　the　Keeper　himself；　and　I　believed　it　so。　I　feared　greatly　going　against　what　I　be　taught。　I　be　a　fruit　of　the　tree　of　that　superstition。
　
　‘One　day；　when　I　be　eight　or　nine；　I　be　in　the　town　square　with　my　mother　and　father；　on　market　day；　and　across　the　square；　a　building　caught　fire。　There　be　a　girl；　about　my　age；　on　the　second　floor；　trapped　by　the　flames。　She　screamed　for　help。　No　one　could　reach　her　because　the　fire　be　all　through　the　first　floor。　Her　screams　of　terror　burned　every　nerve　in　me。　I　started　to　cry。　I　wanted　to　help。　I　could　not　stand　the　screams。’　Adie　folded　her　hands　in　her　lap　and　looked　down　at　the　table。　‘I　made　the　fire　to　go　out。　The　girl　be　saved。’
　
　Zedd　watched　her　placid　expression　as　she　stared　at　the　table。　‘I　don’t　suppose　anyone；　except　the　girl　and　her　parents；　were　happy？’
　
　Adie　shook　her　head。　‘Everyone　knew　I　had　the　gift。　They　knew　it　be　me　who　had　done　it。　My　mother　stood　and　cried。　My　father　just　stood　looking　the　other　way。　He　would　not　look　at　me；　at　an　agent　of　the　Keeper’s　evil。
　
　‘Someone　went　for　Grandmother　Lindel；　she　was　respected　because　of　how　she　stood　by　the　oath。　When　Grandmother　Lindel　came；　she　took　me　and　the　girl　before　the　men　of　the　king’s　circle。　Grandmother　Lindel　switched　the　girl　who　I　saved。　She　bawled　a　good　long　time。’
　
　Zedd　was　incredulous。　‘She　beat　the　girl！　Why？’
　
　‘For　letting　the　Keeper　use　her　to　bring　forth　the　use　of　the　gift。’　Adie　sighed。　The　girl　and　I　had　known　each　other；　had　been　friends；　of　a　sort。　She　never　spoke　to　me　again。’
　
　Adie　hugged　her　arms　across　her　stomach。　‘And　then　Grandmother　Lindel　stripped　me　naked　in　front　of　those　men；　and　switched　me　until　I　was　covered　with　welts　and　blood。　I　screamed　more　than　the　girl　had　in　the　fire。　Then　she　marched　me；　naked　and　bloody；　through　the　town；　to　her　house。　The　humiliation　be　worse　than　the　beating。
　
　‘When　we　got　to　her　house；　I　asked　how　she　could　be　so　of　hers　still　on　her　face。　And　then　she　said；　‘Though　you　be　wild　of　spirit；　child；　you　have　worked　to　tame　it。　The　people　have　asked　for　your　oath；　and　you　have　given　it。　May　I　not　live　to　see　you　break　it。　You　owe　no　debt　beyond　that。　I　will　take　care　of　the　circle　and　see　to　Mathrin　Galliene。　You　will　wed　Pell。’　I　wept　into　the　hem　of　her　dress。’
　
　Adie　was　silent；　staring　into　the　fire；　lost　in　the　memories。　Zedd　lifted　an　eyebrow。　‘Well；　did　you　wed　your　love？’
　
　‘Yes；’　she　whispered　in　her　soft　rasp。　She　took　the　spoon　off　its　hook　and　stirred　the　stew　while　Zedd　watched　her。　At　last；　she　hung　it　back　at　its　place。　‘For　three　months；　I　thought　life　be　beyond　bliss。’
　
　Her　mouth　worked　soundlessly　as　she　stared　into　nothingness。　Zedd　put　an　arm　around　her　shoulder　and　gently　led　her　back　to　the　table。　‘Sit；　Adie。　Let　me　bring　you　a　cup　of　tea。’
　
　She　was　still　sitting；　her　hands　folded　together　on　the　table；　staring　off；　when　he　returned　with　the　steaming　cups。　He　placed　one　in　her　thin　hands　as　he　sat　opposite　her。　He　didn’t　press　her　to　go　on　before　she　was　ready。
　
　At　last；　she　did。　‘One　day；　the　day　of　my　birth　and　nineteen　years；　Pell　and　I　had　taken　a　walk　in　the　country。　I　be　with　child。’　She　lifted　the　cup　in　both　hands　and　took　a　sip。　‘We　spent　the　day　walking　past　farms；　thinking　of　names　for　our　child；　holding　hands；　and　。。。　well；　you　know　the　foolishness　of　love　at　that　age。
　
　‘On　our　way　back；　we　had　to　walk　past　the　Choora　mill；　just　outside　of　town。　I　thought　it　strange　no　one　be　there。　Someone　always　be　at　the　mill。’　Adie　closed　her　eyes　for　a　moment　and　then　took　another　sip　of　tea。　‘As　it　turned　out；　there　be　people　there。　The　Blood　of　the　Fold。　They　be　waiting　for　us。’
　
　Zedd　knew　of　them。　In　the　larger　cities　of　Nicobarese；　the　Blood　of　the　Fold　were　an　organized　corps　of　men　who　hunted　banelings；　rooted　out　evil；　as　they　saw　it。　In　other　lands；　there　were　men　like　them；　who　went　by　other　names；　but　they　were　the　same。　None　were　especially　picky　about　proof。　A　corpse　was　the　only　proof　they　need　show　of　their　job　well　done。