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〃You know which box is which？〃 Kahlan asked。 〃You know which he must open？〃
〃No。 I'm the keeper of the book。 That information is all in the book。 But I've never read it。 I don't know which box is which； or even how to figure it out： If I were to open the book； it would risk spreading the knowledge。 It must not be opened； that could be very dangerous。 So I never did。 I am the keeper of many books； this only one among them； but a very important one。〃 Richard realized that his eyes were open wide and tried to relax them back to normal with a few blinks。 Almost his whole life he had been looking forward to the day he would find the keeper of the book； and it had been Zedd the whole time。 The shock left him frozen。
〃Where was it？〃 Kahlan asked。 〃What happened？〃
〃It was in my Keep。 The Wizard's Keep。 In Aydindril。〃
〃You went to Aydindril？〃 Kahlan asked； her voice anxious。
〃How is Aydindril？ Is it safe？〃
Zedd averted his eyes。 〃Aydindril has fallen。〃
Kahlan's hand went to her mouth； tears filled her eyes。 〃No。〃
Zedd nodded。 〃I'm afraid so。〃 He picked at his robes。 〃It is not going well for them。 At least I gave the occupiers something to think about；〃 he added under his breath。
〃Captain Riffkin？ Lieutenants Delis and Miller？ The Home Guard？〃
Zedd kept his eyes to the ground and shook his head as she named each in turn。 Kahlan put her hands to her breast as she took deep breaths and bit her lip。 Whoever these men were； she looked to be pretty upset by the news。 Richard thought he should cover his own shock by saying something。 〃What's this Wizard's Keep？〃
〃It's a refuge； a place where the wizards preserve important things of magic； such as the books of prophecies； and books of even more importance…books of magic and instruction； such as the Book of Counted Shadows。 Some of the books are used to teach new wizards； some are used as reference； and some are used as weapons。 Other items of magic are kept there also； such as the Sword of Truth； between Seekers。 The Keep is sealed by magic； none can enter but a wizard。 At least none but a wizard was supposed to be able to enter。 But someone did。 How they did without being killed is beyond me。 It must have been Darken Rahl。 He must have the book。〃
〃Maybe it wasn't Darken Rahl；〃 Richard managed； his back straight as a board。
Zedd's eyes narrowed。 〃If it wasn't Darken Rahl； then it was a thief。 A very clever thief； but a thief nonetheless。〃
Richard swallowed back the dryness in his mouth。 〃Zedd 。 。 。 I 。 。 。 Do you think this book； the Book of Counted Shadows； would be able to tell us how to stop Rahl？ How to keep him from using the boxes？〃
Zedd shrugged his bony shoulders。 〃As I said； I've never opened the cover。 But from what I know from other books of instruction； it would only be of aid to the person with the boxes； it's designed to help use magic； not to help another in stopping its use。 In all likelihood； it wouldn't have helped us。 My plan was to simply get the book； and destroy it； to keep Rahl from getting the information。 Having the book lost to us leaves us with no alternative； we must find the last box：'
〃But without the book； can Rahl still open the boxes？〃 Kahlan asked。
〃With as much as he knows； I am sure he can。 But he still wouldn't know which one。〃
〃Then； with or without the book； he's going to open a box。〃 Richard said。 〃He has to。 If he doesn't； he dies。 He has nothing to lose。 Even if you had recovered the book； he would still open a box…after all； there is a chance he will pick right。〃
〃Well； if he has the book； then he will know which to open。 I was hoping that if we couldn't find the last box； at least I could destroy the book； and keep it from Rahl； give us at least that one chance。 The chance he might pick right…for us。〃 Zedd's face soured。 〃I would give anything to destroy that book。〃
Kahlan put her hand on Richard's arm； he almost jumped。 〃Then Richard has done as the Seeker should； he has found where the box is。 Queen Milena has it。〃 She gave Richard a smile of reassurance。 〃The Seeker has done his job well。〃 His mind was spinning too fast to return the smile properly。
Zedd drew a finger and thumb down opposite sides of his chin。 〃And how do you propose we get it from her？ Knowing is one thing； getting is quite another。〃
Kahlan gave Zedd a smooth smile。 〃Queen Milena is the one to whom the snake in the silver robes sold his services。 He is about to have an unpleasant meeting with the Mother Confessor。〃
〃Giller？ Queen Milena is the one Giller went to？〃 The wrinkles on Zedd's face deepened with his scowl。 〃I think he will be astonished to meet my eyes again。〃
She frowned。 〃You just leave this task to me。 He is my wizard。 I will deal with him。〃
Richard's eyes went back and forth between the two of them He felt suddenly out of place。 The great wizard and the Mother Confessor discussing how they would deal with an upstart wizard； as if they were talking of pulling weeds in a garden。 He thought of his father； of how his father had told him he had taken the book to prevent it from falling into covetous hands。 Darken Rahl's hands。 He spoke without thinking。
〃Maybe he had a good reason for doing what he did。〃
They both turned and looked at him； as if they had forgotten he was there。
〃A good reason？〃 Kahlan snapped。 〃Greed was his good reason。 He deserted me； and left me to the quads。〃
〃Sometimes people do things for reasons that aren't what they seem。〃 Richard gave her an even look。 〃Maybe he thought the box was more important。〃
Kahlan looked too surprised to speak。
Zedd frowned； his white hair looking wild in the firelight。 〃Perhaps you are right。 It could be that Giller knew about the Queen having the box； and wanted to protect it。 He certainly knew what the boxes were about。〃 He gave Richard an ironic smile。 〃Maybe the Seeker has given us a new perspective。 Maybe we have an ally in Tamarang。〃
〃And maybe not；〃 Kahlan said。
〃We will know soon enough；〃 the wizard sighed。
〃Zedd；〃 Richard asked； 〃yesterday； we went to a place called Homers Mill。〃 Zedd nodded。 〃I saw it。 And I have seen many more just like it。〃
Richard leaned forward。 〃It wasn't Westlanders； was it？ It couldn't have been Westlanders。 I told Michael to get the army together and protect Westland。 I didn't tell him to attack anyone。 Certainly not helpless people。 It couldn't have been Westlanders； they wouldn't do that。〃
〃No； it wasn't anyone from Westland。 I haven't seen or heard from Michael。〃
〃Then who？〃
〃It was Rahl's own men who did it； by his mand。〃
〃That does not make any sense；〃 Kahlan said。 〃The town was loyal to D'Hara。 There were forces of the People's Peace Army there； and they were killed to a man。〃
〃That's the very reason he did it。〃
They both gave him puzzled looks。 〃That doesn't make any sense；〃 Kahlan said。
〃Wizard's First Rule。〃
Richard frowned。 〃What？〃
〃Wizard's First Rule： people are stupid。〃 Richard and Kahlan frowned even more。 〃People are stupid； given proper motivation； almost anyone will believe almost anything。 Because people are stupid； they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true； or because they are afraid it might be true。 People's heads are full of knowledge； facts； and beliefs； and most of it is false； yet they think it all true。 People are stupid； they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth； and yet they are confident they can； and so are all the easier to fool。
〃Because of the Wizard's First Rule； the old wizards created Confessors； and Seekers； as a means of helping find the truth； when the truth is important enough。 Rahl knows the Wizard's Rules。 He is using the first one。 People need an enemy to feel a sense of purpose。 It's easy to lead people when they have a sense of purpose。 Sense of purpose is more important by far than the truth。 In fact； truth has no bearing in this。 Darken Rahl is providing them with an enemy； other than himself； a sense of purpose。 People are stupid； they want to believe； so they do。〃
〃But they were his own people；〃 Kahlan protested。 〃He was killing his supporters。〃 〃You will notice not all the people were killed； some were raped； tortured； but left alive to flee； to spread the news。 You will also note how none of the soldiers were left alive to dispute the story。 That it isn't the truth doesn't matter； and the ones hearing the story will believe it because it provides them with a sense of purpose； an enemy to rally against。 The survivors will spread the word like a wildfire。 Even though Rahl has destroyed a few towns that were loyal to him； and a few of his soldiers； he has gained many more towns to his side； a hundredfold over。 Even more people will rally around him and support him because he has told them he wants to protect them from this enemy。 Truth is hard to sell； it gives no sense of purpose。 It is simply truth。〃
Richard sat back； a little stunned。 〃But it isn't true。 How can Rahl get away with it？ How could everyone believe it？〃
Zedd gave him a stern look。 〃You knew better； you k