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‘Zedd！’ she screamed。 ‘Zedd！ Please； don’t do this！’
He used magic to drag her down the hall like a sack of feathers。
‘Tomorrow； at the winter solstice festival； the people shall have their wish。 They shall see the Mother Confessor beheaded。 As First Wizard； I will see to it。 I shall see it done。’
Kahlan went limp。 What did it matter？ The good spirits had abandoned her。 They had stripped her of everything that mattered。
Worse； she herself had condemned Richard to three hundred years of the thing he feared most。
She wanted to die。 Death couldn’t e fast enough for her。
Richard stood with his hands on his hips as he watched the dark clouds made by spells in the distance； in the Valley of the Lost。 They looked beautiful in the sunrise； with golden edges and striations of glowing rays。 But he knew they were deadly。
Du Chaillu put an affectionate hand to his arm。 ‘My husband makes me proud this day。 He returns our land to us； as the old words have foretold。’
‘I’ve explained it to you a dozen times； Du Chaillu； I am not your husband。 You have simply misinterpreted the old words。 It only means we must do this together。 And we haven’t done it yet。 I wish you would have e with me without bringing everyone else。 I don’t even know if this will work。 We could be killed。’
She patted his arm reassuringly。 The Caharin has e。 He can do anything。 He will return our land。’ She left him to his thoughts and started back to the camp。 ‘All our people should be with us。 It is their right。’ She stopped and turned back。 ‘Will we be leaving soon； Caharin？’
‘Soon；’ Richard said absently。
She started off again。 ‘I will be with our people when you are ready for me。’
The entire Baka Ban Mana nation was camped behind them。 Thousands upon thousands of tents were spread out over the hills； like mushrooms after a month of rain。 He hadn’t been able to talk them out of ing； to convince them to wait； so they were all here； with him。
Richard sighed。 What difference did it make？ If he was wrong； and this failed； he had no reason to worry about all the Baka Ban Mana being disappointed in him。 He would be dead。
Warren and Sister Verna quietly came up behind。
‘Richard；’ Warren said； ‘can we talk to you？’
Richard continued to stare out at the storms。 ‘Of course； Warren。’ He cast a glance back。 ‘What’s on your mind？’
Warren pushed his hands up the opposite sleeves of his robes。 Richard thought it made him look very wizardlike when he did that。 Warren was going to someday end up being Richard’s idea of what a wizard ought to be： wise； passionate； and charged with knowledge Richard could only wonder at。 If they didn’t all die； that was。
‘Well； Sister Verna and I were talking。 About what happens after you get through the valley。 Richard； I know what you want to do； but we have run out of time。 There never was enough time to begin with。 Tomorrow is winter solstice。 It can’t be done。’
‘Just because you don’t know how to do something； that does not mean it can’t be done。’
‘I don’t understand。’
Richard smiled at them。 ‘You will。 You will understand in a few hours。’
Warren looked away toward the valley。 He idly scratched his nose。 ‘If you say so； Richard。’
Sister Verna said nothing。 Richard was still trying to get used to her not arguing with him whenever he said something oblique。 He wasn’t sure she didn’t want to。
‘Warren； about the prophecy； the one about the gateway and the winter solstice。 Are you sure it’s about this winter solstice？’ Warren nodded。 ‘And if there were an agent； with an open box of Orden； and the skrin bone； are those the only elements needed to open the gateway； to tear the veil？’
A hot breeze ruffled Warren’s hair。 ‘Yes 。。。 but you told me Darken Rahl is dead。 There is no agent。’
It sounded more like a worried question than a statement。
‘Must the agent be alive？’ Sister Verna asked。
Warren shifted his weight to the other foot。 ‘Well； not in principle； I guess。 If he were somehow called back into this world； but I don’t see how that could be done； but if it were done； that would be all that was needed。’
Richard sighed in frustration。 ‘And then this spirit agent could do the things the living agent would have done？’
Suspicion crept onto Warren’s face。 ‘Well； yes and no。 It would require another element。 A spirit cannot perform the physical requirements necessary to plete the covenant。 He would need a coadjutor。’
‘You mean the spirit could not perform certain of the tasks needed； so he would need hands that would work in this world。’
‘Yes。 With a helper； a spirit could do what was needed。 But how could an agent be called back into this world？ I don’t see how that could be acplished。’
Sister Verna glanced away。 ‘You had better tell him。’
Richard pulled his shirt up and showed Warren the scar。 ‘Darken Rahl burned me with his hand； when I unintentionally called him back into this world。 He said he was here to tear the veil。’
Warren’s eyes opened wide。 His worried gaze darted to the Sister； and then back to Richard。 ‘If Darken Rahl is an agent； as you said； and he has someone to help him； then we are only one element away from destruction … the skrin bone。 We need to know。’
Richard pushed the mriswith cape back over his shoulder。 ‘Sister Verna； would you help me？’
‘What is it you would like me to do？’
The first time you told me how to try to touch my Han； I decided to concentrate on a mental image of my sword。 But that time； the first time； I used a background to put it against。 It was something from the book of magic I told you about。 The Book of Counted Shadows。
‘When I tried to touch my Han； with the sword on that background； something happened。 I was somehow in D’Hara； in the People’s Palace； where the boxes are。 I saw Darken Rahl。 He saw me； too； and spoke to me。 He told me he was waiting for me。’
Sister Verna’s eyebrows lifted。 ‘Did this ever happen again？’
‘No。 It frightened the wits out of me。 I never used that background again。 I think if I use that background now； I may be able to see what is happening there。’
She folded her hands together before herself。 ‘I’ve never heard of such a thing。 But it may have something to do with the Magic of Orden。 It would not be the first thing about you that astonished me。 It could be real； or just a fear； like a dream。’
‘I need to try。 Would you sit with me？ I’m afraid of not being able to pull back。’
‘Of course； Richard。’ She sat down on the ground and held up a hand。 ‘e。 I will be with you。’
Richard pulled the mriswith cape around himself as he sat down； folding his legs。 ‘This thing hides my Han； maybe it will work to keep Darken Rahl from seeing me this time。’
Richard relaxed himself as he held hands with Sister ‘Verna。 He concentrated on the mental image of the sword against the black square with a white border； as he had done the first time。 As he concentrated； seeking the calm center； something began to happen。
The sword； the black square； and the white border all began to shimmer as if seen through heat waves； the same as the first time。 The solid form of the sword softened； being transparent； and then vanished。 The background dissolved。 Once again； Richard was looking into the Garden of Life； at the People’s Palace。
He searched the filmy image； seeing white bones where before he had seen burned bodies。 He remembered them lying over the short walls； in bushes； and sprawled on the grass。 They were much as he remembered； only now they were mostly exposed bones。
Richard saw the white； glowing figure of Darken Rahl； but he was not standing before the stone altar； before the three boxes of Orden。 He was near the circle that had held white sand。 The sand had not been there the last time he had seen this vision。
A woman in a long； brown skirt and white blouse knelt at Darken Rahl’s feet； bent over the circle of sand。 Richard willed himself closer。 She was drawing lines in the sparkling sorcerer’s sand。 Richard remembered some of the symbols she was drawing； Darken Rahl had drawn them before when he had opened the box。
Richard watched her hand moving slowly； carefully； as she drew the lines of spells。 Her right hand； he noticed； was missing the little finger。
In the center of the circle； in the center of the sorcerer’s sand； sat a round object。 Richard went closer。 It was carved all over with beasts； just as the Prelate had described。
Richard wanted to scream with rage。
Just then； Darken Rahl lifted his face； and looked right into Richard’s eyes。 A smile slowly spread on his lips。
Richard didn’t know if Darken Rahl was really looking at him or not； but he didn’t wait to find out。 With desperate effort； he forced the image of the sword back into his mind； like slamming a door； at the same time banishing the black…and…white background。
With a gasp； Richard forced his eyes open。 His chest heaved。
Sister Verna’s eyes c