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er that needed to be collared； a beast。
Tears ran down his face。 The sword slowly sank until the tip touched the ground。 He stood staring at the Sister as she slept； shivering with the cold。 He stood a long time； watching。
Richard finally slid the sword quietly back into its scabbard。 He retrieved his blanket and laid it over Sister Verna； tucking it carefully around her； being gentle so as not to wake her。 He sat and watched until she stopped shivering and then he lay down； wrapping himself in his cloak。
He was exhausted； and he hurt all over； but he couldn’t sleep。 He knew they were going to hurt him。 That was what the collar was for。 When she got him to the palace； they were going to hurt him。
What difference did it make？
Memories danced and darted through his mind； memories of what Denna had done to him。 He remembered the pain； the helpless agony； the blood： his blood。
The visions went on and on。 As long as he lived he would never be able to forget them。 It had only just ended； and now it was going to start all over again。 There would never be an end to it。
There was only one thought in all the turmoil of his mind that forted him。 He had learned from Sister Verna that he was wrong about the Keeper escaping。 That meant Kahlan was safe。 She was safe； and that was all that really mattered。 He tried to keep everything else away and think only of that。 That thought allowed him to drift； at last； into sleep。
CHAPTER 19
His eyes opened。 The sun was just breaking the horizon。 When he sat up； the pain from his burn caught his breath short。 He put his hand over his shirt； where the bandage was； and held it there until that pain subsided。 The residual effects of the Agiel left the rest of him feeling as if he had been beaten with a club。 He ached everywhere。 He remembered from the time when Denna had ‘trained’ him using the Agiel； feeling a lot worse when he awoke； only to have her start using the Agiel on him all over again。
Sister Verna was sitting on her blanket； her legs folded beneath her； watching him as she chewed something。 She had her cloak around her shoulders with the hood down。 Her curly brown hair looked freshly brushed。
She had neatly folded Richard’s blanket； and placed it back next to where he slept。 She said nothing about it。 Richard pushed himself to his feet； taking a moment to steady himself and stretch his hurting； cramped muscles。 The sky was a clear； cold； deep blue。 The grass smelled sweet and damp with dew。 The vapor of his breath drifted lazily in the still； crisp air。
‘I’ll go saddle the horses； and we can be on our way。’
‘Don’t you want something to eat？’
He shook his head。 ‘I’m not hungry。’
‘What happened to your arm？’ she asked without looking up。
There was dark； dried blood all down his arm and hand。 ‘I was polishing my sword。 It was dark。 I cut myself。 It’s nothing。’
‘I see。’ She glanced up as he scratched the stubble on his face。 ‘I hope you are more careful when you shave your neck。’
Richard decided in that instant that as long as he was held captive in a collar； he would not shave。 It would be his way of proclaiming to them that a collar was unjust； that he knew he was nothing more than their prisoner； and that he would not believe their spurious protestations to the contrary。 There could be no justification for a collar； and there would be no promising of that basic truth … none； not ever。
Richard glowered at the Sister。 ‘Prisoners don’t shave。’ He turned toward the horses。
‘Richard。’ He looked over his shoulder。 ‘Sit down。’ Her voice was gentle； but he glared at the order nonetheless。 She gestured to a place in front of her。 ‘Sit down。 I was thinking about what you said。 You are here； I am here。 Sit down and I will begin teaching you how to control the gift。’
He was caught off…guard。 ‘Now？ Here？’
‘Yes。 e and sit。’
He didn’t really care about using the gift； he hated magic。 He had only asked about it before because he had been trying to ease the tension。 His eyes darted about before he finally sat and folded his legs； imitating the way she was sitting。
‘What do you want me to do？’
‘There is much to teach you about using the gift。 You will learn about balance in all things； especially magic。 You must heed all our warnings； and follow what we tell you。 There are dangers to using magic。 Perhaps you already know this from using the Sword of Truth； yes？’ Richard didn’t move。 She went on。 There is greater danger in using the gift。 It can have unanticipated results。 Results that can be disastrous。’
‘I have already used the gift。 You said I used it in three specific ways。’
She leaned forward a little。 And look what happened。 It brought an unanticipated result。 It resulted in you having that collar around your neck。’
Surprised； Richard stared at her。 ‘That wasn’t a result of my using the gift。 You were already looking for me； you said so。 If I hadn’t used the gift； the result would have been the same。’
Sister Verna slowly shook her head； her eyes stayed on his。 ‘We had been looking for you for years。 Something hid you from us。 If you hadn’t used the gift in the ways you did； I doubt we ever would have found you。 Using the gift put that collar around your neck。’
Years。 They had been searching for him for years。 All that time he had lived peaceably in Westland； first with his brother and father and Zedd； and then on his own as a woods guide； they had been looking for him； and he never knew it。 The thought gave him a chill。 He brought it on himself； by using magic。 He hated magic。
‘Although I would agree that that is disastrous； for me； how could you？ It’s what you want。’
‘It is what we had to do。 But you have threatened my life。 You have threatened the lives of anyone else who keeps that collar around your neck。 That would be all the Sisters of the Light。 I never take the warnings of wizards； even untrained wizards； lightly。 Your use of the gift； allowing us to find you； could end up being a disaster for all of us。’
He felt no satisfaction that his threats had not gone unnoticed。 He felt nothing。 ‘Then why are you doing this？’ he whispered。 ‘Making me wear it？’
To help you。 You would have died otherwise。’
‘You have already helped me。 The headaches are gone。 You have my thanks。 Why can’t you let me go now？’
‘If the collar is removed too soon； before you learn enough of controlling the gift； they will e back。 You will die。’
Then teach me； so I can get it off。’
‘We must be cautious in teaching magic。 You must have patience in your studies。 We are careful in our training because we know more of the dangers of magic than you； and we don’t want you to be hurt through ignorance。 But that is not a problem for now； because it will take time before you are advanced enough to really use the gift and risk these dangers； as long as you adhere to what we say。 You can have patience； yes？’
‘I have no desire to use magic； I guess that could be construed as patience。’
‘Good enough； for now。 We will begin then。’ She squirmed a little； rearranging her legs。 There is a force within us all。 It is the force of life。 We call it Han。’ Richard frowned。 ‘Lift your arm。’ He did as she asked。 That is the force of life； given us by the Creator。 It is encased within you。 You have just used Han。 Those with the gift can extend that force outside themselves。 Such an external force is called a web。 Those with the gift； like you； have the ability to cast a web。
With the web； you can do things outside your body； much as the life force can do within your body。’
‘How can that be？’
Sister Verna picked up a small stone in her fingers。 ‘Here； my mind is using Han to make my hand lift the stone。 My hand is not doing it of its own accord； but rather； my mind is directing the life force to use my hand to acplish what my mind wishes done。’ She set the stone back on the ground and folded her hands in her lap。 The stone floated into the air and hung between them。 ‘I have just acplished the same thing； only this time I did it by projecting the life force outside of my body。 That is the gift。’
‘You can do what a wizard can？’
‘No。 Only some of it。 That is how we are able to teach its use。 We understand the feel of it。 The Sisters have some control of the life force； and the gift； but nothing like a wizard who knows how to control his Han。’
‘How do you get this life force to go outside your body？’
That can’t begin to be explained until you learn to recognize the force within yourself； learn to touch the Han。’
‘Why？’
‘Because every person is different。 Every person uses the force differently。 It isn’t used the same in any two people。 Love is a form of Han being projected outside one’s self； into another。 It is； though； a very mild； weak form。 Even though love is universal； it is used and felt differently by all。 Some use it to bring out the best of the Han in another。 Some use it to bring out the best in themselves。 Some use it to contr