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ere　especially　picky　about　proof。　A　corpse　was　the　only　proof　they　need　show　of　their　job　well　done。　If　they　said　the　body　was　that　of　a　baneling；　then　it　was。　In　the　smaller　towns；　the　Blood　were　usually　selfappointed　toughs　and　thugs。　The　Blood　of　the　Fold　were　widely　feared。　With　good　reason。
　
　‘They　took　us　。。。’　Her　voice　broke；　but　only　that　once。。。。　‘into　separate　rooms　in　the　bottom　of　the　mill。　It　be　dark；　and　smelled　of　the　damp　stone　walls　and　grain　dust。　I　did　not　know　what　be　done　to　Pell。　I　be　almost　too　terrified　to　breathe。
　
　‘Mathrin　Galliene　said　Pell　and　I　be　banelings。　He　said　I　would　not　wed　as　I　should　have　because　I　wished　to　bring　the　Keeper’s　notice　to　Choora。　There　be　a　sickness；　a　fever；　in　the　country　that　summer；　and　it　brought　death　to　many　a　family。　Mathrin　Galliene　said　Pell　and　I　brought　the　sickness。　I　denied　it　be　so；　and　spoke　the　oath　to　show　proof。’　Adie　turned　the　cup　in　her　fingers　as　she　stared　at　it。
　
　Zedd　touched　her　hand。　‘Drink；　Adie。　It　will　help　you。’　He　had　put　a　pinch　of　cloud　leaf　into　her　tea；　to　help　relax　her。
　
　She　took　a　long　swallow。　‘Mathrin　Galliene　said　Pell　and　I　be　banelings；　and　the　graveyard　be　full　of　the　proof　of　that。　He　said　he　wanted　only　for　Pell　and　I　to　tell　the　truth；　to　confess。　The　other　men　of　the　Blood　be　growling　like　hounds　around　a　rabbit；　ready　to　tear　us　apart。　I　be　terrified　for　Pell。
　
　As　they　beat　me；　I　knew　they　would　be　doing　worse　to　him；　to　make　him　name　me　a　baneling。　Nothing　be　better　for　the　Blood　than　to　have　someone　name　a　loved　one　as　a　baneling。　They　would　not　listen　when　I　denied　it。’　She　looked　up　into　his　eyes。　‘They　would　not　listen。’
　
　‘Anything　you　said；’　Zedd　offered　quietly；　‘would　have　made　no　difference；　Adie。　It　wouldn’t　have　mattered。　When　you　are　in　a　leghold　trap；　reasoning　with　the　steel　does　no　good。’
　
　She　nodded。　‘I　know。’　Her　face　was　a　calm　mask　over　a　thunderhead。　‘I　could　have　stopped　it；　had　I　used　the　gift；　but　it　be　against　everything　I　be　taught；　believed。　It　be　as　if　using　the　gift　would　prove　to　myself　that　what　the　men　said　be　true。　I　felt　it　would　have　been　blasphemy　against　the　Creator。　I　be　as　helpless　while　the　men　beat　me　as　if　I　did　not　have　the　gift。’
　
　She　drained　the　tea　from　her　cup。　‘Even　as　I　screamed；　I　could　hear　Pell’s　screams　echoing　from　another　room。’
　
　Zedd　went　to　the　fire　and　brought　the　pot　back；　filling　her　cup　again。　‘It　wasn’t　your　fault；　Adie。　Don’t　blame　yourself。’
　
　She　flicked　a　glance　up　at　him　as　he　poured　himself　another　cup。　They　wanted　me　to　name　Pell　as　a　baneling。　I　told　them　I　would　not；　that　they　could　kill　me；　but　they　could　not　make　me　say　that　it　be　so。
　
　‘Mathrin　bent　close　to　me；　put　his　face　close　to　mine。　In　my　head；　I　can　still　see　his　smile。　He　said；　‘I　believe　you；　girl。　But　it　doesn’t　matter；　because　it　not　be　you　we　want　to　name　the　baneling。　It　be　Pell　we　want　to　speak　the　name　of　the　baneling。　It　be　you　we　want　Pell　to　name。　You　be　the　bane…ling。’
　
　Then　the　men　held　me　down。　Mathrin　tried　to　pour　something　down　my　throat。　It　burned　my　mouth。　He　held　my　nose。　It　be　swallow　or　drown。　I　wished　to　drown；　but　I　swallowed　without　wanting　to。　It　burned　my　throat　like　swallowing　fire。　I　could　not　speak。　I　could　not　make　a　sound。　I　could　not　even　scream。　No　sound　be　there。　Only　burning　pain。　More　pain　than　I　had　ever　known。’　She　took　a　sip　of　tea；　as　if　to　soothe　her　throat。
　
　Then　the　men　took　me　in　the　room　with　Pell　and　tied　me　to　a　chair　in　front　of　him。　Mathrin　held　me　by　my　hair　so　I　could　not　move。　It　broke　my　heart　to　see　what　they　had　done　to　my　Pell。　His　face　be　white　as　snow。　They　had　cut　off　most　of　his　fingers；　one　knuckle　at　a　time。’　Her　own　fingers　tightened　around　her　cup　as　she　stared　into　the　vision。
　
　‘Mathrin　told　Pell　that　I　had　confessed　that　Pell　be　a　baneling。　Pell’s　eyes　be　big；　looking　at　me。　I　tried　to　scream　that　it　not　be　true；　but　no　sound　came。　I　tried　to　shake　my　head　that　it　not　be　true；　but　Mathrin　held　me　so　I　could　not。
　
　‘Pell　told　them　he　did　not　believe　them。　They　cut　off　another　finger。　They　told　him　they　only　do　it　because　I　named　him。　Only　do　it　on　my　word。　Pell　kept　his　eyes　on　me　as　he　shook；　and　kept　telling　them　he　did　not　believe　them。　They　told　Pell　I　had　told　them　I　wished　him　to　be　killed　because　he　be　a　baneling。　Still　Pell　said　he　did　not　believe　them。　He　said　he　loved　me。
　
　Then　he　told　Pell　I　had　named　him　a　baneling；　and　that　if　it　not　be　so；　I　could　deny　it　and　they　would　let　us　both　go　free。　He　told　Pell　that　I　had　promised　I　would　not　deny　it　because　he　be　a　baneling；　and　I　wanted　him　to　die　for　it。　Pell　screamed　for　me　to　tell　them。　Screamed　for　me　to　deny　it。　He　screamed　my　name；　screamed　for　me　to　say　something。
　
　‘I　tried；　but　I　could　say　nothing。　My　throat　be　fire。　My　voice　did　not　work。　Mathrin　held　me　by　my　hair；　I　could　not　move。　Pell’s　eyes　be　big　as　he　stared　at　me。　As　I　sat　silent。
　
　Then　Pell　spoke　to　me。　‘How　could　you　do　that　to　me；　Adie？　How　could　you　name　me　a　baneling？’　Then　he　cried。
　
　‘Mathrin　asked　him　to　name　me　a　baneling。　He　said　that　if　he　did；　they　would　believe　him　over　me；　because　I　had　the　gift；　and　he　would　be　freed。　Pell　whispered；　‘I　will　not　say　that　of　her　to　save　my　life。　Even　though　she　has　betrayed　me。’　Those　words　broke　my　heart。’
　
　As　she　stared　off　at　nothing；　Zedd　noticed　a　candle　on　the　counter　behind　her　melt　into　a　puddle。　He　could　feel　the　waves　of　power　radiating　from　her。　He　realized　he　was　holding　his　breath。　He　eased　it　out。
　
　‘Mathrin　cut　Pell’s　throat；’　she　said　simply。　‘He　severed　Pell’s　head　and　held　it　before　me。　He　said　he　wanted　me　to　see　what　following　the　Keeper　had　brought　on　Pell。　He　said　it　be　the　last　thing　he　wanted　me　to　ever　see。　The　men　held　my　head　back　and　pulled　my　eyes　open。　Mathrin　poured　the　burning　liquid　in　them。
　
　‘I　be　blinded。
　
　‘In　that　moment；　something　happened　inside　me。　My　Pell　was　gone；　he　died　thinking　I　had　betrayed　him；　my　life　was　about　to　end。　I　suddenly　realized　how　it　be　my　own　fault；　for　holding　to　an　oath。　The　life　of　my　love；　for　an　ignorant　oath；　for　a　foolish　superstition。　Nothing　mattered　anymore；　everything　be　gone　to　me。
　
　‘I　turned　the　gift　loose；　turned　the　rage　loose。　I　broke　my　oath　not　to　use　the　gift　to　harm　another。　I　could　not　see；　but　I　could　hear；　I　could　hear　their　blood　hit　the　stone　walls。　I　struck　out　wildly。　I　shredded　every　living　thing　in　that　room；　be　it　man　or　mouse。　I　could　not　see；　so　I　simply　struck　at　any　life　I　could　feel。　I　could　not　tell　if　any　had　escaped。　In　a　way；　I　be　glad　to　be　blind；　or　seeing　what　I　be　doing；　I　might　have　stopped　before　I　finished。
　
　‘When　all　be　still；　dead；　I　felt　my　way　around　the　room；　counting　the　bodies。　One　be　missing。
　
　‘I　crawled　to　my　grandmother　Lindel’s。　How　I　made　my　way；　I　cannot　imagine；　except　to　think　the　gift　guided　me。　When　she　saw　me；　she　be　furious。　She　pulled　me　to　my　feet　and　demanded　to　know　if　I　had　broken　my　oath。’
　
　Zedd　leaned　forward。　‘But　you　couldn’t　speak。　How　did　you　answer？’
　
　Adie　smiled　a　small；　cold　smile。　‘I　picked　her　up　by　the　throat；　with　the　power　of　the　gift；　and　slammed　her　against　the　wall。　I　walked　up　to　her　and　nodded　my　head。　I　squeezed　her　throat　in　anger。　She　fought　me。　She　fought　me　with　all　her　power。　But　I　be　stronger；　much　stronger。　I　never　knew　until　that　moment　that　the　gift　be　different　in　different　people。　She　be　as　helpless　as　a　stick　doll。
　
　‘But　I　could　not　hurt　her；　as　much　as　I　wished　to　for　her　asking　that　question　before　any　other。　I　released　her　and　sagged　to　the　floor；　I　could　stand　no　longer。　She　came　to　me　and　began　tending　to　my　wounds。　She　told　me　I　had　done　wrong；　by　breaking　my　oath；　but　that　what　was　done　to　me　was　a　more　grievous　wrong。
　
　‘I　never　feared　Grandmother　Lindel　again。　Not　because　she　be　helping　me；　but　because　I　had　broken　the　oath；　I　be　beyond　the　laws　I　had　been　taught；　and　because　I　knew　I　was　stronger　than　she。　From　that　day　on；　she　be　afraid　of　me。　I　think　she　helped　me　because　she　wanted　me　well；　so　I　could　leave。
　
　‘A　few　days　later；　Grandmother　Lindel　came　home