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n I’ve ever seen； convinced me to do something I ought to know better than to get tangled in。 I surely don’t like anything to do with wizards and magic。’
‘And I be a sorceress？’ Elda asked。 ‘A blind sorceress？’
‘Well； no； ma’am。 You were blind； but you could use your gift to see … see better than I can see with my eyes。’
‘Then why be I blind； now？’
‘Both of you were sick。 Sick with some kind of evil magic。 The three sorceresses agreed to help you； but in order to cure you； they had to 。。。 well； they had to give you both something that would make your magic； your gift； go away。 You made me wait outside； so I don’t know what they did。 I just know what you told me before you went back in for the last time to have it done。’
Ruben leaned in。 ‘You’re making this up。’
Ahern ignored him and went on。 ‘The sickness you two had was feeding on your good magic。 I don’t know the way magic works； and the spirits know I don’t want to know； I only know what you told me； the way you explained it to me； when you came out and convinced me to help you。 You said that in order to help you； the three sorceresses had to give you something to make your magic go away。 Only in that way could you two heal。 The evil magic wouldn’t wither and die； and your wounds heal； as long as it had the good magic to latch on to； to feed on。’
‘So now we have no magic？’
‘Well； I don’t know how it all works； but as I understand it； you can’t really get rid of your magic。 What the three women did was make you forget everything about yourselves； so you wouldn’t know you had any magic； so the evil magic wouldn’t know； either； that it was there。 So that’s why neither of you knows who you are； or how to use magic。 That’s why Elda is blind。’
Ruben squinted。 ‘Why would the sorceresses agree to help us？’
‘Mostly because of Elda。 They said she was a legend among the sorceresses of Nicobarese。 Something about what she did when she was younger and used to live here。’
Ruben stared at the big man。 ‘It has to be true。’ He turned to Elda。 ‘It has to be true。 No one could invent such an absurd story。 What do you think？’
‘I think as you。 I think he be telling us the truth。’
‘Good；’ Ahern said。 ‘Now es the part you aren’t going to like。’
‘What about our magic？ When does it e back？ When do we remember who we are？’
Ahern raked his meaty fingers through his shaggy； gray hair。 ‘That’s the part you aren’t going to like。 The three women said they doubt you two will ever get it back。 You may never remember。 You may never get your magic back。’
The silence echoed in the coach。 Ruben finally spoke。 ‘Why would we agree to such a thing？’
Ahern picked at his fingers。 ‘Because you had no choice。 You were both sick。 Mighty sick； Elda more than you。 She would have been dead by now； and you within another day or two； at most。 You had no choice。 It was the only way。’
Ruben folded his hands over the silver head of his cane。 ‘Well； if that is so； then we had to。 If we never remember； we will just learn to be Ruben； and Elda； and start our lives over。’
Ahern shook his head。 ‘There’s a problem about that。 You told me that the three women said that if the evil magic finally left you； then you might be able to get your memory； and your magic； back。 You told me that it was imperative that you get it back。 You said that there was great trouble in the world that you had to help with。 You said that it was a matter of grave importance to every person alive。 You said you had something you must do。’
‘What trouble？ What is it I must do？’
‘You didn’t tell me。 You said I wouldn’t understand。’
‘Well； how do we get our memories； our magic； back？’ Ahern glanced to each。 ‘It may not e back。 The three women didn’t know if it ever would； but if it is to e back； it will only e back with a shock。 A great emotional jolt； or shock。’
‘An emotional shock？ Like what？’
‘Like maybe anger。 Maybe if you are angry enough。’
Ruben frowned。 ‘So 。。。 what？ You are to slap me； to make me angry？’
‘No。 You said that you didn’t know how； but something like that wouldn’t work。 You said it required a great emotional shock； but you didn’t know what it could be； or how to bring it about。 You also said that if something did bring on the anger； it would be violent； and terrible； because of the magic。 You said you had no choice； though； because you would die if you didn’t do this。’
Ruben and Elda sat in silence and thought while Ahern watched them。 ‘So； where are you taking us？ Why are we in this coach？’
‘Aydindril。’
‘Aydindril？ Never heard of it。 Where is it？ How far？’
‘Aydindril is the home of the Confessors； clear on the other side of the Rang’Shada Mountains。 It’s a long journey： weeks； maybe a month。 It will be close to winter solstice； the longest night of the year； before we get there。’
‘Seems a long way to go；’ Ruben said。 ‘Why did I want you to take us there？’
‘You said you had to go to the Wizard’s Keep。 You said that it takes magic to get in； but you don’t have any magic； now； so you told me how to get you in。 Seems you were a troublesome child； and had a secret way to sneak in and out of the Keep without triggering the magic。’ Ruben drew his finger and thumb down his smooth jaw。 ‘And you say I told you it was urgent？’
Ahern gave a grim nod。
‘Then we’d best be on our way。’
Just as she had been smiling to people all evening； Kahlan smiled to the woman in an elaborate dark blue gown before her。 The woman was relating how concerned everyone had been for the Mother Confessor。 Her insincerity was as transparent as the hypocrisy from everyone else。 Kahlan had spent her whole life listening to duplicitous people try to mask their avaricious nature with words of altruism and amity。 It sickened her。
Kahlan wished that just once； one of these people she lived and worked with would have the honesty to admit how strongly they hated her and how it infuriated them that she wouldn’t allow them to rape the Midlands and its people for their own benefit。 She admonished herself that they were not all like that。
Kahlan idly wondered； as she half listened； what this dignified wife of an ambassador would think if instead of seeing the Mother Confessor standing before her in a sparkling white dress； wearing a choker of jewels worth half her kingdom； she were to see her on a horse； naked； painted white and drenched in blood； as she hacked with a sword at the faces of men trying to kill her。 Kahlan decided the woman would probably faint。
When the woman finally paused for a breath； Kahlan thanked her for her concern； and moved away。 It was getting late and she was tired。 She had an early appointment with the council。 Seeing herself as she passed a mirror； Kahlan felt as if she had been dreaming for a very long time； and had awakened； the same as she was before； the Mother Confessor； in her white Confessor’s dress； at the Confessors’ Palace in Aydindril。
But she wasn’t the same as the last tim