as the yellow…and…black…banded bodies slithered toward the two of them。
Richard didn’t think they were mere incorporeal illusions； the place on his arm where the drop of blood had splattered burned painfully。 The snakes hissed。 Some coiled to strike； revealing dripping fangs。
‘Richard； we have to get out of here。 e； child。’
They turned and ran； the floating； red…eyed forms following。 Richard felt the thick air as he went through。 The air around him sparkled。
Sister Verna cried out。 He turned to see her on the ground before the snakes。 She sprang to her feet and tried again； but could not pass through。 To her； the air was solid。
She stood silently a moment； going calm。 She clasped her hands。 ‘Richard； I am trapped in this spell。 I cannot leave it。 It is me the spell captured； and recognizes。 It is too late for me。 Save yourself。 Run。 Without me； you may have a chance。 Hurry。 Go。’
There seemed to be a lot more snakes than Richard had seen at first。 The ground was alive with them。 They were surrounding him。 He struck as they did； and beheaded three that came too close。
The headless bodies writhed and then disassembled into hundreds of huge； glossy； black…and…brown…banded bugs。 They skittered in every direction。 Some ran up his pant leg。 He frantically shook his legs trying to get them out。 Each bite felt like a hot coal on his flesh。 He stomped his feet to get them off。 From the ground where he had killed the snakes； more of the bugs poured out； their hard…shelled bodies tumbling over each other； rustling like the sound of dry leaves blowing across parched earth。
Dancing among the clicking bugs and between the squirming snakes； he stepped back into the sparkling air。 ‘Without you I don’t have a chance。 You’re ing with me。’
He enfolded her in his arms and threw himself sword…first at the sparkling barrier。 The wall seemed hard at first； but then the air about them exploded in glittering flashes。 Lines of light； like crazed glass； shot in every direction。 The air erupted in a burst of sparkles and a crack of thunder。 The darting sparkles slowed and then drifted to earth； like fat flakes of snow； their light extinguishing when they touched the ground。 The two of them moved past the vanished barrier； free of the spell。
The dark forms followed。 The snakes followed。 Bugs popped and crunched under his boots。
Richard’s grip tightened on the sword。 ‘Let’s get out of here。’
She took two strides and then froze。
‘What’s wrong？’
‘I can’t feel the way；’ she whispered。 ‘Richard； I can’t feel the gaps。’ She turned to him。 ‘Do you feel anything？’ He shook his head。 Try！ Richard； try to feel where there is less danger。’
He stomped his feet to knock the bugs off his legs and swiped off one that had made it to his face。 Snakes were still pouring from the ground where the monster had fallen。 They boiled up like water from a spring。 ‘I can’t。 I feel danger all about。 It’s the same everywhere。 Which way！’
She clutched her skirt in a fist。 ‘I don’t know。’
Richard heard a scream。 The familiar voice wrenched his attention before he could stop himself。 Kahlan was standing where the snakes poured from the ground。 They slithered up and over her as if she were a rock in a living stream of snakes。 She held her arms out to him。
‘Richard！ Help me！ You said you would love me always！ Please； Richard！ Don’t leave me to this！ Help me！’
His own voice came in a shaky whisper。 ‘Sister Verna； what do you see？’
‘Jedidiah；’ she answered quietly。 There are snakes all over him。 He wants my help。 May the Creator have mercy on us。’
‘Why should he start now？’
‘Do not speak blasphemy。’
He forced himself to turn from the vision。 Gripping the Sister’s arm； he led her away。 They sidestepped as they watched the forms drifting around them。 They avoided the snakes； but it was impossible not to step on the huge bugs。
He knew that moving anywhere without knowing where to go could be more dangerous than standing still； now that the magic had found them。 Even so； he couldn’t make his feet stop。 Finally they reached ground that was clear of snakes and bugs； for the moment。
‘We’re running out of time。 Do you feel anything yet？ Do you feel the way yet？’
‘Nothing。 I’m sorry； Richard。 I have failed in my duty； failed the Creator。 I’ve killed us both。’
‘Not yet。’
Richard whistled for the horses。 They came at a trot； ignored by the dark forms。 Bonnie nuzzled her head against him； forcing him back a step。 Sister Verna took up the lead line and started leading Jessup away。
‘No！’ Richard leapt up onto Bonnie。 He swatted two clicking bugs from his pant leg。 ‘Mount up。 Hurry。’
Sister Verna stared at him。 ‘Richard； we can’t ride the horses。 I told you that。 They are just dumb animals。 They will be spooked and take us into a storm of spells。 We can’t control them without bits！’
‘Sister； you told me you read The Adventures of Bonnie Day。 Do you remember when the three heroes were taking the injured people to safety； and they came to the poison river that couldn’t be crossed？ What did they say？ They said that the people just had to have faith that it could be done。 Bonnie； Geraldine； and Jessup led them across the river。 Have faith； Sister。 Mount up。 Hurry。’
‘You want me to do something I know will get us killed because of some fool thing you read in a book！ We must walk！’
Bonnie tossed her head and danced about。 Richard took up the slack in the reins to keep her in place。 ‘You don’t know the way。 I don’t know the way。 If we stay we die。’
Then what good is riding going to do！’ She had to give a sharp tug to keep Jessup still。 He was roused by Bonnie’s excitement。
‘Sister； what have the horses been doing all day； whenever we let them？’
‘Browsing on grass that isn’t there。 They’re having visions！’
‘Are they？ Do you know that？ What if what we’re seeing is the illusion？ Maybe they see what’s really here。 Now let’s go！’
The dark forms were closer； their eyes glowing a brighter red。 Sister Verna glanced at them； and then pulled herself up onto the saddle。 ‘But …’
‘Have a little faith； Sister。’ Bonnie pranced sideways； eager to be off。 ‘I promised you I would save you； and I intend to。 I’ll lead。 Don’t hold back。’
Richard gave his horse a sharp kick in the ribs with his heels while shouting the mand。 She leapt out into a dead run。 The other two horses sprang to follow。 He leaned forward over Bonnie’s withers as she stretched into the gallop。 He let her have free rein； without giving her any hint of direction。 He focused on her ears； instead of what lay ahead； not wanting to influence her。
‘Richard！’ Sister Verna screamed from behind。 ‘In the name of the Creator； watch where you’re going！ Don’t you see what you’re leading that horse into！’
‘I’m not leading her；’ he called out over the sound of thundering hooves。 ‘She is picking her own course。’
The Sister galloped up beside him； her eyebrows knit together in fury。 ‘Are you insane？ Look at where you’re headed！’
Richard snatched a glance。 They were rushing headlong for the edge of a cliff。
‘Close your eyes； Sister。’
‘Have you lost your 。。。’
‘Close your eyes！ It’s a vision。 A vision of a fear we all have in mon … falling。 Just like we both saw snakes。’
‘The snakes were real！ If you’re wrong we will be killed！’
‘Close your eyes。 If it’s really there； the horses won’t run over the edge of a cliff。’ He hoped he was right about that。
‘Unless it’s really there； and the magic shows them a vision of flat ground so as to kill us！’
‘If we stay； we die！ We have no choice！’
He heard a growled curse from her as she hauled in on her left rein； trying to turn her horse； but Jessup stayed with Bonnie。 Bonnie was leading； Jessup and Geraldine wouldn’t leave her。
‘I told you destroying those bits was foolish！ We can’t control them！ They’re running away with us！’
‘I told you I would save you。 Destroying those bits is what will save you。 My eyes are closed。 If you want to live； close yours！’
Sister Verna was silent as the three horses thundered on。 Richard’s eyes were squeezed shut。 When he judged they should be at the brink； he held his breath。 He prayed that the good spirits would be with him this time。
His legs tingled in anticipation of plummeting over a cliff。 He tried not to think of what it would be like on the way down。 Shared fear； that’s all it was。 He realized he was holding Bonnie’s mane in a death grip。 He relaxed his fingers but kept his eyes closed。
The plunge didn’t e。
The three horses galloped on。 He did nothing to slow them； but let them run as they would。 They were in a frisky mood from grazing all day； and he could tell they were enjoying the run。 They were running for the sheer joy of it。
After a time； Richard realized that the sound of their hooves was changing。 It wasn’t as sharp； it had grown softer。
‘Richard！ We’re ou