She shook her head at such foolishness and shuffled off to the outer room to retrieve more tea. Kahlan was sure it wasn't her imagination that Zedd seemed just the tiniest bit more alert.

"Listen closely, my boy." He lifted a finger for emphasis. "In the Keep, there is a spell of great power. A sort of bottled antidote to the taint wafting through the world of life."

"And you need it?" Richard guessed.

Ann, too, looked to have been helped by the tea. "We tried to cast the counterspells, but our power has already deteriorated too much. We did not discover what was happening soon enough."

"But the vaporous spell in that bottle will do to the taint as the taint does to us," Zedd drawled.

"And thereby equalize the power so you can cast the counterspell and eliminate it," Richard impatiently finished in a rush.

"Yes," Zedd and Ann said as one.

Kahlan smiled eagerly. "It's not a problem, then. We can get the bottle for you."

Richard grinned his zeal. "We can get to the Keep through the sliph. We can retrieve this bottled spell of yours and be back with it in no time, almost."

Ann covered her eyes with a hand as she muttered a curse. "Zedd, did you never teach this boy anything?"

Richard's grin gave out. "Why? What's wrong with that?"

Nissel shuffled in carrying two clay cups of tea. She handed one to Kahlan and one to Richard. "Make them drink it all."

"Nissel says you must drink this down," Kahlan told them.

Ann sipped when Kahlan held the cup to her lips. Zedd wrinkled his nose, but then had to start swallowing as Richard poured the tea down his grandfather's gullet. Balking and coughing, he was forced to gulp it all or drown.

"Now, what's the problem with us getting this spell thing from the Keep?" Richard asked as his grandfather caught his breath.

"First of all," Zedd managed between gasps, "you don't need to bring it here. You must only break the bottle. The spell will be released. It doesn't need direction-it's already created."

Richard was nodding. "I can break a bottle. I'll break it."

"Listen. It's in a bottle designed to protect the magic. It will only be released if it's broken properly-with an object possessing the correct magic. Otherwise, it will simply evaporate without helping."

"What object? How do I break the bottle correctly?"

"The Sword of Truth," Zedd said. "It has the proper magic to release the spell intact as it breaches the container."

"That's not a problem. I left the sword in your private enclave in the Keep. But won't the sword's magic fail, too?"

"No. The Sword of Truth was created by wizards with the knowledge to ward its power from assaults against its magic."

"So you think the Sword of Truth will stop a Lurk?" Zedd nodded. "Much of this matter is unknown to me, but I strongly believe this: The Sword of Truth may be the only thing with the power to protect you." Zedd's fingers gripped Richard's undershirt, pulling him close. "You must retrieve the sword."

His eyes brightened when Richard nodded earnestly. Zedd tried to push himself up on an elbow, but Richard pressed a big hand to the old man's chest, forcing him to lie down.

"Rest. You can get up after you rest. Now, where is this bottle with the spell."

Zedd frowned at something and pointed behind Richard and Kahlan. They both turned to look. When they didn't see anything but Cara watching from the doorway, they turned back to see Zedd up on the elbow. He smiled at his little triumph. Richard scowled.

"Now, listen carefully, my boy. You said you got into the First Wizard's private enclave?" Richard's head bobbed as Zedd talked. "And you remember the place?" Richard was still nodding. "Good. There is an entrance. A long walk between things."

"Yes, I remember. The long entryway has a red carpet down the middle. To each side are white marble columns about as tall as me. There are different things atop each. At the end-"

"Yes," Zedd held up a hand, as if to stop him. "The white marble columns. You remember them? The things atop them?"

"Some. Not every one. There were gems in brooches, gold chains, a silver chalice, finely wrought knives, bowls, boxes." Richard paused with a frown of effort at recollection. He snapped his fingers. "Fifth column on the left has a bottle atop it. I remember because I thought it was pretty.

An inky black bottle with a gold filigree stopper."

A sly smile stole onto the Zedd's face. "Quite right, my boy. That's the bottle."

"What do I do? Just break it with the Sword of Truth?"

"Just break it."

"Nothing fancy? No incantations? No placing it some certain place some certain way? No waiting for the right moon? No special time of day or night? No turning round first? Nothing fancy?"

"Nothing fancy. Just break it with the sword. If it were me, I'd carefully set it on the floor, just in case my aim was bad and I knocked it off without breaking the glass and it fell to the marble to break there. But that's me."

"The floor it is, then. I'll set it on the floor and smash it with the sword." Richard started to rise. "It will be done before dawn breaks tomorrow."

Zedd caught Richard's hand and urged him back down. "No, Richard, you can't." He flopped back, sighing unhappily.

"Can't what?" Richard asked as he leaned close once more.

Zedd took a few breaths. "Can't go in that sliph thing of yours."

"But we have to," Richard insisted. "It will get us there in less than a day. Over land would take… I don't know. Weeks."

The old wizard lifted a grim finger toward Richard's face. "The sliph uses magic. If you go in the sliph, you will die before you reach Aydindril. You will be in the dark recesses of that quicksilver creature, breathing her magic, when that magic fails. You will drown. No one will ever find your body."

Richard licked his lips. He raked his fingers back through his hair. "Are you sure? Might I be able to make it before the magic fails? Zedd, this is important. If there is some risk, then we must take it. I'll go alone. I'll leave Kahlan and Cara."

Alarm swelled in Kahlan's chest at the idea of Richard being in the sliph, and having its magic fail. Of him drowning in the dark forever of the sliph. She clutched at his arm to protest, but Zedd spoke first.

"Richard, listen to me. I am First Wizard. I am telling you: Magic is failing. If you go in the sliph, you will die. Not maybe. Will. All magic is failing. You must go without magic."

Richard pressed his lips tight and nodded. "All right, then. If we must, then we must. It will take longer, though. How long can you and Ann…?"

Zedd smiled. "Richard, we are too weak to travel or we would go with you now, but we will be fine. We would only slow you for no good reason. You can accomplish what must be done. As soon as you break the bottle and release the spell, then these things here"-he gestured to the spells drawn all over the floor-"will let us know. Once they do, I can cast the counterspells.

"Until then, the Wizard's Keep will be vulnerable. Extraordinarily powerful and dangerous things could be stolen when the Keep's shields of magic fail. After I restore magic's power, anything stolen could then be used against us."

"Do you know how much of the Keep's magic will fail?"

Zedd shook his head in frustration. "This is without precedent. I can't predict the exact sequences, but I'm sure all will fail. We need you to stay at the Keep and protect it as you planned. Ann and I will follow after this business is finished. We're counting on you. Can you do that for me, my boy?"

Richard, his eyes glistening, nodded. He took up his grandfather's hand. "Of course. You can count on me."

"Promise me, Richard. Promise me you will go to the Keep."

"I promise."

"If you don't," Ann warned in a low voice, "Zedd's optimism about his being fine may prove… flawed."