Moonlight Dwelling

Kahlan couldn't stop staring. She didn't notice Richard had walked up beside her until he spoke.

"Kahlan what are you doing?"

She pointed at an object on the ground that appeared to be an apple with needles sticking out of it.

"What is that?"

"I have no idea Richard."

Richard and Kahlan continued to stare at the object.

"What are you two doing? A man could go hungry if he has to rely on you two."

Richard and Kahlan didn't say a word so Zedd walked over to see that had captured their attention. He kicked it aside. Richard and Kahlan turned to Zedd with confused looks on their faces.

"When did you get here Zedd?"

"Are you two feeling alright?"

Kahlan looked at Richard and back at Zedd.

"We're fine Zedd."

"Good the Mesmerizer didn't cause any permanent damage."

"What are you talking about Zedd?"

Zedd looked down to where he had kicked the Mesmerizer.

"You found an enchanted apple infused with ancient magic."

Richard remembered seeing an apply full of needles. He looked around and saw it resting on the ground near a rock.

"Richard look away right now."

Richard heard Zedd but he couldn't look away. He felt a tug on his arm and looked at Kahlan who was still holding his arm. He smiled at her.

"I should get this taken care of. You two fix something to eat."

Richard and Kahlan went back to the clearing where they had set up camp. The fire had already been started. There was a rabbit lying on a rock so Richard went over to his pack to get a knife so he could skin it and prepare it to cook over the fire.

"That was so weird."

Kahlan nodded at Richard. She sat down and grabbed a pack that had a loaf of bread in it. She had a really bad feeling about that spell. Zedd came back and sat down while Richard roasted the rabbit over the fire.

"Zedd what does the Mesmerizer do?"

Zedd knew that Richard was going to ask that so he grabbed a few slices of bread that Kahlan had sliced and started telling them about the ancient magics that Rahl must never get his hands on.

"This weapon is much like the Whisperer."

Kahlan and Richard remembered the results of that horrible weapon that killed people where they stood.

"Anyone that finds it will just stand there looking at it until they die of starvation."

Zedd finished his bread waiting for the rabbit to finish cooking while Kahlan and Richard wondered how he could eat but he was Zedd who never turned down something to eat.

By Barbara Desmond