gc.shadowslinger-第60章

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　　The　tavern's　other　customers　began　to　fade。　Word　who　we　were　had　gotten　out。　They　knew　some　bad　people　were　hunting　us。
　　〃Sit；　Goblin；〃　I　said。　〃King；　you　and　Otto　go　get　some　fresh　horses。〃　I　gave　them　most　of　the　money　I　had。　〃All　the　staples　that　will　buy；　too。　I　think　we　got　a　long　ride　ahead。　Right；　Goblin？〃
　　He　nodded。
　　〃Let's　hear　it。〃
　　〃Whisper　and　Limper　turned　up　this　morning。　Came　with　fifty　men。　pany　men。　Looking　for　us。　Made　enough　fuss　we　heard　them　ing。　The　Lieutenant　sent　word　to　everybody　ashore。　Some　didn't　get　aboard　in　time。　Whisper　headed　for　the　ship。　The　Lieutenant　had　to　cut　loose。　We　left　nineteen　men　behind。〃
　　〃What're　you　doing　here？〃
　　〃I　volunteered。　Went　over　the　side　off　the　point；　swam　to　shore；　came　back　to　wait　for　you　guys。　Supposed　to　tell　you　where　to　meet　the　ship。　Ran　into　Pawn　by　accident。　I　was　patching　him　up　when　I　seen　Shed　poking　around。　We　followed　him　back　here。〃
　　I　sighed。　〃They're　headed　for　Chimney；　right？〃
　　He　was　surprised。　〃Yeah。　How'd　you　know　that？〃
　　I　explained　briefly。
　　He　said；　〃Pawn；　better　tell　them　what　you　know。　Pawn　was　caught　ashore。　Only　survivor　I　could　find。〃
　　〃This　is　a　private　adventure　with　the　Taken；〃　Pawn　said。　〃They　snuck　down　here。　Supposed　to　be　somewhere　else。　Figured　it　was　a　chance　to　get　even；　I　guess；　now　we're　not　on　the　list　of　the　Lady's　favorites。〃
　　〃She　doesn't　know　they're　here？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　I　chuckled。　Despite　the　gravity　of　the　situation；　I　could　not　help　that。　〃They're　in　for　a　surprise；　then。　The　old　bitch　herself　is　going　to　turn　up。　We　got　another　black　castle　growing　here。〃
　　Several　of　them　looked　at　me　askance；　wondering　how　I　would　know　what　the　Lady　was　doing。　I　had　not　explained　my　dream　to　anyone　but　the　Lieutenant。　I　finished　patching　Pawnbroker。　〃You'll　be　able　to　travel；　but　take　it　easy。　How'd　you　find　that　out？〃
　　〃Shaky。　We　talked　some　before　he　tried　to　kill　me。〃
　　〃Shaky！〃　One…Eye　snarled。　〃What　the　hell？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　the　Taken　told　those　guys。　But　they　were　cranked　up。　Wanted　our　asses　bad。　Suckers。　Most　of　them　got　killed　for　their　trouble。〃
　　〃Killed？〃
　　〃Prince　what's…it　got　righteous　about　the　Taken　walking　in　like　they　owned　the　place。　There　was　a　big　fight　with　the　Limper　and　our　boys。　Our　guys　practically　got　wiped　out。　Maybe　they'd　have　done　better　if　they　could've　rested　first。
　　〃Funny。〃　We　talked　it　over　like　those　men　and　we　had　not　somehow　bee　mortal　enemies；　sympathizing。　And；　in　my　case；　feeling　bitter　toward　the　Taken　for　having　turned　and　squandered　them。
　　〃Shaky　say　anything　about　Juniper？〃
　　〃Yeah。　They　had　a　real　old…fashioned　blood　bath　up　there。　Not　much　left　of　anything。　Counting　us；　the　pany　was　down　six　hundred　guys　when　the　Lady　finished　with　the　castle。　Lot　more　guys　was　killed　in　the　riots　that　came　after；　when　she　cleaned　out　the　Catabs。　The　whole　damned　city　went　crazy；　with　that　Hargadon　leading　the　rebellion。　Had　our　guys　trapped　in　Duretile。　Then　the　Lady　lost　her　temper。　She　wrecked　what　was　left　of　the　town。〃
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃The　Captain　guessed　right　about　the　Catabs。〃
　　〃Journey　took　over　what　was　left　of　the　pany；〃　Goblin　said。　〃They　was　supposed　to　pull　out　with　the　plunder　as　soon　as　they　got　it　all　together。　City　is　so　wrecked　there　isn't　no　reason　to　stay　around。〃
　　I　looked　at　Shed。　A　bleaker　face　could　not　be　imagined。　Pain　and　questions　twisted　inside　him。　He　wanted　to　know　about　his　people。　Did　not　want　to　speak　for　fear　someone　would　accuse　him。　〃Not　your　fault；　man；〃　I　told　him。　〃The　Duke　asked　the　Lady　in　before　you　got　involved。　It　would　have　happened　no　matter　what　you　did。〃
　　〃How　can　people　do　stuff　like　that？〃
　　Asa　gave　him　the　odd　look。　〃Shed；　that's　dumb。　How　could　you　do　all　the　stuff　you　did？　Desperate；　that's　what。　Everybody's　desperate。　They　do　crazy　things。〃
　　One…Eye　gave　me　a　how…about…that？　look。　Even　Asa　could　think　sometimes。
　　〃Pawn。　Shaky　say　anything　about　Elmo？〃　Elmo　remained　my　main　regret。
　　〃No。　I　didn't　ask。　We　didn't　have　much　time。〃
　　〃What's　the　plan？〃　Goblin　said。
　　〃We'll　head　south　when　King　and　Otto　get　here　with　the　horses　and　supplies。〃　A　sigh。　〃Going　to　be　hard　times。　I　got　maybe　two　leva。　How　about　you　guys？〃
　　We　catalogued　our　resources。　I　said；　〃We're　in　trouble。〃
　　〃The　Lieutenant　sent　this。〃　Goblin　deposited　a　small　sack　on　the　table。　It　contained　fifty　silver　castle　coins　from　Raven's　horde。
　　〃That'll　help。　Still　going　to　make　it　on　prayer；　though。〃
　　〃I　have　some　money；〃　Shed　volunteered。　〃Quite　a　bit。　It's　back　where　I　was　staying。〃
　　I　eyeballed　him。　〃You　don't　have　to　go。　You're　not　part　of　this。〃
　　〃Yes；　I　am。〃
　　〃For　as　long　as　I've　known　you；　you've　been　trying　to　run　away。　。。。〃
　　〃Got　something　to　fight　for　now；　Croaker。　What　they　did　to　Juniper。　I　can't　let　that　go。〃
　　〃Me；　too；〃　Asa　said。　〃I　still　got　most　of　the　money　Raven　gave　me　after　we　raided　the　Catabs。〃
　　I　polled　the　others　silently。　They　did　not　respond。　It　was　up　to　me。　〃All　right。　Get　it。　But　don't　dawdle。　I　want　to　pull　out　as　soon　as　I　can。〃
　　〃I　can　catch　you　one　the　road；〃　Shed　said。　〃I　don't　see　why　Asa　can't　too。〃　He　rose。　Shyly；　he　extended　a　hand。　I　hesitated　only　a　moment。
　　〃Wele　to　the　Black　pany；　Shed。〃
　　Asa　did　not　make　the　same　offer。
　　〃Think　they'll　e　back？〃　One…Eye　asked　after　they　left。
　　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　　〃Nope。　I　hope　you　know　what　you're　doing；　Croaker。　They　could　get　the　Taken　after　us　if　they　get　caught。〃
　　〃Yeah。　They　could。〃　I　was　counting　on　it；　in　fact。　A　vicious　notion　had　e　to　me。　〃Let's　have　another　round　here。　Be　our　last　for　a　long　time。〃
　　
　　　Chapter　Forty…Seven：　THE　INN：　ON　THE　RUN
　　
　　Very　much　to　my　amazement；　Shed　overtook　us　ten　miles　south　of　Meadenvil。　And　he　was　not　alone。
　　〃Holy　shit！〃　I　heard　One…Eye　yell　from　the　rear；　and：　〃Croaker；　e　and　look　at　this。〃
　　I　turned　back。　And　there　was　Shed。　With　a　bedraggled　Bullock。　Shed　said；　〃I　promised　to　get　him　out　if　I　could。　Had　to　bribe　some　people；　but　it　wasn't　that　hard。　It's　every　man　for　himself　up　there　right　now。〃
　　I　looked　at　Bullock。　He　looked　at　me。　
　　〃Well？〃　I　said。
　　〃Shed　gave　me　the　word；　Croaker。　I　guess　I'm　in　with　you　guys。　If　you'll　take　me。　I　don't　have　anywhere　else　to
go。〃
　　〃Damn。　Asa　shows　up；　I'll　lose　my　faith　in　human　nature。　Also　blow　an　idea　I　have。　Okay；　Bullock。　What　the　hell。　Just　remember　we're　not　in　Juniper。　None　of　us。　We're　on　the　run　from　the　Taken。　And　we　don't　have　time　to　fuss　over　who　did　what　to　whom。　You　want　a　fight；　save　it　for　them。〃
　　〃You're　the　boss。　Just　give　me　a　shot　at　evening　things　up。〃　He　followed　me　back　to　the　head　of　the　column。　〃Not　much　difference　between　your　Lady　and　somebody　like　Krage；　is　there？〃
　　〃Matter　of　proportion；〃　I　said。　〃Maybe　you'll　get　your　shot　sooner　than　you　think。〃
　　Silent　and　Otto　came　trotting　out　of　the　darkness。　〃You　did　good；〃　I　said。　〃Dogs　never　barked。〃　I　had　sent　Silent　because　he　handled　animals　well。
　　〃They're　all　back　out　of　the　woods　and　tucked　in　their　beds；〃　Otto　reported。
　　〃Good。　Let's　move　in。　Quietly。　And　I　don't　want　anybody　hurt。　Understand？　One…Eye？〃
　　〃I　hear　you。〃
　　〃Goblin。　Pawnbroker。　Shed。　You　watch　the　horses。　I'll　signal　with　a　lantern。〃
　　Occupying　the　inn　was　easier　than　planning　it。　We　caught　everyone　asleep　because　Silent　had　fuddled　their　dogs。　The　innkeeper　wakened　puffing　and　blowing　and　terrified。　I　took　him　downstairs　while　One…Eye　watched　everybody　else；　including　some　northbound　travelers　who　represented　a　plication；　but　who　caused　no　trouble。
　　〃Sit；〃　I　told　the　fat　man。　〃You　have　tea　or　beer　in　the　morning？〃
　　〃Tea；〃　he　croaked。
　　〃It's　making。　So。　We're　back。　We　didn't　expect　to　be；　but　circumstances　dictated　an　overland　trip。　I　want　to　use　your　place　a　couple　days。　You　and　me　need　to　make　an　acmodation。〃
　　Hagop　brought　out　tea　so　strong　it　reeked。　The　fat　man　drained　a　mug　the　size　of　that　from　which　he　drank　his　beer。
　　〃I　don't　want　to　hurt　anybody；〃　I　continued；　after　taking　a　sip　myself。　〃And　I'll　pay　my　way。　But　if　you　want　it　that　way；　you'll　have　to　cooperate。〃
　　He　grunted。
　　〃I　don't　want　an