gc.shadowslinger-第8章
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〃The Enclosure？〃
〃It's not illegal； Shed。 It keeps the Enclosure cleaned up。〃
Shed scowled righteously。
〃Shed； it's less wrong than going through somebody's。 。。。〃
Shed controlled his anger。 He needed allies inside the enemy camp。 〃Firewood could be like money； Asa。 No provenance。〃
Asa smiled fawningly。 〃Thanks； Shed。〃
Count called； 〃Shed。〃
Shed shook as he crossed the room。 Krage's men smirked。
This wouldn't work。 Krage wouldn't listen。 He was going to throw his money away。
〃Count says you've got something to give me on account；〃 Krage said。
〃Uhm。〃 Krage's den could have been ripped whole from a mansion high up the wall of the valley。 Shed was stunned。
〃Stop gawking and get on with it。 You'd better not give me a handful of copper and beg for an extension； either。 Picked a warm doorway yet？ Your payments are a joke； Shed。〃
〃No joke。 Mr。 Krage。 Honest。 I can pay over half of it。〃
Krage's eyebrows rose。 〃Interesting。〃 Shed laid nine silver leva before him。 〃Very interesting。〃 He fixed Shed with a penetrating stare。
Shed stammered； 〃That's over half； counting interest。 I hoped maybe seeing as how that would put me ahead。 。。。〃
〃Quiet。〃 Shed shut up。 〃You think I should forget what happened？〃
〃That wasn't my fault； Mr。 Krage。 I didn't tell him to。 。。。 You don't know what Raven is like。〃
〃Shut up。〃 Krage stared at the coins。 〃Maybe something can be arranged。 I know you didn't put him up to it。 You don't have the guts。〃
Shed stared at the floor； unable to deny his cowardice。 〃Okay； Shed。 You're a regular client。 Back to the regular schedule。〃 He eyed the money。 〃You're ahead three weeks； looks like。〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Krage。 Really。 You don't know how much this means。 。。。〃
〃Shut up。 I know exactly what it means。 Get out。 Start getting another payment together。 This is your last reprieve。〃
〃Yes。 sir。〃 Shed retreated。 Count opened the door。
〃Shed！ I may want something sometime。 A favor for a favor。 Understand？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃All right。 Go。〃
Shed left； a sinking feeling replacing relief。 Krage would make him help get Raven。 He almost wept as he tramped homeward。 It never got any better。 He was always in a trap。
Chapter Ten： TALLY TURNAROUND
Tome was typical of towns we had garrisoned recently。 Small； dirty； boring。 One wondered why the Lady bothered。 What use were these remote provinces？ Did she insist they bend the knee merely to puff her ego？ There was nothing here worth having； unless it was power over the natives。
Even they viewed their country with a certain contempt。
The presence of the Black pany strained the resources of the area。 Within a week the Captain started talking about shifting a pany to Heart and billeting smaller units in the villages。 Our patrols seldom encountered the Rebel； even when our wizards helped hunt。 The engagement at Madle's had all but eliminated the infestation。
The Lady's spies told us the few mitted Rebels left had fled into Tambor； an even bleaker kingdom to the northeast。 I supposed Tambor would be our next mission。
I was scribbling away at these Annals one day； when I decided I needed an estimate of the mileage we'd covered in our progression eastward。 I was appalled to learn the truth。 Tome was two thousand miles east of Charm！ Far beyond the bounds of the empire as it had existed six years ago。 The great bloody conquests of the Taken Whisper had established a border arc just this side of the Plain of Fear。 I ran down the line of city…states forming that forgotten frontier。 Frost and Ade； Thud and Barns； and Rust； where the Rebel had defied the Lady successfully for years。 Huge cities all； formidable； and the last such we had seen。
I still shuddered； recalling the Plain of Fear。
We crossed it under the aegis of Whisper and Feather； two of the Taken； the Lady's black apprentices； both sorceresses orders of magnitude above our three puny wizards。 Even so； and traveling with entire armies of the Lady's regulars； we suffered there。 It is a hostile； bitter land where none of the normal rules apply。 Rocks speak and whales fly。 Coral grows in the desert。 Trees walk。 And the inhabitants are the strangest of all。 。 。 。 But that is neither here nor there。 Just a nightmare from the past。 A nightmare that haunts me still； when the screams of Cougar and Fleet e echoing down the corridors of time； and once again I can do nothing to save them。
〃What's the trouble？〃 Elmo asked； slipping the map from beneath my fingers； cocking his head sideways。 〃Look like you saw a ghost。〃
〃Just remembering the Plain of Fear。〃
〃Oh。 Yeah。 Well； buck up。 Have a beer。〃 He slapped my back。 〃Hey！ Kingpin！ Where the hell you been？〃 He charged away； in pursuit of the pany's leading malingerer。
One…Eye arrived a moment later； startling me。 〃How's Goblin？〃 he asked softly。 There had been no intercourse between them since Madle's。 He eyed the map。 〃The Empty Hills？ Interesting name。〃
〃Also called the Hollow Hills。 He's all right。 Why don't you check him out？〃
〃What the hell for？ He was the one who acted the ass。 Can't take a little joke。 。。。〃
〃Your jokes get a bit rough； One…Eye。〃
〃Yeah。 Maybe。 Tell you what。 You e with me。〃
〃Got to prepare my reading。〃 One night a month the Captain expects me to exhort the troops with a reading from the Annals。 So we'll know where we came from； so we'll recall our ancestors in the outfit。 Once that meant a lot。 The Black pany。 Last of the Free panies of Khatovar。 All brethren。 Tight。 Great esprit。 Us against the world； and let the world watch out。 But the something that had manifested itself in Goblin's behavior； in the low…grade depression of Elmo and others； was affecting everybody。 The pieces were ing unglued。
I had to pick a good reading。 From a time when the pany had its back against the wall and survived only by clinging to its traditional virtues。 There have been many such moments in four hundred years。 I wanted one recorded by one of the more inspired Annalists； one with the fire of a White Rose revivalist speaking to potential recruits。 Maybe I needed a series； one that I could read several nights running。
〃Crap；〃 One…Eye said。 〃You know those books by heart。 Always got your nose in them。 Anyway； you could fake the whole thing and nobody would know the difference。〃
〃Probably。 And nobody would care if I did。 It's going sour； old…timer。 Right。 Let's go see Goblin。〃
Maybe the Annals needed a rereading on a different level。 Maybe I was treating symptoms。 The Annals have a certain mystic quality； for me。 Maybe I could identify the disease by immersing myself； hunting something between the lines。
Goblin and Silent were playing no…hands mumbletypeg。 I'll say this for our three spook…pushers： They aren't great； but they keep their talents polished。 Goblin was ahead on points。 He was in a good mood。 He even nodded to One…Eye。
So。 It was over。 The stopper could be put into the bottle。 One…Eye just had to say the right thing。
To my amazement； he even apologized。 By sign； Silent suggested we get out and let them conclude their peace in private。 Each had an overabundance of pride。
We stepped outside。 As we often did when no one could intercept our signs； we discussed old times。 He； too； was privy to the secret for which the Lady would obliterate nations。
Half a dozen others suspected once； and had forgotten。 We knew； and would never forget。 Those others； if put to the question； would leave the Lady with serious doubts。
We two； never。 We knew the identity of the Lady's most potent enemy … and for six years we had done nothing to apprise her of the fact that that enemy even existed as more than a Rebel fantasy。
The Rebel tends to a streak of superstition。 He loves prophets and prophecies and grand； dramatic foretellings of victories to e。 It was pursuit of a prophecy which led him into the trap at Charm； nearly causing his extinction。 He regained his balance afterward by convincing himself that he was the victim of false prophets and prophecies； laid upon him by villains trickier than he。 In that conviction he could go on； and believe more im
