rh.theassassinsapprentice-第102章

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　　　　　　　And　he　tumbled　me　in。
　　　　　　　The　pool　was　deeper　than　I　was　tall；　designed　to　be　neck…high　on　a　tall　Chyurda。　It　was　painfully　hot　to　my　unprepared　body。　It　drove　the　air　from　my　lungs　and　I　sank。　I　pushed　feebly　off　the　bottom　and　managed　to　get　my　face　above　water。　〃Burrich！〃　I　wasted　my　breath　on　a　shout　to　someone　who　could　not　aid　me。　The　water　closed　on　me　again。　My　arms　and　legs　would　not　work　together。　I　blundered　into　a　wall　and　pushed　myself　under　before　I　could　once　again　surface　and　gasp　in　some　air。　The　hot　water　was　loosening　my　already　flaccid　muscles。　I　think　I　would　still　have　been　drowning　even　if　the　water　had　been　only　knee…deep。
　　　　　　　I　lost　count　of　how　many　times　I　floundered　to　the　surface；　to　gasp　a　breath。　The　smooth…worked　stone　of　the　walls　eluded　my　palsied　grip；　and　my　ribs　stabbed　me　with　pain　each　time　I　tried　for　a　deep　breath。　My　strength　was　flowing　out　of　me；　lassitude　flowing　in。　So　warm；　so　deep。　Drowned　like　a　puppy；　I　thought　to　myself　as　I　felt　the　darkness　closing。　Boy？　someone　queried；　but　all　was　black。
　　　　　　　So　much　water；　so　hot　and　so　deep。　I　could　not　find　a　bottom　anymore；　let　alone　a　side。　I　struggled　feebly　against　the　water；　but　there　was　no　resistance。　No　up；　no　down。　No　use　fighting　to　stay　alive　inside　my　body。　Nothing　left　to　protect；　so　drop　the　walls；　and　see　if　there　is　one　last　service　you　can　render　your　king。　The　walls　of　my　world　fell　away　from　me；　and　I　sped　forth　like　an　arrow　finally　released。　Galen　had　been　right。　There　was　no　distance　in　Skilling；　no　distance　at　all。　Buckkeep　was　right　here；　and　Shrewd；　I　shrieked　in　desperation。　But　my　king　was　intent　upon　other　things。　He　was　closed　and　walled　to　me；　no　matter　how　I　stormed　around　him。　No　help　there。
　　　　　　　Strength　was　going　from　me。　Somewhere；　I　was　drowning。　My　body　was　failing；　my　thread　to　it　was　tenuous。　One　last　chance。　Verity；　Verity；　I　cried。　I　found　him；　flailed　at　him；　but　could　find　no　purchase；　no　grip。　He　was　elsewhere；　open　to　someone　else；　closed　to　me。　Verity！　I　wailed；　drowning　in　despair。　And　suddenly　it　was　as　if　strong　hands　gripped　mine　as　I　scrabbled　up　a　slippery　cliff。　Gripped　and　held　tight　and　drew　me　in　when　I　would　have　slipped　away。
　　　　　　　Chivalry！　No；　it　can't　be；　it's　the　boy！　Fitz？
　　　　　　　You　imagine　things；　my　prince。　There　is　no　one　there。　Attend　to　what　we　do　now。　Galen；　calm　and　insidious　as　poison　as　he　pushed　me　aside。　I　could　not　withstand　him；　he　was　too　strong。
　　　　　　　Fitz？　Verity；　unsure　now　as　I　grew　weaker。
　　　　　　　From　I　knew　not　where；　I　found　strength。　Something　gave　way　before　me；　and　I　was　strong。　I　clung　to　Verity　like　a　hawk　on　his　wrist。　I　was　there　with　him。　I　saw　with　Verity's　eyes：　the　freshly　decked　throne　room；　the　Book　of　Events　on　the　great　table　before　him；　laid　open　to　receive　the　recording　of　Verity's　marriage。　Around　him；　in　their　best　finery　and　most　costly　jewels；　the　few　honored　ones　who　had　been　invited　to　witness　Verity　witnessing　his　bride's　pledge　through　August's　eyes。　And　Galen；　who　was　supposed　to　be　offering　his　strength　as　a　king's　man；　was　poised　beside　and　slightly　behind　Verity；　waiting　to　drain　him　dry。　And　Shrewd；　in　crown　and　robe　upon　his　throne；　was　all　unknowing；　his　Skill　burned　and　dulled　away　years　ago　by　misuse；　and　him　too　proud　to　admit　it。
　　　　　　　Like　an　echo；　I　saw　through　August's　eyes　as　Kettricken　stood　pale　as　a　wax　candle　on　a　dais　before　all　her　people。　She　was　telling　them；　simply　and　kindly；　that　last　night　Rurisk　had　finally　succumbed　to　the　arrow　wound　he　had　taken　on　the　Ice　Fields。　She　hoped　to　please　his　memory　by　pledging　herself　as　he　had　helped　arrange；　to　the　King…in…Waiting　of　the　Six　Duchies。　She　turned　to　face　Regal。
　　　　　　　In　Buckkeep；　Galen's　claw　of　a　hand　settled　on　Verity's　shoulder。
　　　　　　　I　broke　into　his　link　with　Verity；　pushed　him　aside。
　　　　　　　Beware　Galen；　Verity。　Beware　a　traitor；　e　to　drain　you　dry。　Touch　him　not。
　　　　　　　Galen's　hand　tightened　on　Verity's　shoulder。　Suddenly　all　was　a　sucking　vortex；　draining；　trying　to　pull　everything　out　of　Verity。　And　there　was　not　much　left　to　take。　His　Skill　was　so　strong　because　he　let　it　take　so　much　from　him　so　fast。　Self…preservation　would　have　made　another　man　hold　back　some　of　his　strength。　But　Verity　had　been　spending　his　recklessly；　every　day；　to　keep　the　Red…Ships　from　his　shores。　So　little　left　now　for　this　ceremony；　and　Galen　was　absorbing　it。　And　growing　stronger　as　he　did　so。　I　clung　to　Verity；　fighting　desperately　to　reduce　the　loss。　Verity！　I　cried　to　him。　My　prince。　I　sensed　a　brief　rallying　in　him；　but　all　was　growing　dim　before　his　eyes。　I　heard　a　stirring　of　alarm　as　he　sagged　and　caught　at　the　table。　Faithless　Galen　kept　his　grip　on　him；　bent　over　him　as　he　went　to　one　knee；　murmuring　solicitously；　〃My　prince？　Are　you　quite　all　right？〃
　　　　　　　I　flung　my　strength　to　Verity；　reserves　I　had　not　suspected　in　myself。　I　opened　up　and　let　go　of　them；　just　as　Verity　did　when　he　Skilled。　I　had　not　known　I　had　so　much　to　give。　〃Take　it　all。　I　would　die　anyway。　And　you　were　always　good　to　me　when　I　was　young。〃　I　heard　the　words　as　clearly　as　if　I　had　spoken　them；　and　felt　the　breaking　of　a　mortal　bond　as　strength　flowed　into　Verity　through　me。　He　waxed　suddenly　strong；　beast　strong；　and　angry。
　　　　　　　Verity's　hand　rose　to　grip　Galen's。　He　opened　his　eyes。　〃I　shall　be　fine；〃　he　said　to　Galen；　aloud。　He　looked　around　the　room　as　he　rose　to　his　feet　again。　〃I　but　worried　about　you。　You　seemed　to　tremble。　Are　you　sure　you　are　strong　enough　for　this？　You　must　not　attempt　a　challenge　that　is　beyond　you。　Think　what　might　happen。〃　And　as　a　gardener　pulls　a　weed　from　the　earth；　Verity　smiled；　and　pulled　from　the　traitor　all　that　was　in　him。　Galen　fell；　clutching　his　chest；　an　empty　man…shaped　thing。　The　onlookers　rushed　to　attend　him；　but　Verity；　replete　now；　lifted　his　eyes　to　the　window　and　focused　his　mind　afar。
　　　　　　　August。　Attend　me　well。　Warn　Regal　his　half　brother　is　dead。　Verity　boomed　like　the　sea；　and　I　felt　August　quail　at　the　strength　of　the　Skilling。　Galen　was　too　ambitious。　He　attempted　that　which　was　beyond　his　Skill。　A　pity　the　Queen's　bastard　could　not　be　content　with　the　position　she　gave　him。　A　pity　my　younger　brother　could　not　dissuade　his　half　brother　from　his　misplaced　ambitions。　Galen　overstepped　his　position。　My　younger　brother　should　take　heed　of　what　es　of　such　recklessness。　And；　August。　Be　sure　you　tell　Regal　privately。　Not　many　knew　Galen　was　the　Queen's　bastard　and　his　half　brother。　I　am　sure　he　would　not　want　scandal　to　soil　his　mother's　name；　or　his。　Such　family　secrets　should　be　well　guarded。
　　　　　　　And　then；　with　a　force　that　put　August　on　his　knees；　Verity　pushed　through　him　to　stand　before　Kettricken　in　her　mind。　I　sensed　his　effort　to　be　gentle。　I　await　you；　my　queen…in…waiting。　And　by　my　name；　I　swear　to　you　I　had　naught　to　do　with　your　brother's　death。　I　knew　nothing　of　it；　and　I　grieve　with　you。　I　would　not　want　you　to　e　to　me　thinking　his　blood　on　my　hands。　Like　a　jewel　opening　was　the　light　in　Verity's　heart　as　he　exposed　it　to　her　that　she　might　know　she　had　not　been　given　to　a　murderer。　Selflessly；　he　made　himself　vulnerable　to　her；　giving　trust　to　build　trust。　She　swayed；　but　stood。　August　fainted。　That　contact　was　gone。
　　　　　　　And　then　Verity　was　shoving　at　me。　Back；　get　back；　Fitz。　That's　too　much；　you'll　die。　Back；　let　go！　And　he　cuffed　me　like　a　bear；　and　I　slammed　back　into　my　silent；　sightless　body。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…FOUR
　　　　　　　The　Aftermath
　　　　　　　IN　THE　GREAT　LIBRARY　at　Jhaampe　there　is　a　tapestry　that　is　rumored　to　contain　a　map　through　the　mountains　to　the　Rain　Wilds。　Like　many　Jhaampe　maps　and　books；　the　information　contained　was　considered　so　valuable　that　it　was　encoded　in　the　forms　of　riddles　and　visual　puzzles。　Figured　on　the　tapestry；　among　many　images；　are　the　forms　of　a　dark…haired；　dark　man；　stout　and　muscular　and　bearing　a　red　shield；　and　in　the　opposite　corner；　a　golden…skinned　being。　The　golden…skinned　creature　has　been　the　victim　of　moths　and　fraying；　but　it　is　still　possible　to　see　that　in　the　scale　of　the　tapestry；　it　is　much　larger　than　a　human；　and　possibly　winged。　Buckkeep　legend　has　it　that　King　Wisdom　sought　and　found　the　Elderlings'　ho