df.therunelords-第36章

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n　took　a　pouch　from　around　his　own　neck；　put　the　crumbled　leaves　into　the　pouch；　and　placed　it　around　Gaborn's　throat。
　Gaborn　took　it　stiffly；　wanting　to　ask　a　hundred　questions。　But　when　he'd　first　e　into　this　wild；　tangled　garden；　he'd　felt　a　sense　of　safety；　of　being　protected。　Now　he　recognized　time　was　drawing　short；　and　he　felt　a　sense　of　urgency。　He　had　no　time　to　question　now。
　The　kitchen　maid　had　been　standing　this　whole　while　at　the　edge　of　the　glade；　a　terrified　expression　on　her　face。　Now　Binnesman　led　her　and　Gaborn　downhill；　to　the　south　wall　of　the　garden；　and　they　hurried　along　a　narrow　trail；　Gaborn　clutching　the　forcibles　in　one　hand；　the　hilt　of　his　saber　in　the　other。
　He　felt　so　odd。　So　numb。　He　wanted　to　rest；　to　have　time　to　sort　things　out。
　When　they'd　reached　the　far　side　of　the　meadow；　beneath　the　shade　of　the　exotic　trees；　Gabon　heard　shouting　behind。　He　glanced　back　up　the　trail。
　Night　had　almost　pletely　fallen。　Gaborn　could　see　lights　shining　now　from　the　watchtowers　of　the　Dedicates'　Keep；　and　from　down　below　at　the　Soldiers'　Keep；　and　from　the　King's　own　chambers。　A　few　lonely　stars　had　begun　to　glow　in　the　sky。　This　surprised　him；　for　the　eyebright　so　aided　his　vision　that　it　did　not　seem　night。
　But　uphill；　on　the　trail　behind　them；　far　brighter　than　any　other　lights；　a　fiery　man　strode　into　view；　the　green　flames　flickering　across　his　shoulders　like　the　tongues　of　snakes；　licking　the　clean　skin　of　his　hairless　skull。
　The　flameweaver　was　behind　the　gate　still；　the　same　gate　Gaborn　had　entered　only　minutes　before。　The　guards　had　fallen　back　from　this　sorcerer；　and　the　flameweaver　reached　out　a　hand。　A　bolt　of　sunlight　seemed　to　burst　hungrily　from　his　palm；　and　the　iron　gate　melted　and　twisted。　The　flameweaver　pushed　past　the　ruined　gate；　entered　the　garden。
　Behind　him　came　Raj　Ahten's　scouts。　Men　in　dark　robes；　searching　for　Gaborn's　scent。
　〃Hurry！〃　Binnesman　whispered。　If　these　had　been　normal　men；　Gaborn　would　not　have　feared。　But　he　sensed　now　that　this　was　no　fight　between　mere　mortals　that　he　engaged　in。　This　was　Fire；　seeking　him。
　Then　they　were　running　through　the　woods；　over　marshy　ground　beside　the　stream。　Just　downhill　a　few　hundred　yards；　the　stream　would　meet　with　the　River　Wye；　and　there　Gaborn　hoped　to　find　a　means　of　escape。　The　maid　and　the　wizard　could　not　match　Gaborn's　speed。　He　jumped　some　low　bushes；　and　in　a　few　moments　they　reached　a　small　cottage　with　whitewashed　wattle　and　a　thatch　roof。
　〃I　must　go　and　save　my　seeds；〃　Binnesman　hissed。　〃Rowan；　you　know　the　way　to　the　mill。　Take　Gaborn。　May　the　Earth　be　with　you　both！〃
　〃e；〃　Rowan　said。　〃This　way。〃
　She　reached　back　for　his　sleeve；　pulled　him　down　a　brick　road。　Gaborn　did　as　he　was　told；　rushing　with　a　renewed　sense　of　urgency。　He　could　hear　shouting　in　the　meadows　behind　him。　He　still　had　his　boots　in　hand；　was　painfully　aware　with　each　step　that　he　needed　to　put　them　on；　yet　Rowan　ran　over　the　uneven　stones　recklessly；　feeling　nothing。
　Yet　even　as　he　ran；　he　felt。。。astonished；　full　of　wonder；　incapable　of　prehending　all　that　had　just　happened。　He　wanted　to　stop；　to　take　time　to　ponder。　But　at　the　moment；　he　knew　it　was　too　dangerous　to　do　so。
　At　the　edge　of　the　garden；　Gaborn　told　Rowan；　〃Stop；　stop。　Put　on　your　shoes；　before　you　break　every　bone　in　your　foot！〃
　Rowan　stopped；　put　on　her　own　shoes　while　Gaborn　pulled　on　his　boots；　then　they　ran　with　greater　speed。
　She　raced　out　the　garden　gate；　along　a　street　to　the　King's　stables；　an　enormous　building　of　new　wood。　She　pulled　one　of　the　doors　open。
　A　stableboy　sleeping　in　the　hay　just　inside　the　door　shouted　in　alarm；　but　Gaborn　and　Rowan　rushed　past　him；　past　the　long　stalls。　Here；　slung　from　the　ceiling　in　belly　harnesses；　were　dozens　of　the　King's　Dedicate　horseshorses　robbed　of　wit；　brawn；　stamina；　or　metabolism　so　that　the　King's　own　force　horses　could　have　greater　power。　Rowan　ran　past　the　long　row　of　stalls；　then　fled　out　the　back　door。　Here　a　stream；　the　same　stream　that　had　flowed　through　the　wizard's　garden；　wound　through　a　muddy　corral；　where　the　horses　stamped　and　neighed　in　fear。　The　stream　passed　under　a　great　stone　wall；　the　Outer　Wall　to　the　city's　defenses。
　Gaborn　could　not　climb　that　wall；　some　fifty　feet　in　height。　Instead；　Rowan　squirmed　under　the　wall；　where　the　stone　had　eroded　over　the　ages。　The　passage　was　narrow；　too　narrow　to　admit　a　warrior　in　armor；　but　the　thin　girl　and　Gaborn　squeezed　through；　getting　wet　in　the　icy　water。
　Now　the　stream　tumbled　downhill；　down　a　steep　green。　All　around　the　stream　grew　tall　pussy　willows。
　Gaborn　looked　up。　An　archer　on　the　walls　was　posted　just　above　them。　He　looked　down；　saw　them　escape；　and　pointedly　looked　the　other　way。
　The　ground　here　was　kept　open　near　the　walls；　so　that　archers　could　shoot　from　above。　Gaborn　could　never　have　sneaked　into　the　castle　from　here；　not　unobserved。
　The　hillside　became　steep　just　below　the　pussy　willows；　where　it　led　into　some　deep　birch　and　alder　woods　that　were　so　dark　that　Gaborn　could　hardly　see。　Yet　it　was　only　a　small　grove；　a　triangle　of　trees　barely　two　hundred　yards　long　and　a　hundred　wide。
　Through　the　trees　Gaborn　spotted　the　river　now；　broad　and　black。　He　could　hear　its　soft　voice　burbling。
　He　halted；　grabbed　Rowan's　ankle　to　stop　her　from　crawling　farther。　On　the　far　side　of　the　river　he　saw　movement：　nomen　and　Frowth　giants　setting　camps　in　the　darkness。　The　nomen　were　black　shadows　in　the　fields　of　grain；　hunched　and　clawing。　Gaborn　knew　that　the　nomen；　who　preferred　to　leap　on　their　prey　from　trees　in　the　starlight；　would　be　able　to　see　well　in　the　night；　but　he　did　not　know　how　well。
　Though　the　nomen　had　invaded　from　the　sea　a　thousand　years　before；　the　Runelords　had　decimated　their　numbers；　had　even　gone　so　far　as　to　sail　to　their　own　dark　lands　beyond　the　Caroll　Sea　to　wipe　them　out。　Long　had　their　war　cries　been　silenced。　They　had　not　been　fierce　warriors；　but　were　cunning　fighters　in　the　darkness。　The　nomen　were　now　little　more　than　legend。　Still；　rumor　said　that　nomen　inhabited　the　Hest　Mountains；　beyond　Inkarra；　and　that　they　sometimes　stole　children　to　eat。　The　Inkarrans　seemed　never　quite　able　to　wipe　the　last　of　the　creatures　from　the　rain　forests。　Gaborn　didn't　know　how　much　of　the　tales　to　believe。　Perhaps　the　nomen　could　see　him　even　now。
　But　the　woods　grew　thicker　off　to　the　leftand　Gaborn　spotted　a　wide　diversion　dam　made　of　stones。　The　mill。　Its　huge　water　wheel　made　a　great　racket；　with　its　grinding　and　the　water　splashing。
　〃Let　me　lead；〃　he　whispered。　He　moved　slowly　now　through　the　pussy　willows；　eeling　on　his　belly；　not　wanting　to　attract　the　attention　of　the　nomen　on　the　far　side　of　the　river　till　he　reached　the　shelter　of　the　woods。
　They　were　outside　the　city　wall　now；　on　a　steep　bank　that　overlooked　the　River　Wye　to　the　east；　the　moat　to　the　south。　He　hoped　Raj　Ahten　didn't　have　soldiers　posted　in　these　woods。
　He　took　his　time　as　he　led　Rowan　deeper　into　the　grove；　careful　not　to　snap　a　twig。
　Up　on　the　hills　behind　him；　in　the　heart　of　Castle　Sylvarresta；　he　could　hear　distant　cries　of　dismay；　shouts。　Perhaps　a　battle　had　broken　out。
　Other　shouts　nearby　mingled　with　the　noise；　cries　of　hunters；　shouting　in　Taifan；　〃Go　that　way！　Look　over　there！　After　him！〃　Raj　Ahten's　trackers　were　searching　on　the　other　side　of　the　city　wall。
　Gaborn　crept　down　a　steep　ridge；　keeping　to　the　trees；　till　he　and　Rowan　nearly　reached　the　river。
　There　he　studied　the　far　banks　from　the　deep　shadows。
　On　the　hill　behind；　a　fire　had　begun　raging。　He　smelled　smoke。　Binnesman's　garden　was　ablaze。　The　flames　looked　like　the　lights　thrown　by　a　fiery　sunrise。
　Gaborn　spotted　giants　on　the　far　bank　of　the　river；　hoary　things　with　shaggy　manes。　The　blaze　reflected　in　their　silver　eyes。　Nomen　prowled　among　them；　naked。　Shades；　who　shielded　their　eyes　from　the　conflagration。
　The　river　looked　shallow。　Though　autumn　was　on　its　way；　little　rain　had　fallen　in　the　past　few　weeks。　Gaborn　feared　that　no　matter　how　far　he　dove　beneath　the　water；　the　nomen　would　see　him。　But　it　looked　as　if　the　whole　city　might　burst　into　flame；　and　for　the　moment　the　nomen　were　somewhat　blinded。
　Ga