df.therunelords-第42章
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。 She pulled the blade free。
The wound closed as the bloody blade exited。
〃You see？〃 Raj Ahten asked。 〃Neither your mother's poison nor your own dagger can hurt me。 Among Runelords； there has never been another of Daylan's equal。 Until now。
〃It is said in my country that when he'd received enough endowments； he no longer needed to take them。 The love of his people supported him； it flowed to him。 When his Dedicates died； his powers remained； undiminished。〃
She'd never read that。 It defied her understanding of the art of the Runelords。 Yet she hoped it was true。 She hoped that such a thing could be； that Raj Ahten would someday quit draining people like her father。
〃I think；〃 Raj Ahten said softly； 〃that I am nearly there。 I think I shall be his equal； and that I shall defeat the reavers without the loss of fifty million human lives； as would happen under any other plan。〃
Iome looked into his eyes； wanting to hate him for what he'd done。 Her father lay in his own urine on the floor at her feet。 Her mother was dead on the paving stones outside the keep。 Yet Iome looked into Raj Ahten's face； and she could not hate him。 He seemed。。。so sincere。 So beautiful。
He reached out； stroked her hand； and she dared not pull away。 She wondered if he would try to seduce her。 She wondered if she'd have the strength to fight him if he did。
〃So sweet。 If you were not my kin； I'd take you as a wife。 But I'm afraid propriety forbids it。 Now； Iome； you too must do your part to help me defeat the reavers。 You will give me your glamour。〃
Iome's heart pounded。 She imagined how it would be； with skin as rough as leather； the cobwebs of her hair falling from her head； the way the veins would stick out on her legs。 The dry smell of her breath。 To look； to smell； to be repulsive。
Yet that was not half the horror of it。 Glamour was more than beauty； more than physical loveliness。 It could be recognized partly as form； but just as much was manifest in the color of one's skin； the glossiness of one's hair； the light that shone in one's eyes。 It could be seen in posture； in poise； in determination。 The heart of it often lay somewhere in a person's confidence in and love of self。
So； depending on the ruthlessness of the facilitator involved； all these could be drawn away； leaving the new Dedicate both ugly and filled with self…loathing。
Iome shook her head。 She had to fight him； had to fight Raj Ahten any way she could。 Yet she could think of nothing； no way to strike back。
〃e； child；〃 Raj Ahten said smoothly。 〃What would you do with all your beauty； if I left it to you？ Lure some prince to your bed？ What a petty desire。 You could do it。 But afterward you would only spend your life in regret。 You've seen how men look at you with lust in their eyes。 You've seen how they stare； always wanting you。 Certainly you must tire of it。〃
When he put it that way； in such a silky voice； Iome felt wretched。 It seemed vile and selfish to want to be beautiful。
〃In the desert near where I was born；〃 Raj Ahten said； 〃a great monument； a statue； stands three hundred feet tall； half tilted in the sand。 It is the statue of a king； long forgotten； his face scoured away by wind。 A banner at his feet； written in an ancient language； says； 'All bow to the Great Ozyvarius； who rules the earth； whose kingdom shall never fail！'
〃Yet all the scribes in the world cannot tell me who that king is； or how long ago he reigned。
〃We have always been such fleeting creatures；〃 Raj Ahten whispered。 〃We have always been so temporary。 But together； Iome； we can bee something more。〃
The craving in his voice； the hunger； almost drove all reason from Iome's mind。 Almost she felt willing to give him her beauty。 But a wiser voice in the back of her mind nagged。 〃No； I would die； I would be nothing。〃
〃You would not die；〃 Raj Ahten said。 〃If I bee the Sum of All Men； your beauty would live on in me。 Some part of you would always remain； to be loved； to be admired。〃
〃No；〃 Iome said in horror。
Raj Ahten glanced at the floor； where King Sylvarresta still lay in a foul heap。 〃Not even to save his life？〃
Then Iome knew； she knew； that her father would tell her not to make this bargain。 〃No；〃 Iome shuddered。
〃It is a horrible thing； to put an idiot among the torturers。 All that pain your father would have to endure； never understanding why； never knowing that there is such a thing as death that could bring him release； with the torturers repeating your name each time they put the hot irons to him； so that in time； even at the mention of your name； he would cry out in pain。 It would be truly horrible。〃
The cruelty inherent in such an idea left Iome numb。 She looked at Raj Ahten； her heart breaking。 She could not say yes。
The Wolf Lord nodded to one of his men。 〃Bring in the girl。〃
The guard left the chamber； returned quickly with Chemoise。 Chemoise； who should have been in the Dedicates' Keep； forting her father。 Chemoise； who had already suffered so much this week； lost so much to Raj Ahten。
How had Raj Ahten known what Iome felt for her dear friend？ Had Iome betrayed the girl with a glance？
Chemoise had wide； frightened eyes。 She began weeping in terror when she saw the King lying on the floor。 Shrieked when Raj Ahten's guard took her to the broken window； poised to throw her over the edge。
Iome's heart hammered； as she watched her childhood friend begin to gibber in fear。 Two lives。 Raj Ahten would be killing twoChemoise and her unborn child。
Chemoise； forgive me for this betrayal； Iome wanted to say。 For she knew； she knew with her whole soul； that surrender was wrong。 If no one had ever surrendered； Raj Ahten would be dead by now。 Yet she also knew that to give her glamour to Raj Ahten would benefit him little； while it saved the lives of Iome's friends。
〃I cannot give you an endowment；〃 Iome said； unable to disguise the loathing in her words。 She could not give it to him。 Not to him personally。
〃If not me； a vector； then；〃 Raj Ahten offered。
Something in Iome's heart tripped。 A balance was found。 She could give her beautygive it for her father； for Chemoise。 So long as she did not have to give it to Raj Ahten。 Her voice broke as she said； 〃Bring your forcible； then。〃
Moments later the forcibles were fetched； along with a wretched woman who had given her glamour。 So Iome looked upon the hag in dirty gray robes and saw what she would bee； and struggled to see what beauty had ever been hidden inside the woman。
Then the chants began。 Iome watched Chemoise； still poised on the ledge； and silently willed her beauty away； willed herself to buy something lovely and eternally precious with it。 The life of a friend； and the baby she carried。
There was a rustling in the darkness； and a tiny glowing streamer of phosphorous fire as the facilitator approached； put the forcible low on her neck； almost against her bosom。
For half a moment； nothing happened； and someone whispered； 〃For your friend。 Do it for your friend。〃
Iome nodded； sweat pouring down her brow。 She held the image of Chemoise in her mind； Chemoise holding a child in her arms； nuzzling it。
Iome felt the unspeakable pain of the forcible； opened her eyes； saw the skin of her hands dry and crack as if they burned in the infernal heat。 The veins rose on her wrists like roots； and her nails became brittle as chalk。
Her firm young breasts sank； and she grabbed at them； feeling the loss keenly。 She regretted the trade now； but it was too late。 She felt。。。as if she stood in the river； and the sand at her feet flowed out from under her； undermining her。 Everything that was hers； all her beauty； her allure； flowed out and away； into the forcible。
Her lustrous hair withered and twisted on her head like worms。
Iome cried in pain and horror； and more flowed out from her still。 For a moment； it was as if she gazed into oblivion and saw herself； and loathed what she saw。 She understood for the first time in her life that she was nothing； had always been nothing； a no one； a cipher。 She feared to cry out； lest others take offense at the sound of her wretched voice。
That is a lie。 I am not so ugly as that； she cried out to Raj Ahten in her soul。 My beauty
