df.therunelords-第60章

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　Iome　did　not　want　Gaborn　to　know　who　she　was。　She　could　not　stand　the　thought　of　being　ugly　in　his　sight。　Yet　another　fear　also　struck　her　heart；　for　she　saw　a　more　pelling　reason　to　keep　her　identity　hidden：　Gaborn　might　feel　the　need　to　kill　her。　She　was；　after　all；　a　Dedicate　to　an　enemy　king。
　Iome　spoke　with　a　low；　frightened；　voice；　hoping　to　disguise　it。　〃Do　you　not　even　know　whose　corpse　you　carry？　The　Queen　is　dead。　But　the　King　lives。　He　has　given　his　wit　to　Raj　Ahten。〃
　Gaborn　grasped　Iome's　arm。　〃What　of　the　Princess？〃
　〃She　is　well。　She　was　given　a　choiceto　die；　or　to　live　and　serve　her　people　as　regent。　She　was　forced　to　give　an　endowment；　also。〃
　Gaborn　asked；　〃What　has　she　given？〃　He　held　his　breath；　his　face　full　of　horror。
　Iome　considered　speaking　the　truth；　revealing　her　identity；　but　she　could　not。　〃She　has　given　her　sight。〃
　Gaborn　fell　silent。　Abruptly　he　lifted　the　litter；　signaling　an　end　to　the　break；　and　began　walking　between　the　tombs　again；　thoughtful。　Iome　led　Gaborn　and　the　pallbearers　to　her　parents'　tomb；　which　was　of　classic　design。　Nine　marble　spires　rose　from　the　tiny　palace　atop　it；　outside　its　door　stood　statues　of　King　Sylvarresta　and　his　wife；　images　carved　in　white　marble　shortly　after　their　wedding　eighteen　years　before。　Iome　signaled　for　the　bearers　to　also　bring　Cleas　into　the　tomb。　As　a　faithful　guard；　it　was　only　right　that　she　be　interred　beside　her　queen。
　As　they　entered　the　shadowy　tomb；　Iome　smelled　death　and　roses。　Dozens　of　skeletons　of　faithful　guards　lay　in　the　tomb；　bones　gray　and　moldering。　But　last　night；　someone　had　brought　bright　red　rose　petals　and　strewn　them　across　the　floor　of　the　tomb；　to　alleviate　the　smell。
　Gaborn　bore　Queen　Sylvarresta　to　her　sarcophagus；　in　the　sanctum　at　the　back　of　the　tomb。　It　was　a　red　sandstone　box；　with　her　image　and　name　chiseled　into　its　lid。　The　roof　above　the　sanctum　was　a　slab　of　sheer　marble；　so　thin　that　light　broke　through　it；　shining　down　onto　the　sarcophagus　beneath。
　Here　in　this　deep　corner；　air　breathed　into　the　tomb　from　tiny　slits　in　the　stonework；　so　that　the　smell　of　death　did　not　reach。
　It　took　a　great　deal　of　effort　for　Gaborn　and　two　bakers　to　slide　the　lid　of　the　sarcophagus　back；　exposing　the　empty　casket。　Then　they　lifted　the　queen　into　place；　and　were　about　to　set　the　lid　on　the　box　when　Iome　begged　them　to　stop；　to　let　her　look　for　a　while。
　Pallbearers　carried　Cleas　to　a　stone　shelf；　pushed　back　the　bones　of　some　loyal　guard　from　a　decade　past；　and　laid　Cleas　in　his　place。
　They　did　not　have　Cleas'　armor　and　weapons　to　bury　with　her；　so　a　baker　took　a　warhammer　from　a　nearby　corpse；　laid　it　across　Cleas'　chest；　wrapped　her　hands　around　its　handle。
　Gaborn　stood　a　minute　in　the　dim　light；　studying　the　moldy　skeletons；　many　of　them　still　in　armor；　bearing　weapons　on　their　chests。　Though　the　room　was　small；　only　forty　feet　long　and　twenty　wide；　five　tiers　of　stone　shelves　were　cut　into　the　walls。　Some　guards　had　been　entombed　here　for　over　twenty　years。　Bones　from　knuckles　and　toes　littered　the　floor；　borne　there　by　rats。
　Gaborn　looked　as　if　he　would　ask　a　question。
　〃You　may　speak　freely　here；〃　Iome　told　him；　still　kneeling　beside　her　mother's　casket。　〃These　pallbearers　are　all　deaf　or　mute；　sworn　to　the　service　of　House　Sylvarresta。　No　one　here　will　betray　you。〃
　〃You　bury　your　dead　with　their　weapons　here　in　House　Sylvarresta？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　Iome　nodded。
　He　seemed　delighted；　looked　as　if　he　would　rob　a　corpse。　〃In　Mystarria；　we　bequeath　fine　weapons　and　armor　to　the　living；　so　it　can　be　put　to　good　use。〃
　〃Mystarria　does　not　have　so　many　smiths　to　keep　employed；〃　Iome　said　dryly。
　Gaborn　asked；　〃Then　no　one　will　mind　if　I　borrow　a　weapon？　Mine　was　destroyed。〃
　〃Who　can　say　what　offends　the　dead？〃
　Gaborn　did　not　immediately　take　a　weapon。　Instead；　he　paced　nervously。　〃So；〃　he　breathed　at　last；　〃she　is　in　the　Dedicates'　Keep？〃
　Iome　hesitated　to　answer。　Gaborn　had　not　said　who　〃she〃　was。　Apparently　he　was　distraught。　〃The　Princess　came　to　the　keep　this　morning；　and　washed　her　father　and　fed　him。　Raj　Ahten's　guard　put　her　there　for　safekeeping　during　the　attack。　But　she　may　leave　at　any　time。　I　think　she　still　occupies　her　room　in　the　King's　Keep；　with　servants　to　attend　her。〃
　Gaborn　bit　his　lip；　quickened　his　step；　thinking　furiously。　〃Can　you　get　a　message　to　her　for　me？〃
　〃It　should　not　be　hard；〃　Iome　answered。
　〃Tell　her　that　House　Orden　is　sworn　to　protect　her。　Tell　her　that　I　will　kill　Raj　Ahten；　that　she　will　look　upon　my　face　again　someday；　no　longer　a　Dedicate。〃
　〃Don't。。。please　don't　try；〃　Iome　said；　choking　back　a　sob。　Her　voice　cracked；　and　she　feared　Gaborn　would　hear　it；　see　through　her　disguise。
　〃Try　what？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　〃To　kill　Raj　Ahten；〃　she　said　deeply。　〃Queen　Sylvarresta　clawed　him　with　poisoned　fingernails；　yet　he　withstood　the　venom。　It　is　said　that　the　wound　of　a　sword　thrust　through　his　heart　heals　before　the　blade　is　withdrawn。〃
　〃There　must　be　a　way　to　kill　him；〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃You　will　be　forced　to　kill　House　Sylvarresta；　for　both　the　King　and　his　daughter　are　Dedicates　to　Raj　Ahten。　Lord　Sylvarresta　himself　received　eighty　endowments　of　wit　last　night；　all　in　Raj　Ahten's　behalf。〃
　Gaborn　turned　at　this　news；　went　to　the　door　of　the　tomb；　staring　out　up　into　the　sunlight；　considering。
　〃I　will　not　kill　my　friends；〃　Gaborn　said；　〃or　their　Dedicates。　If　they　gave　endowments；　they　did　not　do　so　willingly。　They　are　not　my　enemy。〃
　Iome　wondered　at　this。　It　was　mon　practice　to　kill　another's　Dedicates；　a　necessary　evil。　Few　Runelords　would　shirk　this　most　hateful　responsibility。　Did　Gaborn　hope　to　let　men　live；　simply　because　they　did　not　intend　evil？　She　said；　〃Even　if　you　spare　House　Sylvarresta；　even　if　you　turn　instead　to　other　houses；　kill　other　kings；　they　are　also　innocents。　They；　too；　deserve　to　live。　They　have　no　love　for　Raj　Ahten。〃
　〃There　must　be　a　way　to　get　Raj　Ahten　without　killing　others；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃A　decapitation。〃
　Iome　had　no　advice　to　give。　With　powerful　Runelords；　a　decapitation　was　the　most　certain　way　to　insure　a　kill；　but　plotting　the　deed　and　doing　it　were　two　different　matters。　〃And　who　will　decapitate　him？　You？〃
　Gaborn　turned　to　her。　〃I　could　try；　if　I　can　get　close　to　him。　Tell　me；　is　the　herbalist　Binnesman　well？　I　need　to　speak　with　him。〃
　〃He's　gone；〃　Iome　said。　〃He　vanished　in　the　night。　Raj　Ahten's　men　saw　him。。。at　the　edge　of　the　woods。〃
　Perhaps　of　anything　she　could　have　said；　this　news　seemed　to　dismay　him　most。
　〃Well；〃　Gaborn　said；　looking　lost；　〃I　must　change　my　plans。　If　the　wizard　is　in　the　woods；　perhaps　I　can　find　him　there。　Thank　you　for　the　news；　Lady。。。？〃
　〃Prenta；〃　Iome　whispered。　〃Prenta　Vass。〃
　Gaborn　took　her　hand；　kissed　it；　as　if　she　were　a　helpful　lady…in…waiting。　He　held　her　hand；　just　a　moment　too　long；　lightly　sniffed　the　scent　of　her　perfumed　wrist；　and　Iome's　heart　skipped。　Her　voice　had　not　faltered；　she　felt　sure；　he　had　not　recognized　her　voice。　But　did　he　recognize　her　perfume？
　He　gazed　into　her　face；　with　his　penetrating　blue　eyes；　and　though　a　small　frown　formed　on　his　lips；　he　did　not　speak。　Iome　pulled　away；　turned　her　face；　heart　pounding；　fearing　that　she　had　been　discovered。
　She　knew　she　was　hideous；　that　every　scrap　of　beauty　had　been　stripped　from　her。　Her　yellow　eyes；　her　wrinkled　skin；　were　gruesome　enough。　But　her　features　were　nothing　pared　to　the　horror　she　felt　inside；　the　insidious　draw　toward　self…loathing。
　Surely　he　would　condemn　her。　Surely　he　would　pull　away　in　contempt。　Instead；　he　stepped　around；　to　better　see　her　face。
　Iome　suspected　that　Gaborn　recognized　her。　He　regarded　her　silently　now；　trying　to　discern　any　traces　of　the　woman　he　had　seen　yesterday。　But　he　refused　to　embarrass　her　by　voicing　his　recognition。　Iome　could　not　withstand　that　gaze；　felt　forced　to　raise　a　hand；　and　with　it　hid　herself　from　those　eyes。
　〃Don't　hide　from　me；　Prenta　Vass；〃　Gaborn　said　softly；　taking　her　hand　again；　pulling　it　down。　He'd　spoken　her　name　hesitantly。　He　knew　her。　〃You　are　beautiful；　even　now。　If　there　is　any　way　I　may　serve　you？〃
　Behind　Gaborn；　Iome's　Days　shifted　nervously；　and　the　bakers　suddenly　left　the