mck.harpistinthewind-第18章
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〃What in the name of the wolf…king's eyes are you doing back there？〃 He shifted the curtains so the light fell on them。 〃Look at the mess you made on that embroidered cloth！ Do you realize how much that costs？ And that white velvet。。。〃
Morgon heard Raederle draw breath to respond。 He gripped her hand and sent his mind forward； like an anchor flung on its line across water； disappearing into the shallows to fall to a resting place。 He found a quiet； sunlit portion of the road ahead of them； with only a musician on it singing to himself as he rode toward Lungold。 Holding Raederle's mind； halting her in mid…sentence； Morgon stepped toward the singing。
They stood in the road only a minute； while the singer moved obliviously away from them。 The unexpected light spun around Morgon dizzily。 Raederle was struggling against his mind…hold with a startling intensity。 She was angry； he sensed； and beneath that； panicked。 She could break his hold； he knew suddenly as he glimpsed the vast resource of power in her； but she was too frightened to control her thoughts。 His thoughts； shapeless； open； soared over the road again； touched the minds of horses； a hawk； crows feeding around a dead campfire。 A farmer's son； leaving his heritage behind him； riding an ancient plow horse to seek his fortune in Lungold； anchored Morgon's mind again。 He stepped forward。 As they stood in the dust raised by the plow horse； Morgon heard his own harsh； exhausted breathing。 Something slapped painfully across his mind； and he nearly fought back at it until be realized it was Raederle's mind…shout。 He stilled both their minds and searched far down the road。
A smith who travelled from village to village along the road； shoeing horses and patching cauldrons； sat half…asleep in his cart； dreaming idly of beer。 Morgon； dreaming his dream； followed him through the hot morning。 Raederle was oddly still。 He wanted to speak to her then； desperately； but he did not dare break his concentration。 He threw his mind open again； until he heard traders laughing。 He let his mind fill with their laughter until it was next to him among the trees。 Then his sense of Raederle's mind drained out of him。 He groped for it； startled； but touched only the vague thoughts of trees or animals。 He could not find her with his mind。 His concentration broken； he saw her standing in front of him。
She was breathing quickly； silently； staring at him； her body tensed to shout or strike or cry。 He said； his face so stiff he could hardly speak； 〃Once more。 Please。 The river。〃
She nodded； after a moment。 He touched her hand； and then her mind。 He felt through the sunlight for cool minds： fish； water birds； river animals。 The river appeared before them； they stood on the bank in a soft grassy clearing among the ferns。
He let go of Raederle； fell to his hands and knees and drank。 The water's voice soothed the sear of the sun across his mind。 He looked up at Raederle and tried to speak。 He could not see her。 He slumped down； laid his face in the river and fell asleep。
He woke again in the middle of the night； found Raederle sitting beside him； watching him by the gentle light of her fire。 They gazed at one another for a long time without speaking； as if they were looking out of their memories。 Then Raederle touched his face。 Her face was drawn； there was an expression in her eyes that he had never seen before。
An odd sorrow caught at his throat He whispered； 〃I'm sorry。 I was desperate。〃
〃It's all right。〃 She checked the bandages across his chest； he recognized strips of her shift。 〃I found herbs the pig…woman … I mean Nun … taught me to use on wounded pigs。 I hope they work on you。〃
He caught her hands； folded them between his fingers。 〃Please。 Say it。〃
〃I don't know what to say。 No one ever controlled my mind before。 I was so angry with you； all I wanted to do was break free of you and go back to Anuin。 Then。。。 I broke free。 And I stayed with you because you understand。。。 you understand power。 So do the shape…changers who called me kinswoman； but you I trust。〃 She was silent； he waited； seeing her oddly； feverishly in the firelight； the tangled mass of her hair like harvested kelp； her skin pale as shell； her expressions changing like light changing over the sea。 Her face twisted away from him suddenly。 〃Stop seeing me like that！〃 〃I'm sorry；〃 he said again； 〃You looked so beautiful。 Do you realize what kind of power it takes to break one of my bindings？〃
〃Yes。 A shape…changer's power。 That's what I have。〃
He was silent； staring at her。 A light； chill shudder ran through him。 〃They have that much power。〃 He sat up abruptly； scarcely noticing the drag of pain down his shoulder。 〃Why don't they use it？ They never use it。 They should have killed me long ago。 In Herun； the shape…changer Corrig could have killed me as I slept； instead he only harped。 He challenged me to kill him。 In Isig … three shape…changers could not kill one farmer…prince of Hed who had never used a sword in his life？ What in Hel's name are they？ What do they want of me？ What does Ghisteslwchlohm want？〃
〃Do you think they killed him？〃
〃I don't know。 He would have had sense enough to run。 I'm surprised we didn't find him in the wagon with us。〃
〃They'll look for you in Lungold。〃
〃I know。〃 He slid his palms over his face。 〃I know。 Maybe with the wizards' help； I can draw them away from the city。 I've got to get there quickly。 I've got to。。。〃
〃I know。〃 She drew a deep breath and loosed it wearily。 〃Morgon； teach me the crow…shape。 At least it's a shape of the Kings of An。 And it's faster than walking barefoot。〃
He lifted his head。 He lay back down after a moment； drew her down with him； searching for some way to speak at once all the thoughts crowding into his head。 He said finally； 〃I'll learn to harp；〃 and he felt her smile against his breast。 Then all his thoughts froze into a single memory of a halting harping out of the dark。 He did not realize he was crying again until he lifted his hand to touch his eyes。 Raederle was silent； holding him gently。 He said； after a long time； when her fire had died down； 〃I sat with Deth in the night not because I was hoping to understand him； but because he drew me there； he wanted me there。 And he didn't keep me there with his harping or his words； but something powerful enough to bind me across all my anger。 I came because he wanted me。 He wanted me； so I came。 Do you understand that？〃
〃Morgon； you loved him；〃 she whispered。 〃That was the binding。〃
He was silent again； thinking back to the still； shadowed face beyond the flame； listening to the harpist's silence until he could almost hear the sound of riddles spun like spider's web in the darkness in a vast； secret game that made his death itself a riddle。 Finally some herb Raederle had laid against his cheek breathed across his mind and he slept again。
He taught her the crow…shape the next morning when they woke at dawn。 He went into her mind； found deep in it crow…images； tales of them； memories she scarcely knew were there： her father's unreadable crow…black eyes； crows among the oak trees surrounding Raith's pigherds； crows flying through the history of An； carrion…eaters； message…bearers； cairn…guardians； their voices full of mockery； bitter warnings； poetry。
〃Where did they all e from？〃 she murmured； amazed。
〃They are of the land…law of An。 The power and heart of An。 Nothing more。〃
He called a sleepy crow out of one of the trees around them； it landed on his wrist。 〃Can you go into my mind？ See behind my eyes； into my thoughts？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Try。 It won't be hard for you。〃 He opened his mind to the crow…mind； drew its brain…workings into his own； until he saw his blurred； nameless face out of its eyes。 He heard movements； precise and isolated as flute notes； under dead leaves； under oak roots。 He began to understand its language。 It gave a squawk； more curious than impatient His mind filled then with a sense of Raederle； as if she were within him； touching him gently； filling him like light。 His throat ached with
