ggk.asongforarbonne-第12章

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　of　this　for　Blaise　of　Gorhaut；　a　very　simple　one：　one　did　not　leave　a　panion　behind　without　an　attempt　at　finding　him。　Blaise　stepped　forward　into　the　darkness；　following　the　elusive　scent　of　perfume　in　the　night。
　　〃mendable；〃　a　voice　said；　immediately　in　front　of　him。　Blaise　gasped　and　levelled　his　blade；　peering　into　blackness。　〃mendable；　but　extremely　unwise；〃　the　voice　went　on　with　calm　authority。　〃Go　back。　You　will　not　find　your　fellow。　Only　death　awaits　you　past　this　point　tonight。〃
　　There　was　a　rustling　of　leaves　and　Blaise　made　out　the　tall；　shadowy　form　of　a　woman　in　the　space　in　front　of　him。　There　were　trees　on　either　side　of　her；　as　if　framing　a　place　to　stand。　It　was　very　dark；　much　too　black　for　him　to　see　her　face；　but　the　note　of　assured　mand　in　her　voice　told　its　own　grim　story　about　what　had　happened　to　Luth。　She　hadn't　touched　Blaise；　though；　no　others　had　leaped　forth　to　attack。　And　Vanne　had　been　unharmed　in　the　skiff。
　　〃I　would　be　shamed　in　my　own　eyes　if　I　left　and　did　not　try　to　bring　him　out；〃　Blaise　said；　still　trying　to　make　out　the　features　of　the　woman　in　front　of　him。
　　He　heard　her　laughter。　〃Shamed；〃　she　echoed；　mockingly。　〃Do　not　be　too　much　the　fool；　Northerner。　Do　you　truly　think　you　could　have　done　any　of　this　had　we　not　permitted　it？　Will　you　deny　feeling　the　awareness　of　this　wood？　Do　you　actually　believe　you　moved　unknown；　unseen？〃
　　Blaise　swallowed　with　difficulty。　His　levelled　sword　suddenly　seemed　a　hapless；　even　a　ridiculous　thing。　Slowly　he　lowered　it。
　　〃Why？〃　he　asked。　〃Why；　then？〃
　　Her　laughter　came　again；　deep　and　low。　〃Would　you　know　my　reasons；　Northerner？　You　would　understand　the　goddess　on　her　own　Island？〃
　　My　reasons。
　　〃You　are　the　High　Priestess；　then；〃　he　said；　shifting　his　feet；　feeling　the　earth's　deep　pulsing　still。　She　said　nothing。　He　swallowed　again。　〃I　would　only　know　where　my　man　has　gone。　Why　you　have　taken　him。〃
　　〃One　for　one；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃You　were　not　consecrated　to　this　place；　any　of　you。　You　came　here　to　take　a　man　who　was。　We　have　allowed　this　for　reasons　of　our　own；　but　Rian　exacts　a　price。　Always。　Learn　that；　Northerner。　Know　it　as　truth　for　so　long　as　you　are　in　Arbonne。〃
　　Rian　exacts　a　price。　Luth。　Poor；　frightened；　bumbling　Luth。　Blaise　stared　into　the　darkness；　wishing　he　could　see　this　woman；　struggling　to　find　words　of　some　kind　that　might　save　the　man　they'd　lost。
　　And　then；　as　if　his　very　thoughts　were　open　to　her；　as　if　she　and　the　forest　knew　them　intimately；　the　woman　lifted　one　hand；　and　an　instant　later　a　torch　blazed　in　her　grasp；　illuminating　their　small　space　within　the　woods。　He　had　not　seen　or　heard　her　striking　flint。
　　He　did　hear　her　laugh　again；　and　then；　looking　at　the　tall；　proud　form；　at　the　fine…boned；　aristocratic　features　before　him；　Blaise　realized；　with　a　shiver　he　could　not　control；　that　her　eyes　were　gone。　She　was　blind。　There　was　a　white　owl；　a　freak　of　nature；　resting　on　her　shoulder；　gazing　at　Blaise　with　unblinking　eyes。
　　Not　really　certain　why　he　was　doing　so；　but　suddenly　aware　that　he　had　now　entered　a　realm　for　which　he　was　terribly　ill　equipped；　Blaise　sheathed　his　sword。　Her　laughter　subsided；　she　smiled。
　　〃Well　done；〃　Rian's　High　Priestess　said　softly。　〃I　am　pleased　to　see　you　are　not　a　fool。〃
　　〃To　see？〃　Blaise　said；　and　instantly　regretted　it。
　　She　was　undisturbed。　The　huge　white　owl　did　not　move。　〃My　eyes　were　a　price　for　access　to　a　great　deal　more。　I　can　see　you　very　well　without　them；　Blaise　of　Gorhaut。　It　was　you　who　needed　light；　not　I。　I　know　the　scar　that　curves　along　your　ribs　and　the　colour　of　your　hair；　both　now　and　on　the　winter　night　you　were　born　and　your　mother　died。　I　know　how　your　heart　is　beating；　and　why　you　came　to　Arbonne；　and　where　you　were　before。　I　know　your　lineage　and　your　history；　much　of　your　pain；　all　your　wars；　your　loves；　the　last　time　you　made　love。〃
　　It　was　a　bluff；　Blaise　thought　fiercely。　All　the　clergy　did　this　sort　of　thing；　even　Corannos's　priests　at　home。　All　of　them　sought　control　with　such　arcane　incantations。
　　〃That　last；　then；〃　he　dared　say；　even　here；　his　voice　rough。　〃Tell　me　that　last。〃
　　She　did　not　hesitate。　〃Three　months　ago。　Your　brother's　wife；　in　the　ancient　home　of　your　family。　Late　at　night；　your　own　bed。　You　left　before　dawn　on　the　journey　that　has　brought　you　to　Rian。〃
　　Blaise　heard　himself　make　a　queer　grunting　sound　as　if　he'd　been　punched。　He　could　not　help　himself。　He　felt　suddenly　dizzy；　blood　rushing　from　his　head　as　if　in　flight　from　the　inexorable　precision　of　what　he　had　just　heard。
　　〃Shall　I　go　on？〃　she　asked；　smiling　thinly；　the　illuminating　torch　held　up　for　him　to　see　her。　There　was　a　new　note　in　her　voice；　a　kind　of　pitiless　pleasure　in　her　power。　〃You　do　not　love　her。　You　only　hate　your　brother　and　your　father。　Your　mother　for　dying。　Yourself　a　little；　perhaps。　Would　you　hear　more？　Shall　I　tell　your　future　for　you　now；　like　an　old　crone　at　the　Autumn　Fair？〃
　　She　was　not　old。　She　was　tall　and　handsome；　if　no　longer　young；　with　grey　in　her　dark　hair。　She　knew　things　no　one　on　earth　should　ever　have　known。
　　〃No！〃　Blaise　managed　to　say；　forcing　the　word　out。　〃Do　not！〃
　　He　feared　her　laughter；　her　mocking　voice；　but　she　was　silent　and　so　was　the　forest　around　them。　Even　the　torch　was　burning　without　sound；　Blaise　realized　belatedly。　The　owl　lifted　its　wings　suddenly　as　if　to　fly；　but　only　settled　itself　again　on　her　shoulder。
　　〃Go　then；〃　Rian's　High　Priestess　said；　not　without　gentleness。　〃We　have　allowed　you　the　man　for　whom　you　came。　Take　him　and　go。〃
　　He　should　turn　now；　Blaise　knew。　He　should　do　exactly　as　she　said。　There　were　things　at　work　here　far　beyond　his　understanding。　But　he　had　led　seven　men　to　this　place。
　　〃Luth；〃　he　said　sturdily。　〃What　will　be　done　to　him？〃
　　There　was　a　strange；　whistling　sound；　he　realized　it　had　e　from　the　bird。　The　priestess　said；　〃His　heart　will　be　cut　out　while　he　lives。　It　will　be　eaten。〃　Her　voice　was　flat；　without　intonation。　〃His　body　will　be　boiled　in　a　vat　of　very　great　age　and　his　skin　peeled　from　his　bones。　His　flesh　will　be　cut　into　pieces　and　used　for　divination。〃
　　Blaise　felt　his　gorge　rising；　his　skin　crawled　with　horror　and　loathing。　He　took　an　involuntary　step　backwards。　And　heard　her　laughter。　There　was　genuine　amusement；　something　young；　almost　girlish　in　the　sound。
　　〃Really；〃　the　priestess　said；　〃I　hadn't　thought　I　was　so　convincing　as　all　that。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃How　savage　do　you　think　we　are？　You　have　taken　a　living　man；　we　take　a　living　man　from　you。　He　will　be　consecrated　as　a　servant　of　Rian　and　set　to　serve　the　goddess　on　her　Island　in　redress　for　his　transgression　and　yours。　This　one　is　more　a　cleric　than　a　coran　in　any　case；　I　think　you　know　as　much。　It　is　as　I　told　you；　Northerner：　you　have　been　permitted　to　do　this。　It　would　have　been　different；　I　assure　you；　had　we　chosen　to　make　it　so。〃
　　Relief　washing　over　him　like　a　stream　of　water；　Blaise　fought　a　sudden；　uncharacteristic　impulse　to　kneel　before　this　woman；　this　incarnated　voice　of　a　goddess　his　countrymen　did　not　worship。
　　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said；　his　voice　rough　and　awkward　in　his　own　ears。
　　〃You　are　wele；〃　she　said；　almost　casually。　There　was　a　pause；　as　if　she　were　weighing　something。　The　owl　was　motionless　on　her　shoulder；　unblinking；　gazing　at　him。　〃Blaise；　do　not　overvalue　this　power　of　ours。　What　has　happened　tonight。〃
　　He　blinked　in　astonishment。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　〃You　are　standing　at　the　very　heart　of　our　strength　here　on　this　island。　We　grow　weaker　and　weaker　the　further　we　are　from　here；　or　from　the　other　isle　in　the　lake　inland。　Rian　has　no　limits；　but　her　mortal　servants　do。　I　do。　And　the　goddess　cannot　be　pelled；　ever。〃
　　She　had　built　up　a　veil　of　power　and　magic　and　mystery；　and　now　she　was　lifting　it　for　him　to　see　behind。　And　she　had　called　him　by　his　name。
　　〃Why？〃　he　asked；　wonderingly。　〃Why　do　you　tell　me　this？〃
　　She　smiled；　almost　ruefully。　〃Something　in　my　own　family；　I　suspect。　My　father　was　a　man　prone　to　take　chances　with　trust。　I　seem　to　have　inherited　that　from　him。　We　might　need　each　other；　in　a　time　not　far　from　tonight。〃
　　Struggling　to　absorb　a