tw.togreenangeltower2-第158章
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As they reached the door； everything seemed to shift again。 For a moment Miriamete thought she saw pale flames running up the walls； she struggled not to cry out as； for a dreadful instant； she felt herself torn apart。 When the sensation passed； she did not feel as though she had been pletely restored。
Long moments passed before she felt able to speak。
〃The。。。 chapel is on 。。。 the other side。〃 Despite the incessant keening of the wind beyond the walls； Miramele whispered。 The terror inside her was struggling to break free and it took all her strength to keep it in place。 Binabik was wide…eyed and unusually pale； Cadrach looked ill； his forehead moist； his gaze fever…bright。 〃On the far side there is a short hallway that leads directly into the tower。 Look to your feet。 With all these broken things about； you might trip and hurt yourself…〃 she pointedly addressed her concern only to Binabik； 〃…or make enough noise that whoever is inside will hear us ing。〃
The troll smiled wanly。 〃Like hare's feet are the steps of the Qanuc；〃 he whispered。 〃Light on snows or rock。〃
〃Good。〃 Miriamele turned to stare at the monk； trying to divine what further treachery might lurk behind his watery gray eyes； then decided it did not matter。 There was little Cadrach could do to worsen their situation： the time for stealth would be over in moments； and what had been their greatest hope seemed now to have been turned against them。
〃Follow me； then；〃 she told Binabik。
As she opened the door into the transept of the chapel； the cold reached out and grasped at her； a cloud of her steaming breath hung in the air。 She paused for a moment and listened before leading her panions out onto the wide chapel floor。 Snow had drifted into the corners and against the walls； and pools of water lay everywhere on the stone。 Most of the benches were gone； the few tapestries that remained flapped in ragged； moldy strips。 It was hard to believe it had once been a place of fort and refuge。
The storm and the clamor of the struggle outside were also louder here。 When she looked up； she learned the reason。
The great dome overhead had been ruptured； the glass saints and angels all tumbled and shattered into colored dust。 Miriamele trembled； awed even after all she had experienced to see a familiar thing so changed。 Snowflakes swirled lazily downward； and the storm…darkened sky； touched with the bloodlight of the flaming star； twisted in the broken frame like an angry face。
As they made their way across the front of the apse； past the altar； Miriamele saw that other forces beside impersonal nature had worked desecration here： crude hands had smashed the faces of the holy martyrs' statues； and had smeared others with blood and worse things。
Despite the dangerous footing； they made their way silently across to the far transept。 She led them down a slender passageway to a door set deeply into the rock。 She stooped and listened at the keyhole； but could hear nothing through the echoing din that leaked from above。
A strange； painful； prickling sensation came over her； as though lightning were in the air…but lightning was in the air； she reminded herself；
〃Miriamele。。。。〃 Cadrach sounded frightened。
She ignored him； trying the latch。 〃Locked；〃 she said quietly； then shrugged against the crawling itch； which was worsening。 〃And too heavy for us to knock down。〃
〃Miriamele！〃 Cadrach pulled at her sieeve。 〃Some kind of barrier is being formed。 We will be trapped。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Can you not sense it pushing in on us？ Feel your skin creep？ A barrier is being formed and drawn inward to surround the tower。 Pryrates' work…I feel his heedless power。〃
She stared at the monk； but there was no sign of anything but unfeigned concern on his face。 〃Binabik？〃 she asked。
〃I am thinking he speaks rightly。〃 He； too； was beginning to twitch。 〃We will be squeezed in a most fortless way。〃
〃Cadrach； you opened the dwarrows' door。 Open this one。〃
〃This is a simple lock； Lady； not a door…warding spell。〃
〃But you have been a thief； too！〃
He shivered。 Wisps of hair were beginning to stand upright on his head； and Miriamele could feel a stirring on her own arms and scalp。 〃I have no lockpicks； no tools…it is useless。 Perhaps it is just as well。 I wager it will be a quick death。〃
Binabik hissed in exasperation。 〃I am not wanting any death； of quickness or slowness； if it can be escaped。〃 He stared at the door for a moment； then threw down his pack and began to rummage in it。
Miriamele watched helplessly。 The oppressive feeling was growing by the moment。 Praying they could find some other way into the tower； she hurried back up the passageway； but within a dozen strides the air seemed to bee grossly thicker； harder to breathe。 A strange humming was in her ears and her skin burned。 Unwilling to give up so easily； she took a few more steps； each was more difficult than the last； as though she waded in deepening mud。
〃e back！〃 Cadrach cried。 'That will do you no good！〃
She turned with difficulty and made her way back to the door。 〃You were right； there is no going back。 But this thing； this barrier； moves so slowly！〃
The monk was scratching frenziedly at his arms。 〃Such things take a certain time to appear； and the priest has expended much power summoning it。 He obviously intends nothing should go in or e out。〃
Binabik had found a small leather sack and was rooting in it。 〃How do you know it's Pryrates？〃 Miriamele asked。 〃Perhaps it's 。。。 the other。〃
Cadrach shook his head mournfully； but there was a hard core of rage beneath。 〃I know the red priest's work。 Gods！ I shall never forget the feeling of his filthy presence in my head； in my thoughts。。。。〃
〃Miriamele； Cadrach；〃 the troll said。 〃Lift me up。〃
They bent and raised him from the floor； then moved at his direction to the side of the door。 The air seemed to be tightening around them： the effort to lift tiny Binabik seemed tremendous。 The troll climbed until he stood with his feet on their quivering shoulders。
〃It's 。。。 hard to 。。。 breathe；〃 Miriamele panted。 Something was buzzing in her ears。 Cadrach's mouth hung open and his chest heaved。
〃No speaking。〃 Binabik reached up and poured a handful of something into the door's upper hinge。
Miriamele's ears were hammering now； she felt squeezed； as though held in a huge； crushing fist。 A constellation of sparks spun in the shadows before her。
〃Turn away your faces；〃 Binabik gasped； then took something from his hand and smacked it sharply against the hinge。
A sheet of light filled Miriamele's eyes。 The throttling fist became a giant open hand that slapped her away from the door。 Despite the force； she fell backward only a little way and retained her feet； buoyed by the unseen but encroaching barrier。 Binabik toppled from her shoulders and fell onto the ground between her and Cadrach。
When she could see again； the door lay a…tilt in its frame； half…obscured by drifting smoke。
〃Through！〃 she said； and tugged the troll's arm。 He snatched up his pack； then they pushed into the dark space； stumbling on the tipped door。 For a moment Miriamele stuck in the doorway； her pack wedged； her bow snagged on the broken hinge； but she fought free at last。 When they had passed over into Green Angel Tower's broad antechamber； the pressure was suddenly gone。
〃Lucky we are the hinges were outside；〃 Binabik gasped； fanning the air。
Miriamele stopped and stared。 Through the murk she could see a flash of bright red on the tower's staircase。 A moment later the smoke had cleared enough that she could clearly see Pryrates' gleaming pink skull。 Bodies lay scattered at his feet； and Camaris stood before him in the room's center。 The old man was staring at the priest with such hopeless misery that Miriamele felt her heart tear in her breast。
Grinning； Pryrates turned from the old knight and took a step down； swiveling his bottomless black eyes toward the doorway where she stood。 The door's destruction seemed to have startled him no more than the fall of a tumbling leaf。 Without thinking； Miri
