tw.togreenangeltower2-第164章
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kward as he stabbed with his foot for something to stand on。 Panic…sweat made his grip on the door handle treacherous。 The torchlight leaking in through the doorway showed a floor that extended only a cubit past the door jamb and then fell away in rotted splinters。 He could see nothing below but darkness。
He had barely regained his balance； pulling himself back onto the fragment of flooring with one hand； when the great and terrible bell rang a second time。 For an instant the world fell away around him and the room with the missing floor filled with light and leaping flames。 The sword； which he had held tightly even while dangling over nothingness； tumbled from his grip and fell。 A moment later the flames were gone and Simon was tottering on the edge of floor。 Bright…Nail…precious； precious thing； the hope of all the world…had disappeared into the shadows below。
The footfalls； which had stopped for long moments started again。 Simon pushed the door closed and huddled with his back against it； on a narrow strip of wood over empty blackness。 He heard the footsteps pass his hiding place and move away up the stairwell…but he no longer cared who shared the tower with him。 Bright…Nail was lost。
They were so high。 The walls of the stairwell seemed to lean inward； closing on her like a swallowing throat。 Miriamele swayed。 If that ear…shattering bell rang a fourth time； she would surely lose her balance and fall。 The plummet down the battering stairs would be unending。
〃We are almost there；〃 whispered Binabik。
〃I know。〃 She could feel something waiting for them just a short distance above： the very air trembled。 〃I don't know if I can go there。。。〃
The troll took her hand。 〃I'm also frightened。〃 She could scarcely hear him over the shrilling of the wind。 〃But your uncle is being there； and Camaris has now carried the sword up to that place。 Pryrates is there； too。〃
〃And my father。〃
Binabik nodded。
Miriamele took a deep breath and looked up to wherea thin gleam of scarlet leaked past the bend of the stairwell。 Death and even worse was waiting there。 She knew she must go； but she also knew with terrible clarity that the moment she took her next step the world she had known would begin to end。
She ran her hands across her sweaty face。
〃I'm ready。〃
Smoky light throbbed where the stairs opened into the chamber above。 Thunder growled outside。 Miriamele squeezed Binabik's arm； then patted at her belt； touching the dagger she had taken from the cold； unmoving hand of one of Isorn's men。 She took another arrow from herpack and fitted it loosely on the string of her bow。 Pryrates had been hurt once…even if she could not kill him； perhaps she could provide a crucial distraction。
They stepped up into the bloody glow。
Tiamak's thin legs were the first thing she saw。 The Wrannaman lay unmoving against the wall with his robe rucked up around his knees。 She choked back a cry and swallowed hard； then mounted higher； her face lifted into the streaming wind。
Dark clouds knotted the sky beyond the high windows； ragged edges agleam with the Conqueror Star's feverish light。 Flecks of snow swirled like ashes beneath the chamber ceiling where the great bells hung。 The sense of waiting； of a world in suspension； was very strong。 Miriamele struggled for breath。
She heard Binabik make a small noise beside her。 Camaris knelt on the floor beneath the green…skinned bells； his shoulders shaking； black Thorn held upright before him like a holy Tree。 A few paces away stood Pryrates； scarlet robes rippling in the powerful wind。 But neither of these held her attention。
〃Father？〃 It came out as little more than a whisper。
The king's head lifted； but the motion seemed to take a long time。 His pale face was skeletally gaunt； his eyes deep…sunken； gleaming like shuttered lamps。 He stared at her； and she felt herself falling into shards。 She wanted to weep； to laugh； to rush to him and help to make him well again。 Another part of her； trapped and screaming； wanted to see this twisted thing that pretended to be him…that could not be the man who had raised her…obliterated； sent down into darkness where it could not trouble her with either love or terror。
〃Father？！〃 This time her voice carried。
Pryrates cocked his head toward her； a look of annoyance hurried across his shiny face。 〃See？ They pay no heed； Highness；〃 he told the king。 〃They will always go where they do not belong。 No wonder your reign has burdened you so。〃
Elias shrugged his shoulders in anger or impatience。 His face was slack。 〃Send her away。〃
〃Father； wait！〃 she cried； and took a step forward； 〃God help us； don't do this！ I have crossed the world to speak to you！ Don't do this！〃
Pryrates held up his hands and said something she could not hear。 Abruptly she was seized all over by some invisible thing that clung and burned； then she and Binabik were thrown back against the chamber wall。 Her pack fell from her shoulder and tumbled onto the floor； spilling its contents。 The bow flew from her hand and spun away out of reach。 She fought； but the clinging force gave only enough to allow her a few slow； twitching movements。 She could not move forward。 Binabik struggled beside her； but with no more success。 They were helpless。
〃Send her away；〃 Elias repeated； more angrily this time； his eyes looking at anything but her。
〃No； Majesty；〃 the priest urged； 〃let her stay。 Let her watch。 Of all the people in the world； it is your brother；〃 he gestured to something Miriamele could not see； 〃…who is unfortunately beyond appreciating it now…and your treacherous daughter who forced you onto this path。〃 He chortled。 〃But they did not know that the solution you found would make you even greater than before。〃
〃Is she in pain？〃 the king asked brusquely。 〃She is no longer my daughter…but I will not see you torture her。〃
〃No pain； Highness；〃 he said。 〃She and the troll will merely be 。。。 an audience。〃
〃Very well。〃 The king at last met her eyes； squinting as though she were a mile distant。 〃If you had…only listened；〃 he said coldly； 〃if you had only obeyed me 。。。〃
Pryrates put a hand on Elias' shoulder。 〃All was for the best。〃
Too late。 The emptiness and desperation Miriamele had been fighting broke free and spread through her like black blood。 Her father was lost to her； and she was dead to him。 All the risks； the suffering； had been for nothing。 Her misery grew until she thought it would stop her heart。
A fork of lightning split the sky beyond the window。 Thunder made the bells hum。
〃For 。。。 love。〃 She forced her jaws to work against the alchemist's prisoning spell。 Each faint word echoed in her own ears； as though she stood at the bottom of a deep well。 She told him； but it was too late； too late。 〃You 。 。。 I 。。。 did these things 。。。 for love。〃
〃Silence！〃 the king hissed。 His face was a rawboned mask of fury。 〃Love！ Does it remain after worms have gnawed the bones？ I do not know that word。〃
Elias slowly turned back to Camaris。 The old knight had not moved from his spot on the floor； but now； as though some power in the king's attention pelled him； he crawled a few steps closer。 Thorn scraping across the stone tiles before him。
The king's voice became curiously gentle。 〃I am not surprised to see that the black sword chose you； Camaris。 1 was told that you had returned to the living。 I knew that if those tales were true； Thorn would find you。 Now we will act together to protect your beloved John's kingdom。〃
Miriamele's eyes widened in horror as a figure that had been blocked from her sight by Camaris now became visible。 Josua lay crumpled just a little to one side of her father； arms and legs splayed。 The prince's face was turned away； but his shirt and cloak were sodden crimson around his neck； and blood had pooled beneath him。 Miriamele's eyes filled with blurring tears。
〃It is time； Majesty；〃 said Pryrates。
The king extended Sorrow like a gray tongue until it nearly touched the old knight。 Although Camaris was visibly struggling with himself； he began to lift Thorn to meet the shadowy blade in the king's han
