jr.shapechangers-第14章

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　Alix　sipped　at　the　cup　of　honey　brew　he　had　given　her；　nearly　choking　on　its　vitriolic　taste。　She　kept　her　reaction　from　him　by　covering　her　mouth　with　a　hand；　trying　not　to　gasp　aloud。　She　did　not　wish　him　to　see　her　disability；　or　her　weariness。
　He　seemed　oblivious　to　her　as　she　scraped　up　the　last　of　the　stew　and　set　the　bowl　aside；　rattling　the　wooden　spoon。　She　felt　better　for　a　fill！　stomach；　but　it　also　made　her　more　alert　to　the　dangers　she　faced…　She　could　no　longer　take　refuge　in　the　haze　of　exhaustion　and　helplessness　that　had　dogged　her　during　the　long　ride。　Now　she　could　look　across　me　small　campsite　and　see　the　dark　warriors　so　intent　on　taking　her　away　from　her　people。
　Alix　was　still　apprehensive；　but　most　of　the　overpowering
　fright　had　left　her。　Duncan　had　treated　her　with　calm　kindness　all
　day；　and　with　Finn　gone　she　sensed　no　threat　to　her　person　or　her　equilibrium。　She　had　the　chance　to　consider　her　plight　from　a　more　sensible　angle。
　〃Will　you　answer　my　questions；　shapechanger？〃
　Duncan　did　not　look　up。　〃I　have　told　you　my　name。　Use　it　if　you　would　speak　with　me。〃
　Alix　studied　his　bowed　head；　marking　how　the　black　hair　fell　forward　into　his　face　as　he　worked。　The　gold　earring　winked　through　thick　strands。　Then　she　glanced　at　the　hawk　who　sat　so　silently　in　the　nearest　tree。
　〃How　does　one　get　himself　a　/ir？〃
　The　bow　gleamed　in　his　supple　hands。　〃When　a　Cheysuli　bees　a　man　he　must　go　into　the　forests　or　mountains　and　seek　his；ir。　It　is　a　matter　of　time；　perhaps　even　weeks。　He　lives　apart；　opening　himself　to　the　gods；　and　there　the　animal　who　will　bee　his　lir　seeks　him　out。〃
　〃Do　you　say　the　animal　does　the　choosing？〃
　〃It　is　tahlmorra。　Every　Cheysuli　is　bom　to　a　lir；　and　a　lir　to　him。　It　is　only　a　matter　of　finding　one　another。〃
　〃Yet　not　all　animals　are　lir；　Finn　said。〃
　〃No。　Just　as　all　men　are　not　Cheysuli。〃
　Unwillingly　she　smiled　at　his　wry　tone；　though　he　did　not　look　at　her。　〃What　happens　if　the　lir　is　not　found？〃
　His　hands　stopped　their　work　as　his　eyes　came　up　to　meet　hers。　〃A　Cheysuli　with　no　lir　is　only　half　a　man。　We　are　born　with　it　in　our　souls。　If　it　lacks；　we　arejiot　whole。〃
　〃Not　whole。。。〃
　〃It　is　a　thing　you　cannot　prehend；　but　a　man　who　is　not　whole　has　no　purpose。　He　cannot　serve　the　prophecy。〃
　Alix　frowned　at　him　thoughtfully。　〃If　you　are　not　whole。。。　what　happens　to　you　ifCai　is　slam？〃
　Duncan's　hands　tensed　on　the　bow。　First　he　looked　at　the　hawk　perching　in　the　tree；　then　he　set　the　bow　aside　and　gave　her　his　full　attention。　He　leaned　forward　intently　and　Alix　felt　the　full　power　of　his　strength。
　〃You　do　not　ask　out　of　mere　curiosity。　If　you　seek　to　escape　by　slaying　my　lir　you　will　be　Cheysuli…cursed。　It　is　not　a　simple　thing　to　live　with。〃　A　flicker　passed　across　his　face；　〃But　you　would　not　live　long　enough　to　truly　suffer。〃
　Alix　recoiled　from　the　deadly　promise　in　his　voice。　She　shook　her　head　in　speechless　denial。
　〃I　will　tell　you；　regardless　of　your　intent；〃　he　said　quietly；
　〃so　you　will　know。　I　put　my　life　in　your　hands。〃　He　watched
　her　closely；　Judgmental。　〃If　a　man　seeks　to　slay　a　Cheysuli；　he
　need　only　slay　his　fir。　Does　he　imprison　that　lir；　he　imprisons　a
　CheysuU。　He　is　powerless；　without　recourse　to　the　gifts　the　gods　have　given　us。〃　He　relaxed　minutely。　〃And　now　you　know　the　price　of　the　A'r…bond。〃
　〃How　can　it　be　so　consuming？〃　she　demanded。　〃You　are　a　man；　Cai　a　bird。　How　is　it　you　keep　this　bond？〃
　Duncan　shrugged　as　he　smoothed　the　leather　of　his　snug　leggings。　〃I　cannot　say　clearly。　It　is　a　gift　of　the　old　gods。　It　has　been　so　for　centuries；　and　will　doubtless　continue。〃　He　grimaced。　〃Unless　the　Mujhar　slays　us　all。　Then　Homana　will　lose　her　ancestors。〃
　〃Ancestors！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃You　would　have　me　believe　you　made　this　land　what　it　is；　if　you　speak　so。〃
　Duncan　smiled　oddly。　〃Perhaps。〃
　Alix　scowled　at　him。　〃I　do　not　believe　you。〃
　〃Believe　what　you　wish。　If　you　ask；　the　lir　will　tell　you。〃
　Her　eyes　went　to　the　hawk。　But　she　refused　to　hear　it　from　the
　bird。　She　preferred　to　draw　Duncan　out。　〃And　if　you　are　slain；
　what　bees　of　the　Ur
　〃The　lir　returns　to　the　wild。　For　the　animal　the　broken　link　is　not　so　harsh。〃　He　smiled。　〃Creatures　have　ever　been　stronger　than　men。　Cai　would　gneve　for　a　while；　perhaps；　but　he　would　live。〃
　Do　not　dismiss　my　grief　so　lightly；　the　bird　chided。　Else　you　ridicule　our　bond。
　Duncan　laughed　silently　and　Alix；　surprised　by　his　response；　stared　at　him。　The　solemnity　she　had　learned　to　associate　with　him　was　not　as　habitual　as　she　had　assumed。
　After　a　moment　she　put　out　her　arms　and　stretched　them；　cracking　sinews。　〃What　truly　bees　of　you　if　the　lir　is　slain？〃　she　asked　lightly。
　Duncan　grew　very　still。　〃A　Cheysuli　without　a　lir；　as　I　said；　is　not　whole。　He　is　made　empty。　He　does　not　choose　to　live。〃
　She　froze；　staring　at　him。　〃Does　not　choose。。。〃
　〃There　is　a　death…ritual。〃
　Her　arms　dropped。　〃Death！〃
　Duncan　looked　again　into　the　trees；　eyes　on　Cai。　〃A　Cheysuli　forsakes　his　clan　and　goes　into　me　forests　to　seek　death　among　the　animals。　Weaponless　and　prepared。　However　it　es；　he　will　not　deny　that　death。〃　He　shrugged；　making　light　of　the　matter。　〃It　is　wele　enough；　to　a　lirless　man。〃
　Alix　swallowed　back　her　revulsion；　〃It　is　a　barbaric　thing。
　Barbaric！〃
　Duncan　was　impassive。　〃A　shadow　has　no　life。〃
　〃What　do　you　say？〃　she　snapped。
　He　sighed。　〃I　cannot　give　you　the　proper　words。　You　must
　accept　what　I　say。　A　lirless　man　is　no　man；　but　a　shadow。　And　a　Cheysuli　cannot　live　so。〃
　〃I　say　it　is　barbaric。〃
　〃If　it　pleases　you。〃
　〃What　else　must　I　think？〃
　He　leaned　forward　and　placed　more　wood　on　the　small　fire。　It　snapped　and　leaped　in　response；　highlighting　his　pale　eyes　into　a　bestial　glow。
　〃When　you　have　learned　more　of　your　clan；　you　will　think　differently。〃　Duncan　relaxed；　setting　the　bow　aside　as　he　studied　her　impassively。　Then　a　faint　flicker　of　curiosity　shone　in　his　eyes。　〃Would　you　wed　Carillon？〃
　Alix　stared　at　him。　〃Carillon！〃
　〃Aye。　I　have　seen　what　is　between　you。〃
　For　a　moment　she　could　find　no　proper　answer。　The　question　stunned　her；　both　for　its　audacity　and　the　implications。　In　all　her　dreams　of　a　tall　prince；　she　had　never　considered　marriage　with　him。　Somehow　the　thought　of　it；　and　the　regret　that　it　could　never　be；　hurt。
　〃No；〃　she　said　finally。　〃Carillon　would　never　take　me　to　wife。　He　is　meant　for　a　foreign　princess；　some　highborn　lady　from　Atvia；　perhaps；　or　Erinn。　Perhaps　even　Solinde　one　day；　if　this　war　between　the　realms　ends。〃
　〃Then　you　will　be　his　light　woman。　His　mei　jha。〃
　She　disliked　his　easy　assumption。　〃That　is　difficult　to　do　if　I　must　stay　with　this　clan　you　prate　about。〃
　Duncan　grinned；　suddenly　so　much　like　Finn　it　startled　her。　But　the　similarity　vanished　when　she　looked　closer；　for　there　were　none　of　Finn's　roguish　ways　about　Duncan。
　〃You　are　not　a　prisoner；　though　it　must　seem　so　to　you。　As　for　the　prince。。。　I　think　he　means　what　he　says。　He　will　e　back　for　you。〃　He　sighed；　losing　the　animation　in　his　face。　〃I　cannot　say　when；　but　he　will　do　it。〃
　〃I　will　wele　it；　shapechanger。〃
　Duncan　regarded　her　solemnly　a　moment。　〃Why　do　you　fear　us　so　much？　I　have　said　we　do　no　harm　to　our　own。〃
　Alix　looked　away　from　him。　〃/　have　said。　I　was　raised　to　fear　you；　and　to　acknowledge　me　sorcery　in　your　blood。　All　I　have　ever　known　is　that　the　Cheysuli　are　demons。。。　dangerous。〃　She　looked　back　at　him。　〃You　raid　crofts　and　steal　the　livestock。　People　are　injured。　If　that　is　no　harm；　you　have　a　strange　way　of　showing　your　peaceful　intentions。〃
　Duncan　smiled。　〃Aye；　it　would　seem　so。　But　do　not　forget
　。。。　Shaine　has　forced　us　to　this。　Before　we　lived　quietly　within
　the　forests；　hunting　when　we　would　and　having　no　need　to　raid
　for　our　food。　The　qu'mahlin　has　made　us　little　more　than　brigands；　like　those　who　ply　the　tracks　to　steal　from　honest　folk。　It　was　never　our　nature　we　are　warriors；　not　thieves　but　Shame　has　left　us　little　choice。〃
　〃Had　you　the　choice。。。　would　you　return　to　your　former　way　of　life？〃
　He　fingered　the　gold　hilt　of　the　long…knife　at　his　belt　absently；　eyes　gone　oddly　detached。　When　he　answered　Alix　heard　the　echos　of　prophecy　in