jr.shapechangers-第2章

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e　lived　within　the　walls　LHomana…Mujhar　and　spoke　often　with　me　Mujhar。　He　was　there　when　Lindir　went　away　with　the　Cheysuli　she　loved；　and　he　was　there　when　Shaine　called　curses　on　the　race　and　outlawed　them。　He　was　there　when　the　Mujhar　started　this　war！〃
　Muscles　moved　beneath　the　flesh　of　his　jaw。　〃He　speaks　treason。〃
　〃He　speaks　the　truth！〃　Alix　whirled　from　him　and　stalked　through　the　grass；　stopping　only　to　remove　a　Thom　from　her　bare　foot。　Her　slippers；　she　recalled　glumly；　were　back　where　they　had　begun　this　discussion。
　〃Alix〃　he　said。
　〃By　the　gods。　Carillon；　it　was　the　Cheysuli　who　settled　this　land！〃　she　said　crossly。　〃Do　you　think　they　seek　this　purge？　It　is　Shaine's　doing；　not　theirs。〃
　〃With　just　cause。〃
　Alix　sighed　and　set　down　her　foot。　They　stared　at　one　another　silently　a　long　moment；　both　recognizing　they　jeopardized　the　tenuous　friendship　they　had　built。　She　waited　for　his　curt　dismissal。
　Carillon's　hand　idly　smoothed　the　hilt　of　the　sword　at　his　belt；
　caressing　the　glowing　cabochon　ruby　set　in　gold。　He　was　silent；　thoughtful；　not　the　blustering　or　coldly　arrogant　prince　she　anticipated。
　Finally　he　sighed…　〃Girl；　for　your　entire　father　had　my　uncle's　ear；　he　was　not　privy　to　all　things。　He　could　not　know　everything　about　the　beginnings　of　the　war。　Nor；　for　that　matter；　can　me。　I　am　but　newly　made　heir；　and　Shaine　treats　me　as　little　more　than　a　child。　If　you　will　listen；　I　will　tell　you　what　I　know　of　the　matter。〃
　She　opened　her　mouth　to　reply；　but　a　third　voice　broke　into　their　conversation。
　〃No；　princeling。　Let　someone　who　has　experienced　Shaine's　purge　tell　her　what　he　knows　of　the　matter。〃
　Alix　jerked　around　and　saw　the　man　at　me　edges　of　the　forest；
　leather…clad　in　jerkin　and　leggings；　black…haired　and　dark…skinned。　For　a　moment　she　stared　speechlessly　at　him；　astonished；　then　her　eyes　widened　as　she　saw　the　heavy　gold　bands　on　his　bare　arms　and　the　gray　wolf　at　his　side。
　〃Carillon！〃　she　cried；　backing　away　from　the　man。　She　heard　the　hissing　of　Carillon's　sword　as　he　drew　it　from　its　sheath；　but　saw　only　the　streaking　gray　form　of　me　wolf　as　it　hurtled　silently　across　the　space　between　them。　The　animal's　jaws　closed　on　Carillon's　wrist。
　Alix　turned　to　run　but　the　stranger　caught　her　easily。　Hands　grasped　her　shoulders　and　spun　her；　she　stared　wide…eyed　into　a　laughing　face　with　yellow　eyes。
　Beast…eyes！　she　cried　silently。
　〃e　now；　meijha；　do　not　struggle　so；〃　her　captor　said；　grinning。　A　gold　ornament　gleamed　in　his　left　ear；　flashing　against　black　hair　and　bronzed　skin。　Alix　was　conscious　of　his　soft　sleeveless　leather　jerkin　and　bare　arms　as　he　held　her　against　him。　〃You　championed　my　race　but　a　moment　ago；　meijha。　Surety　you　do　not　lose　your　principles　so　quickly。〃
　She　froze　in　his　hands；　staring　into　his　angular；　high…planed　face。　〃You　are　Cheysuli！〃
　〃Aye；〃　he　agreed。　〃Finn。　When　I　heard　you　defending　my　race　to　the　heir　of　the　man　who　nearly　destroyed　us；　I　could　not　bear　to　let　the　princeling　force　your　beliefs　against　us。　Too　many　will　not　hear　the　truth。〃　He　grinned　at　her。　〃I　will　tell　you　what　truly　happened；　meijha；　and　why　Shaine　has　called　us　accursed　and　outlawed。〃
　〃Shapechanger！　Demon！〃　Carillon　called　furiously。
　Alix　twisted　so　she　could　see　him；　afraid　he　had　been　badly　injured；　but　she　saw　only　an　angry　young　man　on　me　ground；　hitched　up　on　one　elbow　as　he　cradled　his　wrist　against　his　chest。
　The　wolf；　a　big　silver　male；　sat　at　his　side。　There　was　no　question　in　Alix's　mind　the　animal　stood　guard。
　The　Cheysuli*s　hands　tightened　on　Alix　and　she　winced。　〃I　am　no　demon；　princeling。　Only　a　man；　like　you；　though　admittedly　the　gods　like　us　better。　If　you　would　have　us　called　demon…spawn　and　consign　us　to　the　netherworld；　you　had　best　look　to　the　Mujhar　first。　He　cried　qu'mahlin　on　us；　not　the　other　way。〃　The　contempt　in　his　voice　sent　a　shiver　through　Alix。
　〃And　you　make　me　think　you　wish　to　be　his　heir；　princeling；　in
　all　things。*
　Color　raced　through　Carillon's　face　and　he　moved　as　if　to　rise。　The　wolf　tautened　silently；　amber　eyes　slitting；　and　after　a　moment　the　prince　remained　where　he　was。　Alix　saw　pain　and　frustration　in　his　face。
　〃Let　me　go　to　him；〃　she　said。
　〃To　the　princeling？〃　The　Cheysuli　laughed。　〃Are　you　his　meijha；　men？　Well；　and　I　had　thought　to　make　you　mine。〃
　She　stiffened。　〃I　am　no　man's　light　woman；　if　that　is　what　your　barbaric　word　means。〃
　〃It　is　the　Old　Tongue；　meijha；　a　gift　of　the　old　gods。　Once　it　was　the　only　tongue　in　this　land。〃　His　breath　warmed　her　ear。　〃I　will　teach　it　to　you。〃
　〃Let　me　go！〃
　〃I　have　only　just　got　you。　I　do　not　intend　to　let　you　go　so　quickly。〃
　〃Release　her；〃　Carillon　ordered　Jtatly。
　Finn　laughed　joyously。　〃The　princeling　orders　me。'　But　now　the　Cheysuli　no　longer　recognize　the　Mujhar's　laws；　my　young　lord；　or　his　wishes。　Shaine　effectively　severed　our　hereditary　obedience　to　the　Mujhar　and　his　blood　when　he　declared　qu'mahlin　on　our　race。〃　The　laughter　died。　〃Perhaps　we　can　return　the　favor；　now　we　have　his　heir　at　hand。〃
　〃You　have　me；　then；〃　Carillon　growled。　〃Release　Alix。〃
　The　Cheysuli　laughed　again。　〃But　it　was　the　woman　I　came　for；　princeling。　I　have　only　got　you　in　the　bargain。　And　I　do　not　intend　to　lose　either　of　you。〃　His　hand　slid　across　Alix's　breast　idly。　〃You　both　will　be　guests　in　a　Cheysuli　raiding　camp　this　night。〃
　〃My　father。。。〃　Alix　whispered。
　〃Your　father　will　e　looking　for　you；　mei　jha；　and　when　he　does　not　find　you　he　will　assume　the　beasts　of　the　forest　got　you。〃
　〃And　he　will　have　the　right　of　it！〃　she　snapped。　His　hand
　cupped　her　jaw　and　lifted　it。　〃Already　you　join　your　princeling
　L'　in　cursing　us。
　〃Aye！〃　she　agreed。　〃When　you　behave　like　a　beast　there　is　little　else　I　can　do！〃
　The　hand　tightened　until　it　nearly　crushed　her　jaw。　〃Who　is　to　blame　for　that；　meijha　He　turned　her　head　until　she　was　forced　to　look　at　Carillon。〃You　see　before　you　the　heir　to　the　man　who　drove　us　from　our　homeland；　making　outlaws　of　warriors；　denying　us　our　rights。　Is　not　Shaine　the　Mujhar　a　maker　of　beasts；　then？　if　you　would　call　us　that？〃
　〃He　is　your　liege　lord！〃　Carillon　hissed　through　gritted　teeth。
　〃No；〃　Finn　said　coldly。　〃He　is　not。　Shaine　of　Homana　is　my　persecutor；　not　my　liege　lord。〃
　〃He　persecutes　with　reason！〃
　〃What　reason？〃
　Carillon's　eyes　narrowed。　〃A　Cheysuli　warrior　liege　man　to　my　uncle　the　Mujhar　stole　away　a　king's　daughter。〃　He　smiled　coldly；　as　angry　as　the　Cheysuli。　〃That　practice；　it　seems；　is　still　alive　among　your　race。　Even　now　you　steal　another。〃
　Finn　matched　Carillon's　smile。　〃Perhaps；　princeling；　but　she　is　not　a　king's　daughter。　Only　her　father　will　miss　her；　and　her　mother；　and　that　will　pass　in　time。〃
　〃My　mother　is　dead；〃　Alix　said；　and　then　regretted　speaking　at　all。　She　took　a　careful　breath。　〃If　I　go　with　you；　willingly；　will　you　free　Carillon？〃
　Finn　laughed　softly。　〃No；　mei　jha；　I　will　not。　He　is　the　weapon　the　Cheysuli　have　needed　these　twenty…five　years　of　the　qu'mahlin；　for　all　he　was　boom　after　it　began。　We　will　use　him。〃
　Alix's　eyes　met　Carillon's；　and　they　realized　the　futility　of　then…　arguments。　Neither　spoke。
　〃e；〃　said　Finn。　〃I　have　men　and　horses　waiting　in　the　forest。　It　is　time　we　left　this　place。〃
　Carillon　got　carefully　to　his　feet；　cradling　the　injured　wrist。　He　stood　stiffly；　taller　man　me　black…haired　warrior；　but　somehow　diminished　before　the　fierce　pride　of　the　man。
　〃Your　sword；　princeling；〃　Finn　said　quietly。　〃Take　up　your　sword　and　return　it　to　its　sheath。〃
　〃I　would　sooner　sheathe　it　in　your　flesh。〃
　〃Aye；〃　Finn　agreed。　〃If　you　did　not；　you　would　not　be　much　of　a　man。〃　Alix　felt　an　odd　tension　in　his　body。　〃Take　up　the　sword。　Carillon　of　Homana。　It　is　yours；　for　all　that。〃
　Carillon；　warily　eyeing　the　wolf；　bent　and　retrieved　the　blade。　The　ruby　glinted　as　he　slid　the　sword　home　awkwardly　with　his　left　hand。
　Finn　stared　at　the　weapon　and　smiled　oddly。　〃Hate's　blade。〃
　Carillon　scowled　at　him。　〃My　uncle　gifted　me　with　this　sword　last　year。　It　was　his　before　that。　What　do　you　say？〃
　When　the　Cheysuli　did　not　answer　immediately　Alix　looked
　sharply　at　him。　She　was　startled　to　find　bleakness　in　his　yellow
　beast…eyes；
　〃L