jr.shapechangers-第24章

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ed　his　aim　beseechingfy。　〃I　want　no　more　of　this　place。〃
　〃I　have　said　I　will　take　you　to　Ton…in。　When　I　can；　I　will　e　to　you。〃
　She　shook　her　head　slowly。　〃I　think＋I　think　what　is　between　us　must　stay　unknown；　or　unnamed。〃　She　pressed　his　arm。　〃Do　you　know　what　I　say？〃
　〃No；〃　he　said；　so　harshly　she　knew　he　did。
　〃The　Cheysuti　are　not　your　enemy；〃　Alix　said　softly；　〃it　is
　me　Souodish；　and　me　Duini。　Turn　your　anger　on　mem。　Do　not
　let　Shame's　madness　infect　you　also。　You　said　once　you　would
　accept　me　whatever　I　was。　Now　I　ask　you　to　accept　the　others　of　my　race。〃
　〃Alix；　I　cannot。〃
　〃Do　you　sentence　yourself　to　serve　me　Mujhar's　insanity？〃
　He　reached　out　and　clasped　her　shoulders。　〃Alix；　I　want　you　where　you　will　be　safe。〃
　She　smiled　at　him；　certain　of　her　words。　〃Duncan　will　see　I　am　kept　safe。〃
　His　fingers　tightened　painfully。　〃Do　you　go　willingly　with　him；　then？　Or　has　he　ensorcelled　you　with　shapechanger　arts？〃
　〃No；〃　she　said　softly。　〃I　think　it　is　something　within　myself。
　I　have　no　words　for　it；　but　it　exists。〃
　Duncan；　eloquently　silent；　stretched　out　his　hand。　She　saw　me　familiar　gesture　of　spread　fingers　and　bared　palm。
　And　she　understood。
　Alix　stepped　away　from　Carillon。　His　empty　hands　fell　limply　to　his　sides。　He　looked　at　Duncan；　then　at　her；　eyes　shadowed　with　pain　and　confusion。　But　she　also　saw　acknowledgment。
　〃I　will　get　you　mounts；〃　he　said　quietly。
　〃I　have　horees；〃　Duncan　answered。
　〃How　do　you　propose　to　get　over　me　walls　with　her？　Atix　cannot　fly　in　the　guise　of　a　hawk。〃
　Duncan's　face　tightened。　〃No。　But　the　eight　guardsmen　are　simple　enough　to　put　out　of　my　way；　if　I　must。〃
　Carillon　sighed　wearily。　〃Shapechanger；　I　begin　to　understand　me　arrogance　of　your　race。　And　its　strength；　as　Ton…in　said。　Do　you　know　Shaine　sent　fifty　men　against　you　in　the　forests　and　only　eleven　survive？〃
　〃I　know。〃
　〃How　many　did　you　lose？〃
　〃Of　twelve　men；　we　lost　two。　One　to　death；　one　to　the　soulless　men。〃
　Alix　shivered　at　the　relentless　tone　in　his　voice。　She　sensed　me　purpose　and　determination　in　the　man　and　realized　had　she　refused　to　go　with　him　he　could　easily　have　forced　her。
　Carillon　nodded。　〃I　will　escort　you　through　the　gates。　The　guard　will　not　stop　me；　even　do　I　walk　with　a　shapechanger。〃
　Duncan　laughed　harshly。　〃Once　we　walked　freely　within　this　place；　prince。　But　you　will　have　my　gratitude；　regardless。〃
　Carillon　turned　to　lead　them　to　the　bronze…and…timber　gates。　Before　he　could　move　away　Duncan　reached　out　and　caught　his　arm。　The　prince　stiffened。
　〃Carillon。　There　is　much　you　do　not　understand。　Peinaps　you　cannot；　yet。　But　Shaine　will　not　always　be　Mujhar。〃
　〃What　do　you　say。　shapechanger？〃
　〃That　we　are　not　your　enemy。　We　cannot　alter　（fie　qu'mahim　while　Shaine　lives。　He　has　struck　well　and　quickly；　reducing　us　to　less　than　a　quarter　of　what　we　were。　Even　now　we　grow　fewer　with　each　year　as　the　qu'mahUn　continues。　Carillon；　it　is　in　you　to　stop　this。〃
　The　prince　smiled。　〃I　have　been　raised　on　tales　of　your　perfidy。　Stories　of　your　demon　ways　and　cruel　arts。　Tell　me　why　I　should　halt　my　uncle's　purge。〃
　Duncan's　hand　rested　on　Alix's　shoulder。　〃For　her；　my　lord。
　For　the　woman　we　both　want。〃
　Alix　stood　immobile；　unable　to　answer　the　resolve　in　Duncan's　voice。　Something　in　him　had　reached　out　to　her；　seeking　some…thing　from　her；　and　she　wanted　very　much　to　give　it　to　him。
　Carillon　swallowed。　〃It　is　true　the　Mujhar　alarms　me　with　his　vehemence　in　dealing　with　your　race。　He　does　not　even　curse　Bellam　or　the　Bliini　as　he　does　the　Cheysuli。　There　is　an　unnatu…ral　anger　in　him。〃
　Duncan　nodded。　〃Hale　served　him　for　thirty…five　years；　my　lord；　with　a　loyalty　only　the　Cheysuli　can　give。　They　were　more　than　brothers。　It　is　a　binding　service　which　our　race　had　honored　for　centuries。　Hale　shattered　mat　bond　and　hereditary　service　by　his　actions。　Any　man　would　take　it　ill　and　swear　revenge；　but　Shaine　also　lost　a　daughter　and　consequently　found　his　realm　plunged　into　war　once　again。　I　understand　why　he　has　done　this　thing。　Carillon；　even　as　it　destroys　my　race。〃
　〃Then　you　are　more　forgiving　man　me　Mujhar。〃
　〃What　of　you？〃　Duncan　asked　calmly。　〃Do　you　serve　me　qu'mahlin　when　you　are　king？〃
　Carillon　smiled　crookedly。　〃When　I　am　king；〃　he　said　gently；　〃you　will　know。〃
　He　turned　and　walked　to　the　gates。　The　guards；　answering　his　bidding；　opened　mem　instantly。　Duncan　took　Alix's　arm　and　led　her　silently　from　Homana…Mujhar。
　Chapter　Three
　Duncan　took　her　through　me　shadows　of　tall　buildings　to　the　horses。　From　his　saddtepack　he　pulled　a　dark　hooded　cloak　and　gently　draped　me　folds　around　her。
　〃You　wear　fine　clothing　and　rich　Jewels；　my　lady　princess；〃
　he　said　quietly。　〃I　am　only　one　man；　and　thieves　may　mink　it　a　simple　matter　to　slay　me　and　steal　your　wealth。　Or　even　you。〃
　He　pinned　the　cloak　at　her　left　shoulder　with　a　large　topaz　brooch　carved　into　a　hawk　shape　and　set　in　gold。　Silently　be　pulled　me　hood　over　her　gameted　hair　and　settled　it。
　〃Duncan；〃　she　said　softly；　trembling　even　at　his　lightest　touch。
　〃Aye；　small　one？〃
　〃What　is　this　thing？　What　is　this　within　me？〃　She　swallowed　and　tried　to　hide　the　hesitation　in　her　voice。　〃I　have　lost　myself；　somehow。〃
　He　smoothed　back　a　strand　of　dark　hair　from　her　cheekbone；　fingertips　lingering。　〃You　have　lost　nothing；　save　a　measure　of　your　innocence。　In　time；　you　will　understand　it　all。　It　is　not　my　place　to　tell　you。　You　will　know。〃　He　removed　his　hand。　〃Now；　mount　your　horse。　We　have　a　long　way　to　ride。〃
　She　was　muffled　by　the　weight　of　me　unaccustomed　gown　and　me　folds　of　the　cloak。　Duncan's　firm　hands　held　her　close　as　he　lifted　her　into　the　saddle。　Alix　settled　her　wrappings　as　he　turned　to　his　own　mount；　men　dutifully　set　out　to　follow　him　through　me　city　streets。　She　was　well　aware　of　what　she　did；　though　days　before　she　would　never　have　admitted　she　could　act　so　strangely。　But　something　within　her　told　her　she　would　be　safe　with　him；　and　that　it　was　the　will　of　me　gods　she　go　with　him。
　〃Duncan；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃you　spoke　of　losing　someone　to　the　soulless　men。　What　did　you　truly…say？〃
　Torchlight　caught　and　flashed　on　his　armbands；　but　he　re…mained　shadowed　and　indistinct　as　he　led　her　through　Mujhara。　She　thought　again　how　easily　me　Cheysuli　melted　into　the　darkness。
　〃I　have　said　what　it　is　to　be　Uriess。〃　he　said　at　last；　pitching　his　low　voice　to　cany　over　the　tap　of　hoof　on　stone。　〃A　Ur　was　lost；　and　Borrs　seeks　the　death　ritual　in　the　forests。〃
　〃And　you　let　him　go？〃
　〃It　is　our　way；　Alix。　Our　custom。　We　do　not　turn　our　backs　on　what　has　been　within　the　clan　for　centuries。〃
　Wearily　she　pushed　the　hood　off　her　face　and　let　it　fall　to　her　shoulders。　〃Duncan；　where　do　you　take　me？〃
　〃To　the　Keep。〃
　〃What　will　happen　to　me　there？〃
　〃You　will　see　the　shar　tahl；　and　leam　what　it　is　to　be　Cheysuli。〃
　〃You　are　so　certain　your　clan　will　accept　me？〃
　He　cast　her　a　sharp　glance　over　a　shoulder。　〃They　must。　I
　have　little　doubt　of　your　place　in　the　prophecy；〃
　〃Mine！〃
　〃The　shar　tahl　wfll　explain　it　to　you。　it　is　not　my　place。*'
　Rustratwo　rose　withm　her；　shaipemng　her　vok　into　a　demand。　〃Duocan！　Do　not　shroud　your　words　in　obscurity　and　expect　me　to　meekly　accept　them。　You　have　taken　me　from　all　1　have　ever　taKro；　aiMleveoiTOwyoxikadniemtom　（weIcaniK）tcooq）rcheod。
　TeH　me　what　is　before　mel〃
　He　reined　in　his　horse　and　allowed　her　to　catch　up。　Paint　Illumination　showed　his　face　clearly　to　her；　limning　rigid　determination。　His　mouth　was　a　taut　line。
　〃Must　you　know　all　before　its　time？〃　he　asked　harshly。　〃Can　you　not　wait？〃
　She　glared　at　him。　〃No。〃
　His　eyes；　beastial　in　the　torchlight；　narrowed　into　pale　sots。
　**Then　I　will　speak　plainly；　so　plainly　even　you　may　understand。〃
　She　nodded。
　〃What　I　have　seen　in　my　own　tahlmorra　is　mat　me　old　gods　ntteoted　you　arel　I　fwow　another。　From　us　will　e　the　next　link　in　me　prophecy　of　me　Firstborn。　You　are　Qieysuli。　You　have　no　choice。〃
　He　was　a　stranger　suddenly。　The　gentleness　he　had　used　before　fled　beneath　the　hardness　of　his　voice　and　words　and　Alix　nearly　quailed　from　it　Then　the　full　meaning　and　implications　of　what　he　bad　said　flared　within　her　mind。
　〃