jr.shapechangers-第45章

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cled　forearm。
　〃Carillon；　the　Cheysuli　are　not　so　different　from　the　Homanans。
　They　have　only　retained　the　gifts　of　the　old　gods。〃　She　paused。
　〃Do　not　curse　us　for　it。〃
　〃Alix；　you　are　more　eloquent　than　my　uncle's　courtiers。〃
　〃Will　you　not　admit　it？〃　she　asked　earnestly。　〃Will　you　not　see　we　are　not　demons　and　beasts。。。　not　what　men　brand　us？〃
　〃I　cannot　say。　I　have　been　taught　to　fear　and　mistrust　them　all　my　life。　Alix。。。　I　have　seen　what　they　can　do　to　men　in　battle。。。　what　they　leave　when　they　kill。〃
　〃That　is　battle；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃You　should　know；　now；
　what　price　it　exacts。〃　Her　fingers　tightened　on　his　arm。　〃You　know　them；　now。　You　know　me。〃
　Carilton　drew　up　his　legs；　chains　clashing；　and　stared　over　his　knees　at　her。　'　'If　they　e＋if　they　e＋there　is　little　I　can　say　against　them。　They　will　have　proven　their　service　to　the　Mujhar's　heir。〃　He　smiled　bleakly。　〃But　they　will　not　e。〃
　〃　came。〃
　For　a　long　moment　he　said　nothing；　studying　her　face。　She　sensed　the　conflict　within　him；　realizing　she　had　suffered　her　own　measure　of　it　when　Duncan　first　insisted　she　go　to　the　Keep。
　It　is　not　easily　done；　she　reflected。　And　he　is　no　kind　of　man　at　all　if　he　accedes　so　swiftly　to　words　he　has　been　taught　not　to　hear。
　〃Alix；〃　he　said　finally；　〃perhaps；　in　time；　I　will　believe　you。
　But　not　yet。〃
　She　removed　her　hand　and　stood。　〃If　I　cannot　free　you；　perhaps　there　is　something　else。　Can　I　steal　food　for　you？　Water？〃
　〃I　do　not　hunger。　Inactivity　and　chains　take　the　appetite　from　a　man。〃　His　eyes　were　grim；　hidden　in　shadow。　〃There　is　only　one　thing　I　would　ask；　and　I　cannot　ask　it　of　you。〃
　〃Tell　me。〃
　He　pushed　grimy　fingers　through　tangled　tawny　hair；　baring　his　face　to　the　moonlight。　Alix　saw　the　glitter　in　his　eyes。
　〃There　is　a　boy。　Rowan。　A　Homanan　boy　no　more　than　twelve；　who　came　to　serve　his　lord　however　he　could。〃　His　eyes　closed　a　moment。　〃He　told　me　he　acted　as　a　runner　between　the　captains；　carrying　messages。　But　he；　like　me；　was　caught　and　made　helpless。　Keough's　son　took　Rowan　from　the　prisoners＋as　he　did　me＋and　made　him　serve　the　Atvian　lords。〃　Carillon's　face　tightened　into　bitterness　as　he　remembered。　〃1　was　forced　to　watch　him；　ix　Keough's　field　pavilion。　His　eyes　followed　me　everywhere；。。　and　I　could　see　the　confusion　in　his　face。　I　was　his　prince＋why　could　I　not　win　his　release？〃
　〃Carillon；〃　she　said　softly。
　Chains　rattled　and　glinted　in　the　moonlight。　〃Rowan　did　well
　enough　at　first。　But　he　was　tired；　aching　from　the　cuffs　they　had
　given　him　all　night。　They　even　made　him　serve　me；　though　it
　was　done　as　if　I　were　no　better　than　the　poorest　cur。〃　Breath
　hissed　between　his　teeth。　〃Rowan　tripped　and　fell　across　the
　table；　and　spilled　wine　all　over　Keough　himself。　When　they
　picked　him　up　he　was　crying　in　fear　and　exhaustion；　but　his
　face　when　he　looked　at　me＋accepted　what　they　would　do　to
　him。　He　knew。〃　He　swore　beneath　his　breath。　〃I　tried　to
　gainsay　it。　I　tried　to　assuage　Keough's　anger　by　offering　to　take
　the　boy's　punishment　myself＋by　the　gods；　I　begged　for　it！　I　got　on　my　knees　to　Keough。。。　when　I　would　not　do　it　before；　when　they　asked　for　it！　But　the　boy　was　worth　it。〃
　〃They　would　not　accept　it；〃　Alix　said。
　〃No。　Thome＋Keough's　son＋took　Rowan　out　and　had　him　flogged　until　the　skin　fell　off　his　back。。。　and　then　left　him　tied　to　the　post。〃
　〃I　have　seen　him。〃
　Carillon　gave　up　his　breath　as　if　he　would　breathe　no　more。　〃Only　a　boy；　who　wished　to　serve　his　lord。　And　do　you　see　what　that　service　has　won　him？〃
　She　felt　for　the　knife　in　her　right　boot　and　found　it。　Then　she
　smiled　at　Carillon。　〃I　will　free　him　for　you；　my　lord。　You　will
　see；〃
　〃Alix！〃　he　cried；　jerking　upright；　but　she　had　already　blurred
　into　the　darkness。
　Chapter　Six
　Alix　flew　to　the　post　and　perched　upon　it。　The　boy　was　still　slumped　at　its　base；　but　now　she　could　see　the　movement　of　his　back　that　told　her　he　breathed。　The　flesh　had　nearly　been　stripped　from　his　rib　cage。　She　winced　to　herself；　then　looked　closely　at　the　field　pavilions　surrounding　the　area。
　The　scarlet　one　was　largest；　and　the　finest。　Men　had　set　tall　torches　in　the　ground　before　it；　illuminating　its　front。　Two　other　smaller　pavilions　stood　on　either　side　of　it；　but　the　torchlight　did　not　extend　to　them。　Alix　assured　herself　there　were　no　guards　near　the　post；　then　drifted　down　and　blurred　into　human　form。
　She　drew　the　knife　from　her　boot　and　knelt　at　the　boy's　side。　She　put　a　hand　on　his　shoulder；　carefully　avoiding　his　lacerated　flesh。　He　made　no　movement　and　she　feared　his　unconsciousness　would　hinder　her　ability　to　get　him　away　safely。
　I　will　take　him　to　the　forest's　edge；　she　decided。　Somehow　I　wilt　get　him　there；　and　have　him　wait。　When　Duncan　es；　I　can　take　him　to　this　boy。　Rowan。
　He　winced　and　moaned；　stirring　under　her　fingers。　His　eyes　opened　wide；　dilated；　pale　in　the　moonlight。　Fear　changed　his　bruised　face　into　a　mask　of　terror。
　Alix　moved　around　so　he　could　see　her　clearly。　〃No；　Rowan；〃
　she　said　softly。　〃I　am　not　your　enemy。　I　am　sent　from　Prince　Carillon；　who　would　have　you　free　of　this　place。〃
　His　face　was　hidden　behind　his　tied　arm；　but　she　could　see　the　gleam　of　his　light　eyes。　He　swallowed　visibly。　〃Prince　Carillon？〃
　Alix　set　her　knife　to　the　rope　binding　his　legs　and　cut　them。
　〃He　knows　you　have　served　his　House；〃　she　said　soothingly。　〃He　knows　what　loyalty　you　have　given　him。　He　would　not　have　you　so　poorly　treated　for　honorable　service。〃
　〃I　have　not　served　honorably；〃　the　boy　said　miserably。　〃I　ran。　I　ran。〃　His　head　dropped。　〃And　I　was　captured。〃
　〃Carillon　was　also　captured；〃　she　told　him。　〃He　fought；　but　was　beaten。〃　Inwardly　she　flinched　at　so　undermining　Carillon's　prowess。　But　it　was　the　truth。　〃You　were　here。　Rowan。　You　came　to　serve。　He　has　seen　the　honor　in　you；　and　he　has　done　what　he　could　to　get　you　free。　I　have　e　in　his　name；　because　he　asked　it。〃　She　bent　closer　to　him。　〃He　called　you　by　name　and　told　me　to　e　straight　here；　to　release　you。〃
　〃I　am　not　worthy。〃
　She　freed　his　hands　and　moved　back　to　his　side；　sliding　the　knife　into　her　boot。　Carefully　she　helped　him　sit　up。
　〃You　are　more　than　worthy。　Why　else　would　the　prince　himself　insist　you　be　freed？〃
　The　light　fell　clearly　on　his　face　for　the　first　time。　It　was　bruised　and　grimy；　but　his　eyes；　staring　at　her；　were　as　yellow　as　Duncan's。
　Alix　sucked　in　a　breath。　〃Cheysuli*
　Rowan　recoiled　from　her；　then　winced。　〃No！〃　he　cried。　〃I　am　not　a　demon！〃
　She　put　a　trembling　hand　toward　his　face。　〃No。。。　oh　no
　。。。　you　are　not　a　demon。　It　is　not　a　curse。　Rowan＋〃
　〃What　do　you　do？〃　asked　an　accented　voice　from　behind。
　Alix　leaped　to　her　feet　and　whirled；　staring　wide…eyed　at　the　man。　He　stood　before　her　like　a　demon　in　shadow；　backlighted　by　the　torches。　He　was　dark…haired；　bearded；　and　the　color　of　his　eyes　was　indeterminate。　Before　she　could　move　he　reached　out　and　caught　her　arm。
　〃Who　arc　you；　boy？〃
　She　was　thankful　for　her　warrior's　garb；　〃I　am　a　servant　of　the　prince；　my　lord。　Prince　Carillon。〃
　He　glanced　down　at　Rowan；　shivering　against　the　post。　The　man　smiled　grimly　and　jerked　Alix　toward　the　scarlet　pavilion；　into　the　torchlight。
　She　saw　he　was　near　Duncan's　age；　but　there　the　resemblance
　ended。　He　was　tall　and　slender；　strongly　built。　She　saw　cruelty
　and　determination　in　the　lines　of　his　face；　glinting　in　his　brown
　eyes。　He　was　richly　dressed　in　black　save　for　a　blue　tunic　that　bore　the　crest　of　a　scarlet　hand　clasping　a　white　lightning　bolt。　His　mail；　glinting　in　the　light；　was　little　more　than　ceremonial。
　His　hand　was　tight　on　her　arm。　〃You　are　no　boy；〃　he　said；　surprised。　He　turned　her　face　into　the　light。　〃No　boy　at　all。〃　And　he　smiled。
　She　tugged　ineffectually　against　his　grip。　When　she　saw　she　could　not　break　free　she　gave　it　up　and　waited　silently。
　〃Who　are　you？　Why　do　you　free　that　worthless　child？〃
　〃He　is　not　worthless！〃　she　cried。　〃He　only　sought　to　serve　his　prince；　as　befits　a　loyal　man。　Yet　you　punish　him　for　that！〃
　〃I　punish　him　because　he　threw　wine　over　my　father；〃　the　man　said　firmly。　〃He　is　fortunate　I　did　not　order　him　slain。〃
　Alix　froze。　Thorne。。。　Thorne！　This　man　is　Keou