jr.shapechangers-第56章

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his　knife　to　strike…Carillon　leaped；　grabbing　the　raised　arm。　Finn　spun　to　dislodge　him　but　a　garbled　sound　broke　from　the　Mujhar's　throat　and　stopped　them　both。
　Shaine　fell　slowly　forward　to　his　knees。　His　eyes　remained　locked　on　Alix；　but　his　face　was　no　longer　that　of　a　sane　man。　It　twitched；　discolored；　and　he　pitched　loosely　onto　the　stones。
　Alix　was　frozen　in　horror。　She　saw　Finn　standing　over　the　Mujhar；　still　clasping　his　knife。
　Silence　reigned。　No　one　moved；　as　if　made　immobile　by　the　sudden　collapse　of　Shaine。　Then　Finn　turned　a　strangely　impassive　face　to　Carillon。
　〃Is　he　slain；　princeling？　Is　the　Mujhar　dead　at　last？〃
　Carillon　knelt　by　Shaine's　side。　Carefully　he　turned　the　body　over　and　they　all　saw　the　twisted　travesty　of　a　face。　Alix　gulped　back　a　sour　taste　in　her　throat。
　After　a　moment　Carillon　lowered　the　body　and　rose；　facing　Finn　bitterly。　〃You　have　acplished　your　goal；　shapechanger；〃　he　said　flatly。　〃The　Mujhar　is　slain。〃
　Alix　began　to　tremble。　She　saw　an　expression　in　Finn's　face　that　frightened　her。　It　was　a　mixture　of　conflicting　emotions：
　pleasure；　relief；　satisfaction　and　something　very　strange。　It　turned　her　cold。
　For　a　long　moment　Finn　looked　down　upon　the　body　stretched　by　the　firepit。　Then　he　turned　and　stared　at　the　throne　a　very　long　time。　Finally　he　looked　back　at　Carillon　and　stretched　out　a　restraining　hand　as　me　prince　moved　away。
　〃No；〃　he　said。
　Carillon　frowned　at　him。　〃I　go　only　to　tell　the　guardsmen　their　lord　is　slain。〃
　〃The　old　lord　is　slain；〃　Finn　said　clearly。
　〃Because　of　you！〃　the　prince　snapped。
　Finn　looked　down　at　me　knife　in　his　hand　as　if　surprised　to　see　it。　For　a　moment　he　seemed　bewildered。　Then　he　glanced　back　at　Duncan。
　Alix　felt　the　intensity　of　their　locked　gazes　and　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　shaken…　But　she　did　not　interfere。
　Finn　smiled。　Something　in　his　face　had　surrendered。　When　he　looked　again　at　Carillon　he　seemed　resigned。　Swiftly　he　flipped　the　knife　in　his　hand　and　slid　the　point　beneath　the　underflesh　of　his　forearm。　Alix　winced　as　blood　welled　quickly　around　the　blade；　staining　it。
　〃Is　this　expiation　for　a　dead　Mujhar？〃　Carillon　asked　harshly。
　Finn　did　not　answer。　He　dropped　to　one　knee；　head　bowed。　〃It　is　Cheysuli　custom；　my　lord；　that　me　Mujhar　is　ever　attended　by　a　liege　man。〃　A　deep　breath　lifted　his　shoulders　briefly。
　〃Fifty　years　ago　Hale　of　the　Cheysuli　swore　a　blood…oath　to　take
　Shaine　the　Mujhar　as　his　liege　lord　until　death。〃　His　eyes　moved
　to　Carillon's　face　as　he　held　out　the　knife；　hilt　first。　〃If　you　will
　have　it。。。　if　you　will　accept　it；　my　lord　Carillon。。。　I　offer　you　the　same　service。〃
　Carillon；　staring　at　me　kneeling　warrior　in　absolute　astonishment；　slowly　opened　his　mouth。
　〃I？〃
　〃You　are　the　Mujhar。　The　Mujhar　must　have　a　Cheysuli　liege
　man。〃　Finn　smiled　without　his　customary　irony。　〃It　is　tradition；
　my　lord。**
　〃Cheysuli　tradition。〃
　Finn　remained　unmoving。　〃Will　you　accept　my　service？〃
　Carillon　threw　out　both　hands；　flinging　water　across　the　dais。　〃By　the　gods；　Finn；　we　have　never　met　without　railing　at　one　another　like　jackdaws！〃
　Finn's　mouth　twisted。　〃It　is　unsettling　for　a　Cheysuli　to　recognize　his　own　tahlmorra　when　he　wants　no　part　of　h。　What　else　would　you　expect　me　to　do？〃　He　waited；　then　sighed。　〃Do　you　accept　me；　or　do　you　refuse　me　the　sort　of　honor　my　jehan　ever　respected？〃
　Carillon　stared　down　at　him。　〃Well。。。　I　cannot　have　you　bleeding　all　over　the　floor。　Although　once　I　said　I　would　see　the　color　of　your　blood。〃
　Finn　nodded。　〃If　you　see　much　more；　I　will　have　nothing　left　to　spare　in　your　service。〃
　Carillon　smiled　and　held　out　his　hand。　The　hilt　was　placed　in　it；　and　he　accepted　the　knife　without　ment。　Then　he　drew　his　own；　slid　Finn's　blade　home　in　his　sheath；　and　gave　the　Cheysuli　his　own　untarnished　knife。
　〃A　blood…oath　is　binding；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Even　/　know　mat。〃
　Finn　rose；　shrugging。　〃It　is　only　binding　until　it　is　broken；　my　lord。　But　that　has　only　been　done　once　before。〃　He　smiled　crookedly。　〃And　you　have　seen　the　result。〃
　Carillon　nodded　silently。　Then　he　moved　past　Finn　as　one　dazed　and　walked　to　me　huge　silver　doors。　There　he　paused　and　looked　briefly　at　Alix；　then　to　Duncan。
　〃Have　you　known　he　would　do　this？　Him？〃
　Alix；　who　wanted　to　ask　mat　question　for　herself；　waited　expectantly。
　Duncan　grinned。　〃Finn　does　as　he　chooses。　I　cannot　explain　the　madness　that　es　on　him　at　times。〃
　Carillon　shook　his　head　and　glanced　back　at　the　Cheysuli　warrior　who　stood　silently　with　his　wolf。
　Alix；　also　staring　at　Finn；　felt　a　strange　bubble　of　laughter　burst　in　her　soul。　She　grinned　at　Carillon。
　〃I　think　you　have　your　revenge；　my　lord。　How　better　to
　overe　a　Cheysuli　than　to　appeal　to　his　eternal　tahhrwrra
　Carillon　grinned　back。　Then　he　lost　it　as　he　heard　the　first　shouts　from　without　the　Great　Hall。　His　face　turned　harsh。
　〃The　Ihlini；〃　he　said。　〃My　uncle　has　destroyed　the　wards。〃
　〃Then　it　is　time　we　left　this　place；　my　lord　Mujhar；〃　Duncan　said　quietly。
　Carillon　glanced　back　at　Shaine's　body。　Then　he　turned　on　his　heel　and　departed　the　Great　Hall。
　Chapter　Four
　Almost　instantly　they　were　surrounded　by　Solindish　and　Atvian　troops　who　shouted　triumphantly　as　they　made　their　way　past　slain　Homanan　servitors　and　guardsmen　to　begin　their　destruction　of　the　fallen　palace。
　Alix　bit　her　bottom　lip　as　Duncan　thrust　her　against　a　wall　that　blocked　an　Atvian　soldier's　cursing　attack。　She　slid　back　against　the　wall　in　horror；　seeing　only　the　blood…lust　in　his　eyes　and　the　sudden　savagery　in　Duncan's。
　Carillon's　sword　clanged　against　another　as　a　Solindish　man　sought　to　bring　him　down。　The　prince　fought　well；　though　badly　outweighed　and　oulreached。　He　fell　to　one　knee；　gasping　as　he　tried　to　bring　up　his　broadsword；　but　Finn　was　there　before　him。　Alix　saw　the　royal　knife；　that　now　belonged　to　a　Cheysuli　sink　home　in　a　Solindish　throat；　and　bit　back　an　outcry　as　the　man　fell　at　Carillon's　feet。
　The　prince　pushed　himself　upright　and　turned；　staring　fixedly　at　Finn。　〃Is　this　what　it　is　to　have　a　liege　man？〃
　Finn；　retrieving　his　new　knife；　grinned…　〃I　am　newly…e　to　me　service；　my　lord；　but　I　know　it　is　my　task　to　keep　you　alive。〃　He　paused　significantly。　〃When　you　foolishly　engage　someone　stronger　man　you。〃
　Carillon　scowled　at　him；　but　Alix　saw　gratitude　and　dawning　realization　in　his　blue　eyes。　She　nearly　smiled　to　herself；　pleased　beyond　measure　that　they　could　be　in　accordance　after　so　much　discord；　but　Duncan　grabbed　her　arm　and　dragged　her　down　me　corridor。
　〃Shaine　has　done　his　work　well；〃　he　said　roughly。　〃We　have　little　time　to　win　free　of　this　place。〃
　〃Winree/〃　Carillon　called　breathlessly　from　behind。　〃This　place　is　Homanan！　I　will　not　have　it　fall　into　enemy　hands。〃
　Duncan　turned　to　say　something　more；　saw　the　approaching　enemy　soldiers　and　shouted　something　to　Finn。　The　younger　Cheysuli　turned　back；　shoulder…to…shoulder　with　the　prince；　and　beat　back　four　soldiers。　Duncan　grabbed　Alix's　shoulder　and　shoved　her　through　a　tapestried　doorway。
　She　stumbled　into　a　small　ceremonial　chamber；　protesting　inarticulately　at　Duncan's　roughness。　He　remained　at　the　doorway；　holding　the　tapestry　aside　as　he　peered　out　to　search　for　the　enemy。　Alix　turned　from　him　and　surveyed　the　chamber。
　It　was　deserted　but　oddly　forting；　like　the　eye　of　a　bad　storm。　Braziers　warmed　the　room　against　the　chill　of　mortared　stone；　and　fine　rugs　and　arrases　bedecked　the　floors　and　walls。
　She　fingered　the　back　of　an　ornate　wooden　chair　and　won…dered　at　its　fineness。　Then　she　heard　Duncan　expel　a　sudden　breath　and　whipped　around；　crying　out　as　the　Atvian　plunged　through　the　door　tapestry　with　an　iron　spear。
　The　flanged　head　slid　easily　into　the　back　of　the　chair　and　shattered　it；　spraying　her　with　splinters。　She　stared　speechlessly　at　the　bearded　Atvian　who　clawed　at　his　belt…knife。
　Duncan　lunged　for　the　man。　〃Alix！　Find　a　place　to　hide　yourself＋I　cannot　spare　the　time　to　watch　out　for　you！〃
　She　retreated　instantly；　staring　as　Duncan　engaged　the　man。
　Finally　she　wrenched　her　eyes　away　and　sought　a　place。
　An　indigo　curtain　shrouding　a　huge　casement　billowed　and　she　ran　for　the　wide　be