jr.shapechangers-第8章

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　He　released　her　chin。　〃How　did　a　tree　limb　e　to　desire　the　taste　of　your　skin？〃
　She　slid　a　look　at　Finn；　who　remained　exceedingly　silent。　But　the　other　man　saw　the　exchange　and　laughed　softly；　surprising　her。　It　also　drew　quick　resentment　from　her。
　〃Do　you　propose　to　force　me；　shapechanger；　as　your　brother　intended？〃
　He　studied　her　solemnly。　〃I　force　no　woman。　Did　Finn？〃
　Alix　gritted　her　teeth。　〃He　tried。　He　wished　to。　The　wolf　would　not　allow　it。〃
　〃The　lir　are　often　much　wiser　than　we；〃　he　said　significantly。
　Alix　was　shocked　as　she　saw　dark　color　move　through　Finn's　face。　For　a　moment　her　perception　of　him　altered　through　the　eyes　of　his　older　brother。　Alix　saw　him　as　a　rash　young　man　instead　of　a　fierce；　threatening　warrior。　The　image　surprised　her。
　〃Shapechanger。。。〃　she　began。
　〃My　name　is　Duncan。　Calling　me　by　it　will　not　make　you　accursed；　gyri。〃
　She　recoiled　from　his　reprimand　and　answered　glumly；　〃What　is　it　you　want　of　me；　now　I　am　made　prisoner？〃
　Duncan's　lips　twitched。　〃If　you　are　indeed　Hale's　daughter；　you　are　no　prisoner。　You　arc　of　the　clan；　gyri。〃
　〃No。〃
　Finn　shifted。　〃Do　you　see；　nyAo？　She　will　not　listen。〃
　〃Then　I　will　have　to　convince　her。〃
　Alix　blanched　and　drew　away　from　him。　He　let　her　get　as　far
　as　the　doorflap；　then　smoothly　reached　out　and　caught　her　arm；
　〃If　you　will　remain　with　me；　I　will　answer　me　questions　in　your　mind。　This　is　new　for　you。　Understanding；　I　promise；　will　e　with　time。〃
　His　hand　pulled　her　steadily　away　from　the　doorflap。　Alix　was　frightened　again。　〃I　do　not　believe　what　he　has　said。　I　am　Homanan。　I　am　not　Cheysuli。〃
　〃If　you　will　be　seated；　I　will　tell　you　a　story；〃　Duncan　said　quietly。　〃I　am　no　shar　tahl　to　give　you　the　birth　lines　and　the　prophecy；　but　I　can　tell　you　much　of　what　you　must　know。〃　His　eyes　flicked　to　Finn。　〃Leave　her　with　me。　You　had　best　tend　to　Carillon。〃
　Finn　smiled　crookedly。　〃The　princeling　sleeps；　rujho。　The
　earth　magic　has　removed　his　cares　for　a　time。〃　He　straightened　under　the　silent　mand。　〃But　I　will　see　to　him；　for　all　that。　Tend　her　well；　rujho；　she　was　gently　reared。〃
　His　departure　left　Alix　alone　in　the　pavilion　with　Duncan。　She　waited　mutely；　unable　to　force　her　mind　into　coherent　thought。
　Duncan　gestured　to　a　spotted　gray　pelt　on　the　floor　and　she　assented　silently；　gathering　her　skirts　about　her　knees　as　she　sat。　〃What　will　you　do　with　me？〃
　He　stood　over　her；　arms　folded。　The　torch　painted　his　dark　angular　face　and　danced　in　his　yellow　eyes。　Like　Finn；　he　wore　his　black　hair　cut　to　his　neck；　where　it　fell　loosely。　Unlike　Finn；　he　did　not　seem　so　inherently　violent。
　Duncan　settled　himself　cross…legged　before　her；　hands　resting　on　his　knees。　〃I　do　nothing　with　you　save　wele　you　to　your　clan。　Do　you　expect　to　be　slain？〃
　She　stared　at　her　own　hands；　clasped　tightly　in　her　lap。　〃You　are　shapechangers。　I　have　been　raised　to　fear　you。　What　else　can　you　expect？〃
　〃Finn　said　your　jehan　was　arms…master　to　Shaine　when　the　qu'mahlin　began。　Surely　he　has　not　raised　you　to　believe　me　lies。〃　His　calm　voice　forced　her　to　look　at　him。　〃Toirin　was　a　faithful　man；　and　honorable。　He　would　not　plant　the　seeds　of　untruth；　even　at　Shame's　bidding。〃
　〃You　speak　as　if　you　know　my　father。〃
　Duncan　snook　his　head。　〃I　never　met　him。　I　know　few　Homanans；　now；　because　of　Shaine's　qu'mahtin。　But　Hale　spoke　of　him　when　he　came　to　the　Keep。〃
　〃I　do　not　understand。〃
　He　sighed。　〃It　will　take　much　time。　But　first　you　must　believe　Hale　is　your　father。　Not　Ton…in。〃
　Her　chin　rose　stubbornly。　〃I　cannot　accept　that。〃
　Duncan　scowled　at　her；　suddenly　very　like　Finn。　〃Foolishness　has　no　place　here。　Will　you　listen？〃
　〃I　will　listen。〃
　But　it　does　not　mean　I　will　believe。
　He　seemed　to　hear　her　rebellious；　unspoken　words。　For　a　moment　Alix　was　nonplussed　by　the　feeling　but　dismissed　h　quickly　as　Duncan　began　the　story。
　〃Hale　took　Lindir　into　the　forests。　Her　jehana　hame's　wife；　EUinda　died　soon　after。　Shaine　took　another　wife；　who　miscarried　three　times　and　then　bore　him　a　stillborn　son；　which　made　her　barren。　The　Mujhar　claims　it　was　Cheysuli　sorcery　mat　stole　his　daughter；　slew　his　first　wife　and　denied　his　second　living　children。〃　Duncan　paused。　〃And　that　began　the　qu'mahlw。〃
　〃War；〃　she　said　softly。
　〃The　qu'mahlin　is　more　than　war。　It　is　annihilation　for　the　Cheysuli　race。　The　Mujhar　wants　every　last　one　of　us　slain；　me　race　destroyed。〃　His　yellow　eyes　met　hers。　〃His　decree　touches　even　his　granddaughter。〃
　Alix　felt　color　drain　from　her　face。　〃Shame's　granddaughter。。。〃
　〃'Y（jehana　was　Lindir　of　Homana。　You　are　the　Mujhar's　granddaughter。〃
　〃No。　No；　you　tell　me　lies。〃
　Duncan　smiled　for　the　first　time。　〃I　do　not　lie；　small　one。　But　if　you　wish；　you　may　ask　my　lir。　Cai　has　told　me　you　have　a　gift　of　the　gods；　and　can　converse　with　all　the；i'r。〃
　〃The　hawk。。。〃　she　whispered。
　A　golden　tone　stirred　within　her　mind；　softly。　You　are　Hole's　daughter；　liren；　and　bloodkin　to　us　all。　Do　not　deny　your　heritage；　or　the　gift　of　the　gods。
　Duncan　saw　the　anguish　and　fear　in　her　face。　He　touched　her　trembling　hands　gently。　〃If　you　wish　to　rest；　I　can　finish　the　story　another　time。〃
　〃No！〃　she　said　wildly。　〃No；　I　will　listen！　What　more　can　you　say　that　will　not　destroy　what　prehension　I　have　left　to　me？〃
　He　took　his　hand　away。　〃Hale　was　slain　in　me　qu'mahlin　by　Shaine's　troops；　as　he　sought　from　me　beginning。　Lindir；　carrying　a　child；　returned　to　her　jehan　to　beg　his　understanding。　She　wanted　shelter　for　her　child。〃　Duncan's　face　was　grim。　〃The　Mujhar　needed　an　heir。　He　had　no　son；　and　his　lady…wife　made　barren。　Lindir's　child；　were　it　a　boy；　Ч　would　be　that　heir。〃
　A　chill　washed　through　her；　leaving　apprehension　in　its　wake。
　〃But　there　was　no　son。。。〃
　〃No。　Lindir　bore　a　daughter；　and　died…　The　Mujhar；　still　dedicated　to　his　purge；　ordered　the　halfling　girl…child　taken　to　the　forests　and　left　to　die。〃
　〃But　it　was　only　a　child。。。〃
　〃A　shapechanger。　A　demon。〃　His　voice　was　rough　as　he　said　the　Homanan　words。　〃A　halfling　best　left　to　the　beasts。〃
　Alix　looked　up　into　his　impassive　face。　She　saw　it　soften　into　understanding　and　sympathy　and　sternness。　He　had　told　her；　she　realized；　and　he　expected　her　to　believe　him。
　〃How　do　you　know　this？〃　she　asked。　〃You？〃
　〃It　has　been　told　to　the　shar　tahl；　who　has　given　it　to　me　clan。〃
　〃The　shar　tahl
　〃Our　priest…historian；　the　Homanans　would　call　him。　He　keeps　me　rituals　and　the　traditions；　and　makes　certain　all　know　me　proper　heritage　of　me　Cheysuli。　Mostly　he　tends　to　me　words　of　me　prophecy。〃
　〃What　is　this　prophecy　you　prate　of？〃　she　asked；　irritable。
　〃Finn　speaks　of　little　else。〃
　〃That　is　not　for　me　to　say。　The　shar　tahl　will　speak　with　you　when　it　is　the　proper　time。〃　He　shrugged；　lifting　his　spread…fingered　palm。　〃Tahlmorra。〃
　Alix　looked　at　him　in　the　flickering　shadows　of　the　slate…colored　pavilion。　He　was　alien　to　her；　part　of　the　vague　dreams　she　had　dreamed　over　the　years；　growing　up　knowing　the　Cheysuli　were　accursed　and　outlawed　and　sentenced　to　death　by　the　Mujhar。　But　she　knew　he　did　not　lie　to　her；　for　all　she　wished　to　believe　it。　There　was　no　deceit　in　his　eyes。
　〃If　what　you　tell　me　is　true；　there　is　one　more　thing；〃　she　said　hollowly。　〃You　are　my　brother；　like　Finn。〃
　Duncan　smiled。　〃No。　Finn　and　I　share　ajehana；　but　Hale　was　to　me　what　the　Homanans　call　foster…father。　My　jehan　died　when　I　was　very　young。〃
　She　smoothed　the　weave　of　her　skirts。　〃I　do　not　entirely　understand。　You　said　Hale　took　Lindir　away　and　got　a　child　on　her。　Me。〃　The　word　was　dry　in　her　mourn。　〃But　if　he　was　father　to　Finn；　and　foster…father　to　you。。。　I　do　not　understand。〃
　〃Hale　was　liege　man　to　Shaine。　It　is　a　Cheysuli　thing；　hereditary　service　to　the　Mujhars　and　their　blood。　Until　the　purge；　the　Mujhars　of　Homana　ever　had　a　Cheysuli　liege　man；〃　Duncan　smiled　faintly。　〃Hale　spent　most　of　his　dme　at　Homana…Mujhar；　serving　this　lord；　according　to　custom。　Lindir　was　a　golden　child　who　took　great　joy　in　teasing　berjehan's　fierce　liege　man；　it　was　a　game　to　her。　Then　she　was　no　longer　a　child；　and　Hale　was　no　longer　indifferent　to　the　promise　of　her　beauty。　She　had　fulfilled　mat　promise。〃　He　saw　Alix's　shocked　face　and　laug