rj.theshadowrising-第136章
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He could feel one of those he hated out there somewhere； south； toward Emond's Field。 Which one？ It did not matter。 Rand al'Thor was the only really important one。 He would have known if it was al'Thor。 Rumor had not drawn him yet； but it would。 Ordeith shivered with desire。 It had to be so。 More tales must be gotten past Bornhald's guards at Taren Ferry； more reports of the scouring of the Two Rivers； to drift to Rand al'Thor's ears and sear his brain。 First al'Thor； then the Tower； for what they had taken from him。 He would have all that was his by right。
Everything had been ticking along like a fine clock； even with Bornhald impeding； until this new one appeared with his Gray Men。 Ordeith scrubbed bony fingers through greasy hair。 Why could not his dreams at least be his own？ He was a puppet no longer； danced about by Myrddraal and Forsaken； by the Dark One himself。 He pulled the strings now。 They could not stop him； could not kill him。
〃Nothing can kill me；〃 he muttered； scowling。 〃Not me。 I have survived since the Trolloc Wars。〃 Well； a part of him had。 He laughed shrilly； hearing madness in the cackle； knowing it； not caring。
A young Whitecloak officer frowned at him。 This time there was nothing of a smile in Ordeith's bared teeth； and the fuzzy…cheeked lad recoiled。 Ordeith hurried on in a slinking shuffle。
Flies buzzed about his own tents； and sullen； suspicious eyes flinched away from his。 The white cloaks were soiled here。 But the swords were sharp； and obedience instant and unquestioning。 Bornhald thought these men were still his。 Pedron Niall believed it； too； believed Ordeith his tame creature。 Fools。
Twitching aside his tent flap； Ordeith went in to examine his prisoner； stretched out between two pegs thick enough to hold a wagon team。 Good steel chain quivered as he checked it； but he had calculated how much was needed； then doubled it。 As well he had。 One loop less； and those stout steel links would have broken。
With a sigh； he seated himself on the edge of his bed。 The lamps were already lit； more than a dozen； leaving no shadow anywhere。 The tent was as bright inside as noonday。 〃Have you thought over my proposal？ Accept； and you walk free。 Refuse。。。 I know how to hurt your sort。 I can make you scream through endless dying。 Forever dying； forever screaming。〃
The chains hummed at a jerk； the stakes driven deep into the ground creaked。 〃Very well。〃 The Myrddraal's voice was dried snakeskin crumbling。 〃I accept。 Release me。〃
Ordeith smiled。 It thought him a fool。 It would learn。 They all would。 〃First； the matter of。。。 shall we say； agreements and accord？〃 As he talked； the Myrddraal began to sweat。
Chapter 32
（Dragon's Fang）
Questions to Be Asked
〃We should leave for Watch Hill soon；〃 Verin announced the next morning； with sunrise just pearling the sky outside； 〃so don't dawdle。〃 Perrin looked up from his cold porridge to meet a steady gaze； the Aes Sedai expected no arguments。 After a moment； she added thoughtfully； 〃Do not think this means I will aid you in any foolishness。 You are a tricksome young man。 Try none of it with me。〃
Tam and Abell paused with spoons halfway to their mouths； exchanging surprised looks； clearly they had gone their own way and the Aes Sedai theirs before this。 After a moment they resumed eating； although with pensive frowns。 They left any objections unvoiced。 Tomas； his Warder's cloak already packed away in his saddlebags； gave them … and Perrin … a hard…faced stare anyway； as if he anticipated arguments and meant to stamp them out。 Warders did whatever was necessary for an Aes Sedai to do what she wanted。
She intended to meddle； of course … Aes Sedai always did … but having her where he could see her was surely better than leaving her behind his back。 Avoiding Aes Sedai entanglements pletely was all but impossible when they meant to dabble their fingers in； the only course was to try to use them while they used you； to watch and hope you could jump clear if they decided to stuff you headfirst； like a ferret； down a rabbithole。 Sometimes the rabbithole turned out to her a badger's sett； which was hard on the ferret。
〃You would be wele； too；〃 he told Alanna； but she gave him a frosty stare that stopped him in his tracks。 She had disdained the porridge； and stood at one of the vine…shrouded windows； peering through the leafy screen。
He could not say whether she was pleased with his plans for a scout。 Reading her seemed near to impossible。 Aes Sedai were supposed to be cool serenity itself； and she was that； but Alanna tossed off flashes of fiery temper or unpredictable humor when least expected； like heat lightning； crackling then gone。 Sometimes she looked at him so that if she had not been Aes Sedai he would have thought she was admiring him。 Other times he might as well have been some plicated mechanism she meant to disassemble in order to puzzle out bow it worked。 Even Verin had the better of that； most of the time she was just plain unreadable。 Unnerving； on occasion； but at least he did not have to wonder if she was going to know how to fit his pieces back together。
He wished he could make Faile stay there … that was not the same as leaving her behind； just keeping her safe from Whitecloaks … but she had that stubborn set to her jaw and a dangerous light in her tilted eyes。 〃I look forward to seeing some of your country。 My father raises sheep。 〃 Her tone was definite； she was not going to stay unless he tied her up。
For a moment he came close to considering it。 But the danger from Whitecloaks should not be that great； he only intended to look； today。 〃I thought he was a merchant；〃 he said。
〃He raises sheep； too。〃 Spots of crimson bloomed in her cheeks： maybe her father was a poor man and not a merchant at all。 He did not know why she would pretend； but if that was what she wanted； he would not try to stop her。 Embarrassed or not； however； she looked no less stubborn。
He remembered Master Cauthon's method。 〃I don't know how much you'll see。 Some farms may be shearing； I suppose。 Probably no different from what your father does。 I'll be glad of your pany in any case。〃 The startlement on her face when she realized he was not going to argue was almost worth the worry of her ing along。 Maybe Abell had something。
Loial was another matter altogether。
〃But I want to go；〃 the Ogier protested when told he could not。 〃I want to help； Perrin。〃
〃You will stand out； Master Loial；〃 Abell said； and Tam added； 〃We need to avoid attracting any more attention than we must。〃 Loial's ears drooped dejectedly。
Perrin drew him aside； as far from the others as the room would allow。 Loial's shaggy hair brushed the roof beams until Perrin motioned him to lean down。 Perrin smiled； just jollying him along。 He hoped everyone else believed that。
〃I want you to keep an eye on Alanna；〃 he said in a near whisper。 Loial gave a start； and he caught the Ogier's sleeve； still smiling like a fool。 〃Grin； Loial。 We are not talking about anything important； right？〃 The Ogier managed an uncertain smile。 It would have to do。 Aes Sedai do what they do for their own reasons； Loial。〃 And that might be what you least expected； or not at all what you believed it was。 〃Who knows what she might take into her head？ I've had surprises enough since ing home； and I don't want one of hers added to it。 I don't expect you to stop her； only notice anything out of the ordinary。
〃Thank you for that；〃 Loial muttered wryly； ears jerking。 〃Do you not think it best to just let Aes Sedai do what they want？〃 That was easy for him to say； Aes Sedai could not channel inside an Ogier stedding。 Perrin just looked at him； and after a moment； the Ogier sighed。 〃I suppose not。 Oh； very well。 I can never say being around you is not。。。 interesting。〃 Straightening； he rubbed a thick finger under his nose and told the others； 〃I suppose I would draw eyes at that。 Well； it will give me a chance to work on my notes。 I have done nothing on my book in days。〃
Verin and Alanna shared an unreadable look； then turned twin unblinking gazes on Perrin。 There was simpl
