rj.acrownofswords-第144章

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ould　have　been　so　much　easier　had　she　possessed　a　better　Talent　for　pulsion　…　but　in　any　case；　the　woman　scurried　away；　eager　to　obey；　and　left　her　alone。
　　　As　the　door　thumped　down　flat　into　the　duty　white…tiled　roof；　Moghedien　gasped　at　the　sudden　feel　of　fingers　stroking　her　mind；　palping　her　soul。　Moridin　did　that　sometimes；　a　reminder；　he　said；　as　if　she　needed　any　more。　She　almost　looked　around　for　him；　her　skin　pebbled　as　though　at　a　sudden　icy　breeze。　The　touch　vanished；　and　she　shivered　again。　ing　or　going；　it　did　remind　her。　Moridin　himself　could　appear　anywhere　at　any　time。　Haste。
　　　Speeding　to　the　low　wall　that　surrounded　the　roof；　she　searched　the　river　spread　out　below。　Scores　of　boats　of　every　size　swept　along　on　their　oars　between　larger　vessels；　anchored　or　under　sail。　Most　of　the　cabins　of　the　sort　she　sought　were　plain　wood；　but　there　she　saw　a　yellow　roof；　and　there　a　blue；　and　there；　in　mid…river　and　heading　southward　fast。。。　Red。　It　had　to　be　the　right　one；　she　could　not　take　any　more　time　here。
　　　She　raised　her　hands；　but　as　balefire　launched　itself；　something　flashed　around　her　and　she　jerked。　Moridin　had　e；　he　was　there；　and　he　would。。。　She　stared　at　the　pigeons　fluttering　away。　Pigeons！　She　nearly　spewed　the　contents　of　her　stomach　across　the　roof。　A　glance　at　the　river　made　her　snarl。
　　　Because　she　had　jerked；　the　balefire　she　meant　to　slice　through　cabin　and　passenger　instead　had　sliced　diagonally　through　the　middle　of　the　boat；　about　where　the　oarsmen　had　stood；　and　the　bodyguards。　Because　the　rowers　had　been　burned　out　of　the　Pattern　before　the　balefire　struck；　the　two　halves　of　the　craft　were　now　a　good　hundred　paces　back　up　the　river。　Then　again；　perhaps　it　was　not　a　plete　disaster。　Because　that　slice　from　the　boat's　center　had　gone　at　the　same　time　the　boatmen　really　died；　the　river　had　had　minutes　to　rush　in。　The　two　parts　of　the　boat　sank　out　of　sight　in　a　great　froth　of　bubbles　even　as　her　eyes　shifted　to　them；　carrying　their　passenger　to　the　depths。
　　　Suddenly；　what　she　had　done　struck　her。　She　had　always　moved　in　the　dim　places；　always　kept　herself　hidden；　always。。。　Any　woman　in　the　city　who　could　channel　would　know　someone　had　drawn　a　great　deal　of　saidar；　if　not　for　what；　and　any　eye　watching　had　seen　that　bar　of　liquid　white　fire　sear　across　the　afternoon。　Fear　gave　her　wings。　Not　fear。　Terror。
　　　Gathering　her　skirts；　she　ran　back　down　the　stairs；　ran　through　the　mon　room　Bumping　into　tables　and　careering　off　people　trying　to　get　out　her　way；　ran　into　the　street　too　frightened　to　think；　battering　a　path　through　the　crowd　with　her　hands。
　　　〃Run！〃　she　shrieked；　hurling　herself　into　the　sedan　chair。　Her　skirts　caught　in　the　door；　she　ripped　them　free。　〃Run！〃
　　　The　bearers　flung　themselves　into　motion；　tossing　her　about；　but　she　did　not　care。　She　braced　herself　with　fingers　laced　through　the　carved　window　screens；　and　shook　uncontrollably。　He　had　not　forbidden　this。　He　might　forgive；　or　even　ignore　her　independent　action　here；　if　she　carried　out　his　instructions　swiftly；　efficiently。　That　was　her　only　hope。　She　was　going　to　make　Falion　and　Ispan　crawl！
　　　
　　　
Chapter　31　
（Serpent　and　Wheel）　
Mashiara　
　　　
　　　As　the　boat　swept　away　from　the　landing；　Nynaeve　tossed　her　mask　down　beside　her　on　the　cushioned　bench　and　slumped　back　with　arms　folded　and　braid　gripped　firmly；　scowling　at　nothing。　Scowling　at　everything。　Listening　to　the　Wind　still　told　her　a　fierce　storm　was　on　the　way；　the　kind　that　tore　off　roofs　and　flattened　barns；　and　she　almost　wished　the　river　would　begin　to　kick　up　in　waves　right　that　minute。
　　　〃If　it　isn't　the　weather；　Nynaeve；〃　she　mimicked；　〃then　you　should　be　the　one　to　go。　The　Mistress　of　the　Ships　might　be　insulted　if　we　didn't　send　the　strongest　of　us。　They　know　Aes　Sedai　put　great　store　in　that。　Bah！〃　That　had　been　Elayne。　Except　for　the　〃bah。〃　Elayne　just　thought　putting　up　with　any　amount　of　nonsense　from　Merilille　would　be　preferable　to　facing　Nesta　again。　Once　you　began　badly　with　someone；　it　was　hard　to　recover　…　Mat　Cauthon　was　proof　enough　of　that！　…　and　if　they　had　gotten　off　any　worse　with　Nesta　din　Reas　Two　Moons；　she　would　be　sending　the　lot　of　them　to　fetch　and　carry。
　　　〃Horrible　woman！〃　she　grumbled；　shifting　around　on　the　seat　cushions。　Aviendha　had　been　no　better　when　Nynaeve　suggested　she　go　to　the　Sea　Folk；　those　people　had　been　fascinated　by　her。　She　pitched　her　voice　high　and　finicky；　not　at　all　like　Aviendha's；　but　the　mood　fit。　〃We　will　learn　of　this　trouble　when　we　learn；　Nynaeve　al'Meara。　Perhaps　I　will　learn　something　watching　Jaichim　Carridin　today。〃　If　not　for　the　fact　that　nothing　whatsoever　frightened　the　Aiel　woman；　she　would　have　thought　Aviendha　fearful　from　her　eagerness　to　spy　on　Carridin。　A　day　standing　in　a　hot　street　jostled　by　crowds　was　not　amusing；　and　today　would　be　worse；　with　the　festival。　Nynaeve　would　have　thought　the　woman　would　enjoy　a　nice　refreshing　boat　ride。
　　　The　boat　lurched。　A　nice　refreshing　boat　ride；　she　told　herself。　Nice　cool　breezes　on　the　bay。　Moist　breezes；　not　dry。　The　boat　rolled。　〃Oh；　blood　and　ashes！〃　she　moaned。　Appalled；　she　clapped　a　hand　over　her　mouth　and　drummed　her　heels　against　the　front　of　the　bench　in　righteous　outrage。　If　she　had　to　endure　those　Sea　Folk　for　long；　she　would　have　as　much　filth　ing　off　of　her　tongue　as　Mat　did。　She　did　not　want　to　think　about　him。　One　more　day　folding　her　hands　for　that。。。　that　man。。。　and　she　would　yank　every　hair　out　of　her　head！　Not　that　he　had　demanded　anything　unreasonable　so　far；　but　she　kept　waiting　for　him　to；　and　his　manner。。。！
　　　〃No！〃　she　said　firmly。　〃I　want　to　settle　my　stomach；　not　rile　it。〃　The　boat　had　begun　a　slow　rocking。　She　tried　to　concentrate　on　her　clothes。　She　was　not　fixated　on　clothes　the　way　Elayne　sometimes　seemed　to　be；　but　thinking　about　silks　and　laces　was　soothing。
　　　Everything　had　been　chosen　to　impress　the　Mistress　of　the　Ships；　to　try　regaining　a　little　lost　ground；　for　all　the　good　it　might　do。　Green　silk　slashed　with　yellow　in　the　skirts；　embroidered　in　gold　down　the　sleeves　and　across　the　bodice；　with　golden　lace　along　the　hem；　and　at　her　wrists；　and　just　bordering　the　neckline。　Perhaps　that　should　have　been　higher；　to　be　taken　seriously；　but　she　did　not　own　anything　higher。　Considering　Sea　Folk　customs；　it　was　more　than　modest。　Nesta　would　have　to　take　her　as　she　was；　Nynaeve　al'Meara　did　not　go　changing　herself　for　anyone。
　　　The　yellow　opal　pins　stuck　in　her　braid　were　her　own　…　a　present　from　the　Panarch　of　Tarabon；　no　less　…　but　Tylin　had　provided　the　gold　necklace　that　fanned　emeralds　and　pearls　down　to　her　bosom。　A　richer　piece　than　she　had　ever　dreamed　of　owning；　a　gift　for　bringing　Mat；　Tylin　had　called　it；　which　made　no　sense　at　all；　but　maybe　the　Queen　thought　she　needed　some　excuse　for　such　a　valuable　present。　Both　gold…and…ivory　bracelets　came　from　Aviendha；　who　had　a　surprising　little　stock　of　jewelry　for　a　woman　who　so　seldom　wore　more　than　that　one　silver　necklace。　Nynaeve　had　asked　to　borrow　that　pretty　roses…and…thorns　ivory　bracelet　that　the　Aiel　woman　never　wore；　surprisingly；　Aviendha　had　snatched　it　to　her　bosom　as　if　it　was　her　most　precious　possession；　and　of　all　things；　Elayne　began　forting　her。　Nynaeve　would　not　have　been　surprised　to　see　the　pair　fall　weeping　on　one　another's　shoulder。
　　　There　was　something　odd　going　on　there；　and　if　she　had　not　known　those　two　were　too　sensible　for　such　nonsense；　she　would　have　suspected　a　man　at　the　root　of　it。　Well；　Aviendha　was　too　sensible；　Elayne　did　still　yearn　for　Rand；　though　Nynaeve　could　hardly　fault　her　for　…
　　　Suddenly　she　felt　weaves　of　saidar　almost　atop　her　in　huge　amounts；　and。。。
　　　。　。　。　she　floundered　in　salty　water　over　her　head；　flailing　upward　to　find　air；　tangled　in　her　skirts；　flailing。　Her　head　broke　surface；　and　she　gasped　for　breath　amid　floating　cushions；　staring　in　astonishment。　After　a　moment；　she　recognized　the　slanting　shape　above　her　as　one　of　the　cabin　seats；　and　a　bit　of　the　cabin　wall。　She　was　inside　a　trapped　pocket　of　air。　Not　large；　she　could　have　touched　both　sides　without　stretching　her　arms　out　fully。　But　how。。。？　An　audible　thud