rj.acrownofswords-第145章
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he could have touched both sides without stretching her arms out fully。 But how。。。？ An audible thud announced the bottom of the river； the upside…down cabin； lurched； tilted。 She thought the air pocket shrank a little。
The first order of business； before wondering about anything； was getting out before she used up the air。 She knew how to swim … she had splashed in the Waterwood ponds often enough back home … it was just when the water started rocking her about that she minded。 Filling her lungs； she doubled over and swam down toward where the door must be； kicking awkwardly because of her skirts。 It might help to shed the dress； but she was not about to bob to the surface of the river in nothing but shift and stockings and jewels。 She was not about to leave those behind； either。 Besides； she could not get out of the dress without loosing her belt pouch； and she would drown before losing what was in there。
The water was black； lightless。 Her outstretched fingers struck wood； and she felt across the piercework carving until she found the door； scrabbled down the edge of that … and found a hinge。 Muttering imprecations in her head； she cautiously felt her way to the other side。 Yes！ The latch handle！ She lifted it； pushed outward。 The door moved maybe two inches … and stopped。
Lungs straining； she swam back up to the pocket； but only long enough to fill them again。 This time； finding the door came faster。 She stuck her fingers through the crack to find what held the door shut。 They sank into mud。 Maybe she could dig away a little hillock； or。。。 She felt higher。 More mud。 Increasingly frantic； she worked her fingers from the bottom of the crack to the top； and then； refusing to believe； from the top to the bottom。 Mud； solid gooey mud； all the way。
This time when she swam back up to the pocket； she grabbed hold of the edge of the seat above her and hung from it； panting； heart beating wildly。 The air felt。。。 thicker。
〃I will not die here；〃 she muttered。 〃I will not die here！〃
She hammered a fist against the seat until she felt it bruise； fighting for the anger that would allow her to channel。 She would not die。 Not here。 Alone。 No one would know where she had died。 No grave； just a corpse rotting at the bottom of the river。 Her arm fell with a splash。 She labored for breath。 Flecks of black and silver danced in her eyes； she seemed to be looking down a tube。 No anger； she realized dimly。 She kept trying to reach for saidar； but without any belief that she would touch it； now。 She was going to die here after all。 No hope。 No Lan。 And with hope gone； flickering on the edge of consciousness like a guttering candle flame； she did something she had never done before in her life。 She surrendered pletely。
Saidar flowed into her； filled her。
She was only half…aware of the wood above her suddenly bulging outward； bursting。 In rushing bubbles of air she drifted up； out through the hole in the hull into darkness。 Vaguely； she knew she should do something。 She could almost remember what。 Yes。 Her feet kicked weakly； she tried to move her arms to swim。 They seemed to just float
Something seized her dress； and panic roused her in thoughts of sharks； and lionfish； and the Light alone knew what else that might inhabit these black depths。 A spark of consciousness spoke of the Power； but she flailed desperately with fists and feet； felt her knuckles land solidly。 Unfortunately； she also screamed； or tried to。 A great quantity of water rushing down her throat washed away scream； saidar； and very nearly her final scraps of awareness。
Something tugged on her braid； then again； and she was being towed。。。 somewhere。 She was no longer conscious enough to struggle； or even to be very much afraid of being eaten。
Abruptly her head broke surface。 Hands encircled her from behind … hands； not a shark； after all … squeezed hard against her ribs in a most familiar way。 She coughed … water spewed from her nose … coughed again； painfully。 And drew a shuddering breath。 She had never tasted anything so sweet in her life。
A hand cupped her chin； and suddenly she was being towed again。 Lassitude washed though her。 All she could do was float on her back； and breathe； and stare up at the sky。 So blue。 So beautiful。 The stinging in her eyes was not all from the salty river。
And then she was being pushed upward against the side of a boat； a rude hand beneath her bottom shoving her higher； until two lanky fellows with brass rings in their ears could reach down and haul her aboard。 They helped her walk a step or two； but as soon as they let go to help her rescuer； her legs collapsed like towers of soggy mush。
On unsteady hands and knees； she stared blankly at a sword and boots and green coat someone had thrown down on the deck。 She opened her mouth … and emptied herself of the River Elbar。 The entire river； it seemed； plus her midday meal； and her breakfast； it would not have surprised her at all to see a few fish； or her slippers。 She was wiping her lips with the back of her hand when she became aware of voices。
〃My Lord is all right？ My Lord was down for a very long time。〃
〃Forget me； man；〃 said a deep voice。 〃Get something to wrap around the lady。〃 Lan's voice； that she dreamed every night of hearing。
Wide…eyed； Nynaeve barely bit back a wail； the horror she had felt when she thought she was going to die was nothing alongside what flashed through her now。 Nothing！ This was a nightmare。 Not now！ Not like this！ Not when she was a drowned rat； kneeling with the contents of her stomach spread out before her！
Without thought she embraced saidar and channeled。 Water fell away from her clothes； her hair； in a rush and washed all evidence of her little mishap out through a scupper hole。 Scrambling to her feet； she hurriedly pulled her necklace aright and did her best to straighten her dress and hair； but the soaking in salt water and then the rapid drying had left several stains on the silk and a number of creases that would require a knowledgeable hand with a hot iron to remove。 Wisps of hair wanted to fly away from her scalp； and the opals in her braid seemed to dot the bristling tail of an angry cat。
It did not matter。 She was calmness itself； cool as an early spring breeze； self…possessed as。。。 She spun around before he could e on her from behind and startle her into disgracing herself pletely。
She only realized how quickly she had moved when she saw that Lan was just then taking his second step from the railing。 He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen。 Soaking wet in shirt and breeches and stockings； he was gorgeous； with his dripping hair clinging to the angles of his face； and。。。 A split purple bruise was rising on his face； as from a blow。 She clapped a hand to her mouth； remembering her fist connecting。
〃Oh； no！ Oh； Lan； I'm so sorry！ I didn't mean to！〃 She was not really aware of crossing the space between them； she was just there； stretching up on toetips to lay fingers gently on his injury。 A deft weave of all Five Powers； and his tanned cheek was unblemished。 But he might have been hurt elsewhere。 She spun the weaves to Delve him； new scars made her wince inside； and there was something odd； but he seemed healthy as a prime bull。 He was also very wet； from saving her。 She dried him as she had herself； water splashed around his feet。 She could not stop touching him。 Both hands traced his hard cheeks； his wonderful blue eyes； his strong nose； his firm lips； his ears。 She bed that silky black hair into place with her fingers； adjusted the braided leather band that held it。 Her tongue seemed to have a life of its own； too。 〃Oh； Lan；〃 she murmured。 〃You really are here。〃 Somebody giggled。 Not her … Nynaeve al'Meara did not giggle … but somebody did。 〃It isn't a dream。 Oh； Light； you're here。 How？〃
〃A servant at the Tarasin Palace told me you'd gone to the river； and a fellow at the landing said what boat you had taken。 If Mandarb hadn't lost a shoe； I would have been here yesterday。〃
〃I don't care。 You're here now。 You're here。〃 She did not giggle。
〃Maybe she is Aes Sedai；〃 one of the boatmen murmured； no
