rj.acrownofswords-第167章

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o　shake。
　　　The　fog　was　cold　as　winter。　Grayness　closed　around　them　in　swirls；　so　heavy　it　was　difficult　to　see　the　others　clearly。　Hearing　was　all　too　easy；　though。　Shrieks　drifted　through　the　murk；　men　and　women　crying　out；　horses　screaming。　The　fog　seemed　to　deaden　sound；　make　it　hollow；　so　that　thankfully；　those　awful　sounds　seemed　distant。　The　mist　ahead　began　to　thicken；　but　fireballs　immediately　shot　from　Cadsuane's　hands；　sizzling　through　the　icy　gray；　and　the　thickening　erupted　in　one　roaring　flare　of　flame。　Roars　behind；　light　flashing　against　the　fog　like　lightning　against　clouds；　spoke　of　the　other　two　sisters　at　work。　Min　had　no　desire　to　look　back。　What　she　could　see　was　more　than　enough。
　　　Past　trampled　tents　half　obscured　by　gray　haze　they　moved；　past　bodies　and　sometimes　parts　of　bodies　not　nearly　obscured　enough。　A　leg。　An　arm。　A　man　who　was　not　there　from　the　waist　down。　Once　a　woman's　head　that　seemed　to　grin　from　where　it　sat　on　the　corner　of　an　overturned　wagon。　The　land　began　to　slope　upward；　steeper。　Min　saw　her　first　living　soul　besides　them；　and　wished　she　had　not。　A　man　wearing　one　of　the　red　coats　staggered　toward　them；　waving　his　left　arm　feebly。　The　other　was　gone；　and　wet　white　bone　showed　where　half　his　face　had　been。　Something　that　might　have　been　words　bubbled　though　his　teeth；　and　he　collapsed。　Samitsu　knelt　briefly　beside　him；　putting　her　fingers　against　the　bloody　ruin　of　his　forehead。　Rising；　she　shook　her　head；　and　they　moved　on。　Upslope；　and　up；　until　Min　began　wondering　whether　they　were　climbing　a　mountain　instead　of　a　hill。
　　　Right　in　front　of　Darlin；　the　fog　suddenly　began　to　take　on　form；　a　man…high　shape；　but　all　tentacles　and　gaping　mouths　full　of　sharp　teeth。　The　High　Lord　might　have　been　no　blademaster；　but　he　was　not　slow　either。　His　blade　sliced　through　the　middle　of　the　still…coalescing　shape；　looped　and　slashed　it　top　to　bottom。　Four　clouds　of　fog；　thicker　than　the　surrounding　mist；　settled　to　the　ground。　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃at　least　we　know　steel　can　cut　these。。。　creatures。〃
　　　The　thicker　chunks　of　fog　oozed　together；　began　to　rise　once　more。
　　　Cadsuane　stretched　out　a　hand；　droplets　of　fire　falling　from　her　fingertips；　one　bright　flash　of　flame　seared　the　solidifying　fog　from　existence。　〃But　no　more　than　cut；　so　it　seems；〃　she　murmured。
　　　Ahead　to　their　right；　a　woman　suddenly　appeared　in　the　swirling　gray；　silk　skirts　held　high　as　she　half　ran；　half　fell　down　the　slope　toward　them。　〃Thank　the　Light！〃　she　screamed。　〃Thank　the　Light！　I　thought　I　was　alone！〃　Right　behind　her　the　fog　drew　together；　a　nightmare　all　teeth　and　claws；　looming　above　her。　Had　it　been　a　man；　Min　was　sure　Rand　would　have　waited。
　　　His　hand　rose　before　Cadsuane　could　move；　and　a　bar　of。。。　something。。。　liquid　white　fire　brighter　than　the　sun。。。　shot　out　over　the　running　woman's　head。　The　creature　simply　vanished。　For　a　moment　there　was　clear　air　where　it　had　been；　and　along　the　line　that　the　bar　had　burned；　until　the　fog　began　closing　in。　A　moment　while　the　woman　froze　where　she　stood。　Then；　shrieking　at　the　top　of　her　lungs；　she　turned　and　ran　from　them；　still　downslope；　fleeing　what　she　feared　more　than　nightmares　in　these　mists。
　　　〃You！〃　Toram　roared；　so　loudly　that　Min　spun　to　face　him　with　her　knives　raised。　He　stood　pointing　his　sword　at　Rand。　〃You　are　him！　I　was　right！　This　is　your　work！　You　will　not　trap　me；　al'Thor！〃　Suddenly　he　broke　away　at　an　angle；　scrambling　wildly　up　the　slope。　〃You　will　not　trap　me！〃
　　　〃e　back！〃　Darlin　shouted　after　him。　〃We　must　stick　together！　We　must。。。　〃　He　trailed　off；　staring　at　Rand。　〃You　are　him。　The　Light　burn　me；　you　are！〃　He　half…moved　as　if　to　place　himself　between　Rand　and　Caraline；　but　at　least　he　did　not　run。
　　　Calmly；　Cadsuane　picked　her　way　across　the　slope　to　Rand。　And　slapped　his　face　so　hard　his　head　jerked。　Min's　breath　caught　in　shock。　〃You　will　not　do　that　again；〃　Cadsuane　said。　There　was　no　heat　in　her　voice；　just　iron。　〃Do　you　hear　me？　Not　balefire。　Not　ever。〃
　　　Surprisingly；　Rand　only　rubbed　his　cheek。　〃You　were　wrong；　Cadsuane。　He's　real。　I'm　certain　of　it。　I　know　he　is。〃　Even　more　surprisingly；　he　sounded　as　if　he　very　much　wanted　her　to　believe。
　　　Min's　heart　went　out　to　him。　He　had　mentioned　hearing　voices；　he　must　mean　that。　She　raised　her　right　hand　toward　him；　forgetting　for　the　moment　that　it　held　a　knife；　and　opened　her　mouth　to　say　something　forting。　Though　she　was　not　entirely　sure　she　would　ever　be　able　to　use　that　particular　word　innocuously　again。　She　opened　her　mouth　…　and　Padan　Fain　seemed　to　leap　out　of　the　mists　behind　Rand；　steel　gleaming　in　his　fist。
　　　〃Behind　you！〃　Min　screamed；　pointing　with　the　knife　in　her　outstretched　right　hand　as　she　threw　the　one　in　her　left。　Everything　seemed　to　happen　at　once；　half…seen　in　wintery　fog。
　　　Rand　began　to　turn；　twisting　aside；　and　Fain　also　twisted；　to　lunge　for　him。　For　that　twist；　her　knife　missed；　but　Fain's　dagger　scored　along　Rand's　left　side。　It　hardly　seemed　to　more　than　slice　his　coat；　yet　he　screamed。　He　screamed；　a　sound　to　make　Min's　heart　clench；　and　clutching　his　side；　he　fell　against　Cadsuane；　catching　at　her　to　hold　himself　up；　pulling　both　of　them　down。
　　　〃Move　out　of　my　way！〃　one　of　the　other　sisters　shouted　…　Samitsu；　Min　thought　…　and　suddenly；　Min's　feet　jerked　out　from　under　her。　She　landed　heavily；　grunting　as　she　hit　the　slope　together　with　Caraline；　who　snapped　a　breathless；　〃Blood　and　fire！〃
　　　Everything　at　once。
　　　〃Move！〃　Samitsu　shouted　again；　as　Darlin　lunged　for　Fain　with　his　sword。　The　bony　man　moved　with　shocking　speed；　throwing　himself　down　and　rolling　beyond　Darlin's　reach。　Strangely；　he　cackled　with　laughter　as　he　scampered　to　his　feet　and　ran　off；　swallowed　in　the　murk　almost　immediately。
　　　Min　pushed　herself　up　shaking。
　　　Caraline　was　much　more　vigorous。　〃I　will　tell　you　now；　Aes　Sedai；〃　she　said　in　a　cold　voice；　brushing　at　her　skirts　violently；　〃I　will　not　be　treated　so。　I　am　Caraline　Damodred；　High　Seat　of　House。。。　〃
　　　Min　stopped　listening。　Cadsuane　was　sitting　on　the　slope　above；　holding　Rand's　head　in　her　lap。　It　had　only　been　a　cut。　Pain's　dagger　could　not　have　more　than　touched。。。　With　a　cry；　Min　threw　herself　forward。　Aes　Sedai　or　no；　she　pushed　the　woman　away　from　Rand　and　cradled　his　head　in　her　arms。　His　eyes　were　closed；　his　breathing　ragged。　His　face　felt　hot。
　　　〃Help　him！〃　she　screamed　at　Cadsuane；　like　an　echo　of　the　distant　screams　in　the　mist。　〃Help　him！〃　A　part　of　her　said　that　did　not　make　much　sense　after　pushing　her　away；　but　his　face　seemed　to　burn　her　hands；　to　burn　sense。
　　　〃Samitsu；　quickly；〃　Cadsuane　said；　standing　and　rearranging　her　shawl。　〃He's　beyond　my　Talent　for　Healing。〃　She　laid　a　hand　on　the　top　of　Min's　head。　〃Girl；　I　will　hardly　let　the　boy　die　when　I　haven't　taught　him　manners；　yet。　Stop　crying；　now。〃
　　　It　was　very　strange。　Min　was　fairly　sure　the　woman　had　done　nothing　to　her　with　the　Power；　yet　she　believed。　Teach　him　manners？　A　fine　tussle　that　would　be。　Unfolding　her　arms　from　around　his　head；　not　without　reluctance；　Min　backed　away　on　her　knees。　Very　strange。　She　had　not　even　realized　that　she　was　crying；　yet　Cadsuane's　reassurance　was　enough　to　stop　the　flow　of　tears。　Sniffing；　she　scrubbed　at　her　cheeks　with　the　heel　of　her　hand　as　Samitsu　knelt　beside　him；　placing　fingertips　on　his　forehead。　Min　wondered　why　she　did　not　take　his　head　in　both　hands；　the　way　Moiraine　did。
　　　Abruptly　Rand　convulsed；　gasping　and　thrashing　so　hard　that　a　flailing　arm　knocked　the　Yellow　over　on　her　back。　As　soon　as　her　fingers　left　him；　he　subsided。　Min　crawled　nearer。　He　breathed　more　easily；　but　his　eyes　were　still　closed。　She　touched　his　cheek。　Cooler　than　it　had　been；　but　still　too　warm。　And　pale。
　　　〃Something　is　amiss；〃　Samitsu　said　peevishly　as　she　sat　up。　Pulling　Rand's　coat　aside；　she　gripped　the　slice　in　his　bloodstained　shirt　and　ripped　a　wide　gap　in　the　linen。
　　　The　cut　from　Fain's　dagger；　no　longer　than　her　hand　and　not　deep；　ran　right　across　the　old　round　scar。　Even　in　the　dim　light；　Min　could　see　that　the　edges　of　the　gash　looked　swollen　and　angry；　as　if　the　wound　had　gone　untended　for　days。　It　w