rj.acrownofswords-第168章
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hat the edges of the gash looked swollen and angry； as if the wound had gone untended for days。 It was no longer bleeding； but it should have been gone。 That was what Healing did： wounds knitted themselves up right before your eyes。
〃This；〃 Samitsu said in a lecturing tone； lightly touching the scar； 〃seems like a cyst； but full of evil instead of pus。 And this。。。 〃 She drew the finger down the gash。 〃。。。 seems full of a different evil。〃 Suddenly she frowned at the Green standing over her； and her voice became sullen and defensive。 〃If I had the words； Cadsuane； I would use them。 I have never seen the like。 Never。 But I will tell you this。 I think if I had been one moment slower； perhaps if you had not tried first； he would be dead now。 As it is。。。 〃 With a sigh； the Yellow sister seemed to deflate； her face sagging。 〃As it is； I believe he will die。〃
Min shook her head； trying to say no； but she could not seem to make her tongue move。 She heard Caraline murmuring a prayer。 The woman stood gripping one of Darlin's coatsleeves with both hands。 Darlin himself frowned down at Rand as though trying to make sense of what he saw。
Cadsuane bent to pat Samitsu's shoulder。 〃You are the best living； perhaps the best ever；〃 she said quietly。 〃No one has the Healing to pare with you。〃 With a nod； Samitsu stood； and before she was on her feet； she was all Aes Sedai serenity once more。 Cadsuane； scowling down at Rand with her hands on her hips； was not。 〃Phaw！ I will not allow you to die on me； boy；〃 she growled； sounding as though it were his fault。 This time； instead of touching the top of Min's head； she rapped it with a knuckle。 〃Get to your feet； girl。 You're no milksop … any fool can see that … so stop pretending。 Darlin； you will carry him。 Bandages must wait。 This fog is not leaving us； so we had better leave it。〃
Darlin hesitated。 Maybe it was Cadsuane's peremptory frown； and maybe the hand Caraline half…raised to his face； but abruptly he sheathed his sword； muttering under his breath； and hoisted Rand across his shoulders with arms and legs dangling。
Min took up the heron…mark blade and carefully slid it into the scabbard hanging from Rand's waist。 〃He will need it；〃 she told Darlin； and after a moment； he nodded。 A lucky thing for him he did； she had bundled all her confidence into the Green sister； and she was not about to let anyone think differently。
〃Now be careful； Darlin；〃 Caraline said in that throaty voice once Cadsuane made their marching order clear。 〃Be sure to stay behind me； and I will protect you。〃
Darlin laughed till he wheezed； and was still chuckling when they began climbing through the cold fog and the distant shrieks once more； with him carrying Rand in the center and the women in a circle around him。
Min knew she was only another pair of eyes； just like Caraline on the other side of Cadsuane； and she knew the knife she carried unsheathed was no use against the mist…shapes； but Padan Fain might still be alive out there。 She would not miss again。 Caraline carried her dagger too； and by the looks she cast over her shoulder at Darlin staggering uphill under Rand's weight； maybe she also intended to protect the Dragon Reborn。 And then again； maybe it was not him。 A woman could forgive any amount of nose for that laugh。
Shapes still formed in the mist and died by fire； and once a huge something tore a shrieking horse in two off to their right before any Aes Sedai could slay it。 Min was quite noisily sick after that； and not a bit ashamed； people were dying； but at least the people had e here by their own choice。 The meanest soldier could have run away yesterday had he chosen； but not that horse。 Shapes formed and died； and people died； screaming always in the distance； it seemed； though they still stumbled past torn carrion that had been human an hour gone。 Min began to wonder whether they would ever see daylight again。
With shocking suddenness and no warning； she stumbled into it； one moment surrounded by gray； the next with the sun burning golden high overhead in a blue sky； all so bright she had to shade her eyes。 And there； perhaps five miles across all but treeless hills； Cairhien rose solid and square on its own prominences。 Somehow； it did not look quite real anymore。
Staring back at the edge of the fog； she shivered。 It was an edge； a billowing wall； stretching though the trees on this hilltop； and far too straight； with no eddies or thinning。 Just clear air here； and there； thick gray。 A little more of a tree right in front of her became visible； and she realized the mist was creeping back； perhaps being burned off by the sun。 But far too slowly to make the retreat natural。 The others stared at it just as hard as she； even the Aes Sedai。
Twenty paces off to their left； a man suddenly scrambled into the clear air on all fours。 The front of his head was shaved； and by the battered black breastplate he wore； he was a mon soldier。 Staring about wildly； he did not appear to see them； and went scrambling on down the hillside； still on hands and knees。 Farther to the right； two men and a woman appeared； all running。 She had stripes of color across the front of her dress； but how many was hard to say since she had gathered her skirts as high as she could to run faster； and she matched the men stride for stride。 None of them looked to either side； only launched themselves down the hill； falling； tumbling and ing back to their feet running again。
Caraline studied the slim blade of her dagger for a moment； then thrust it hard into it sheath。 〃So vanishes my army；〃 she sighed。
Darlin； with Rand still unconscious across his shoulders； looked at her。 〃There is an army in Tear； if you call。〃
She glanced at Rand； hanging like a sack。 〃Perhaps；〃 she said。 Darlin turned his head toward Rand's face with a troubled frown。
Cadsuane was all practicality。 〃The road lies that way；〃 she said pointing west。 〃It will be faster than walking cross…country。 An easy stroll。〃
Easy was not what Min would have called it。 The air seemed twice as hot after the fog's cold； sweat rolled out of her； and seemed to drain her strength。 Her legs wobbled。 She tripped over exposed roots and fell flat on her face。 She tripped over rocks and fell。 She tripped over her own heeled boots and fell。 Once her feet just went out from under； and she slid a good forty paces down the hillside on the seat of her breeches； arms flailing until she managed to snag a sapling。 Caraline went sprawling as many times； and maybe more； dresses were not made for this sort of travel； and before long … after a tumble head over heels ended with her skirts around her ears … she was asking Min the name of the seamstress who made her coat and breeches。 Darlin did not fall。 Oh； he stumbled and tripped and skidded every bit as much as they； but whenever he started to fall； something seemed to catch him； to steady him on his feet。 In the beginning he glared at the Aes Sedai； all proud Tairen High Lord who would carry Rand out without any help。 Cadsuane and the others affected not to see。 They never fell； they simply walked along； chatting quietly among themselves； and caught Darlin before he could。 By the time they reached the road； he looked both grateful and hunted。
Standing in the middle of the broad road of hard…packed earth； in sight of the river； Cadsuane flung up a hand to stop the first conveyance that appeared； a rickety wagon drawn by two moth…eaten mules and driven by a skinny farmer in a patched coat who hauled on his reins with alacrity。 What did the toothless fellow think he had run into？ Three ageless Aes Sedai； plete with shawls； who might have stepped down from a coach a moment before。 A sweat…soaked Cairhienin woman； of high rank by the stripes on her dress； or maybe a beggar who had clothed herself from a noblewoman's rag closet； by the state of that dress。 An obvious Tairen nobleman； with sweat dripping from his nose and pointed beard and carrying another man across his shoulders like a sack of grain。 And herself。 Both knees out of her breeches； and another tear in the seat that her coat covered； thank the Light； though one sleeve hung by a few th
