rj.acrownofswords-第40章
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instead of snugged in her bed。 All those days a prisoner； days of worry … more for him than herself； if he knew her … days of being questioned by Galina and ill…treated when her answers failed to please … unconsciously he ground his teeth … all of that； and the strain of being Healed on top of it； had caught up with her at last。 She had stayed by his side until her legs gave way； and he had to carry her to her bedchamber； with her sleepily protesting all the way that he needed her with him。 No Min here； no forting presence to make him laugh； make him forget the Dragon Reborn。 Only the war with saidin； and the whirlwind of his thoughts； and。。。
They must be done away with。 You must do it。 Don't you remember the last time？ That place by the wells was a pittance。 Cities burned whole out of the earth were nothing。 We destroyed the world！ DO YOU HEAR ME？ THEY HAVE TO BE KILLED； WIPED FROM THE FACE。。。！
Not his； that voice shouting inside his skull。 Not Rand al'Thor。 Lews Therin Telamon； more than three thousand years dead。 And talking in Rand al'Thor's head。 The Power often drew him out of his hiding place in the shadows of Rand's mind。 Sometimes Rand wondered how that could be。 He was Lews Therin reborn； the Dragon Reborn； no denying that； but everybody was someone reborn； a hundred someones； a thousand； more。 That was how the Pattern worked； everyone died and was reborn； again and again as the Wheel turned； forever without end。 But nobody else talked with who they used to be。 Nobody else had voices in their heads。 Except madmen。
What about me； Rand thought。 One hand tightened on the Dragon Scepter； the other on his sword hilt。 What about you？ How are we different from them？
There was only silence。 Often enough； Lews Therin did not answer。 Maybe it had been better when he never had。
Are you real？ the voice said at last； wonderingly。 That denial of Rand's existence was as usual as refusing to answer。 Am I？ I spoke to someone。 I think I did。 Inside a box。 A chest。 Wheezing laughter； soft。 Am I dead； or mad； or both？ No matter。 I am surely damned。 I am damned； and this is the Pit of Doom； I am。。。 d…damned； wild； that laughing； now； and t…this … is the P…Pit of …
Rand muted the voice to an insect's buzz； something he had learned while cramped into that chest。 Alone； in the dark。 Just him； and the pain； and the thirst； and the voice of a long…dead madman。 The voice had been a fort sometimes； his only panion。 His friend。 Something flashed in his mind。 Not images； just flickers of color and motion。 For some reason they made him think of Mat； and Perrin。 The flashes had begun inside the chest； them and a thousand more hallucinations。 In the chest； where Galina and Erian and Katerine and the rest stuffed him every day after he was beaten。 He shook his head。 No。 He was not in the chest anymore。 His fingers ached； clenched around scepter and hilt。 Only memories remained； and memories had no force。 He was not …
〃If we must make this journey before you eat； let us make it。 The evening meal is long finished for everyone else。〃
Rand blinked； and Sulin stepped back from his stare。 Sulin； who would stand eye…to…eye with a leopard。 He smoothed his face； tried to。 It felt a mask； somebody else's face。
〃Are you well？〃 she asked。
〃I was thinking。〃 He made his hands unknot； shrugged inside his coat。 A better…fitting coat than the one he had worn from Dumai's Wells； dark blue and plain。 Even after a bath he did not feel clean； not with saidin in him。 〃Sometimes I think too much。〃
Nearly twenty more Maidens clustered at one end of the windowless； dark…paneled room。 Eight gilded stand…lamps against the walls； mirrored to increase the light； provided illumination。 He was glad of that； he did not like dark places anymore。 Three of the Asha'man were there； too； the Aiel women to one side of the chamber； the Asha'man to the other。 Jonan Adley； an Altaran despite his name； stood with his arms folded； working eyebrows like black caterpillars in deep thought。 Perhaps four years older than Rand； he was intent on earning the silver sword of the Dedicated。 Eben Hopwil carried more flesh on his bones and fewer blotches on his face than when Rand had first seen him； though his nose and ears still seemed the biggest part of him。 He fingered the sword pin on his collar as if surprised to find it there。 Fedwin Morr would have worn the sword as well； had he not been in a green coat suitable for a well…to…do merchant or a minor noble； with a little silver embroidery on cuffs and lapels。 Of an age with Eben； but stockier and with almost no blotches； he did not look happy that his black coat was stuffed into the leather scrip by his feet。 They were the ones Lews Therin had been raving about； them and all the rest of the Asha'man。 Asha'man； Aes Sedai； anyone who could channel set him off； often as not。
〃Think too much； Rand al'Thor？〃 Enaila gripped a short spear in one hand and her buckler and three more spears in the other； yet she sounded as if she were shaking a finger at him。 The Asha'man frowned at her。 〃Your trouble is； you do not think at all。〃 Some of the other Maidens laughed softly； but she was not making a joke。 Shorter than any other Maiden there by at least a hand； she had hair as fiery as her temper； and an odd view of her relationship to him。 Her flaxen…haired friend Somara； who stood head and shoulders taller； nodded agreement； she held the same peculiar view。
He ignored the ment； but could not stop a sigh。 Somara and Enaila were the worst； yet none of the Maidens could decide whether he was the Car'a'carn； to be obeyed； or the only child of a Maiden ever known to the Maidens； to be cared for as a brother； bullied as a son for a few。 Even Jalani there； not many years from playing with dolls； seemed to think he was her younger brother； while Corana； graying and nearly as leather…faced as Sulin； treated him like an older。 At least they only did that around themselves； not often where other Aiel could hear。 When it counted； he would be the Car'a'carn。 And he owed it to them。 They died for him。 He owed them whatever they wanted。
〃I don't intend to spend all night here while you lot play Kiss the Daisies；〃 he said。 Sulin gave him one of those looks … in dresses or in cadin'sor； women tossed those looks about like farmers scattering seed … but the Asha'man abandoned staring at the Maidens and slung the straps of their scrips over their shoulders。 Push them hard； he had told Taim； make them weapons； and Taim had delivered。 A good weapon moved as the man who held it directed。 If only he could be sure it would not turn in his hand。
He had three destinations tonight； but one of those the Maidens could not be allowed to know。 No one but himself。 Which of the other two came first he had decided earlier； yet he hesitated。 The journey would be known soon enough； yet there were reasons to keep it secret as he could。
When the gateway opened there in the middle of the room； a sweetish smell familiar to any farmer drifted through。 Horse dung。 Wrinkling her nose as she veiled； Sulin led half the Maidens through at a trot。 After a glance to him； the Asha'man followed； drawing deeply on the True Source as they went； as much as they could hold。
Because of that； he could feel their strength as they passed him。 Without that； it took some effort to tell a man could channel； longer still unless he cooperated。 None were near as strong as he。 Not yet； anyway； there was no saying how strong a man would be until he stopped growing stronger。 Fedwin stood highest of the three； but he had what Taim called a bar。 Fedwin did not really believe he could affect anything at a distance with the Power。 The result was that at fifty paces his ability began to fade； and at a hundred he could not weave even a thread of saidin。 Men gained strength faster than women； it seemed； and a good thing。 These three were all strong enough to make a gateway of useful size； if just barely in Jonan's case。 Every Asha'man was that he had kept。
Kill them before it is too late； before they go mad； Lews Therin whispered。 Kill them； hunt down Sammael； and Demandred； and all the Forsaken。 I have to kill the
