rh.royalassassin-第167章

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　is　stronger　far　than　I　was　led　to　believe。〃
　　　　　　　〃Just　do　it！〃　Regal　manded　in　disgust。
　　　　　　　So　Regal　wanted　to　see　the　Wit？　I　drew　a　breath；　gathered　what　little　strength　was　inside　me。　I　tried　to　focus　my　anger　at　Regal；　to　repel　at　him　hard　enough　to　drive　him　through　the　wall。　But　I　could　not。　I　was　too　riddled　with　pain　to　concentrate。　My　own　walls　defeated　me。　All　Regal　did　was　start；　and　then　look　at　me　more　closely。
　　　　　　　〃He's　awake；〃　he　observed。　Again　his　finger　lifted　lazily。　〃Verde。　You　may　have　him。　But　have　a　care　to　his　nose。　Leave　his　face　alone。　The　rest　of　him　is　easily　covered。〃
　　　　　　　Verde　devoted　some　little　time　to　hauling　me　to　my　feet　so　he　could　knock　me　down　again。　I　wearied　of　that　repetition　long　before　he　did。　The　floor　did　as　much　damage　as　his　fists。　I　could　not　seem　to　keep　my　feet　under　me；　nor　lift　my　arms　to　shield　myself。　I　retreated　inside　myself；　smaller　and　smaller；　huddling　there　until　sheer　physical　pain　would　force　me　to　alertness　and　make　me　struggle　again。　Usually　just　before　I　passed　out　again。　I　became　aware　of　another　thing。　Regal's　enjoyment。　He　did　not　want　to　bind　me　and　cause　me　pain。　He　wanted　to　watch　me　struggle；　to　see　me　attempt　to　fight　back　and　fail。　He　watched　his　guard；　too；　noting；　no　doubt；　which　ones　turned　their　eyes　away　from　this　sport。　He　used　me　to　take　their　measure。　I　forced　myself　not　to　care　that　he　took　pleasure　from　my　pain。　All　that　truly　mattered　was　keeping　my　walls　up　and　keeping　Will　out　of　my　head。　That　was　the　battle　I　had　to　win。
　　　　　　　The　fourth　time　I　awoke；　I　was　on　the　floor　of　my　cell。　A　terrible　snuffling；　wheezing　sound　was　what　had　wakened　me。　It　was　the　sound　of　my　breathing。　I　remained　where　they　had　dumped　me。　After　a　time　I　lifted　a　hand　and　pawed　Brawndy's　cloak　down　from　the　bench。　It　fell　partially　atop　me。　I　lay　a　time　longer。　Regal's　guards　had　listened　to　him。　Nothing　was　broken。　Everything　hurt；　but　no　bones　were　broken。　All　they　had　given　me　was　pain。　Nothing　I　could　die　from。
　　　　　　　I　crawled　over　to　my　water。　I　will　not　enumerate　the　pains　it　cost　for　me　to　lift　it　and　drink。　My　initial　attempts　to　defend　myself　had　left　my　hands　swollen　and　sore。　I　tried　vainly　to　keep　the　edge　of　the　water　pot　from　bumping　against　my　mouth。　Finally；　I　managed　to　drink。　The　water　strengthened　me；　to　make　me　all　the　more　aware　of　everywhere　I　hurt。　My　half　loaf　of　bread　was　there　as　well。　I　stuck　the　end　of　it　in　what　was　left　of　my　water；　and　then　sucked　the　soaked　bread　from　the　loaf　as　it　softened。　It　tasted　like　blood。　Bolt's　initial　battering　of　my　head　had　loosened　teeth　and　cut　my　mouth。　I　was　aware　of　my　nose　as　an　immense　area　of　throbbing　pain。　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　touch　it　with　my　fingers。　There　was　no　pleasure　in　eating；　only　a　partial　relief　from　the　hunger　that　clawed　at　me　alongside　my　pain。
　　　　　　　After　a　time　I　sat　up。　I　dragged　the　cloak　around　me　and　considered　what　I　knew。　Regal　would　batter　at　me　physically　until　I　either　manifested　the　Wit　in　an　attack　his　guards　could　witness；　or　until　I　dropped　my　walls　enough　that　Will　could　get　in　my　mind　and　inspire　me　to　confess。　I　wondered　which　way　he　would　rather　win。　I　did　not　doubt　he　would　win。　My　sole　way　out　of　this　cell　was　by　dying。　Options。　To　try　to　make　them　beat　me　to　death　before　I　either　used　the　Wit　or　dropped　my　Skill　barrier　to　Will。　Or；　to　take　the　poison　I　had　made　for　Wallace。　I　would　die　from　it。　That　was　definite。　In　my　weakened　state；　it　would　probably　be　faster　than　I　had　planned　it　for　him。　Still　painful；　though。　Wretchedly　painful。
　　　　　　　One　kind　of　pain　seemed　as　good　as　another。　Laboriously　I　folded　back　my　bloodied　right　cuff。　The　hidden　pocket　was　secured　by　a　thread　that　should　have　e　loose　at　a　slight　tug。　But　blood　had　matted　it　closed。　I　picked　at　it　carefully。　Mustn't　spill　it。　I'd　need　to　wait　until　they　gave　me　more　water　to　get　it　down。　Otherwise　I'd　just　gag　and　retch　on　the　bitter　powder。　I　was　still　working　at　it　when　I　heard　voices　down　the　hallway。
　　　　　　　It　did　not　seem　fair　they　would　e　back　at　me　so　soon。　I　listened。　It　wasn't　Regal。　But　anyone　ing　down　here　meant　something　to　do　with　me。　A　deep　voice；　rumbling　along　in　a　rambling　way。　The　guards　replying　briefly；　in　hostile　tones。　Another　voice；　interceding；　reasoning。　The　rumbling　again；　getting　louder；　and　the　belligerence　plain。　Suddenly　a　shout。
　　　　　　　〃You're　going　to　die；　Fitz！　Hanged　over　water；　and　your　body　burned！　〃
　　　　　　　Burrich's　voice。　A　strange　mix　of　anger　and　threat　and　pain。
　　　　　　　〃Get　him　out　of　here。〃　One　of　the　guards；　speaking　loud　and　plain　now。　She　was　obviously　an　Inlander。
　　　　　　　〃I　will；　I　will。〃　I　knew　that　voice。　Blade。　〃He's　just　had　a　bit　too　much　to　drink；　that's　all。　It's　always　been　a　problem　with　him。　And　he　had　the　boy　as　his　apprentice　down　there　in　the　stables　for　years。　Everyone's　saying　he　should　have　known　about　it；　did　know　about　it　and　didn't　do　anything；　maybe。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yessss。〃　Burrich　drew　out　the　angry　affirmation。　〃And　I'm　out　of　a　job　now；　bastard！　No　more　buck's　crest　for　me！　Well；　by　El's　ass；　it　hardly　matters。　Horses　are　gone。　Best　damn　horses　I　ever　trained；　gone　inland　now；　given　over　to　fools！　Dogs　are　gone；　hawks　are　gone！　All　that're　left　are　the　scrubs　and　a　couple　mules。　Don't　have　one　horse　I'd　admit　to　owning！〃　His　voice　was　growing　closer。　There　was　madness　in　it。
　　　　　　　I　scrabbled　up　the　door；　clung　to　the　bars　to　see。　I　couldn't　see　the　guard　post；　but　their　shadows　were　on　the　wall。　Burrich's　shadow　was　attempting　to　e　down　the　hall　while　the　guards　and　Blade　tried　to　drag　him　back。
　　　　　　　〃Wait。　Now；　just　wait　a　minute；〃　Burrich　remonstrated　drunkenly。　〃Wait。　Look。　I　only　want　to　talk　to　him。　That's　all。〃　The　cluster　of　people　surged　down　the　hall；　halted　again。　The　guards　were　between　Burrich　and　my　door。　Blade　was　clinging　to　Burrich's　arm。　He　still　showed　the　marks　from　the　brawl；　and　one　of　his　arms　was　in　a　sling。　He　could　do　little　to　stop　Burrich。
　　　　　　　〃Just　get　mine　in　before　Regal　gets　his。　That's　all。　That's　all。〃　Burrich's　voice　was　deep　and　slurry　with　drink。　〃e　on。　Just　for　a　minute。　What's　it　going　to　matter　anyway？　He's　good　as　dead。〃　Another　pause。　〃Look。　I'll　make　it　worth　your　while。　Look　here。〃
　　　　　　　The　guards　were　exchanging　glances。
　　　　　　　〃Uh；　Blade；　you　got　any　coin　left？〃　Burrich　was　digging　through　his　pouch；　then　snorted　with　disgust　and　upended　it　over　his　hand。　Coins　fell　in　a　shower；　spilling　past　his　fingers。　〃Here；　here。〃　There　was　the　chink　and　rattle　of　coins　dropped　and　rolling　on　the　stone　floor　of　the　passageway　and　he　flung　his　arms　wide　in　a　gesture　of　largesse。
　　　　　　　〃Hey；　he　doesn't　mean　it；　Burrich；　you　don't　bribe　guards　like　that；　you're　going　to　get　yourself　tossed　in　a　cell；　too。〃　Blade　stooped　hastily；　making　apologies　as　he　hurried　to　gather　up　the　spilled　coins。　The　guards　stooped　alongside　him　and　I　saw　a　hand　make　a　furtive　trip　from　floor　to　pocket。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　Burrich's　face　peered　in　my　window。　For　a　moment　we　stood　eye　to　eye　at　the　barred　window。　Grief　and　outrage　battled　in　his　face。　His　eyes　were　webbed　red　from　his　drinking；　and　his　breath　was　strong　with　it。　The　fabric　of　his　shirt　showed　ragged　where　the　buck　crest　had　been　torn　from　it。　He　glared　at　me；　then；　as　he　looked　at　me；　his　eyes　widened　in　shock。　For　a　moment　our　gaze　held；　and　I　thought　something　of　understanding　and　farewell　passed　between　us。　Then　he　leaned　back　and　spat　full　in　my　face。
　　　　　　　〃That；　for　you；〃　he　snarled。　〃That　for　my　life；　which　you　took　from　me。　All　the　hours；　all　the　days　I　spent　upon　you。
　　　　　　　Better　that　you　had　lain　down　and　died　amongst　the　beasts　before　you　let　this　e　to　pass。　They're　going　to　hang　you；　boy。　Regal's　having　the　gallows　built；　over　water；　like　the　old　wisdom　says。　They'll　hang　you；　then　cut　you　up　and　burn　you　down　to　bones。　Nothing　left　to　bury。　He's　probably　afraid　the　dogs　would　dig　you　up　again。　You'd　like　that；　hey；　boy？　Buried　like　a　bone；　for　some　dog　to　dig　up　later？　Better　to　just　lie　down　and　die　right　where　you　are。〃
　　　　　　　I　had　recoiled　from　him　when　he　spat　at　me。　Now　I　stood　back　from　my　door；　swaying　on　my　feet　while　he　gripped　the　bars　and　stared　in　at　me；　his　eyes　wide　and　bright　with　madness