cb.coldheart canyon-第74章
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room had caught her attention； made itself the center of her thoughts。
Even now； it was still difficult to focus her attention on anything but the scene beyond the door； but finally she dragged her eyes away from the approaching horsemen and sought out Zeffer。
He had fallen to his knees three or four yards from the door； putting up no defense against Katya's assault。
〃I told you； didn't I？〃 she said； slapping his head。 〃I never wanted to see you in this house ever again。 You understand me？ Ever again。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 he said； his head bowed。 〃I just brought…〃
〃I don't care who you brought。 This house is forbidden to you。〃
〃Yes。。。I know。〃
His acquiescence did nothing to placate her。 The reverse； in fact： it seemed to inflame her。 She kicked him。 〃You revolt me；〃 she said。
He bent over； as though to present a smaller target to her。 She pushed him； hard； and he fell。 She moved in to kick him again； aiming for his face； but at that moment Tammy saw what she was about to do； and let out a cry of protest。
〃Leave him alone！〃 she said。
Katya turned。 〃What？〃
〃You heard me。 Leave him alone！〃
Katya's beauty was disfigured by the naked contempt on her face。 She was breathing heavily； and her face was flushed。
〃I'll do what it suits me to do in my own house；〃 she said； her lip curling。 〃And no fat； ugly bitch like you is going to tell me otherwise。〃
Tammy knew plenty about Katya Lupi by now； of course； her intimidating reputation went before her。 But at that moment； seeing Zeffer lying on the floor； and hearing what the woman had just said； any trace of intimidation was burned away by a blaze of anger。 Even the glories of the Devil's Country were forgotten at that moment。
She walked straight towards Katya and pushed her hard； laying her hands against the bitch's little breasts to do so。 Katya was clearly not used to being manhandled。 She came back at Tammy in an instant。
〃Don't you dare touch me！〃 she shrieked。 Then she back…handed Tammy； a clean； wide strike。
Tammy fell back； the metallic tang of blood in her mouth。 There were three sickening heartbeats when she feared the force of Katya's blow was going to knock her unconscious。 Darkness pulsed at the corners of her vision。 But she was determined not to be floored by one blow； even if it did have something more than ordinary human force behind it； as she suspected it did。
She reached out for something to steady her； and her hand found the door…jamb。 As she caught hold of it； she glanced back over her shoulder； remembering her proximity to the strange beauty of the Devil's Country。 But the power of the room's illusion had been momentarily knocked from her head。 The walls were simply covered in tiles now。 There were trees and rocks and a painted river on those tiles； but none of it was so finely rendered that it could have been mistaken for reality。 The only part of the scene before her that was real was Todd； who was still lingering at the threshold。 Apparently he could see what Tammy could not because at that moment he threw himself over the threshold like a man in fear of something ing close on his heels。 He caught hold of the doorhandle； and started to pull the door closed； but as he did so Katya came back into view and blocked the door with her foot。
〃Don't close it！〃 she told Todd。
Todd obeyed her。 He let go of the handle。 The door struck Katya's leg and bounced open again。
Now the machinations of the room began to work on Tammy afresh。 The gloomy air seethed； and the shapes of four horsemen appeared out of the murk； still riding towards the door。
The leader…the Duke； Tammy thought； this is the Duke…pulled hard on the reins to slow his mount。 The animal made a din； as though its primitive gaze was failing to make sense of what it was ahead of it。 Rather than advance any further it came to a panicked halt； throwing up clods of dirt as it did so。 Goga jumped from the saddle； shouting a number of inprehensible orders back at his men； who had also brought their animals to a stop。 They proceeded to dismount。 There were whispers of superstitious doubt between the men： plainly whatever they were witnessing （the door； the passageway） they could make little or no sense of it。 That fact didn't slow their advance； however。 They dutifully followed their leader towards the door； swords drawn。
By now Tammy had recovered sufficiently to grab hold of Todd's arm and pull him back from the threshold。
〃e away；〃 she urged him。
He looked round at her。 She was probably more familiar with his face； and with his limited palette of expressions； than she was with her own。 But she'd never seen the look of stupefaction he wore right now。 The veins at his temples were throbbing； his mouth was slack； his blood…shot eyes seemed to have difficulty focusing on her。
She tugged harder on his arm； in the hope of shaking him out of his stupor。 Behind him she could see the horsemen approaching the door； their step more cautious now that they were almost at the threshold。 Having stopped the door from being closed Katya had stepped away from it； leaving Todd the closest of them all to the horsemen。 So close； in fact； that had the Duke so chosen； he could have lunged from where he stood； and killed Todd with a single stroke。
He did not do so； however。 He hung back from the door； eyeing it with suspicion and awe。 Though none of the light from the hallway seemed to illuminate the world on the other side of the doorway； Tammy could see the man's face quite clearly： his severely angular features； his long； braided beard； black shot through with streaks of gray； his dark； heavy…lidded eyes。 He was by no means as beautiful as Todd had once been； but there was a gravitas in his physiognomy which Todd's corn…fed charm could never have approached。 No doubt he was responsible for all manner of crimes…in such a landscape as he'd ridden who would not lay claim to their share of felonies？…but in that moment； in the midst of a dark journey of her own； Tammy would have instinctively preferred the eloquence of this face for pany than Todd's easy beauty。
Indeed； if she had ever been in love with Todd Pickett…which by many definitions she had…she fell out of love with him at that moment； paring his face with that of Duke Goga； and finding it wanting。
That was not to say that she didn't want Todd safe from this place； from the house and all its inhabitants； especially Katya。 So she hauled on his arm again； yelling for him to get away from the door； and this time her message got through to him。
Todd retreated； and as he did so Katya caught hold of Zeffer by the hair and lifted him up。 Tammy was too concerned with reclaiming Todd from the threshold to do anything to save Zeffer。 And Zeffer in turn did nothing to save himself。 He simply let the woman he had adored pick him up； and with the same nearly supernatural strength Tammy herself had felt just moments before； Katya pitched Zeffer through the open door。
The horsemen were waiting on the other side； swords at the ready。
Only now； as he stumbled across the ground before them； did Zeffer raise his arms to protect himself against the swordsmen。 Whether the Duke took this harmless motion as some attempt at aggression； and reacted to protect himself； or whether he simply wanted to do harm Tammy would never know。 The Duke lifted his sword and brought it down in a great swooping arc that cut through the meat of Zeffer's right hand； taking off all four of his fingers； and the top half of his thumb。 Blood spurted out from the wounds； and Zeffer let out a cry that was one part disbelief to two of agony。 He stared at his maimed hand for a moment； then he turned from his mutilator and stumbled back towards the door。
For an instant； he lifted his eyes； and his eyes met Tammy's。 They had a moment only to look at one another。 Then Duke Goga came at Zeffer again and drove his sword through the middle of his back。
There was a terrible cracking sound； as the blade cracked Zeffer's breastbone and then the point emerged from the middle of his chest。
Zeffer threw back his head； and caught hold of the edge of the door with his unmaimed hand。 He had his eyes fixed on Tammy as he did so；
