rj.thepathofdaggers-第63章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ainly。　Gallenne　pried　his　fingers　from　the　hilt　of　his　sword　with　an　obvious　effort。
　　　　　　　〃This。。。　this　can't　be　the　Dark　One's　work；〃　Aram　said；　and　flinched。　No　one　had　ever　seen　a　natural　storm　like　that。　〃It　means　the　weather　is　changing；　doesn't　it；　Lord　Perrin？　The　weather　is　going　to　be　right　again？〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　opened　his　mouth　to　tell　the　man　not　to　call　him　that；　but　he　closed　it　again　with　a　sigh。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　What　was　it　Gaul　had　said？　〃Everything　changes；　Aram。〃　He　had　just　never　thought　that　he　would　have　to　change；　too。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
Chapter　11　
（Spears　and　Shield）　
Questions　and　an　Oath　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　The　air　in　the　huge　stable　smelled　of　old　hay　and　horse　dung。　And　blood；　and　burned　flesh。　With　all　the　doors　closed；　the　air　felt　thick。　Two　lanterns　gave　little　light；　and　shadows　filled　most　of　the　interior。　In　the　long　rows　of　stalls；　horses　whickered　nervously。　The　man　hanging　by　his　wrists　from　a　roof　beam　gave　a　low　moan；　then　a　ragged　cough。　His　head　fell　down　on　his　chest。　He　was　a　tall　man；　well…muscled；　if　rather　the　worse　for　wear。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　Sevanna　realized　that　his　chest　no　longer　moved。　The　gem…studded　rings　on　her　fingers　glittered　red　and　green　as　she　gestured　curtly　to　Rhiale。
　　　　　　　The　flame…haired　woman　pushed　the　man's　head　up　and　thumbed　back　one　eyelid；　then　pressed　an　ear　to　his　chest；　careless　of　the　still…smoldering　splinters　that　peppered　him。　With　a　sound　of　disgust；　she　straightened。　〃He　is　dead。　We　should　have　left　this　to　the　Maidens；　Sevanna；　or　the　Black　Eyes。　I　do　not　doubt　we　killed　him　by　ignorance。〃
　　　　　　　Sevanna's　mouth　tightened；　and　she　shifted　her　shawl　in　a　clatter　of　bracelets。　They　ran　nearly　to　her　elbows；　a　noticeable　weight　in　gold　and　ivory　and　gems；　yet　she　would　have　worn　every　one　she　owned　if　she　could。　None　of　the　other　women　said　anything。　Putting　prisoners　to　the　question　was　not　the　work　of　Wise　Ones；　but　Rhiale　knew　why　they　had　to　do　this　themselves。　The　lone　survivor　of　ten　mounted　men　who　thought　they　could　defeat　twenty　Maidens　because　they　rode　horses；　the　man　had　also　been　the　first　Seanchan　captured　in　the　ten　days　since　their　arrival　in　this　land。
　　　　　　　〃He　would　have　lived　if　he　had　not　fought　the　pain　so　hard；　Rhiale；〃　Someryn　said　finally；　shaking　her　head。　〃A　strong　man　for　a　wetlander；　but　he　could　not　accept　pain。　Still；　he　told　us　much。〃
　　　　　　　Sevanna　eyed　her　sideways；　trying　to　see　whether　she　hid　sarcasm。　As　tall　as　most　men；　Someryn　wore　more　bracelets　and　necklaces　than　any　woman　there　except　Sevanna　herself；　layers　of　firedrops　and　emeralds；　rubies　and　sapphires；　almost　concealing　a　too…full　bosom　that　otherwise　would　have　been　half　bared　with　her　blouse　undone　almost　to　her　skirt。　Her　shawl；　tied　around　her　waist；　hid　nothing。　At　times　it　was　difficult　for　Sevanna　to　tell　whether　Someryn　was　copying　her　or　peting　with　her。
　　　　　　　〃Much！〃　Meira　exclaimed。　In　the　light　of　the　lantern　she　held；　her　long　face　was　grimmer　than　usual；　though　that　hardly　seemed　possible。　Meira　could　find　the　dark　side　of　the　noonday　sun。　〃That　his　people　lie　two　days　west　in　the　city　called　Amador？　We　knew　that。　All　he　has　told　us　are　wild　tales。　Artur　Hawkwing！　Bah！　The　Maidens　should　have　kept　him　and　done　what　was　needed。〃
　　　　　　　〃Would　you。。。　risk　letting　everyone　learn　too　much　too　soon？〃　Sevanna　bit　her　lip　in　vexation。　She　had　almost　called　them　〃you　fools。〃　Too　many　already　knew　too　much；　in　her　opinion；　Wise　Ones　among　them；　but　she　could　not　risk　offending　these　women。　That　knowledge　grated　on　her！　〃The　people　are　frightened。〃　There　was　no　need　to　hide　her　contempt　for　that；　at　least。　What　shocked　her；　outraged　her；　was　not　that　they　were　afraid；　but　how　few　made　any　effort　to　hide　the　fact。　〃Black　Eyes；　or　Stone　Dogs；　or　even　Maidens；　would　have　talked　of　what　he　said。　You　know　they　would！　His　lies　would　only　have　spread　more　fear。〃　They　had　to　be　lies。　In　Sevanna's　mind　a　sea　was　like　the　lakes　she　had　seen　in　the　wetlands；　but　with　its　far　side　beyond　sight。　If　hundreds　of　thousands　more　of　his　people　were　ing；　even　from　the　other　side　of　so　large　a　body　of　water；　the　other　prisoners　she　had　questioned　would　have　known　of　them。　And　no　prisoner　was　questioned　without　her　present。
　　　　　　　Tion　raised　the　second　lantern　and　regarded　her　with　unblinking　gray　eyes。　Nearly　a　head　shorter　than　Someryn；　Tion　was　still　taller　than　Sevanna。　And　twice　as　wide。　Her　round　face　often　appeared　placid；　but　thinking　her　so　was　a　mistake。　〃They　are　right　to　fear；〃　she　said　in　a　stony　voice。　〃I　am　afraid；　and　take　no　shame　in　it。　The　Seanchan　are　many　if　they　are　no　more　than　took　Amador；　and　we　are　few。　You　have　your　sept　around　you；　Sevanna；　but　where　is　my　sept？　Your　wetlander　friend　Caddar　and　his　tame　Aes　Sedai　sent　us　through　his　holes　in　the　air　to　die。　Where　are　the　rest　of　the　Shaido？〃
　　　　　　　Rhiale　moved　to　stand　defiantly　beside　Tion；　and　they　were　quickly　joined　by　Alarys；　even　now　toying　with　her　black　hair　to　draw　attention　to　it。　Or　perhaps　it　was　to　avoid　meeting　Sevanna's　eyes。　After　a　moment；　a　scowling　Meira　added　herself　to　the　cluster；　and　then　Modarra。　Modarra　might　have　been　called　slim　if　she　were　not　even　taller　than　Someryn；　as　it　was；　lean　was　the　best　that　could　be　said　of　her。　Sevanna　had　thought　Modarra　as　firmly　in　her　grasp　as　any　of　the　rings　on　her　fingers。　As　firmly　in　her　grasp　as。。。　Someryn　looked　at　her　and　sighed；　looked　at　the　others。　Slowly　she　walked　over　to　stand　beside　them。
　　　　　　　Sevanna　was　left　standing　on　the　very　edge　of　the　lantern's　light。　Of　all　the　women　tied　to　her　by　the　killing　of　Desaine；　she　trusted　these　most。　Not　that　she　trusted　anyone　very　far；　of　course。　But　Someryn　and　Modarra　she　had　been　sure　were　hers　as　tightly　as　if　they　had　sworn　water　oath　to　follow　where　she　led。　And　now　they　dared　face　her　with　accusing　eyes。　Even　Alarys　looked　up　from　playing　with　her　hair。
　　　　　　　Sevanna　met　their　stares　with　a　cool　smile　just　short　of　a　sneer。　Now；　she　decided；　was　not　the　time　to　remind　them　of　the　crime　that　bound　their　fates　together。　Not　the　bludgeon；　this　time。　〃I　suspected　Caddar　might　try　to　betray　us；〃　she　said　instead。　Rhiale's　blue　eyes　widened　at　the　admission；　and　Tion　opened　her　mouth。　Sevanna　went　on；　not　leaving　them　room　to　speak。　〃Would　you　rather　have　remained　in　Kinslayer's　Dagger　to　be　destroyed？　To　be　hunted　like　animals　by　four　clans　whose　Wise　Ones　know　how　to　make　those　holes　without　the　traveling　boxes？　Instead；　we　are　in　the　heart　of　a　rich；　soft　land。　Richer　even　than　the　lands　of　the　treekillers。　Look　at　what　we　have　taken　in　only　ten　days。　How　much　more　will　we　take　in　a　wetlander　city？　You　fear　the　Seanchan　because　they　have　numbers？　Remember　that　I　brought　every　Shaido　Wise　One　who　can　channel　with　me。〃　That　she　could　not　channel　herself　seldom　occurred　to　her；　now。　Soon　that　lack　would　be　remedied。　〃We　are　as　strong　as　any　force　these　wetlanders　can　send　against　us。　Even　if　they　do　have　flying　lizards。〃　She　sniffed　forcefully　to　show　what　she　thought　of　those！　None　of　them　had　seen　one；　nor　any　of　the　scouts；　but　nearly　every　prisoner　had　been　full　of　the　ridiculous　tales。　〃After　we　find　the　other　septs；　we　will　take　this　land　for　our　own。　All　of　it！　We　will　extract　a　tenfold　repayment　from　the　Aes　Sedai。　And　we　will　find　Caddar　and　make　him　die　screaming　for　mercy。〃
　　　　　　　That　should　have　rallied　them；　restored　their　hearts　as　she　had　had　to　do　before。　Not　one　woman's　face　changed。　Not　one。
　　　　　　　〃And　there　is　the　Car'a'carn；〃　Tion　said　calmly。　〃Unless　you　have　given　up　your　plan　to　marry　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　given　up　nothing；〃　Sevanna　replied　irritably。　The　man　…　and　more　important；　the　power　that　came　with　him　…　would　be　hers　someday。　Somehow。　Whatever　it　took。　Smoothing　her　voice；　she　went　on。　〃Rand　al'Thor　is　hardly　of　consequence　now。〃　At　least　to　these　blind　simpletons。　With　him　in　her　hands；　anything　would　be　possible　for　her。　〃I　do　not　intend　to　stand　here　all　day　discussing　my　bridal　wreath。　I　have　matters　to　see　to　that　are　important。〃
　　　　　　　As　she　stalked　away　from　them　through　the　gloom；　toward　the　doors　of　the　stable；　an　unpleasant　thought　suddenly　occurred　to　her。　She　was　alone　with　these　women。　How　far　could　she　t