gc.thewhiterose-第56章
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The Lady rose too。 We staggered toward Darling； supporting one another。 Each groggy step spiced more life into my sluggish blood。 I looked into Darling's eyes。 She was aware； yet paralyzed。 Her face was frozen halfway between fear and disbelief。 We hoisted her up； each slipping an arm around her。 The Lady began counting steps。 I remember no other labor so damnably great。 I do not recall another time when I ran so much on will alone。
The shaking of the earth waxed rapidly into the shudder of passing horsemen； then to a landslide's uproar； then to an earthquake。 The ground around Father Tree began to writhe and buckle。 A gout of flame and dust blasted upward。 The tree tinkled a shriek。 Blue lightning rioted in his hair。 We pressed even harder in our flight down and across the creek。
Something behind us began to scream。
Images in mind。 That which was rising was in agony。 Father Tree subjected it to the torments of Hell。 But it came on； determined to be free。
I no longer looked back。 My terror was too great。 I did not want to see what an ancient Dominator looked like。
We made it。 Gods。 Somehow the Lady and I got Darling sufficiently far away for Father Tree to regain his full otherworldly power。
The shriek rose rapidly in pitch and fury； I fell down grasping my ears。 And then it went away。
After a time the Lady said； 〃Croaker； go see if you can help the others。 It's safe。 The tree won。〃
That quickly？ Out of that much fury？
Getting my feet under me seemed an all…night job。
A blue nimbus still shimmered among Father Tree's branches。 You could feel his aggravation from two hundred yards。 Its weight grew as I moved nearer。
The ground around the tree's feet hardly seemed disturbed； considering the violence of moments ago。 It looked freshly plowed and harrowed； was all。 Some of my friends were partially buried； but no one appeared injured。 Everyone was moving at least a little。 Faces looked wholly stunned。 Except Tracker's。 That ugly character had not resumed his fake human form。
He was up early； placidly helping the others； dusting their clothing with hearty； friendly slaps。 You would not have known that a short time before he had been a deadly enemy。 Weird。
Nobody needed any help。 Except the walking trees and menhirs。 The trees had been overturned。 The menhirs 。 。 。 Many of them were down； too。 And unable to right themselves。
That gave me a chill。
I got me another shudder when I neared the old tree。
Reaching out of the ground； fumbling at the bark of a root； was a human hand and forearm； long； leathery； greenish； with nails grown to claws then broken and bleeding upon Father Tree。 It did not belong to anyone from the Hole。
It twitched feebly； now。 Blue sparks continued to crackle above。
Something about that hand stirred the old beast within me。 I wanted to run away shrieking。 Or seize an axe and mutilate it。 I took neither course； for I got the distinct feeling that Father Tree was watching me and glowering more than a little； and maybe blaming me personal…like for wakening the thing to which the hand belonged。
〃I'm going；〃 I said。 〃Know how you feel。 Got my own old monster to keep down。〃 And I backed away； bowing some each three or four steps。
〃What the hell was that？〃
I whirled。 One…Eye was staring at me。 He had a Croaker…is…up…to…another…of…his…crazies look。
〃Just chatting with the tree。〃 I looked around。 People seemed to be finding their sea legs。 Some of the less flustered were starting to right the walking trees。 For the fallen menhirs； though； there seemed no hope。 Those had gone to whatever reward a sentient stone may expect。 Later they would be discovered righted； standing among the other dead menhirs near the creek ford。
I returned to Darling and the Lady。 Darling was slow to e around； too groggy to municate yet。 The Lady asked； 〃Everyone all right？〃
〃Except the guy in the ground。 And he came close to making himself well。〃 I described the hand。
She nodded。 〃That's a mistake not likely to be made again soon。〃
Silent and several others had gathered around； so we could say little that would not sound suspect。 I did murmur； 〃What now？〃 In the background I heard the Lieutenant and Elmo hollering about getting some torches out to shed a little light。
She shrugged。
〃What about the Taken？〃
〃You want to go after them？〃
〃Hell； no！ But we can't have them running around loose in our backyard； either。 No telling 。 。 。 〃
〃The menhirs will watch them。 Won't they？〃
〃That depends on how pissed the old tree is。 Maybe he's ready to let us go to hell in a bucket after this。〃
〃You might find out。〃
〃I'll go；〃 Goblin queaked。 He wanted an excuse to put a lot of yards between him and the tree。
〃Don't take all night；〃 I said。 〃Why don't the rest of you help Elmo and the Lieutenant？〃
That got rid of some folks； but not Silent。
There was no way I was going to get Silent out of sight of Darling。 He had some reservations still。
I chaffed Darling's wrists and did other silly things when time was the only cure。 After some minutes I mumbled； 〃Seventy…eight days。〃
And the Lady； 〃Before long it will be too late。〃
I lifted an eyebrow。
〃He can't be beaten without her。 It won't be long before the hardest ride won't get her there in time。〃
I do not know what Silent made of that exchange。 I do know that the Lady looked up at him and smiled thinly； with that look she gets when she knows your thoughts。 〃We need the tree。〃 And： 〃We didn't get to finish our picnic。〃
〃Huh？〃
She went away for a few minutes。 When she returned she had the blanket； dirtier than ever； and the bucket。 She snagged my hand and headed for the dark。 〃You watch for the traps；〃 she told me。 What the hell was this game？
Chapter Forty…Five： BARGAIN STRUCK
Later a broken boat of a moon arose。 We did not go far before it did； for there was not enough starlight to risk much movement。 Once the moon did rise； the Lady guided me in a slow circle toward where the Taken had e down。 We halted in a clear area； sandy but not dangerous。 She spread the blanket。 We were outside the null。 〃Sit。〃
I sat。 She sat。 I asked； 〃What？ 。 。 。 〃
〃Be quiet。〃 She closed her eyes and went inside herself。
I wondered if Silent had torn himself away from Darling to stalk us。 Wondered if my rades were making crude jokes about us as they labored over the walking trees。 Wondered what the hell kind of game had me caught in its toils。
You learned something out of it； anyway； Croaker。
After a while I realized she was back from wherever she had gone。 〃I am amazed；〃 she whispered。 〃Who would have thought they had the guts？〃
〃Eh？〃
〃Our sky…borne friends。 I expected Limper and Whisper； up to their old crimes。 But I got Scorn and Blister。 Though I might have suspected her； had I thought。 Necromancy is her great talent。〃
Another round of her thinking aloud。 I wondered if she did that often。 I am sure she was unaccustomed to having witnesses around if she did。 〃What do you mean？〃
She ignored me。 〃I wonder if they told the others？〃
I harkened back； put a few things together。 The Lady's divinations about three possible futures and no place in any of them。 Maybe that meant there was no place in them for Taken； either。 And maybe they figured they could take their futures into their own hands by ridding themselves of their mistress。
A light step startled me。 But I did not get excited。 I just figured Silent had chosen to follow。 So I was very surprised when Darling sat down with us； unchaperoned。
How had I overlooked the return of the null？ Distracted； of course。
The Lady said； as though Darling had not appeared； 〃They haven't yet gotten out of the coral。 It's very slow going； and they're both injured。 And though the coral can't kill them； it can cause a lot of pain。 Right now they're lying up； waiting for first light。〃
〃So？〃
〃So maybe they won't get out at all。〃
〃Darling can read lips。〃
〃She knows already。〃
Well； I have said a thousand times that the girl is not stupid。
I think Darling's knowledge was implicit in the position she took。 She placed me squarely in the gap between them。
