gc.thewhiterose-第59章
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Fools。 Or was Darling？ What happened once the Dominator was down and we were ready to go after each other again？ 。 。 。
Whoa； Croaker。 Darling learned to play cards from Raven。 Raven was a cutthroat player。
It was the Forest of Cloud by nightfall。 I wonder what they made of us in Lords。 We passed right over。 The streets filled with gawkers。
Roses passed in the night。 Then the other old cities of our early years in the north。 There was little talk。 The Lady and I kept our heads together； growing more tense as our strange fleet neared its destination and we drew no nearer unearthing the nuggets we sought。
〃How long？〃 I asked。 I had lost track of time。
〃Forty…two days；〃 she said。
〃We were in the desert that long？〃
〃Time flies when you're having fun。〃
I gave her a startled look。 A joke？ Even an old cliche？ From her？
I hate it when they go human on you。 Enemies are not supposed to do that。
She had been crawling all over me with it for a couple months。
How can you hate？
The weather stayed halfway decent till we got to Forsberg。 Then it became clabbered misery。
It was solid winter up there。 Good； briskly refreshing winds loaded up with pellets of powder snow。 A nice abrasive for a tender face like mine。 A bombardment to clear out the lice on the backs of the whales； too。 Everybody cussed and fussed and grumbled and huddled for warmth that dared not be provided by man's traditional ally； fire。 Only Tracker seemed untouched。 〃Don't anything bother that thing？〃 I asked。
In the oddest voice I ever heard her use； the Lady replied； 〃Loneliness。 If you want to kill Tracker the easy way； lock him up alone and go away。〃
I felt a chill that had nothing to do with the weather。 Whom did I know who had been alone a long time？ Who； maybe； just maybe； had begun to wonder if absolute power were worth the absolute price？
I knew beyond the glimmer of doubt that she had enjoyed every second of pretend on the Plain。 Even the moments of danger。 I knew that had I had the hair on my ass； there in the last days； I could have bee more than a pretend boyfriend。 There was a growing and quiet desperation to her in that time as going back to being the Lady approached。
Some of that I might have appropriated out of ego； for a very critical time faced her。 She was under a lot of stress。 She knew the enemy we faced。 But not all was ego。 I think she actually did like me as a person。
〃I got a request；〃 I said softly； in the middle of the huddle； banishing thoughts caused by a woman pressed against me。
〃What？〃
〃The Annals。 They're all that's left of the Black pany。〃 Depression had set in fast。 〃There was an obligation undertaken ages ago； when the Free panies of Khatovar were formed。 If any of us get through this alive； someone should take them back。〃
I do not know if she understood。 But： 〃They're yours；〃 she said。
I wanted to explain； but could not。 Why take them back？ I am not sure where they are supposed to go。 Four hundred years the pany drifted slowly north； waxing； waning； turning over its constituents。 I have no idea if Khatovar still exists or if it is a city； country； a person； or a god。 The Annals from the earliest years either did not survive or went home already。 I have seen nothing but digests and excerpts from the earliest century 。 。 。 No matter。 Part of the Annalist's undertaking has always been to return the Annals to Khatovar should the pany disband。
The weather worsened。 By Oar it seemed actively inimical； and may have been。 That thing in the earth would know we were ing。
Just north of Oar all the Taken suddenly dropped away like rocks。 〃What the hell？〃
〃Toadkiller Dog；〃 the Lady said。 〃We've caught up with him。 He hasn't reached his master yet。〃
〃Can they stop him？〃
〃Yes。〃
I crutched over to the side of the whale。 I do not know what I expected to see。 We were up in the snow clouds。
There were a few flashes below。 Then the Taken came back。 The Lady looked displeased。 〃What happened？〃 I asked。
〃The monster got crafty。 Ran into the null where it brushes the ground。 The visibility is too poor to go after him。〃
〃Will it make much difference？〃
〃No。〃 But she did not sound entirely confident。
The weather worsened。 But the whales remained undaunted。 We reached the Barrowland。 My group went to the Guards pound。 Darling's put up at Blue Willy。 The boundary of the null fell just outside the pound wall。
Colonel Sweet himself greeted us。 Good old Sweet who I thought was dead for sure。 He had a gimp leg now。 I cannot say he was convivial。 But then； it was a time when nobody was。
The orderly assigned us was our old friend Case。
Chapter Forty…Nine： THE INVISIBLE MAZE
The first time Case appeared he rode the edge of panic。 Me doing a kindly uncle act did not soothe him。 The Lady doing her bit almost kicked him over the edge into hysteria。 Having Tracker lurking around in natural form was no help either。
One…Eye； of all people； calmed him down。 Got him onto the subject of Raven and how Raven was doing； and that did the job。
I had my own near case of hysteria。 Hours after we put down； before I even got set up for it； the Lady brought Whisper and Limper to double…check our translations。
Whisper was supposed to see if any papers were missing。 Limper was supposed to plumb his memory of olden times for connections we may have missed。 He； it seems； was much into the social whirl of the early Domination。
Amazing。 I could not imagine that hunk of hatred and human wreckage ever having been anything but nastiness personified。
I got Goblin to keep an eyeball on those two while I broke away to look in on Raven。 Everyone else had given him a look…see already。
She was there； leaning against a wall； gnawing a fingernail； not looking anything like the great bitch who had tormented the world for lo！ so many years。 Like I said before； I hate it when they go human。 And she was human and then some。 Flat…assed scared。
〃How is he？〃 I asked； and when I saw her mood： 〃What's the matter？〃
〃He's unchanged。 They've taken good care of him。 Nothing is the matter that a few miracles won't cure。〃
I dared raise a questioning eyebrow。
〃All the exits are closed。 Croaker。 I'm headed down a tunnel。 My choices grow ever more narrow； and each is worse than the other。〃
I settled on the chair Case used while watching over Raven； began playing doctor。 Needlessly； but I liked to see for myself。 Half…distracted； I said； 〃I expect it's lonely； being queen of the world。〃
Slight gasp。 〃You grow too bold。〃
Didn't I？ 〃I'm sorry。 Thinking out loud。 An unhealthy habit known to be the cause of bruises and major hemorrhaging。 He does look sound。 You think Limper or Whisper will help？〃
〃No。 But every angle has to be tried。〃
〃What about Bomanz？〃
〃Bomanz？〃
I looked at her。 She seemed honestly puzzled。 〃The wizard who sprung you。〃
〃Oh。 What about him？ What could a dead man contribute？ I disposed of my necromancer 。 。 。 You know something I don't？〃
Not bloody likely。 She had had me under the Eye。 Nevertheless 。 。 。
I debated for half a minute； not wanting to give up what might be a whisker of advantage。 Then： 〃I had it from Goblin and One…Eye that he's perfectly healthy。 That he's caught in the Barrowland。 Like Raven； only body and all。〃
〃How could that be？〃
Was it possible she had overlooked this while interrogating me？ I guess if you do not ask the right questions； you will not get the right answers。
I reflected on all we had done together。 I had sketched Raven's reports for her； but she had not read those letters。 In fact 。 。 。 The originals； from which Raven drew his story； were in my quarters。 Goblin and One…Eye lugged them all the way to the Plain only to see them hauled right back。 Nobody had plumbed them because they repeated a story already told 。 。 。
〃Sit；〃 I said； rising。 〃Back in two shakes。〃
Goblin fish…eyed me when I breezed in。 〃Be a few minutes more。 Something came up。〃 I scrounged up the case in which Raven's documents had traveled。 Only the original Bomanz manuscript resided there now。 I fluttered back out； ignored by the Taken。
Nice feeling； I'll tell yo
