cb.imajica1-第93章
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ildren； keepsakes； perhaps； of happier times； one was a hefty encyclopedia by someone called Maybellome； which might have made informative reading under other circumstances but was too densely printed to be skimmed and too heavy to be taken along。 There was a volume of poems that read like nonsense rhymes； and what appeared to be a novel； Huzzah's place in it marked with a slip of paper。 He pocketed it when her back was turned； as much for himself as her； then went to the door in the hope that Aping and Scopique were within sighting distance。 There was no sign。 Huzzah had meanwhile finished dressing。
〃I'm ready；〃 she said。 〃Shall we go？ Papa will find us。〃
〃I hope so；〃 Gentle replied。
Certainly remaining in the cell was a waste of valuable time。 Huzzah asked if she could take Gentle's hand； to which he said of course； and together they began to thread their way through the passageways； all of which looked bewilderingly alike in the semidarkness。 Their progress was halted several times when the sound of boots on stone announced the proximity of guards； but Huzzah was as alive to their danger as Gentle and twice saved them from discovery。
And then； as they climbed the final flight of stairs that would bring them out into the open air； a din erupted not far from them。 They both froze； drawing back into the shadows； but they weren't the cause of the motion。 It was N'ashap's voice that came echoing along the corridor； acpanied by a dreadful hammering。 Gentle's first thought was of Pie； and before mon sense could intervene he'd broken cover and was heading towards the source of the sound； glancing back once to signal that Huzzah should stay where she was； only to find that she was already on his heels。 He recognized the passageway ahead。 The open door twenty yards from where he stood was the door of the cell he'd left Pie in。 And it was from there that the sound of N'ashap's voice emerged； a garbled stream of insults and accusations that was already bringing guards running。 Gentle drew a deep breath； preparing for the violence that was surely inevitable now。
〃No further；〃 he told Huzzah； then raced towards the open door。
Three guards； two of them Oethacs； were approaching from the opposite direction； but only one of the two had his eyes on Gentle。 The man shouted an order which Gentle didn't catch over N'ashap's cacophony； but Gentle raised his arms； open…palmed； fearful that the man would be trigger…happy； and at the same time slowed his run to a walk。 He was within ten paces of the door； but the guards were there ahead of him。 There was a brief exchange with N'a…shap； during which Gentle had time to halve the distance between himself and the door； but a second order…this time plainly a demand that he stand still； backed up by the guard's training his weapon at Gentle's heart…brought him to a halt。
He'd no sooner done so than N'ashap emerged from the cell； with one hand in Pie's ringlets and the other holding his sword； a gleaming sweep of steel； to the mystif s belly。 The scars on N'ashap's swollen head were inflamed by the drink in his system； the rest of his skin was dead white； almost waxen。 He reeled as he stood in the doorway； all the more dangerous for his lack of equilibrium。 The mystif had proved in New York it could survive traumas that would have laid any human dead in the gutter。 But N'ashap's blade was ready to gut it like a fish； and there'd be no surviving that。 The mander's tiny eyes fixed as best they could on Gentle。
〃Your mystif s very faithful all of a sudden；〃 he said； panting。 〃Why's that？ First it es looking for me； then it won't let me near it。 Maybe it needs your permission； is that it？ So give it。〃 He pushed the blade against Pie's belly。 〃Go on。 Tell it to be friendly； or it's dead。〃
Gentle lowered his hands a little； very slowly； as if in an attempt to appeal to Pie。 〃I don't think we have much choice；〃 he said； his eyes going between the mystif s impassive face and the sword poised at its belly； putting the time it would take for a pneuma to blow N'ashap's head off against the speed of the captain's blade。
N'ashap was not the only player in the scene； of course。 There were three guards already here； all armed； and doubtless more on their way。
〃You'd better do what he wants；〃 Gentle said； drawing a deep breath as he finished speaking。
N'ashap saw him do so； and saw too his hand going to his mouth。 Even drunk； he sensed his danger and loosed a shout to the men in the passageway behind him； stepping out of their line of fire； and Gentle's； as he did so。
Denied one target； Gentle unleashed his breath against the other。 The pneuma flew at the guards as their trigger fingers tightened； striking the nearest with such violence his chest erupted。 The force of the blow threw the body back against the other two。 One went down immediately； his weapon flying from his hand。 The other was momentarily blinded by blood and a shrapnel of innards but was quick to regain his balance； and would have blown Gentle's head off had his target not been on the move； flinging himself towards the corpse。 The guard fired once wildly； but before he could fire again Gentle had snatched up the dropped weapon and answered the fire with his own。 The guard had enough Oethac blood to be indifferent to the bullets that came his way； till one found his spattered eye and blew it out。 He shrieked and fell back； dropping his gun to clamp both hands to the wound。
Ignoring the third man； still moaning on the floor； Gentle went to the cell door。 Inside； Captain N'ashap stood face to face with Pie 'oh' pah。 The mystif s hand was on the blade。 Blood ran from the sliced palm； but the mander was making no attempt to do further damage。 He was staring at Pie's face； his own expression perplexed。
Gentle halted； knowing any intervention on his part would snap N'ashap out of his distracted state。 Whoever he was seeing in Pie's place…the whore who resembled his mother； perhaps； another echo of Tishalulle； in this place of lost mamas？…it was sufficient to keep the blade from removing the mystif s fingers。
Tears began to well in N'ashap's eyes。 The mystif didn't move； nor did its gaze flicker from the captain's face for an instant。 It seemed to be winning the battle between N'ashap's desire and his murderous intention。 His hand un…knotted from around the sword。 The mystif opened its own fingers； and the weight of the sword carried it out of the captain's grip to the ground。 The noise it made striking the stone was too loud to go unheard by N'ashap； however entranced he was； and he shook his head violently； his gaze going instantly from Pie's face to the weapon that had fallen between them。
The mystif was quick： at the door in two strides。 Gentle drew breath； but as his hand went to his mouth he heard a shriek from Huzzah。 He glanced down the corridor towards the child； who was retreating before two more guards； both Oethacs； one snatching at her as she fled； the other with his sights on Gentle。 Pie seized his arm and dragged him back from the door as N'ashap； still rising as he came； ran at them with his sword。 The time to dispatch him with a pneuma had passed。 All Gentle had space to do was seize the door handle and slam the cell closed。 The key was in the lock； and he turned it as N'ashap's bulk slammed against the other side。
Huzzah was running now； her pursuer between the second guard and his target。 Tossing the gun to Pie； Gentle went to snatch Huzzah up before the Oethac took her。 She was in his arms with a stride to spare； and he flung them both aside to give Pie a clear line of fire。 The pursuing Oethac realized his jeopardy and went for his own weapon。 Gentle looked around at Pie。
〃Kill the fuckers！〃 he yelled； but the mystif was staring at the gun in its hand as though it had found shite there。
〃Pie！ For Christ's sake！ Kill them！〃
Now the mystif raised the gun； but still it seemed incapable of pulling the trigger。
〃Do it！〃 Gentle yelled。
The mystif shook its head； however； and would have lost them all their lives had two clean shots not struck the back of the guards' necks； dropping them both to the ground。
〃Papa！〃 Huzzah said。
It was indeed the sergeant； with Scopique in tow； who eme
