tg.wizardfirstrule-第143章

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t　was；　but　dismissed　the　idea。　This　was　not　the　time。　This　was　a　creature　of　the　dark。　Better　to　meet　it　on　his　own　terms。
　
　Once　more　on　his　watch；　he　heard　something　die。　Closer。
　
　Without　Richard　having　to　go　wake　him；　Zedd　appeared　for　his　watch；　looking　rested　and　refreshed；　eating　a　piece　of　dried　meat。　Zedd　came　and　sat　next　to　him；　offering　a　piece　of　meat。　Richard　declined。
　
　〃Zedd；　what　about　Chase；　is　he　all　right？〃
　
　〃He　is　well。　Far　as　I　know；　he　went　off　to　follow　your　instructions。〃
　
　〃Good。　I'm　glad　he's　well。〃　。Richard　hopped　down　off　the　rock；　ready　for　some　sleep。
　
　〃Richard；　what　did　Shota　tell　you？〃
　
　Richard　studied　his　friend's　face　in　the　dim　light　of　the　moon。　〃What　Shota　said　to　me　is　private。　It　is　not　for　others　to　hear。〃　The　edge　to　his　own　voice　surprised　him。　〃And　that　is　the　way　it　will　remain。〃
　
　Zedd　took　a　bite　while　he　watched　Richard。　〃The　sword　has　a　lot　of　anger　to　it。　I　see　you　are　having　trouble　controlling　it。〃
　
　〃All　right。　All　right；　I'll　tell　you　one　thing　Shota　said。　She　told　me　she　thought　I　ought　to　have　a　talk　with　you　about　Samuel！〃
　
　〃Samuel？〃
　
　Richard　gritted　his　teeth　and　leaned　closer。　〃My　predecessor！〃
　
　〃Oh。　That　Samuel。〃
　
　〃Yes；　that　Samuel。　Would　you　like　to　explain　that　to　me？　Would　you　like　to　tell　me　that's　the　way　I　too　will　end　up？　Or　had　you　planned　on　keeping　it　from　me　until　I　was　done　doing　wizard's　work　and　you　have　to　give　the　sword　to　some　other　fool！〃　Zedd　watched　calmly　as　Richard　became　more　and　more　upset。　He　grabbed　Zedd's　robes　and　pulled　his　face　close。　〃Wizard's　First　Rule！　Is　that　how　wizards　find　someone　to　take　the　sword？　Just　find　someone　stupid　enough　not　to　know　better　and　there　you　go！　A　new　Seeker！　Do　you　have　any　other　little　things　you　forgot　to　tell　me？　Any　other　little　unpleasant　things　I　ought　to　know！〃
　
　Richard　released　his　robes　with　a　shove。　He　had　to　resist　mightily　the　urge　to　draw　the　sword。　His　chest　heaved　with　his　anger。　Zedd　watched　calmly。
　
　〃I'm　truly　sorry；　my　boy；〃　he　whispered；　〃that　she　has　hurt　you　so。°〃
　
　Richard　stared　back；　everything　that　had　happened　pushing　in　on　him；　extinguishing　the　anger。　Everything　seemed　so　hopeless。　He　burst　into　tears　and　fell　against　Zedd；　throwing　his　arms　around　him。　He　cried　in　choking　sobs；　unable　to　control　himself。
　
　〃Zedd；　I　just　want　to　go　home。〃
　
　Zedd　held　him；　patted　his　back　gently；　spoke　tenderly。　〃I　know；　Richard。　I　know。〃
　
　〃I　wish　I　had　listened　to　you。　But　I　can't　help　myself。　I　can't　make　myself　stop　feeling　this　way；　no　matter　how　hard　I　try。　1　feel　like　I'm　drowning　and　can't　get　any　air。　I　want　this　nightmare　to　end。　I　hate　the　Midlands。　I　hate　the　magic。　I　just　want　to　go　home。　Zedd；　I　want　to　be　rid　of　this　sword　and　its　magic　I　never　want　to　hear　about　magic　again。〃
　
　Zedd　held　him　and　let　him　cry。　〃Nothing　is　ever　easy。〃　〃Maybe　it　wouldn't　be　so　bad　if　Kahlan　hated　me　or　something；　but　I　know　she　cares　for　me　too。　It's　the　magic。　The　magic　keeps　us　apart。〃
　
　〃Believe　me；　Richard；　I　know　how　you　feel。〃
　
　Richard　sank　to　the　ground；　leaned　against　the　rock；　crying。　Zedd　sat　next　to　him。
　
　〃What　is　to　bee　of　me？〃
　
　〃You　will　go　on。　There　is　nothing　else　you　can　do。〃
　
　〃I　don't　want　to　go　on。　And　what　of　Samuel？　Is　that　what　is　to　bee　of　me？〃
　
　Zedd　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　sorry；　Richard。　I　don't　know。　I　gave　you　the　sword　against　my　own　heart；　because　I　had　to；　for　everyone　else。　The　magic　of　the　Sword　of　Truth　does　that　to　a　Seeker；　in　the　end　The　prophecies　say　that　the　one　who　truly　masters　the　sword's　magic；　and　in　so　doing　makes　the　blade　turn　white；　will　be　protected　from　that　fate。　But　I　don't　know　how　it's　to　be　done。　I　don't　even　know　what　it　means。　I　didn't　have　the　courage　to　tell　you。　I'm　sorry。　If　you　want；　you　may　strike　me　dead　for　what　I've　done　to　you。　Only；　promise　me　first　that　you　will　go　on　and　stop　Darken　Rahl。〃
　
　Richard　laughed　bitterly　through　the　tears。　〃Strike　you　dead。　That's　a　joke。　You're　all　I　have；　all　I'm　allowed　to　love。　How　could　I　kill　that？　It's　myself　I　should　kill。〃
　
　〃Don't　say　such　a　thing；〃　Zedd　whispered。　〃Richard；　I　know　how　you　feel　about　the　magic。　I　walked　away　from　it　too。　Sometimes　events　happen　that　you　have　to　deal　with。　You　are　all　I　have　left。　I　went　after　the　book　because　I　didn't　want　you　to　be　in　danger。　I　would　do　anything　to　spare　you　hurt。　But　I　cannot　spare　you　this。　We　must　stop　Darken　Rahl；　not　just　for　ourselves；　but　for　all　the　others　who　have　no　chance。〃
　
　Richard　scrubbed　his　eyes。　〃I　know。　I　won't　quit　until　it's　finished。　I　promise。　Then　maybe　I　can　give　up　the　sword；　before　it's　too　late　for　me。〃
　
　〃Go　and　get　some　sleep。　Each　day　will　get　a　little　better　for　you。　If　it's　any　consolation；　although　I　don't　know　why　Seekers　end　up　like　Samuel；　I　truly　don't　believe　it　will　happen　to　you。　But　if　it　does；　it　won't　happen　for　some　time；　and　therefore；　that　can　only　mean　you　have　defeated　Darken　Rahl；　and　all　the　people　of　the　lands　will　be　safe。　Know　that　if　it　happens　I　will　al…　ways　take　care　of　you。　If　we　can　stop　Rahl；　maybe　I　can　help　you　find　the　secret　to　turning　the　blade　white。〃
　
　Richard　nodded　and　rose　to　his　feet；　pulling　his　cloak　around　himself。　〃Thank　you；　my　friend。　Sorry　I've　been　so　hard　on　you　tonight。　I　don't　know　what's　gotten　into　me。　Maybe　the　good　spirits　have　deserted　me。　I'm　sorry　I　can't　tell　you　what　Shota　said。
　
　〃And　Zedd；　be　careful　tonight。　There's　something　out　there。　It's　been　following　us　for　days。　I　don't　know　what　it　is；　I　haven't　had　the　time　to　snap　a　circle　on　it。　But　I　don't　think　it　means　us　harm；　at　least　it　hasn't　so　far；　but　you　never　know　in　the　Midlands。〃
　
　〃I　will　be　careful。〃
　
　Richard　started　to　walk　away。　Zedd　called　his　name。　He　stopped　and　turned。
　
　〃Just　be　glad　she　cares　for　you　as　much　as　she　does。　If　she　didn't；　she　might　have　touched　you。〃
　
　Richard　stared　back　at　him　a　long　moment。　〃I'm　afraid；　in　a　way；　she　already　has。〃
　
　…＋
　
　Kahlan　picked　her　way　along　in　the　dark　among　the　rocks　and　trees；　and　found　Zedd　sitting　on　a　rock；　watching　her　e；　his　legs　crossed　under　him。
　
　〃I　would　have　e　and　woke　you　when　it　was　time；〃　he　said。
　
　She　went　and　sat　next　to　him；　hugging　her　cloak　around　herself。　〃I　know；　but　I　couldn't　sleep；　so　I　thought　I　would　e　and　sit　with　you。〃
　
　〃Did　you　bring　anything　to　eat？〃
　
　She　reached　in　her　cloak；　pulling　out　a　small　bundle。　〃Here。〃　She　smiled。　〃Some　rabbit　and　biscuits。〃
　
　While　Zedd　rubbed　his　hands　together　and　started　right　in；　she　watched　out　into　the　night；　thinking　how　to　put　the　question　she　had　e　to　ask　him。　It　didn't　take　him　long　to　finish　the　snack。
　
　〃Wonderful；　dear　one；　wonderful。　That's　all　you　brought？〃
　
　Kahlan　laughed。　〃I　also　brought　some　berries。〃　She　pulled　out　a　cloth　bundle。　〃I　thought　you　might　like　something　sweet。　Can　I　share　them　with　you？〃
　
　He　eyed　her　up　and　down。　〃I　guess　you're　small　enough；　you　couldn't　eat　that　many。〃
　
　She　laughed　again　and　took　a　small　handful　from　the　open　bundle　in　his　hands。　〃I　think　I　know　why　Richard　is　so　good　at　finding　food。　Growing　up　around　you；　he　had　to　be　good；　or　he　would　starve。〃
　
　〃I　would　never　let　him　starve；〃　he　protested。　〃I　care　for　him　too　much。〃
　
　〃I　know。　Me；　too。〃
　
　He　chewed　a　few　berries。　〃I　want　to　thank　you　for　keeping　your　word。〃
　
　〃My　word？〃
　
　Zedd　peered　up　at　her　as　he　hunched　over　the　bundle；　eating　berries　one　at　a　time。　〃Your　word　not　to　touch　him；　not　to　use　your　power　on　him。〃
　
　〃Oh。〃　She　looked　off　into　the　night；　gathering　her　courage。　〃Zedd；　you　are　the　only　wizard　left；　other　than　Giller。　I　am　the　last　Confessor。　You　have　lived　in　the　Midlands；　you　have　lived　in　Aydindril。　You　are　the　only　one　who　knows　what　it　is　like　to　be　a　Confessor。　I　tried　to　explain　it　to　Richard；　but　it　takes　a　lifetime　to　truly　understand；　and　then；　I　think　none　but　another　Confessor　or　a　wizard　can　really　understand。〃
　
　Zedd　patted　her　arm。　〃You　may　be　right。〃
　
　〃I　have　no　one。　I　can　have　no　one。　You　can't　imagine　what　that's　like。　Please；　Zedd。〃　Her　eyebrows　wrinkled　together。　〃Please