tg.stone of tears-第25章

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　of　the　spirit　house。　She　could　hear　the　screaming　howls　of　laughter。
　
　Kahlan　threw　her　shoulder　against　the　door　and　rolled　out　into　the　night。　As　she　sprang　to　her　feet　she　saw　a　small；　dark　form　hurtling　toward　her。　She　slashed　with　her　knife　and　missed。
　
　It　came　again；　but　before　it　was　on　her；　Richard　kicked　it；　slamming　it　back　against　the　short　wall。　In　the　moonlight　the　Sword　of　Truth　flashed　toward　the　shadow。　The　blade　caught　only　the　wall。　A　shower　of　mud…brick　fragments　and　plaster　exploded　into　the　air。　The　thing　howled　in　laughter。
　
　Richard　snatched　her　back　just　as　the　dark　shape　flew　past。　She　caught　it　with　her　blade；　ripping　through　something　hard　…　bone　hard。　A　claw　flashed　past　her　face；　the　sword　following；　missing。
　
　She　could　hear　Richard　panting　as　he　searched　the　darkness。　The　shadow　came　out　of　nowhere　and　knocked　him　to　the　ground。　Dark　forms　tumbled　across　the　dirt。　She　couldn’t　tell　which　was　Richard　and　which　was　the　attacker。　Claws　flung　dirt　into　the　air　as　it　flailed　at　him。
　
　With　a　grunt；　Richard　heaved　it　over　the　wall。　Instantly　it　sprang　to　the　top；　and　stood　there；　eyes　flashing　golden　in　the　moonlight；　cackling　that　awful　laugh　as　the　two　of　them　backed　away。　It　fell　silent　as　it　watched　them　walking　backward。
　
　The　air　was　suddenly　alive　with　the　zip　of　arrows。　Within　the　space　of　a　heartbeat；　a　dozen　thudded　into　the　black　body。　Not　one　missed。　A　breath　later　an　equal　number　followed。　The　thing　panted　in　laughter。　It　stood　on　the　wall　looking　like　a　black　pincushion。
　
　Kahlan’s　jaw　dropped　as　she　saw　it　snap　off　a　handful　of　arrows　that　stuck　out　of　its　chest。　The　thing　snarled　a　cackling　laugh　at　them；　then　blinked　as　it　watched　them　backing　away。　She　couldn’t　understand　why　it　just　stood　there。　Another　flight　of　arrows　thudded　into　the　black　body。　It　paid　no　attention；　but　dropped　from　the　wall　to　the　ground。
　
　A　dark　figure　ran　forward；　spear　in　hand。　From　the　shadow　of　the　wall；　the　thing　sprang　at　the　runner。　The　hunter　let　the　spear　fly。　With　impossible　speed；　the　black　form　ducked　to　the　side　and　with　its　teeth　snatched　the　spear　from　the　air。　Laughing；　it　bit　the　shaft　in　half。　The　hunter　who　had　thrown　it　backed　away；　and　the　thing　seemed　to　lose　interest；　turning　to　again　watch　her　and　Richard。
　
　‘What　in　the　world　is　it　doing？’　Richard　whispered。　‘Why　did　it　stop？　Why　is　it　just　watching　us？’
　
　With　a　cold　shock；　she　knew。
　
　‘It’s　a　screeling；’　Kahlan　whispered　more　to　herself　than　to　him。　‘Oh；　dear　spirits　protect　us；　it’s　a　screeling。’
　
　She　and　Richard　were　clutching　each　other’s　shirtsleeves　as　they　walked　backward；　watching　the　screeling。
　
　‘Get　away！’　she　yelled　at　the　hunters。　‘　Walk！　Don’t　run！’
　
　They　answered　with　another　useless　flight　of　arrows。
　
　‘This　way；’　Richard　said。　‘Between　the　buildings；　where　it’s　dark。’
　
　‘Richard；　that　thing　can　see　better　in　the　dark　than　we　can　see　in　the　light。　It’s　from　the　underworld。’
　
　He　kept　his　eyes　on　the　screeling　standing　in　the　open；　in　the　moonlight。　‘I’m　listening。　What　else　can　we　do？’
　
　She　shook　her　head。　‘I　don’t　know。　But　don’t　run；　and　don’t　stand　still。　That　attracts　its　attention。　I　think　the　only　way　to　kill　it　may　be　to　hack　it　apart。’
　
　He　looked　over　to　her；　his　eyes　angry　in　the　moonlight。　‘What　do　you　think　I’ve　been　trying　to　do？’
　
　Kahlan　looked　around　at　the　small　passageway　they　were　entering。　‘Maybe　we　should　go　through　here　after　all。　Maybe　it　will　stay　there　and　we　can　get　away。　If　not；　at　least　we　can　lead　it　away　from　the　others。’
　
　The　screeling　watched　them　backing　away；　and　then　started　loping　after　them；　panting　a　wicked　laugh。
　
　‘Nothing　is　ever　easy；’　Richard　muttered。
　
　They　backed　through　the　narrow　passageway　of　smooth；　plastered　walls；　the　screeling　following。　Kahlan　could　see　the　dark　knot　of　hunters　following　it　in；　could　feel　the　pounding　of　her　heart。
　
　‘I　wanted　you　to　stay　in　the　spirit　house。　Why　didn’t　you　stay　there　where　you　were　safe？’
　
　She　recognized　the　tone　of　rage　from　the　sword’s　magic。　Her　hand　holding　his　shirtsleeve　felt　wet　and　warm。　She　looked　over　and　saw　blood　running　down　his　arm；　over　her　hand。　‘Because　I　love　you；　you　big　ox。　And　don’t　you　dare　do　anything　like　that　again。’
　
　‘If　we　get　out　of　this　alive；　I’m　going　to　put　you　over　my　knee。’
　
　They　kept　backing　down　the　twisting　passageway。　‘If　we　get　out　of　this　alive；　I　will　let　you。　What　happened　to　your　headache？’
　
　Richard　shook　his　head。　‘I　don’t　know。　One　second　I　could　hardly　breathe；　and　the　next；　it　was　gone。　As　soon　as　it　was　gone；　I　could　feel　that　thing　on　the　other　side　of　the　door；　and　I　heard　it　make　that　awful　laugh。’
　
　‘Maybe　you　just　thought　you　could　sense　it　because　you　heard　it。’
　
　‘I　don’t　know。　That　could　be。　But　it　was　the　strangest　feeling。’
　
　She　pulled　him　by　his　shirtsleeve　down　a　side　passage。　It　was　darker。　Moonlight　fell　high　up　on　a　wall　to　their　left。　With　a　start；　she　saw　the　dark　shape　of　the　screeling　skittering　across　the　moonlit　wall；　like　some　huge；　black　bug。　Kahlan　had　to　force　herself　to　draw　a　breath。
　
　‘How　can　it　do　that？’　Richard　whispered。
　
　She　had　no　answer。　Behind　them；　torches　appeared。　Hunters　were　closing　in　around　them；　trying　to　bottle　up　the　attacker。
　
　Richard　looked　around。　‘If　these　people　try　to　get　this　thing；　its　going　to　kill　the　lot　of　them。’　They　stepped　into　a　moonlit　intersection　of　passageways。　‘Kahlan；　I　can’t　let　that　happen。’　He　looked　to　his　right；　down　toward　a　group　of　hunters　ing　with　torches。　‘Go　to　those　men。　Get　behind　them。’
　
　‘Richard；　I’m　not　leaving。　。。。’
　
　He　shoved　her。　‘Do　as　I　say！　Now！’
　
　His　tone　made　her　jump。　Involuntarily；　she　backed　away。　Richard　stood　still　in　the　moonlight；　holding　the　sword　in　both　hands；　the　tip　resting　on　the　ground。　He　looked　up　at　the　screeling　hanging　on　the　wall。　It　howled　a　laugh；　as　if　suddenly　recognizing　the　figure　standing　before　it。
　
　The　screeling　let　go　with　its　claws；　dropping　straight　down；　landing　in　the　darkness　with　a　thud。
　
　Kahlan　could　see　the　angry　set　of　Richard’s　jaw　as　he　watched　the　blur　racing　toward　him；　kicking　up　a　cloud　of　dust。　The　sword’s　tip　stayed　on　the　ground。
　
　This　can’t　be　happening；　she　thought；　it　just　can’t。　Not　when　everything　is　finally　right。　This　thing　could　kill　him。　It　could　really　kill　him。　It　could　be　the　end　of　everything。　The　thought　stopped　her　breath。　Her　Confessor’s　Blood　Rage　roared　to　the　surface。　Her　flesh　tingled。
　
　The　screeling　sprang　into　the　air　toward　Richard。　The　sword　tip　snapped　upward；　impaling　the　dark；　flailing　form。　She　could　see　a　good　foot　and　a　half　of　steel　sticking　from　its　back；　glinting　in　the　moonlight。　The　screeling　again　howled　its　terrible　laughter。　It　clawed　at　the　sword；　pulling　itself　up　by　the　blade　toward　Richard。　It　severed　some　of　its　own　clawed　fingers　as　it　clutched　at　the　blade；　thrashing　ahead。　Richard　gave　the　sword　a　mighty　swing。　The　screeling　slid　off；　slamming　against　the　wall。
　
　Without　pause　it　sprang　for　him　again。　Already　Richard　was　swinging　the　sword。　Kahlan　felt　a　rush　of　panicked　anger。　Without　even　realizing　what　she　was　doing；　she　had　her　arm　up；　her　fist　toward　the　thing　trying　to　kill　Richard；　the　man　she　loved；　the　only　man　she　would　ever　love。
　
　The　screeling　was　nearly　upon　him；　the　sword　pleting　its　swing。　Kahlan　felt　the　power　surge　through　her　in　a　choking　rush。　She　released　it。　Eerie　blue　light　exploded　from　her　fist；　rending　the　night　with　a　blinding　flash　of　blue　daylight。
　
　The　sword　and　the　bolt　of　blue　lightning　hit　the　screeling　at　the　same　time。　The　screeling　burst　apart　in　a　shower　of　bloodless；　black　pieces。　Kahlan　had　seen　the　Sword　of　Truth　do　the　same　thing　to　living　flesh。　She　didn’t　know　if　it　was　the　sword　or　the　blue　lightning　that　had　done　it　this　time。
　
　The　crack　of　thunder　from　the　bolt　left　her　ears　ringing　in　the　sudden　silence。
　
　She　ran　to　Richard　and　threw　her　arms　around　him　as　he　hunched；　panting。　‘Are　you　all　right？’
　
　He　hugged　her　with　his　free　h