tw.togreenangeltower2-第140部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


hey　removed　her　and　sowed　much　other　confusion　beside。　For　those　who　dwelled　in　Stormspike；　the　Zida'ya　were　then　little　threat。　They　must　have　felt　sure　that　when　the　time　came；　the　black　sword　would　select　you　or　the　Rimmersman　Sludig　or　someone　else　to　be　its　bearer。　Josua　would　e　for　Bright…Nail…his　father's　sword；　after　all…and　the　final　rituals　could　take　place。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　Camaris　came　back；〃　said　Simon。　〃I　suppose　they　didn't　suspect　that　might　happen。　Still；　he　had　carried　Thorn　for　decades。　It　only　makes　sense　the　sword　would　choose　him　again。　Why　should　they　fear　him？〃
Strangyeard　cleared　his　throat。　〃Sir　Camaris；　may　God　rest　his　troubled　soul…〃　the　priest　quickly　sketched　the　Tree；　〃…confessed　to　me　what　he　could　not　tell　others。　That　confession　must　go　with　me　to　my　grave。〃　Strangyeard　shook　his　head。　〃Ransomer　preserve　him！　But　the　reason　he　confessed　to　me　at　all　was　that　Aditu　and　Geloe　wished　to　know　whether　he　had　traveled　to　Jao。。。　whether　he　had　met　Amerasu。　He　had。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　told　Prince　Josua　his　secret；　I　am　sure；〃　muttered　Isgrimnur。　Remembering　that　night；　and　Josua's　terrible　expression；　he　wondered　again　at　what　mere　words　could　have　made　the　prince　look　as　he　had。　〃But　Josua　is　dead；　too；　God　rest　him。　We　will　never　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　even　though　Father　Strangyeard　swears　that　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　our　battles　here；〃　Jiriki　said。　〃it　seems　that　Utuk'ku　and　her　ally　did　not　know　that。　Nakkiga's　queen　knew　that　Amerasu　had　met　Camaris…perhaps　she　somehow　gleaned　the　knowledge　from　First　Grandmother　herself　during　their　tests　of　will。　Having　Camaris　suddenly　and　unexpectedly　appear　on　the　scene；　perhaps　with　some　special　wisdom　Amerasu　might　have　given　him；　and　also　with　his　long　experience　of　one　of　the　Great　Swords　。。。〃　Jiriki　shook　his　head。　〃We　cannot　know；　but　it　seems　they　decided　it　was　too　much　of　a　risk。　They　must　have　thought　that　with　Camaris　dead；　the　sword　would　find　a　new　bearer；　one　less　likely　to　plicate　their　scheme。　After　all；　Thorn　was　not　a　loyal　creature　like　Binabik's　wolf。〃
　　　　　　　Simon　leaned　back　and　stared　at　nothing。　〃So　all　our　hopes；　our　quest　for　the　swords；　were　a　trap。　And　we　walked　into　it　like　children。〃　He　scowled。　Isgrimnur　knew　that　it　was　himself　he　berated。
　　　　　　　〃It　was　a　damnably　clever　trap；〃　the　duke　offered。　〃One　that　must　have　been　a…building　for　a　long　time。　And　in　the　end　they　failed。〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　we　sure？〃　Simon　turned　to　Jiriki。　〃Do　we　know　they've　failed？〃
〃Isgrimnur　has　told　how　the　Hikeda'ya　fled　when　the　tower　fell…those　that　still　lived。　I　am　not　sorry　that　he　did　not　pursue　them；　for　they　are　few　now；　and　our　kind　give　birth　infrequently。　Many　died　at　Naglimund；　and　many　here。　The　fact　that　they　fled　instead　of　fighting　to　the　death　tells　much：　they　are　broken。〃
〃Even　after　Utuk'ku　wrested　control　of　the　Pool　from　us；〃　Aditu　said；　〃we　fought　her　still。　And　when　Ineluki　began　to　cross　over；　we　felt　it。〃　The　long　pause　was　eloquent。　〃It　was　terrible。　But　we　also　felt　it　when　his　mortal　body…King　Elias'　body…died。　Ineluki　had　abandoned　the　nowhere…place　which　had　been　his　refuge；　and　risked　final　dissolution　to　enter　back　into　the　world。　He　risked；　and　he　lost。　There　is　surely　nothing　left　of　him。〃
Simon　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃And　Utuk'ku？〃
　　　　　　　〃She　lives；　but　her　power　is　destroyed。　She；　too；　gambled　much；　and　it　was　through　her　magics　that　Ineluki's　being　could　be　fixed　in　the　tower　during　the　moment　when　Time　was　turned　withershins。　The　failure　blasted　her。〃　Adilu　fixed　him　with　her　amber　eyes。　〃I　saw　her；　Seoman；　saw　her　in　my　thoughts　as　clearly　as　if　she　stood　before　me。　The　fires　of　Stormspike　have　gone　dark　and　the　halls　are　empty。　She　is　all　but　alone；　her　silver　mask　shattered。〃
〃You　mean　you　saw　her？　Saw　her　face？〃
　　　　　　　Aditu　inclined　her　head。　〃Horror　of　her　own　antiquity　made　her　hide　her　features　long　ago…but　to　you；　Seoman　Snowlock；　she　would　seem　nothing　but　an　old　woman。　Her　features　are　lined　and　sagging；　her　skin　mottled。　Utuk'ku　Seyt…Hamakha　is　the　Eldest；　but　her　wisdom　was　corrupted　by　selfishness　and　vanity　ages　ago。　She　was　ashamed　that　the　years　had　caught　up　with　her。　And　now　even　the　terror　and　strength　she　wielded　is　gone。〃
〃So　the　power　of　Sturmrspeik　and　the　White　Foxes　is　finished；〃　Isgrimnur　said。　〃We　have　suffered　many　losses；　but　we　could　have　lost　far　mo're；　Simon…lost　everything。　We　have　much　to　thank　you　and　Binabik　for。〃
〃And　Miriamele；〃　Simon　said　quietly。　
　　　　　　　〃And　Miriamele；　of　course。〃
　　　　　　　The　young　man　looked　at　the　gathering；　then　turned　back　to　the　duke。　〃There's　more　brings　you　here；　I　know。　You　answered　my　questions。　What　are　yours？〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　couldn't　help　noticing　how　Simon's　confidence　had　grown。　He　was　still　courteous；　but　his　voice　suggested　that　he　deferred　to　no　one。　Which　was　as　it　should　be。　But　there　was　an　undercurrent　of　anger　which　made　Isgrimnur　hesitate　before　speaking。　〃Jiriki　has　been　talking　to　me　about　you；　about　your　。。。　heritage。　I　was　astonished；　I　must　say；　but　I　can　only　believe　him；　since　it　fits　with　everything　else　we've　learned…about　John；　about　the　Sithi；　everything。　I　thought　we　would　be　bringing　you　the　news；　but　something　in　your　face　told　me　you　had　already　discovered　it。〃
　　　　　　　Simon's　lips　quirked　in　an　odd　half…smile。　〃I　did。〃
〃So　you　know　that　you　are　of　the　blood　of　Eahlstan　Fiskerne；〃　Isgrimnur　forged　on；　〃last　king　of　Erkynland　in　the　centuries　before　Prester　John。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　the　founder　of　the　Scroll　League；〃　Binabik　added。
　　　　　　　〃And　the　one　who　truly　killed　the　dragon；〃　Simon　said　dryly。　〃What　of　it？〃　Despite　his　calm；　something　intense　and　powerful　moved　beneath　the　surface。　Isgrimnur　was　puzzled。
　　　　　　　Before　Isgrimnur　could　say　anything　more；　Jiriki　spoke。　〃I　am　sorry　I　could　not　tell　you　earlier　what　I　knew；　Seoman；　my　friend。　I　feared　it　could　only　burden　and　confuse　you；　or　perhaps　lead　you　to　take　dangerous　risks。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　understand；〃　Simon　said；　but　he　did　not　sound　pleased。　〃How　did　you　know？〃
〃Eahlstan　Fiskerne　was　the　first　mortal　king　after　the　fall　of　Asu'a　to　reach　out　to　the　Zida'ya。〃　The　sun　was　setting　outside；　and　the　sky　beyond　the　windows　was　turning　dark。　A　brisk　wind　coursed　through　the　throne　room　and　ruffled　some　of　the　banners　on　the　floor。　Jiriki's　white　hair　fluttered。　〃He　knew　us；　and　some　of　our　folk　came　at　times　to　meet　with　him　in　the　caverns　below　the　Hayholt…in　the　ruins　of　our　home。　He　feared　that　what　we　Zida'ya　knew　would　be　lost　forever；　and　even　that　we　might　turn　against　humankind　entirely　after　the　destruction　that　Fingil　had　wrought。　He　was　not　far　wrong。　There　has　been　little　love　for　mortals　among　my　folk。　There　was　also　little　love　for　immortals　among　Eahlstan's　own　kind。　But　as　the　years　of　his　reign　passed；　small　steps　were　taken；　small　confidences　exchanged；　and　a　delicate　trust　began　to　build。　We　who　were　involved　kept　it　a　secret。〃　Jiriki　smiled。　〃I　say　'we；'　but　I　myself　was　only　the　message…bearer；　running　errands　for　First　Grandmother；　who　could　not　let　her　continuing　interest　in　mortals　be　widely　known；　even　within　her　own　family。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　was　always　jealous　of　you；　Willow…Switch；〃　said　Aditu；　laughing。　〃So　young；　and　yet　with　such　important　tasks！〃
　　　　　　　Jiriki　smiled。　〃In　any　case；　whatever　might　have　been　if　Eahlstan　had　lived　and　his　line　had　continued　did　not　e　to　pass。　The　fire…worm　Shurakai　came；　and　in　killing　it；　Eahlstan　was　himself　killed。　Whether　his　eventual　successor　John　knew　something　of　Eahlstan's　secret　dealings　with　us　and　feared　we　would　expose　John's　lie　that　he　was　the　dragon…slayer　or　there　was　some　other　reason　for　his　enmity　toward　us；　I　do　not　know。　But　John　set　out　to　drive　us　from　the　last　of　our　hiding　places。　He　did　not　find　them　all；　and　never　came　near　to　discovering　Jao　e…Tinukai'i；　but　he　did　us　great　harm。　Almost　all　our　contact　with　mortals　ended　during　John's　life。〃
　　　　　　　Simon　folded　his　hands。　〃I　am　sorry　for　the　things　my　people　have　done。　And　I　am　glad　to　know　my　ancestor　was　such　a　man。〃
　　　　　　　〃Eahlstan's　folk　scattered　before　the　wrath　of　the　dragon。　Eventually　they　settled　into　their　exile；　I　am　told；〃　Jiriki　said。　〃And　when　John　came　and　conquered；　all　hope　of　regaining　the　Hayholt　was　gone。　So　they　nursed　their　secret　and　went　on；　a　fishing　folk　living　close　to　the　waters　as　they　had　been　in　the　days　of　Eahlstan　Fiskerne's　ancestors。　But　Eahlstan's　ring　they　kept　in　the　royal　family；　and　passed　it　down　from　parent　to　child。　One　of　Eahlstan's　great…grandchildren；　a　scholar　like　his　forebear；　studied　the　old　Sithi　runes　from　one　of　Eahlstan's　treasured　scrolls；　then　had　the　motto　that　was　the　family's　pride…and　Prester　John's　secret　shame…　inscribed　upon　the　ring。　That　was　what　Morgenes　held　in　trust　for　you；　Seoman：　your　past。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　I'm　certain　he　would　have　told　me　some　day。〃　Simon　had　listened　to　Jiriki's　tale　with　poorly…hidden　tension。　Isgrimnur　stared；　looking　for　the　cracks　in　Simon's　nature　that　he　half…expected；　but　feared；　to　see。　〃But　what　has　it　to　do　with　anything　now？　All　the　royal　blood　in　the　world　did　not　make　me　less　of　a　dupe　for　Pryrates　and　the　Storm　King。　It's　a　pretty　tale；　no　more。　Half　the　noble　houses　in　Nabban　must　have　Imperators　in　their　history。　What　of　it？〃　His　jaw　was　set　belligerently。
　　　　　　　Several　of　the　pany　turned　to　Isgrimnur。　The　duke　moved　unfortably　on　the　step。　〃Erkynland　needs　a　ruler；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃The　Dragonbone　Chair　is　empty。〃　
　　　　　　　Simon's　mouth　opened；　then　closed；　then　opened　again。　〃And。。。　？〃　he　said　at　last。　He　stared　at　Isgrimnur　distrustfully。　〃Miriamele　is　in　good　health　and　has　only　a　few　wounds。　In　fact；　she　is　just　the　same　as　she　ever　was；〃…the　bitterness　in　his　voice　was　plain…〃so　surely　she　will　soon　be　able　to　rule。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　is　not　her　health　that　concerns　us；〃　said　the　duke　gruffly。　Somewhere；　this　conversation　had　gone　wrong；　Simon　was　acting　like　one　awakened　from　his　rightful　sleep　by　a　group　of　misbehaving　children。　〃It　is…damn　it；　it's　her　father！〃
　　　　　　　〃But　Elias　is　dead。　She　killed　him　herself。　With　the　White　Arrow　of　the　Sithi。〃　Simon　turned　to　Jiriki。　〃e　to　think　of　it；　since　that　arrow　certainly　saved　my　life；　I　suppose　we　have　evened　our　debt。〃
　　　　　　　The　Sitha　did　not　respond。　The　immortal's　face　was；　as　usual；