rj.thegreathunt-第59部分

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　column　felt　smooth　and　slightly　oily　under　his　hand；　but　the　triangle…and…circle　seemed　warm　against　the　brand　on　his　palm。　Have　to　get　them　to　safety。　Have　to　get　them　home。　The　light　drifted　toward　him；　it　seemed；　surrounded　him；　and　he　。。。　embraced　。。。　it。
　　　　　　　Light　filled　him。　Heat　filled　him。　He　could　see　the　Stone；　see　the　others　watching　him　…　Loial　and　Hurin　anxiously；　Selene　showing　no　doubt　that　he　could　save　her　…　but　they　might　as　well　not　have　been　there。　The　light　was　all。　The　heat　and　the　light；　suffusing　his　limbs　like　water　sinking　into　dry　sand；　filling　him。　The　symbol　burned　against　his　flesh。　He　tried　to　suck　it　all　in；　all　the　heat；　all　the　light。　All。　The　symbol。。。
　　　　　　　Suddenly；　as　if　the　sun　had　gone　out　for　the　blink　of　an　eye；　the　world　flickered。　And　again。　The　symbol　was　a　live　coal　under　his　hand；　he　drank　in　the　light。　The　world　flickered。　Flickered。　It　made　him　sick；　that　light；　it　was　water　to　a　man　dying　of　thirst。　Flicker。　He　sucked　at　it。　It　made　him　want　to　vomit；　he　wanted　it　all。　Flicker。　The　triangle…and…circle　seared　him；　he　could　feel　it　charring　his　hand。　Flicker。　He　wanted　it　all！　He　screamed；　howling　with　pain；　howling　with　wanting。
　　　　　　　Flicker　。。。　flicker　。。。　flickerflickerflicker　。。。
　　　　　　　Hands　pulled　at　him；　he　was　only　vaguely　aware　of　them。　He　staggered　back；　the　void　was　slipping　away；　the　light；　and　the　sickness　that　twisted　at　him。　The　light。　He　watched　it　go　regretfully。　Light；　that's　crazy　to　want　it。　But　I　was　so　full　of　it！　I　was　so　。。。　Dazed；　he　stared　at　Selene。　It　was　she　who　held　his　shoulders；　stared　wonderingly　into　his　eyes。　He　raised　his　hand　in　front　of　his　face。　The　heron　brand　was　there；　but　nothing　else。　No　triangle…and…circle　burned　into　his　flesh。
　　　　　　　〃Remarkable；〃　Selene　said　slowly。　She　glanced　at　Loial　and　Hurin。　The　Ogier　looked　stunned；　his　eyes　as　big　as　plates；　the　sniffer　was　squatting　with　one　hand　on　the　ground；　as　if　unsure　he　could　support　himself　else。　〃All　of　us　here；　and　all　of　our　horses。　And　you　do　not　even　know　what　you　did。　Remarkable。〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　we　。。。？〃　Rand　began　hoarsely；　and　had　to　stop　to　swallow。
　　　　　　　〃Look　around　you；〃　Selene　said。　〃You've　brought　us　home。〃　She　gave　a　sudden　laugh。　〃You　brought　all　of　us　home。〃
　　　　　　　For　the　first　time　Rand　became　aware　of　his　surroundings　again。　The　hollow　surrounded　them　without　any　stairs；　through　here　and　there　lay　a　suspiciously　smooth　piece　of　stone；　colored　red；　or　blue。　The　column　lay　against　the　mountainside；　half　buried　in　the　loose　rock　of　a　fall。　The　symbols　were　unclear；　here；　wind　and　water　had　worked　long　on　them。　And　everything　looked　real。　The　colors　were　solid；　the　granite　a　strong　gray；　the　brush　green　and　brown。　After　that　other　place；　it　seemed　almost　too　vivid。
　　　　　　　〃Home；〃　Rand　breathed；　and　then　he　was　laughing；　too。　〃We're　home。〃　Loial's　laughter　sounded　like　a　bull　bellowing。　Hurin　danced　a　caper。
　　　　　　　〃You　did　it；〃　Selene　said；　leaning　closer；　until　her　face　filled　Rand's　eyes。　〃I　knew　that　you　could。〃
　　　　　　　Rand's　laughter　died。　〃I　…　I　suppose　I　did。〃　He　glanced　at　the　fallen　Portal　Stone　and　managed　a　weak　laugh。　〃I　wish　I　knew　what　it　was　I　did；　though。〃
　　　　　　　Selene　looked　deep　into　his　eyes。　〃Perhaps　one　day　you　will　know；〃　she　said　softly。　〃You　are　surely　destined　for　great　things。〃
　　　　　　　Her　eyes　seemed　as　dark　and　deep　as　night；　as　soft　as　velvet。　Her　mouth　。。。　If　I　kissed　her　。。。　He　blinked　and　stepped　back　hurriedly；　clearing　his　throat。　
　　　　　　　〃Selene；　please　don't　tell　anyone　about　this。　About　the　Portal　Stone；　and　me。　I　don't　understand　it；　and　neither　will　anybody　else。　You　know　how　people　are　about　things　they　don't　understand。〃
　　　　　　　Her　face　wore　no　expression　at　all。　Suddenly　he　wished　very　much　that　Mat　and　Perrin　were　there。　Perrin　knew　how　to　talk　to　girls；　and　Mat　could　lie　with　a　straight　face。　He　could　manage　neither　very　well。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　Selene　smiled；　and　dropped　a　half…mocking　curtsy。　〃I　will　keep　your　secret；　my　Lord　Rand　al'Thor。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　glanced　at　her；　and　cleared　his　throat　again。　Is　she　angry　with　me？　She'd　certainly　be　angry　if　I　had　tried　to　kiss　her。　I　think。　He　wished　she　would　not　look　at　him　as　she　was；　as　if　she　knew　what　he　was　thinking。　〃Hurin；　is　there　any　chance　the　Darkfriends　used　this　Stone　before　us？〃
　　　　　　　The　sniffer　shook　his　head　ruefully。　〃They　were　angling　to　the　west　of　here；　Lord　Rand。　Unless　these　Portal　Stone　things　are　more　mon　than　I've　seen；　I'd　say　they're　still　in　that　other　world。　But　it　wouldn't　take　me　an　hour　to　check　it。　The　land's　the　same　here　as　there。　I　could　find　the　place　here　where　I　lost　the　trail　there；　if　you　see　what　I　mean；　and　see　if　they've　already　gone　by。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　glanced　at　the　sky。　The　sun　…　a　wonderfully　strong　sun；　not　pale　at　all　…　sat　low　to　the　west；　stretching　their　shadows　out　across　the　hollow。　Another　hour　would　bring　full　twilight。　〃In　the　morning；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　fear　we've　lost　them。〃　We　can't　lose　that　dagger！　We　can't！　〃Selene；　if　that's　the　case；　in　the　morning　we　will　take　you　on　to　your　home。　Is　it　in　the　city　of　Cairhien　itself；　or　。。。？〃
　　　　　　　〃You　may　not　have　lost　the　Horn　of　Valere　yet；〃　Selene　said　slowly。　〃As　you　know；　I　do　know　a　few　things　about　those　worlds。〃
　　　　　　　〃Mirrors　of　the　Wheel；〃　Loial　said。
　　　　　　　She　gave　him　a　look；　then　nodded。　〃Yes。　Exactly。　Those　worlds　truly　are　mirrors　in　a　way；　especially　the　ones　where　there　are　no　people。　Some　of　them　reflect　only　great　events　in　the　true　world；　but　some　have　a　shadow　of　that　reflection　even　before　the　event　occurs。　The　passage　of　the　Horn　of　Valere　would　certainly　be　a　great　event。　Reflections　of　what　will　be　are　fainter　than　reflections　of　what　is　or　what　was；　just　as　Hurin　says　the　trail　he　followed　was　faint。〃
　　　　　　　Hurin　blinked　incredulously。　〃You　mean　to　say；　my　Lady；　I've　been　smelling　where　those　Darkfriends　are　going　to　be？　The　Light　help　me；　I　wouldn't　like　that。　It's　bad　enough　smelling　where　violence　has　been；　with　out　smelling　where　it　will　be；　too。　There　can't　be　many　spots　where　there　won't　be　some　kind　of　violence；　some　time。　It　would　drive　me　crazy；　like　as　not。　That　place　we　just　left　nearly　did。　I　could　smell　it　all　the　time；　there；　killing　and　hurting；　and　the　vilest　evil　you　could　think　of。　I　could　even　smell　it　on　us。　On　all　of　us。　Even　on　you；　my　Lady；　if　you'll　forgive　me　for　saying　so。　It　was　just　that　place；　twisting　me　the　way　it　twisted　your　eye。〃　He　gave　himself　a　shake。　〃I'm　glad　we're　out　of　there。　I　can't　get　it　out　of　my　nostrils　yet；　all　the　way。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　rubbed　absently　at　the　brand　on　his　palm。　〃What　do　you　think；　Loial？　Could　we　really　be　ahead　of　Fain's　Darkfriends？〃
　　　　　　　The　Ogier　shrugged；　frowning。　〃I　don't　know；　Rand。　I　don't　know　anything　about　any　of　this。　I　think　we　are　back　in　our　world。　I　think　we　are　in　Kinslayer's　Dagger。　Beyond　that　。。。〃　He　shrugged　again。
　　　　　　　〃We　should　be　seeing　you　home；　Selene；〃　Rand　said。　〃Your　people　will　be　worried　about　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　few　days　will　see　if　I'm　right；〃　she　said　impatiently。　〃Hurin　can　find　where　he　left　the　trail；　he　said　so。　We　can　watch　over　it。　The　Horn　of　Valere　cannot　be　much　longer　reaching　here。　The　Horn　of　Valere；　Rand。　Think　of　it。　The　man　who　sounds　the　Horn　will　live　in　legend　forever。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　want　anything　to　do　with　legends；〃　he　said　sharply。　But　if　the　Darkfriends　get　by　you　。。。　What　if　Ingtar　lost　them？　Then　the　Darkfriends　have　the　Horn　of　Valere　forever；　and　Mat　dies。　〃All　right；　a　few　days。　At　the　worst；　we　will　probably　meet　Ingtar　and　the　others。　I　can't　imagine　they've　stopped　or　turned　back　just　because　we　。。。　went　away。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　wise　decision；　Rand；〃　Selene　said；　〃and　well　thought　out。〃　She　touched　his　arm　and　smiled；　and　he　found　himself　again　thinking　of　kissing　her。
　　　　　　　〃Uh　。。。　we　need　to　be　closer　to　where　they'll　e。　If　they　do　e。　Hurin；　can　you　find　us　a　camp　before　dark；　somewhere　we　can　watch　the　place　where　you　lost　the　trail？〃　He　glanced　at　the　Portal　Stone　and　thought　about　sleeping　near　it；　thought　of　the　way　the　void　had　crept　up　on　him　in　sleep　the　last　time；　and　the　light　in　the　void。　〃Somewhere　well　away　from　here。〃
　　　　　　　〃Leave　it　in　my　hands；　Lord　Rand。〃　The　sniffer　scrambled　to　his　saddle。　〃I　vow；　I'll　never　sleep　again　without　first　I　see　what　kind　of　stone　there　is　nearby。〃
　　　　　　　As　Rand　rode　Red　up　out　of　the　hollow；　he　found　himself　watching　Selene　more　than　he　did　Hurin。　She　seemed　so　cool　and　self…possessed；　no　older　than　he；　yet　queenly；　but　when　she　smiled　at　him；　as　she　did　just　then　。。。　Egwene　wouldn't　have　said　I　was　wise。　Egwene　would　have　called　me　a　woolhead。　Irritably；　he　heeled　Red's　flanks。

　
Chapter　18
（Flame　of　Tar　Valon）
To　the　White　Tower

　　　　　　　Egwene　balanced　on　the　heeling　deck　as　the　River　Queen　sped　down　the　wide　Erinin　under　cloud…dark　skies；　sails　full…bellied；　White　Flame　banner　whipping　furiously　at　the　mainmast。　The　wind　had　risen　as　soon　as　the　last　of　them　was　aboard　the　ships；　back　in　Medo；　and　it　had　not　failed　or　flagged　for　an　instant　since；　day　or　night。　The　river　had　begun　to　race　in　flood；　as　it　still　did；　slapping　the　ships　about　while　it　drove　them　onward。　Wind　and　river　had　not　slowed；　and　neither　had　the　ships；　all　clustered　together。　The　River　Queen　led；　only　right　for　the　vessel　that　carried　the　Amyrlin　Seat。
　　　　　　　The　helmsman　held　his　tiller　grimly；　feet　planted　and　spread；　and　sailors　padded　barefoot　at　their　work；　intent　on　what　they　did；　when　they　glanced　at　the　sky　or　the　river；　they　tore　their　eyes　away　with　low　mutters。　A　village　was　just　fading　from　view　behind；　and　a　boy　raced　along　the　bank；　he　had　kept　up　with　the　ships　for　a　short　distance；　but　now　they　were　leaving　him　behind。　When　he　vanished；　Egwene　made　her　way　below。
　　　　　　　In　the　small　cabin　they　shared；　Nynaeve　glared　up　at　her　from　her　narrow　bed。　〃They　say　we'll　reach　Tar　Valon　today。　The　Light　help　me；　but　I'll　be　glad　to　put　foot　on　land　again　even　if　it　is　in　Tar　Valon。〃　The　ship　lurched　with　wind　and　current；　and　Nynaeve　swallowed。　〃I'll　never　step　on　a　boat　again；〃　she　said　breathlessly。
　　　　　　　Egwene　shook　the　river　spray　out　of　her　cloak　and　hung　it　on　a　peg　by　the　door。　It　was　not　a　big　cabin　…　there　were　no　big　cabins　on　the　ship；　it　seemed；　not　even　the