rj.thegreathunt-第86部分

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rrounded　him。　He　shook　it　away。　The　Trollocs　did　not　seem　to　have　located　them；　yet。　He　settled　back；　staring　at　the　nearest　dark　alleyway。　Once　they　made　a　move　toward　it；　the　Trollocs　would　surely　see；　and　so　would　the　woman　at　the　window。　It　would　be　a　race　as　to　whether　Trollocs　or　Illuminators　reached　them　first。
　　　　　　　〃Your　greatness　will　make　me　happy。〃　Despite　the　words；　Selene　sounded　angry。　〃Perhaps　I　should　leave　you　to　find　your　own　way　for　a　time。　If　you'll　not　take　greatness　when　it　is　in　your　grasp；　perhaps　you　deserve　to　die。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　refused　to　look　at　her。　〃Loial；　can　you　see　if　there's　another　door　down　that　alley？〃
　　　　　　　The　Ogier　shook　his　head。　〃There　is　too　much　light　here　and　too　much　dark　there。　If　I　were　in　the　alley；　yes。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　fingered　the　hilt　of　his　sword。　〃Take　Selene。　As　soon　as　you　see　a　door　…　if　you　do　…　call　out；　and　I'll　follow。　If　there　isn't　a　door　at　the　end；　you　will　have　to　lift　her　so　she　can　reach　the　top　of　the　wall　and　climb　over。〃
　　　　　　　〃All　right；　Rand。〃　Loial　sounded　worried。　〃But　when　we　move；　those　Trollocs　will　e　after　us；　no　matter　who　is　watching。　Even　if　there　is　a　door；　they　will　be　on　our　heels。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　let　me　worry　about　the　Trollocs。〃　Three　of　them。　I　might　do　it；　with　the　void。　The　thought　of　saidin　decided　him。　Too　many　strange　things　had　happened　when　he　let　the　male　half　of　the　True　Source　e　close。　〃I　will　follow　as　soon　as　I　can。　Go。〃　He　turned　to　peer　around　the　wall　at　the　Trollocs。
　　　　　　　From　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he　had　an　impression　of　Loial's　bulk　moving；　of　Selene's　white　dress；　half　covered　by　his　cloak。　One　of　the　Trollocs　beyond　the　tubes　pointed　to　them　excitedly；　but　still　the　three　hesitated；　glancing　up　at　the　window　where　the　woman　still　watched。　Three　of　them。　There　has　to　be　a　way。　Not　the　void。　Not　saidin。
　　　　　　　〃There　is　a　door！〃　came　Loial's　soft　call。　One　of　the　Trollocs　took　a　step　out　of　the　shadows；　and　the　others　followed；　gathering　themselves。　As　from　a　distance；　Rand　heard　the　woman　at　the　window　cry　out；　and　Loial　shouted　something。
　　　　　　　Without　thinking；　Rand　was　on　his　feet。　He　had　to　stop　the　Trollocs　somehow；　or　they　would　run　him　down；　and　Loial　and　Selene。　He　snatched　one　of　the　smoldering　sticks　and　hurled　himself　at　the　nearest　tube。　It　tilted；　started　to　fall　over；　and　he　caught　the　square　wooden　base；　the　tube　pointed　straight　at　the　Trollocs。　They　slowed　uncertainly　…　the　woman　at　the　window　screamed　…　and　Rand　touched　the　smoking　end　of　the　stick　to　the　fuse　right　where　it　joined　the　tube。
　　　　　　　The　hollow　thump　came　immediately；　and　the　thick　wooden　base　slammed　against　him；　knocking　him　down。　A　roar　like　a　thunderclap　broke　the　night　and　a　blinding　burst　of　light　tore　away　the　dark。
　　　　　　　Blinking；　Rand　staggered　his　feet；　coughing　in　thick；　acrid　smoke；　ears　ringing。　He　stared　in　amazement。　Half　the　tubes　and　all　of　the　racks　lay　on　their　sides；　and　one　corner　of　the　building　beside　which　the　Trollocs　had　stood　was　simply　gone；　flames　licking　at　ends　of　planks　and　rafters。　Of　the　Trollocs　there　was　no　sign。
　　　　　　　Through　the　ringing　in　his　ears；　Rand　heard　shouts　from　the　Illuminators　in　the　building。　He　broke　into　a　tottering　run；　lumbered　into　the　alley。　Halfway　down　it　he　stumbled　over　something　and　realized　it　was　his　cloak。　He　snatched　it　up　without　pausing。　Behind　him；　the　cries　of　the　Illuminators　filled　the　night。
　　　　　　　Loial　was　bouncing　impatiently　on　his　feet　beside　the　open　door。　And　he　was　alone。
　　　　　　　〃Where　is　Selene？〃　Rand　demanded。
　　　　　　　〃She　went　back；　Rand。　I　tried　to　grab　her；　and　she　slipped　right　out　of　my　hands。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　turned　back　toward　the　noise。　Through　the　incessant　sound　in　his　ears；　some　of　the　shouts　were　barely　distinguishable。　There　was　light　there；　now；　from　the　flames。
　　　　　　　〃The　sand　buckets！　Fetch　the　sand　buckets　quickly！〃
　　　　　　　〃This　is　disaster！　Disaster！〃
　　　　　　　〃Some　of　them　went　that　way！〃
　　　　　　　Loial　grabbed　Rand's　shoulder。　〃You　cannot　help　her；　Rand。　Not　by　being　taken　yourself。　We　must　go。〃　Someone　appeared　at　the　end　of　the　alley；　a　shadow　outlined　by　the　glow　of　flames　behind；　and　pointed　toward　them。　〃e　on；　Rand！〃
　　　　　　　Rand　let　himself　be　pulled　out　of　the　door　into　the　darkness。　The　fire　faded　behind　them　until　it　was　only　a　glow　in　the　night；　and　the　lights　of　the　Foregate　came　closer。　Rand　almost　wished　more　Trollocs　would　appear；　something　he　could　fight。　But　there　was　only　the　night　breeze　ruffling　the　grass。
　　　　　　　〃I　tried　to　stop　her；〃　Loial　said。　There　was　a　long　silence。　〃We　really　couldn't　have　done　anything。　They　would　just　have　taken　us；　too。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　sighed。　〃I　know；　Loial。　You　did　what　you　could。〃　He　walked　backwards　a　few　steps；　staring　at　the　glow。　It　seemed　less；　the　Illuminators　must　be　putting　out　the　flames。　〃I　have　to　help　her　somehow。〃　How？　Saidin？　The　Power？　He　shivered。　〃I　have　to。〃
　　　　　　　They　went　through　the　Foregate　by　the　lighted　streets；　wrapped　in　a　silence　that　shut　out　the　gaiety　around　them。
　　　　　　　When　they　entered　The　Defender　of　the　Dragonwall；　the　innkeeper　held　out　his　tray　with　a　sealed　parchment。
　　　　　　　Rand　took　it；　and　stared　at　the　white　seal。　A　crescent　moon　and　stars。　〃Who　left　this？　When？〃
　　　　　　　〃An　old　woman；　my　Lord。　Not　a　quarter　of　an　hour　gone。　A　servant；　though　she　did　not　say　from　what　House。〃　Cuale　smiled　as　if　inviting　confidences。
　　　　　　　〃Thank　you；〃　Rand　said；　still　staring　at　the　seal。　The　innkeeper　watched　them　go　upstairs　with　a　thoughtful　look。
　　　　　　　Hurin　took　his　pipe　out　of　his　mouth　when　Rand　and　Loial　entered　the　room。　Hurin　had　his　short　sword　and　sword…breaker　on　the　table；　wiping　them　with　an　oily　rag。　〃You　were　long　with　the　gleeman；　my　Lord。　Is　he　well？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　gave　a　start。　〃What？　Thom？　Yes；　he's。。。〃　He　broke　open　the　seal　with　his　thumb　and　read。
　　　　　　　When　I　think　I　know　what　you　are　going　to　do；　you　do　something　else。　You　are　a　dangerous　man。　Perhaps　it　will　not　he　long　before　we　are　together　again。　Think　of　the　Horn。　Think　of　the　glory。　And　think　of　me；　for　you　are　always　mine。
　　　　　　　Again；　it　bore　no　signature　but　the　flowing　hand　itself。
　　　　　　　〃Are　all　women　crazy？〃　Rand　demanded　of　the　ceiling。　Hurin　shrugged。　Rand　threw　himself　into　the　other　chair；　the　one　sized　for　an　Ogier；　his　feet　dangled　above　the　floor；　but　he　did　not　care。　He　stared　at　the　blanket…covered　chest　under　the　edge　of　Loial's　bed。　Think　of　the　glory。　〃I　wish　Ingtar　would　e。〃
　　　　　　　
Chapter　28
（Wolf）
A　New　Thread　in　the　Pattern

　　　　　　　Perrin　watched　the　mountains　of　Kinslayer's　Dagger　unfortably　as　he　rode。　The　way　still　slanted　upwards；　and　looked　as　if　it　would　climb　forever；　though　he　thought　the　crest　of　the　pass　must　not　be　too　much　further。　To　one　side　of　the　trail；　the　land　sloped　sharply　down　to　a　shallow　mountain　stream；　dashing　itself　to　froth　over　sharp　rocks；　to　the　other　side　the　mountains　reared　in　a　series　of　jagged　cliffs；　like　frozen　stone　waterfalls。　The　trail　itself　ran　through　fields　of　boulders；　some　the　size　of　a　man's　head；　and　some　as　big　as　a　cart。　It　would　take　no　great　skill　to　hide　in　that。
　　　　　　　The　wolves　said　there　were　people　in　the　mountains。　Perrin　wondered　if　they　were　some　of　Fain's　Darkfriends。　The　wolves　did　not　know；　or　care。　They　only　knew　the　Twisted　Ones　were　somewhere　ahead。　Still　far　ahead；　though　Ingtar　had　pressed　the　column　hard。　Perrin　noticed　that　Uno　was　watching　the　mountains　around　them　much　the　way　he　himself　was。
　　　　　　　Mat；　his　bow　slung　across　his　back；　rode　with　seeming　unconcern；　juggling　three　colored　balls；　yet　he　looked　paler　than　he　had。　Verin　examined　him　two　and　three　times　a　day　now；　frowning；　and　Perrin　was　sure　she　had　even　tried　Healing　at　least　once；　but　it　made　no　difference　Perrin　could　see。　In　any　case；　she　seemed　to　be　more　absorbed　in　something　about　which　she　did　not　speak。
　　　　　　　Rand；　Perrin　thought；　looking　at　the　Aes　Sedai's　back。　She　always　rode　at　the　head　of　the　column　with　Ingtar；　and　she　always　wanted　them　to　move　even　faster　than　the　Shienaran　lord　would　allow。　Somehow；　she　knows　about　Rand。　Images　from　the　wolves　flickered　in　his　head　…　stone　farmhouses　and　terraced　villages；　all　beyond　the　mountain　peaks；　the　wolves　saw　them　no　differently　than　they　saw　hills　or　meadows；　except　with　a　feeling　that　they　were　spoiled　land。　For　a　moment　he　found　himself　sharing　that　regret；　remembering　places　the　two…legs　had　long　since　abandoned；　remembering　the　swift　rush　through　the　trees；　and　the　ham…stringing　snap　of　his　jaws　as　the　deer　tried　to　flee；　and　。。。　With　an　effort　he　pushed　the　wolves　out　of　his　head。　These　Aes　Sedai　are　going　to　destroy　all　of　us。
　　　　　　　Ingtar　let　his　horse　fall　back　beside　Perrin's。　Sometimes；　to　Perrin's　eyes；　the　crescent　crest　on　the　Shienaran's　helmet　looked　like　a　Trolloc's　horns。　Ingtar　said　softly；　〃Tell　me　again　what　the　wolves　said。〃
　　　　　　　〃I've　told　you　ten　times；〃　Perrin　muttered。
　　　　　　　〃Tell　me　again！　Anything　I　may　have　missed；　anything　that　will　help　me　find　the　Horn　。。。〃　Ingtar　drew　a　breath　and　let　it　out　slowly。　〃I　must　find　the　Horn　of　Valere；　Perrin。　Tell　me　again。〃
　　　　　　　There　was　no　need　for　Perrin　to　order　it　in　his　mind；　not　after　so　many　repetitions。　He　droned　it　out。　〃Someone　…　or　something　…　attacked　the　Darkfriends　in　the　night　and　killed　those　Trollocs　we　found。〃　His　stomach　no　longer　lurched　at　that。　Ravens　and　vultures　were　messy　feeders。　〃The　wolves　call　him　…　or　it　…　Shadowkiller；　I　think　it　was　a　man；　but　they　wouldn't　go　close　enough　to　see　clearly。　They　are　not　afraid　of　this　Shadowkiller；　awe　is　more　like　it。　They　say　the　Trollocs　now　follow　Shadowkiller。　And　they　say　Fain　is　with　them〃　…　even　after　so　long　the　remembered　smell　of　Fain；　the　feel　of　the　man；　made　his　mouth　twist　…　〃so　the　rest　of　the　Darkfriends　must　be；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃Shadowkiller；〃　Ingtar　murmured。　〃Something　of　the　Dark　One；　like　a　Myrddraal？　I　have　seen　things　in　the　Blight　that　might　be　called　Shadowkillers；　but　。。。　Did　they　see　nothing　else？〃
　　　　　　　〃They　would　not　e　close　to　him。　It　was　not　a　Fade。　I've　told　you；　they　will　kill　a　Fade　quicker　than　they　will　a　Trolloc；　even　if　they　lose　half　the　pack。　Ingtar；　the　wolves　who　saw　it　passed　this　to　others；　then　still　others；　before　it　reached　me。　I　can　only　tell　you　what　they　pass