rj.acrownofswords-第33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！


　　　Kill　them　before　it　is　too　late；　before　they　go　mad；　Lews　Therin　whispered。　Kill　them；　hunt　down　Sammael；　and　Demandred；　and　all　the　Forsaken。　I　have　to　kill　them　all；　before　it　is　too　late！　A　moment　of　struggle　as　he　attempted　to　wrest　the　Power　away　from　Rand　and　failed。　He　seemed　to　try　that　more　often　of　late；　or　to　seize　saidin　on　his　own。　The　second　was　a　bigger　danger　than　the　first。　Rand　doubted　that　Lews　Therin　could　take　the　True　Source　away　once　Rand　held　it；　he　was　not　certain　he　could　take　it　from　Lews　Therin；　either；　if　the　other　reached　it　first。
　　　What　about　me？　Rand　thought　again。　It　was　nearly　a　snarl；　and　no　less　vicious　for　falling　short。　Wrapped　in　the　Power　as　he　was；　anger　spiderwebbed　across　the　outside　of　the　Void；　a　fiery　lace。　I　can　channel；　too。　Madness　waits　for　me；　but　it　already　has　you！　You　killed　yourself；　Kinslayer；　after　you　murdered　your　wife　and　your　children　and　the　Light　alone　knows　how　many　others。　I　won't　kill　where　I　don't　have　to！　Do　you　hear　me；　Kinslayer？　Silence　answered。
　　　He　drew　a　deep；　uneven　breath。　That　web　of　fire　flickered；　lightning　in　the　distance。　He　had　never　spoken　to　the　man　…　it　was　the　man；　not　just　a　voice；　a　man；　entire　with　memories　…　never　spoken　to　him　like　that　before。　Perhaps　it　might　drive　Lews　Therin　away　for　good。　Half　the　man's　mad　rantings　were　tears　over　his　dead　wife。　Did　he　want　to　drive　Lews　Therin　away？　His　only　friend　in　that　chest。
　　　He　had　promised　Sulin　to　count　to　one　hundred　before　following；　but　he　did　it　by　fives；　then　stepped　more　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　leagues　to　Caemlyn。
　　　Night　had　closed　down　on　the　Royal　Palace　of　Andor；　moonshadows　cloaking　delicate　spires　and　golden　domes；　but　a　gentle　breeze　did　nothing　to　break　the　heat。　The　moon　hung　above；　still　almost　full；　giving　some　light。　Veiled　Maidens　scurried　around　the　wagons　lined　up　behind　the　largest　of　the　palace　stables。　The　odor　of　the　stable　muck　the　wagons　hauled　away　every　day　had　long　since　soaked　into　the　wood。　The　Asha'man　had　hands　to　their　faces；　Eben　actually　pinching　his　nose　shut。
　　　〃The　Car'a'carn　counts　quickly；〃　Sulin　muttered；　but　she　lowered　her　veil。　There　would　be　no　surprises　here。　No　one　would　stay　near　those　wagons　who　did　not　have　to。
　　　Rand　let　the　gateway　close　as　soon　as　the　remaining　Maidens　came　through；　right　behind　him；　and　as　it　winked　out　of　existence；　Lews　Therin　whispered；　She　is　gone。　Almost　gone。　There　was　relief　in　his　voice；　the　bond　of　Warder　and　Aes　Sedai　had　not　existed　in　the　Age　of　Legends。
　　　Alanna　was　not　really　gone；　no　more　than　she　had　been　any　time　since　bonding　Rand　against　his　will；　but　her　presence　had　lessened；　and　it　was　the　lessening　that　made　Rand　truly　aware。　You　could　bee　used　to　anything；　begin　taking　it　for　granted。　Near　to　her；　he　walked　around　with　her　emotions　nestled　in　the　back　of　his　head；　her　physical　condition　as　well；　if　he　thought　about　it；　and　he　knew　exactly　where　she　was　as　well　as　he　knew　his　own　his　hand's　place；　but　just　as　with　his　hand；　unless　he　thought　about　it；　it　just　was。　Only　distance　had　any　effect；　but　he　could　still　feel　that　she　was　somewhere　east　of　him。　He　wanted　to　be　aware　of　her。　Should　Lews　Therin　fall　silent　and　all　the　memories　of　the　chest　somehow　be　wiped　from　his　head；　he　would　still　have　the　bond　to　remind　him；　〃Never　trust　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　Abruptly　he　realized　that　Jonan　and　Eben　still　held　saidin　too。　〃Release；〃　he　said　sharply　…　that　was　the　mand　Taim　used　…　and　he　felt　the　Power　vanish　from　them。　Good　weapons。　So　far。　Kill　them　before　it's　too　late；　Lews　Therin　murmured。　Rand　released　the　Source　deliberately；　and　reluctantly。　He　always　hated　letting　go　of　the　life；　the　enhanced　senses。　Of　the　struggle。　Inside；　though；　he　was　tense；　a　jumper　ready　to　leap；　ready　to　seize　it　once　more。　He　always　was；　now。
　　　I　have　to　kill　them；　Lews　Therin　whispered。
　　　Shoving　the　voice　back；　Rand　sent　one　of　the　Maidens；　Nerilea；　a　square…faced　woman；　into　the　palace　and　began　pacing　alongside　the　wagons；　thoughts　spinning　again；　faster　than　before。　He　should　not　have　e　here。　He　should　have　sent　Fedwin；　with　a　letter。　Spinning。　Elayne。　Aviendha。　Perrin。　Faile。　Annoura。　Berelain。　Mat。　Light；　he　should　not　have　e。　Elayne　and　Aviendha。　Annoura　and　Berelain。　Faile　and　Perrin　and　Mat。　Flashes　of　color；　quick　motion　just　out　of　sight。　A　madman　muttering　angrily　in　the　distance。
　　　Slowly　he　became　aware　of　the　Maidens　talking　among　themselves。　About　the　smell。　Implying　that　it　came　from　the　Asha'man。　They　wanted　to　be　heard；　or　they　would　have　been　using　handtalk；　there　was　moonlight　enough　for　that。　Moonlight　enough　to　see　the　color　in　Eben's　face；　too；　and　how　Fedwin's　jaw　was　set。　Maybe　they　were　not　boys　any　longer；　not　since　Dumai's　Wells　certainly；　but　they　were　still　only　fifteen　or　sixteen。　Jonan's　eyebrows　had　drawn　down　so　far　they　seemed　to　be　sitting　on　his　cheeks。　At　least　nobody　had　seized　saidin　again。　Yet。
　　　He　started　to　step　over　to　the　three　men；　then　raised　his　voice　instead。　Let　them　all　hear。　〃If　I　can　put　up　with　foolishness　from　Maidens；　so　can　you。〃
　　　If　anything；　the　color　in　Eben's　face　deepened。　Jonan　grunted。　All　three　saluted　Rand　with　fist　to　chest；　then　they　turned　to　one　another。　Jonan　said　something　in　a　low　voice；　glancing　at　the　Maidens；　and　Fedwin　and　Eben　laughed。　The　first　time　they　saw　Maidens　they　had　stumbled　between　wanting　to　goggle　at　these　exotic　creatures　they　had　only　read　about　and　wanting　to　run　before　the　murderous　Aiel　of　the　stories　killed　them。　Nothing　much　frightened　them　anymore。　They　needed　to　relearn　fear。
　　　The　Maidens　stared　at　Rand；　and　began　talking　with　their　hands；　sometimes　laughing　softly。　Wary　of　the　Asha'man　they　might　be；　yet　Maidens　being　Maidens　…　Aiel　being　Aiel　…　risk　only　made　taunts　more　fun。　Somara　murmured　aloud　about　Aviendha　settling　him　down；　which　earned　firm　nods　of　approval。　Nobody's　life　was　ever　this　tangled　in　the　stories。
　　　As　soon　as　Nerilea　returned　saying　that　she　had　found　Davram　Bashere　and　Bael；　the　clan　chief　leading　the　Aiel　here　in　Caemlyn；　Rand　took　off　his　sword　belt；　and　so　did　Fedwin。　Jalani　produced　a　large　leather　bag　for　the　swords　and　the　Dragon　Scepter；　holding　it　as　if　the　swords　were　poisonous　snakes；　or　perhaps　long　dead　and　rotten。　Though　in　truth　she　would　not　have　held　it　so　gingerly　in　either　case。　Putting　on　a　hooded　cloak　that　Corana　handed　him；　Rand　held　his　wrists　together　behind　his　back；　and　Sulin　bound　them　with　a　cord。　Tightly；　muttering　to　herself。
　　　〃This　is　nonsense。　Even　wetlanders　would　call　it　nonsense。〃
　　　He　tried　not　to　wince。　She　was　strong；　and　using　every　ounce　of　it。　〃You　have　run　away　from　us　too　often；　Rand　al'Thor。　You　have　no　care　for　yourself。〃　She　considered　him　a　brother　of　an　age　with　herself；　but　irresponsible　at　times。　〃Far　Dareis　Mai　carries　your　honor；　and　you　have　no　care。〃
　　　Fedwin　glowered　while　his　own　wrists　were　tied；　though　the　Maiden　binding　him　hardly　put　out　much　effort。　Watching；　Jonan　and　Eben　frowned　deeply。　They　disliked　this　plan　as　much　as　Sulin　did。　And　understood　it　as　little。　The　Dragon　Reborn　did　not　have　to　explain　himself；　and　the　Car'a'carn　seldom　did。　No　one　said　anything；　though。　A　weapon　did　not　plain。
　　　When　Sulin　stepped　around　in　front　of　Rand；　she　took　one　look　at　his　face；　and　her　breath　caught。　〃They　did　this　to　you；〃　she　said　softly；　and　reached　for　her　heavy…bladed　belt　knife。　A　foot　or　more　of　steel；　it　was　almost　a　short…sword；　though　none　but　a　fool　would　say　that　to　an　Aiel。
　　　〃Pull　up　the　hood；〃　Rand　told　her　roughly。　〃The　whole　point　of　this　is　that　no　one　recognize　me　before　I　reach　Bael　and　Bashere。〃　She　hesitated；　peering　into　his　eyes。　〃I　said；　pull　it　up；〃　he　growled。　Sulin　could　kill　most　men　with　her　bare　hands；　but　her　fingers　were　gentle　settling　the　hood　around　his　face。
　　　With　a　laugh　Jalani　snatched　the　hood　down　over　his　eyes。　〃Now　you　can　be　sure　no　one　will　know　you；　Rand　al'Thor。　You　must　trust　us　to　guide　your　feet。〃　Several　Maidens　laughed。
　　　Stiffening；　he　barely　stopped　short　of　seizing　saidin。　Barely。　Lews　Therin　snarled　and　gibbered。　Rand　forced　himself　to　breathe　normally。　It　was　not　total　darkness。　He　could　see　moonlight　below　the　edge　of　the　hood。　Even　so；　he　stumbled　when　Sulin　and　Enaila　took　his　arms　and　led　him　forward。
　　　〃I　thought　you　were　old　enough　to　walk　better　than　that；〃　Enaila　murmured　in　mock　surprise。　Sulin's　hand　moved。　It　took　him　a　moment　to　realize　she　was　stroking　his　arm。
　　　All　he　could　see　was　what　lay　just　before　him；　the　moonlit　flagstones　of　the　stableyard；　then　stone　steps；　floors　of　marble　by　lamplight；　sometimes　with　a　long　runner　of　carpet。　He　strained　his　eyes　at　the　movement　of　shadows；　felt　for　the　telltale　presence　of　saidin；　or　worse；　the　prickling　that　announced　a　woman　holding　saidar。　Blind　like　this；　he　might　not　know　he　was　under　attack　until　too　late。　He　could　hear　the　whisper　of　a　few　servants'　feet　as　they　hurried　on　nighttime　chores；　but　no　one　challenged　five　Maidens　apparently　escorting　two　hooded　prisoners。　With　Bael　and　Bashere　living　in　the　palace　and　policing　Caemlyn　with　their　men；　doubtless　stranger　sights　had　been　seen　in　these　corridors。　It　was　like　walking　a　maze。　But　then　he　had　been　in　one　maze　or　another　since　leaving　Emond's　Field；　even　when　he　had　thought　that　he　walked　a　clear　path。
　　　Would　I　know　a　clear　path　if　I　saw　one？　he　wondered。　Or　have　I　been　at　this　so　long　I'd　think　it　was　a　trap？
　　　There　are　no　clear　paths。　Only　pitfalls　and　tripwires　and　darkness。　Lews　Therin's　snarl　sounded　sweaty；　desperate。　The　way　Rand　felt。
　　　When　Sulin　finally　led　them　into　a　room　and　shut　the　door；　Rand　tossed　his　head　violently　to　throw　back　the　hood　…　and　stared。　Bael　and　Davram　he　had　expected；　but　not　Davram's　wife；　Deira；　nor　Melaine；　nor　Dorindha。
　　　〃I　see　you；　Car'a'carn。〃　Bael；　the　tallest　man　Rand　had　ever　seen；　sat　cross…legged　on　the　green…and…white　floor　tiles　in　his　cadin'sor；　an　air　about　him　even　at　ease　that　said　he　was　ready　to　move　in　a　heartbeat。　The　clan　chief　of　the　Goshien　Aiel　was　not　young　…　no　clan　chief　was　…　and　there　was　gray　in　his　dark　reddish　hair；　but　anyone　who　thought　him　soft　with　age　was　in　for