rj.acrownofswords-第84部分

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　　　〃Yes；〃　Someryn　murmured　anxiously。　〃Careless　words　might　be　heard　by　the　wrong　ears。〃
　　　Tion's　laugh　was　short　and　unpleasant。　〃The　lot　of　you　has　less　courage　than　one　wetlander。〃　Which　made　Someryn　snap　back；　of　course；　and　Modarra　too；　and　Meira　spoke　words　that　would　have　brought　a　challenge　had　they　not　been　Wise　Ones；　and　Alarys　spoke　harsher；　and　Belinde。。。
　　　Their　squabbling　irritated　Sevanna；　though　it　guaranteed　they　would　not　conspire　against　her。　But　that　was　not　why　she　raised　a　hand　for　silence。　Rhiale　frowned　at　her；　opening　her　mouth；　and　in　that　moment　they　heard　what　she　did。　Something　rustled　in　the　dead　leaves　among　the　trees。　No　Aiel　would　make　so　much　noise；　even　if　any　would　approach　Wise　Ones　unbidden；　and　no　animal　would　e　so　near　people。　This　time；　she　rose　to　her　feet　with　the　others。
　　　Two　shapes　appeared；　a　man　and　a　woman；　breaking　enough　branches　underfoot　to　wake　a　stone。　Just　short　of　the　clearing；　they　stopped；　and　the　man　bent　his　head　slightly　to　speak　to　the　woman。　It　was　Caddar；　in　a　nearly　black　coat　with　lace　at　his　neck　and　wrists。　At　least　he　did　not　wear　a　sword。　They　seemed　to　be　arguing。　Sevanna　should　have　been　able　to　hear　something　of　their　words；　yet　the　silence　was　plete。　Caddar　stood　nearly　a　hand　taller　than　Modarra　…　tall　for　a　wetlander；　or　even　for　an　Aiel　…　and　the　woman's　head　reached　no　higher　than　his　chest。　As　dark　of　face　and　hair　as　he；　and　beautiful　enough　to　tighten　Sevanna's　mouth；　she　wore　bright　red　silk；　cut　to　expose　even　more　of　her　bosom　than　Someryn　showed。
　　　As　if　thinking　of　the　woman　called　her；　Someryn　drew　close　to　Sevanna。　〃The　woman　has　the　gift；〃　she　whispered　without　taking　her　eyes　from　the　pair。　〃She　weaves　a　barrier。〃　Pursing　her　lips；　she　added；　reluctantly；　〃She　is　strong。　Very　strong。〃　From　her；　that　meant　something　indeed。　Sevanna　had　never　been　able　to　understand　why　strength　in　the　Power　did　not　count　among　Wise　Ones　…　while　being　thankful　that　it　did　not；　for　her　own　sake　…　but　Someryn　prided　herself　that　she　had　never　encountered　a　woman　near　as　strong　as　she。　By　her　tone；　Sevanna　suspected　this　woman　was　stronger。
　　　Right　then；　she　did　not　care　whether　the　woman　could　move　mountains　or　barely　light　a　candle。　She　must　be　Aes　Sedai。　She　did　not　have　the　face；　yet　some　Sevanna　had　seen　did　not。　That　must　be　how　Caddar　could　put　his　hand　on　ter'angreal。　That　was　how　he　could　find　them　and　e。　So　soon；　so　quickly。　Possibilities　unfolded；　and　hope　grew。　But　between　him　and　her；　who　manded？
　　　〃Stop　channeling　into　that；〃　she　ordered。　He　might　still　be　able　to　hear　through　it。
　　　Rhiale　gave　her　a　look　that　did　not　stop　short　of　pity。　〃Someryn　already　did；　Sevanna。〃
　　　Nothing　could　spoil　her　mood。　She　smiled　and　said；　〃Very　well。　Remember　what　I　said。　Let　me　do　all　of　the　talking。〃　Most　of　the　others　nodded；　Rhiale　sniffed。　Sevanna　kept　her　smile。　A　Wise　One　could　not　be　made　gai'shain；　but　so　many　worn…out　customs　had　been　set　aside　already　that　others　might　follow。
　　　Caddar　and　the　woman　started　forward；　and　Someryn　whispered　again。　〃She　still　holds　the　Power。〃
　　　〃Sit　next　to　me；〃　Sevanna　told　her　hastily。　〃Touch　my　leg　if　she　channels。〃　How　that　galled。　But　she　must　know。
　　　She　sat；　folding　her　legs　under；　and　the　others　joined　her；　leaving　a　space　for　Caddar　and　the　woman。　Someryn　sat　close　enough　that　their　knees　touched。　Sevanna　wished　she　had　a　chair。
　　　〃I　see　you；　Caddar；〃　she　said　formally；　in　spite　of　his　insult。　〃Sit；　you　and　your　woman。〃
　　　She　wanted　to　see　how　the　Aes　Sedai　reacted；　but　all　she　did　was　arch　an　eyebrow　and　smile　lazily。　Her　eyes　were　as　black　as　his；　as　black　as　a　raven's。　The　other　Wise　Ones　let　a　little　coldness　show。　Had　the　Aes　Sedai　at　the　wells　not　allowed　Rand　al'Thor　to　break　free；　they　surely　would　have　killed　or　captured　every　one。　This　Aes　Sedai　must　be　aware　of　that；　since　Caddar　plainly　knew　what　had　happened；　yet　she　looked　anything　but　afraid。
　　　〃This　is　Maisia；〃　Caddar　said；　lowering　himself　to　the　ground；　a　little　short　of　the　space　left　for　him。　For　some　reason；　he　did　not　like　to　e　within　arm's　reach。　Perhaps　he　feared　knives。　〃I　told　you　to　use　a　single　Wise　One；　Sevanna；　not　seven。　Some　men　might　be　suspicious。〃　For　some　reason；　he　seemed　amused。
　　　The　woman；　Maisia；　paused　in　the　act　of　smoothing　her　skirts　under　when　he　gave　her　name；　glaring　at　him　with　a　fury　that　should　have　stripped　his　hide　away。　Perhaps　she　had　thought　to　keep　her　identity　hidden。　She　said　nothing；　though。　After　a　moment　she　sat　beside　him；　her　smile　returning　so　suddenly　it　might　never　have　gone。　Not　for　the　first　time；　Sevanna　was　thankful　that　wetlanders　wore　their　emotions　on　their　faces。
　　　〃You　have　brought　the　thing　that　can　control　Rand　al'Thor？〃　She　did　not　even　glance　at　the　pitcher　of　water。　When　he　was　so　rude；　why　should　she　continue　the　forms？　She　did　not　remember　him　being　so　when　they　met　before。　Perhaps　the　Aes　Sedai　emboldened　him。
　　　Caddar　gave　her　a　quizzical　look。　〃Why；　when　you　do　not　have　him？〃
　　　〃I　will；〃　she　said　levelly；　and　he　smiled。　So　did　Maisia。
　　　〃When　you　do；　then。〃　His　smile　shouted　of　doubt　and　disbelief。　The　woman's　mocked。　A　black　robe　could　be　found　for　her；　too。　〃What　I　have　will　control　him　once　he　is　taken；　but　it　cannot　overe　him。　I　won't　risk　him　finding　out　about　me　until　you　have　him　secure。〃　He　did　not　appear　shamed　in　the　slightest　by　the　admission。
　　　Sevanna　forced　down　a　stab　of　disappointment。　One　hope　gone；　but　others　remained。　Rhiale　and　Tion　folded　their　hands　and　stared　straight　ahead；　beyond　the　circle；　beyond　him；　he　was　no　longer　worth　listening　to。　Of　course；　they　did　not　know　everything。
　　　〃What　of　Aes　Sedai？　Can　this　thing　control　them？〃　Rhiale　and　Tion　stopped　peering　beyond　the　trees。　Belinde's　eyebrows　twitched；　and　Meira　actually　looked　at　her。　Sevanna　could　have　cursed　their　lack　of　self…control。
　　　Caddar　was　as　blind　as　all　wetlanders；　though。　He　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed。　〃Do　you　mean　to　say　you　missed　al'Thor　but　captured　Aes　Sedai？　You　grabbed　at　the　eagle　and　caught　a　few　larks！〃
　　　〃Can　you　provide　the　same　for　Aes　Sedai？〃　She　wanted　to　grind　her　teeth。　Surely　he　had　been　properly　courteous　before。
　　　He　shrugged。　〃Perhaps。　If　the　price　is　right。〃　It　was　dust　to　him；　of　no　moment。　For　that　matter；　Maisia　showed　no　concern　either。　Strange；　if　she　was　Aes　Sedai。　But　she　must　be。
　　　〃Your　tongue　tosses　bright　colors　on　the　wind；　wetlander；〃　Tion　said　in　a　flat　voice。　〃What　proof　of　them　have　you？〃　For　once；　Sevanna　did　not　mind　that　she　had　spoken　out　of　turn。
　　　Caddar's　face　tightened　for　all　the　world　as　if　he　were　a　clan　chief；　as　if　he　had　heard　the　insult；　but　in　an　instant　he　was　all　smiles　once　more。　〃As　you　wish。　Maisia；　play　with　the　callbox　for　them。〃
　　　Someryn　shifted　her　skirts；　pressing　her　knuckles　against　Sevanna's　thigh　as　the　gray　cube　rose　a　pace　into　the　air。　It　bounced　back　and　forth　as　though　tossed　from　hand　to　hand；　then　tilted　and　spun　on　one　corner　like　a　top；　faster　and　faster；　until　it　blurred。
　　　〃Would　you　like　to　see　her　balance　it　on　her　nose？〃　Caddar　asked　with　a　toothy　grin。
　　　Tight…eyed；　the　dark　woman　stared　straight　ahead；　her　smile　clearly　forced　now。　〃I　think　I　have　demonstrated　quite　enough；　Caddar；〃　she　said　coldly。　But　the　cube　…　the　callbox？　…　continued　whirling。
　　　Sevanna　waited　a　slow　count　of　twenty　before　saying；　〃That　is　sufficient。〃
　　　〃You　may　stop　now；　Maisia；〃　Caddar　said。　〃Put　it　back　where　it　was。〃　Only　then　did　the　cube　slowly　descend；　nestling　gently　on　its　original　spot。　Dark　as　she　was；　the　woman　looked　pale。　And　furious。
　　　Had　she　been　alone；　Sevanna　would　have　laughed；　and　danced。　As　it　was；　she　had　difficulty　maintaining　a　smooth　face。　Rhiale　and　the　others　were　too　busy　staring　disdainfully　at　Maisia　to　notice。　What　worked　on　one　woman　with　the　gift　would　work　on　another。　No　need　with　Someryn　and　Modarra；　perhaps；　but　Rhiale；　and　Therava。。。　She　could　not　appear　too　eager；　not　when　the　others　knew　there　were　no　Aes　Sedai　captives。
　　　〃Of　course；〃　Caddar　went　on；　〃it　will　take　a　little　time　to　provide　you　with　what　you　wish。〃　He　took　on　a　sly　look；　trying　to　hide　it；　perhaps　another　wetlander　would　not　have　seen。　〃I　warn　you；　the　price　will　not　be　small。〃
　　　In　spite　of　herself；　Sevanna　leaned　forward。　〃And　the　way　you　traveled　here　so　quickly？　How　much　to　make　her　teach　us　that？〃　She　managed　to　keep　eagerness　from　her　voice；　but　she　was　afraid　the　contempt　she　felt　came　through。　Wetlanders　would　do　anything　for　gold。
　　　Perhaps　the　man　heard　it；　his　eyes　certainly　widened　in　surprise　before　he　could　regain　control。　Such　as　it　was。　He　studied　his　hands；　and　his　mouth　curled　faintly。　Why　should　his　smile　seem　pleased？　〃That　is　not　something　she　does；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　as　smooth　as　his　palms；　〃not　by　herself。　It　is　like　the　callbox。　I　can　provide　you　with　several；　but　the　price　of　those　is　even　higher。　I　doubt　what　you've　gleaned　from　Cairhien　will　be　enough。　Fortunately；　you　can　use　the。。。　traveling　boxes　to　take　your　people　to　richer　lands。〃
　　　Even　Meira　was　hard…pressed　to　keep　her　expression　from　being　too　avid。　Richer　lands；　and　no　need　to　make　a　way　through　those　fools　following　Rand　al'Thor。
　　　〃Tell　me　more；〃　Sevanna　said　coolly。　〃Richer　lands　might　be　of　some　interest。〃　Not　enough　to　make　her　forget　the　Car'a'carn；　though。　Caddar　would　give　her　everything　he　had　promised　before　she　declared　him　da'tsang。　As　well　that　he　seemed　to　like　wearing　black。　There　would　be　no　need　to　give　him　any　gold　then。
　　　
　　　The　watcher　ghosted　through　the　trees；　making　no　sound。　It　was　wonderful　what　you　could　learn　with　a　callbox；　especially　in　a　world　where　there　seemed　to　be　only　two　others。　That　red　dress　was　easy　to　follow；　and　they　never　looked　back　even　to　see　whether　some　of　those　so…called　Aiel　were　trailing　them。　Graendal　maintained　the　Mask　of　Mirrors　that　hid　her　true　form；　but　Sammael　had　dropped　his；　golden…bearded　again　and　just　head　and　shoulders　taller　than　she。　He　had　let　the　link　between　them　dissolve；　too。　The　watcher　wondered　whether　that　was　wise；　under　the　circumstances。　He　had　always　wondered　how　much　of　Sam