rj.theshadowrising-第134部分

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　the　finest　in　Amadicia；　if　not　the　largest；　yet　foremost　in　his　mind　right　then　was　the　strong　brandy　in　the　room　he　had　taken　for　a　study。
　　　　　　　He　was　halfway　across　a　priceless　carpet；　all　patterned　blue　and　scarlet　and　gold；　eyes　fixed　on　the　carved　cabinet　that　held　a　silver　flask　of　double…distilled　brandy；　when　suddenly　he　realized　he　was　not　alone。　A　woman　in　a　clinging；　pale…red　gown　stood　near　the　tall；　narrow　windows　overlooking　one　of　the　tree…shaded　gardens；　her　honey…colored　hair　in　braids　that　brushed　her　shoulders。　A　misty　scrap　of　veil　did　nothing　to　hide　her　face。　Young　and　pretty；　with　a　rosebud　mouth　and　large　brown　eyes；　she　was　no　servant；　not　dressed　like　that。
　　　　　　　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　demanded　irritably。　〃How　did　you　get　in　here？　Leave　at　once；　or　I'll　have　you　tossed　into　the　street。〃
　　　　　　　〃Threats；　Bors？　You　should　be　more　weling　to　a　guest；　yes？〃
　　　　　　　That　name　jolted　him　to　his　heels。　Before　he　thought；　he　had　his　sword　out；　lunging　for　her　throat。
　　　　　　　Something　seized　him　…　the　air　turned　to　crawling　jelly　…　something　forced　him　to　his　knees；　encased　him　from　the　neck　down。　It　tightened　around　his　wrist　until　bones　grated；　his　hand　popped　open；　and　his　sword　fell。　The　Power。　She　was　using　the　One　Power　on　him。　A　Tar　Valon　witch。　And　if　she　knew　that　name。。。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　remember；〃　she　said；　ing　closer；　〃a　meeting　where　Ba'alzamon　himself　appeared；　and　showed　us　the　faces　of　Matrim　Cauthon；　and　Perrin　Aybara；　and　Rand　al'Thor？〃　She　practically　spat　the　names；　especially　the　last；　her　eyes　could　have　drilled　holes　in　steel。　〃You　see？　I　know　who　you　are；　yes？　You　pledged　your　soul　to　the　Great　Lord　of　the　Dark；　Bors。〃　Her　sudden　laugh　was　a　tinkling　of　bells。
　　　　　　　Sweat　popped　out　on　his　face。　Not　just　a　despised　Tar　Valon　witch。　Black　Ajah。　She　was　Black　Ajah。　He　had　thought　it　would　be　a　Myrddraal　that　came　for　him。　He　had　thought　there　was　time　yet。　More　time。　Not　yet。　〃I　have　tried　to　kill　him；〃　he　babbled。　〃Rand　al'Thor。　I　have　tried！　But　I　cannot　find　him。　I　cannot！　I　was　told　my　family　would　be　killed　if　I　failed；　one　by　one。　I　was　promised　I　would　be　last！　I　have　cousins；　yet。　Nephews。　Nieces。　I　have　another　sister！　You　must　give　me　more　time！〃
　　　　　　　She　stood　there；　watching　him　with　those　sharp　brown　eyes；　smiling　with　that　plump　little　mouth；　listening　to　him　spew　out　where　Vanora　could　be　found；　where　her　bedchamber　lay；　how　she　liked　to　ride　alone　in　the　forest　beyond　Carmera。　Perhaps　if　he　shouted　some　of　the　guards　would　e。　Perhaps　they　could　kill　her。　He　opened　his　mouth　wider　…　and　that　thick　invisible　jelly　oozed　in；　forcing　his　jaws　apart　until　they　creaked　in　his　ears。　Nostrils　flaring；　he　sucked　air　in　frantically。　He　could　still　breathe；　but　he　could　not　scream。　All　that　came　out　were　muffled　groans；　like　a　woman　wailing　behind　walls。　He　wanted　to　scream。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　very　amusing；〃　the　honey…haired　woman　said　finally。　〃Jaichim。　That　is　a　good　name　for　a　dog；　I　think。　Would　you　like　to　be　my　dog；　Jaichim？　If　you　are　a　very　good　dog；　I　may　allow　you　to　watch　Rand　al'Thor　die　one　day；　yes？〃
　　　　　　　It　took　a　moment　for　what　she　was　saying　to　sink　in。　If　he　was　to　see　Rand　al'Thor　die；　she　was　not。。。　She　was　not　going　to　kill　him；　skin　him　alive；　do　the　things　his　mind　had　conjured　that　would　make　flaying　a　release。　Tears　rolled　down　his　face。　Sobs　of　relief　shook　him；　as　much　as　he　could　shake；　trapped　as　he　was。　That　trap　abruptly　vanished；　and　he　collapsed　on　hands　and　knees；　still　weeping。　He　could　not　stop。
　　　　　　　The　woman　knelt　beside　him　and　tangled　a　hand　in　his　hair；　pulled　his　head　up。　〃Now　you　will　listen　to　me；　yes？　The　death　of　Rand　al'Thor　is　for　the　future；　and　you　will　see　it　only　if　you　are　a　good　dog。　You　are　going　to　move　your　Whitecloaks　to　the　Panarch's　Palace。〃
　　　　　　　〃H…how　do　y…you　know　that？〃
　　　　　　　She　shook　his　head　from　side　to　side；　not　gently。　〃A　good　dog　does　not　question　his　mistress。　I　throw　the　stick；　you　fetch　the　stick。　I　say　kill；　you　kill。　Yes？　Yes。〃　Her　smile　was　just　a　flash　of　teeth。　〃There　will　be　difficulty　in　taking　the　Palace？　The　Panarch's　Legion　is　there；　a　thousand　men；　sleeping　in　the　hallways；　the　exhibition　rooms；　the　courtyards。　You　do　not　have　so　many　of　your　Whitecloaks。〃
　　　　　　　〃They。。。。〃　He　had　to　stop　and　swallow。　〃They　will　make　no　trouble。　They　will　believe　Amathera　has　been　chosen　by　the　Assembly。　It　is　the　Assembly　that　…〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　not　bore　me；　Jaichim。　I　do　not　care　if　you　kill　the　entire　Assembly　so　long　as　you　hold　the　Panarch's　Palace。　When　will　you　move？〃
　　　　　　　〃It。。。　it　will　take　three　or　four　days　for　Andric　to　deliver　sureties。〃
　　　　　　　〃Three　or　four　days；〃　she　murmured　half　to　herself。　〃Very　well。　A　little　longer　delay　should　cause　no　harm。〃　He　was　wondering　what　delay　she　meant　when　she　cut　away　the　little　ground　remaining　under　his　feet。　〃You　will　keep　control　of　the　Palace；　and　you　will　send　the　Panarch's　fine　soldiers　away。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　impossible；〃　he　gasped；　and　she　jerked　his　head　back　so　hard　he　did　not　know　if　his　neck　would　break　or　his　scalp　tear　loose　first。　He　did　not　dare　resist。　A　thousand　invisible　needles　pricked　him；　on　his　face；　his　chest；　his　back；　arms；　legs；　everywhere。　Invisible；　but　he　was　sure　no　less　real　for　that。
　　　　　　　〃Impossible；　Jaichim？〃　she　said　softly。　〃Impossible　is　a　word　I　do　not　like　to　hear。〃
　　　　　　　The　needles　twisted　deeper；　he　groaned；　but　he　had　to　explain。　What　she　wanted　was　impossible。　He　panted　with　haste。　〃Once　Amathera　is　invested　as　Panarch；　she　will　control　the　Legion。　If　I　try　to　hold　the　Palace；　she　will　turn　them　on　me；　and　Andric　will　help　her。　There　is　no　way　I　can　hold　against　the　Panarch's　Legion；　and　against　whatever　Andric　can　strip　from　the　Ring　forts。〃
　　　　　　　She　studied　him　so　long　he　began　to　sweat。　He　did　not　dare　to　flinch；　hardly　even　to　blink；　those　thousand　biting　little　stabs　did　not　allow　it。
　　　　　　　〃The　Panarch　will　be　dealt　with；〃　she　said　finally。　The　needles　vanished；　and　she　stood。
　　　　　　　Carridin　stood；　too；　trying　to　steady　himself。　Perhaps　some　bargain　could　be　reached；　the　woman　seemed　willing　to　listen　to　reason　now。　His　legs　quivered　with　shock；　but　he　made　his　voice　as　firm　as　he　could。　〃Even　if　you　can　influence　Amathera　…〃
　　　　　　　She　cut　him　off。　〃I　told　you　not　to　question；　Jaichim。　A　good　dog　obeys　his　mistress；　yes？　I　promise　you；　if　you　do　not　you　will　beg　me　to　find　a　Myrddraal　to　play　with　you。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　understand；〃　he　said　leadenly。　She　continued　to　stare；　and　after　a　moment　he　did　understand。　〃I　will　do　as　you　say。。。　mistress。〃　Her　brief；　approving　smile　made　him　flush。　She　moved　toward　the　door；　turning　her　back　on　him　as　if　he　really　were　a　dog；　and　a　toothless　one。　〃What。。。　？　What　is　your　name？〃
　　　　　　　Her　smile　was　sweet　this　time；　and　mocking。　〃Yes。　A　dog　should　know　his　mistress's　name。　I　am　called　Liandrin。　But　that　name　must　never　touch　a　dog's　lips。　Should　it；　I　will　be　most　displeased　with　you。〃
　　　　　　　When　the　door　closed　behind　her；　he　staggered　to　a　high…backed　chair　inlaid　with　ivory　and　fell　into　it。　The　brandy　he　left　where　it　was；　the　way　his　stomach　was　twisting；　it　would　make　him　vomit。　What　interest　could　she　possibly　have　in　the　Panarch's　Palace？　A　dangerous　line　of　questioning；　perhaps；　but　even　if　they　served　the　same　master　he　could　not　feel　anything　but　revulsion　for　a　Tar　Valon　witch。
　　　　　　　She　did　not　know　as　much　as　she　thought。　With　the　King's　sureties　in　hand；　he　could　keep　Tamrin　and　the　army　away　from　his　throat　with　the　threat　of　revelation；　and　Amathera；　too。　They　could　still　rouse　the　mob；　though。　And　the　Lord　Captain　mander　might　be　more　than　disapproving　of　the　entire　affair；　might　believe　he　was　reaching　for　personal　power。　Carridin　dropped　his　head　in　his　hands；　envisioning　Niall　signing　his　death　warrant。　His　own　men　would　arrest　him；　and　hang　him。　If　he　could　arrange　the　death　of　the　witch。。。　But　she　had　promised　to　protect　him　from　the　Myrddraal。　He　wanted　to　weep　again。　She　was　not　even　here；　yet　she　had　him　trapped　as　tightly　as　ever；　steel　jaws　clamped　on　both　legs　and　a　noose　snug　around　his　neck。
　　　　　　　There　had　to　be　a　way　out；　but　every　way　he　looked　there　was　only　another　trap。　
　　　　　　　Liandrin　ghosted　through　the　halls；　easily　avoiding　servants　and　Whitecloaks。　When　she　stepped　out　of　a　small　back　door　into　a　narrow　alley　behind　the　palace；　the　tall　young　guard　there　stared　at　her　with　a　blend　of　relief　and　unease。　Her　little　trick　of　opening　someone　to　her　suggestions　…　just　a　whip…crack　trickle　of　the　Power　…　had　not　been　needed　with　Carridin；　but　it　had　easily　convinced　this　fool　that　she　should　be　allowed　in。　Smiling；　she　motioned　him　to　bend　closer。　The　lanky　lout　grinned　as　if　expecting　a　kiss；　a　grin　that　froze　as　her　narrow　blade　went　through　his　eye。
　　　　　　　She　leaped　nimbly　back　as　he　fell；　a　boneless　sack　of　flesh。　He　would　not　speak　of　her　even　by　accident　now。　Not　so　much　as　a　spot　of　blood　stained　her　hand。　She　wished　she　had　Chesmal's　skill　at　killing　with　the　Power；　or　even　Rianna's　lesser　talent。　Strange　that　the　ability　to　kill　with　the　Power；　to　stop　a　heart　or　boil　blood　in　the　veins；　should　be　so　closely　linked　to　Healing。　She　herself　could　not　Heal　much　more　than　scrapes　or　bruises；　not　that　she　had　any　interest　in　it。
　　　　　　　Her　sedan　chair；　red…lacquered　and　inlaid　with　ivory　and　gold；　was　waiting　at　the　end　of　the　alley；　and　with　it　her　bodyguards；　a　dozen　big　men　with　faces　like　starving　wolves。　Once　in　the　streets；　they　cleared　a　path　through　the　crowds　with　ease；　spears　clubbing　any　not　quick　enough　to　move　aside。　They　were　all　dedicated　to　the　Great　Lord　of　the　Dark；　of　course；　and　if　they　did　not　know　exactly　who　she　was；　they　knew　that　other　men　had　disappeared；　men　who　failed　to　serve　properly。
　　　　　　　The　house　she　and　the　others　had　taken；　two　sprawling　stories　of　flat…roofed　stone　and　white　plaster　on　a　hillside　at　the　base　of　the　Verana；　Tanchico's　easternmost　peninsula；　belonged　to　a　merchant　who　had　also　sworn　his　oaths　to　the　Great　Lord。　Liandrin　would　have　preferred　a　palace　…　one　day　perhaps　she　would　have　the　King's　Palace　on　the　Maseta；　she　had　grown　up　staring　enviously　at　the　Lords'　palaces；　but　why　should　she　settle　for　one　of　them？　…　yet　despite　her　preferences