rj.theshadowrising-第94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！


of　splitting　open。　Red　spread　across　Mat's　face；　too；　and　down　his　chest。　Too　many；　and　too　quick。
　　　　　　　You　do　not　do　the　tenth　part　of　what　you　are　capable　of　already。　That　was　what　Lanfear　had　told　him。　He　laughed　as　he　danced　the　forms。　Learn　from　one　of　the　Forsaken。　He　could　do　that；　if　not　the　way　she　intended。　Yes；　he　could。　He　channeled；　wove　strands　of　the　Power；　and　sent　a　whirlwind　into　the　middle　of　each　black　shape。　They　exploded　in　clouds　of　dust　that　left　him　coughing。　As　far　as　he　could　see；　dust　settled　from　the　air。
　　　　　　　Hacking　and　panting；　Mat　leaned　on　his　dark　shafted　spear。　〃Did　you　do　that？〃　he　wheezed；　wiping　blood　away　from　his　eyes。　〃About　time。　If　you　knew　how；　why　didn't　you　bloody　do　it　in　the　first　place？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　started　to　laugh　again　…　Because　I　didn't　think　of　it。　Because　I　didn't　know　how　until　I　did　it　…　but　it　froze　in　his　mouth。　Dust　drifted　out　of　the　air；　and　as　it　settled　on　the　ground；　it　began　to　ripple。　〃Run；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　to　get　out　of　here。　Run！〃
　　　　　　　Side　by　side　they　sped　for　the　fog；　slashing　at　any　lines　of　dust　that　seemed　to　be　thickening；　kicking　at　them；　anything　to　keep　them　from　coalescing。　Rand　sent　whirlwinds　swirling　wildly　in　every　direction。　Dispelled　dust　began　shivering　back　together　immediately；　even　before　it　reached　the　ground　now。　They　kept　running；　into　the　fog　and　through；　bursting　out　into　dim；　sharp…shadowed　light。
　　　　　　　Side　aching；　Rand　spun；　ready　to　try　lightning；　or　fire；　anything。　Nothing　came　through　the　fog　after　them。　Maybe　the　mist　was　a　wall　to　those　dark　shapes。　Maybe　it　held　them　in。　Maybe。。。。　He　did　not　know。　He　did　not　really　care；　so　long　as　the　things　could　not　follow。
　　　　　　　〃Burn　me；〃　Mat　muttered　hoarsely；　〃we　were　in　there　all　night。　It's　nearly　sunrise。　I　didn't　think　it　was　that　long。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　stared　at　the　sky。　The　sun　had　not　topped　the　mountains　yet；　a　painfully　brilliant　nimbus　outlined　the　jagged　peaks。　Long　shadows　covered　the　valley　floor。　He　will　e　from　Rhuidean　at　dawn；　and　tie　you　together　with　bonds　you　cannot　break。　He　will　take　you　back；　and　he　will　destroy　you。
　　　　　　　〃Let's　go　back　up　the　mountain；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃They　will　be　waiting　for　us。〃　For　me。


Chapter　27
（Leaf）
Within　the　Ways

　　　　　　　The　darkness　of　the　Ways　pressed　the　light　of　Perrin's　pole…lantern　to　a　sharp…edged　pool　around　himself　and　Gaul。　The　creak　of　his　saddle；　the　gritty　click　of　hooves　on　stone；　seemed　to　reach　no　further　than　light's　rim。　There　was　no　smell　to　the　air；　nothing。　The　Aielman　strode　along　beside　Stepper　easily；　keeping　an　eye　on　the　dimly　seen　lanternglow　from　Loial's　party　ahead。　Perrin　refused　to　call　it　Faile's。　The　Ways　did　not　seem　to　bother　Gaul；　for　all　their　reputation。　Perrin　himself　could　not　help　listening；　as　he　had　for　nearly　two　days；　or　what　passed　for　days　in　this　lightless　place。　His　ears　would　be　first　to　catch　the　sound　that　meant　they　were　all　going　to　die　or　worse；　the　sound　of　wind　rising　where　no　wind　ever　blew。　No　wind　but　Machin　Shin；　the　Black　Wind　that　ate　souls。　He　could　not　help　thinking　that　traveling　the　Ways　was　slack…witted　folly；　but　when　need　called；　what　was　foolish　changed。
　　　　　　　The　faint　light　ahead　stopped；　and　he　drew　rein　in　the　middle　of　what　appeared　to　be　an　ancient　stone　bridge　arching　through　utter　blackness；　ancient　because　of　the　breaks　in　the　bridge　walls；　the　pits　and　shallow　ragged　craters　freckling　the　roadbed。　Very　likely　it　had　stood　close　to　three　thousand　years；　but　it　seemed　ready　to　fall；　now。　Maybe　right　now。
　　　　　　　The　packhorse　crowded　up　behind　Stepper：　the　animals　whickered　to　each　other　and　rolled　their　eyes　uneasily　at　the　surrounding　dark。　Perrin　knew　how　the　horses　felt。　A　few　more　people　for　pany　would　have　lifted　some　of　the　endless　night's　weight。　Still；　he　would　not　have　gone　any　closer　to　the　lanterns　ahead　even　had　he　been　alone。　Not　and　risk　a　repeat　of　what　happened　back　on　that　first　Island；　right　after　entering　the　Waygate　in　Tear。　He　scratched　his　curly　beard　irritably。　He　was　not　sure　what　he　had　expected；　but　not。。。
　　　　　　　The　pole　lantern　bobbed　as　he　stepped　down　from　his　saddle　and　led　Stepper　and　the　packhorse　to　the　Guiding；　a　tall　slab　of　white　stone　covered　with　cursive　silver　inlays　vaguely　reminiscent　of　vines　and　leaves；　all　pitted　as　if　splashed　with　acid。　He　could　not　read　it；　of　course　…　Loial　had　to　do　that；　it　was　Ogier　script　…　and　after　a　moment　he　walked　around　it；　studying　the　Island。　It　was　the　same　as　the　others　he　had　seen；　with　a　chest　high　wall　of　white　stone；　simple　curves　and　rounds　fitted　in　an　intricate　pattern。　At　intervals　bridges　pierced　the　wall；　arching　out　into　the　darkness；　and　rail　less　ramps　running　up　or　down　with　no　means　of　support　he　could　see。　There　were　cracks　everywhere；　ragged　pits　and　shallow　craters；　as　though　the　stone　were　rotting。　When　the　horses　moved　there　was　a　grainy　sound　of　stone　flaking　away　beneath　their　hooves。　Gaul　peered　into　the　dark　with　no　visible　nervousness；　but　then；　he　did　not　know　what　might　be　out　there。　Perrin　did；　too　well。
　　　　　　　When　Loial　and　the　others　arrived；　Faile　immediately　hopped　from　her　black　mare　and　strode　straight　to　Perrin；　eyes　intent　on　his　face。　He　was　already　regretting　making　her　worry；　but　she　did　not　look　worried　at　all。　He　could　not　have　said　what　her　expression　was；　besides　fixed。
　　　　　　　〃Have　you　decided　to　talk　to　me　instead　of　over　my　hea…？〃
　　　　　　　Her　full　armed　slap　made　spots　dance　in　front　of　his　eyes。　〃What　did　you　mean；〃　she　practically　spat；　〃charging　in　here　like　a　wild　boar？　You　have　no　regard。　None！〃
　　　　　　　He　took　a　slow；　deep　breath。　〃I　asked　you　before　not　to　do　that。〃　Her　dark；　tilted　eyes　widened　as　if　he　had　said　something　infuriating。　He　was　rubbing　his　cheek　when　her　second　slap　caught　him　on　the　other　side；　nearly　unhinging　his　jaw。　The　Aiel　were　watching　interestedly；　and　Loial　with　his　ears　drooping。
　　　　　　　〃I　told　you　not　to　do　that；〃　he　growled。　Her　fist　was　not　very　big；　but　her　sudden　punch　to　his　shortribs　drove　most　of　the　air　from　his　lungs；　hunching　him　over　sideways；　and　she　drew　back　her　fist　again。　With　a　snarl；　he　seized　her　by　the　scruff　of　her　neck　and。。。
　　　　　　　Well；　it　was　her　own　fault。　It　was。　He　had　asked　her　not　to　hit　him；　told　her。　Her　own　fault。　He　was　surprised　she　had　not　tried　to　pull　one　of　her　knives；　though；　she　seemed　to　carry　as　many　as　Mat。
　　　　　　　She　had　been　furious；　of　course。　Furious　with　Loial　for　trying　to　intervene；　she　could　take　care　of　herself；　thank　you　very　much。　Furious　with　Bain　and　Chiad　for　not　intervening；　she　had　been　taken　aback　when　they　said　they　did　not　think　she　would　want　them　to　interfere　in　a　fight　she　had　picked。　When　you　choose　the　fight；　Bain　had　said；　you　must　take　the　consequences；　win　or　lose。　But　she　did　not　seem　even　the　tiniest　bit　angry　with　him　any　longer。　That　made　him　nervous。　She　had　only　stared　at　him；　her　dark　eyes　glistening　with　unshed　tears；　which　made　him　feel　guilty；　which　in　turn　made　him　angry。　Why　should　he　be　guilty？　Was　he　supposed　to　stand　there　and　let　her　hit　him　to　her　heart's　content？　She　had　mounted　Swallow　and　sat　there；　very　stiff…backed；　refusing　to　sit　gingerly；　
staring　at　him　with　an　unreadable　expression。　It　made　him　very　nervous。　He　almost　wished　she　had　pulled　a　knife。　Almost。
　　　　　　　〃They　are　moving　again；〃　Gaul　said。
　　　　　　　Perrin　jerked　back　to　the　present。　The　other　light　was　moving。　Now　it　paused。　One　of　them　had　noticed　his　light　was　not　following　yet。　Probably　Loial。　Faile　might　not　mind　if　he　got　lost；　and　the　two　Aiel　women　had　twice　tried　to　talk　him　into　walking　off　a　little　way　with　them。　He　had　not　needed　the　slight　shake　of　Gaul's　head　to　refuse。　He　heeled　Stepper　forward；　leading　the　packhorse。
　　　　　　　The　Guiding　here　was　more　pocked　than　most　he　had　seen；　but　he　rode　on　past　it　with　only　a　glance。　The　light　of　the　other　lanterns　was　already　starting　down　one　of　the　gently　sloping　ramps；　and　he　followed　with　a　sigh。　He　hated　the　ramps。　Sided　only　by　darkness；　it　began　to　curve；　down　and　around；　with　nothing　discernible　beyond　the　squashed　light　of　the　lantern　swaying　above　his　head。　Something　told　him　that　a　fall　over　the　edge　would　never　end。　Stepper　and　the　packhorse　kept　to　the　middle　without　any　urging；　and　even　Gaul　avoided　the　brink。　Worse；　when　the　ramp　ended　on　another　Island；　there　was　no　way　to　escape　the　conclusion　that　it　lay　directly　beneath　the　one　they　had　just　left。　He　was　glad　to　see　Gaul　glancing　upward；　glad　he　was　not　alone　in　wondering　what　held　the　Islands　up　and　whether　it　was　still　sound。
　　　　　　　Once　more　Loial　and　Faile's　lanterns　had　stopped　by　the　Guiding；　so　he　reined　up　again；　just　off　the　ramp。　This　time　they　did　not　move　on；　though。　After　a　few　moments；　Faile's　voice　called；　〃Perrin。〃
　　　　　　　He　exchanged　looks　with　Gaul；　and　the　Aiel　shrugged。　She　had　not　spoken　to　Perrin　since　he。。。
　　　　　　　〃Perrin；　e　here。〃　Not　peremptory；　exactly；　but　not　asking；　either。
　　　　　　　Bain　and　Chiad　were　squatting　easily　beside　the　Guiding；　and　Loial　and　Faile　sat　their　horses　close　by；　pole…lanterns　in　hand。　The　Ogier　had　their　packhorses'　lead　line；　his　ear　tufts　twitched　as　he　looked　from　Faile　to　Perrin　and　back　again。　She；　on　the　other　hand；　seemed　pletely　absorbed　in　adjusting　her　riding　gloves；　of　soft　green　leather　with　golden　falcons　embroidered　on　their　backs。　She　had　changed　her　dress；　too。　The　new　one　was　cut　in　the　same　fashion；　with　a　high　neck　and　narrow　divided　skirts；　but　it　was　a　dark　green　brocaded　silk；　and　somehow　it　seemed　to　emphasize　her　bosom。　Perrin　had　never　seen　the　dress　before。
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　want？〃　he　asked　warily。
　　　　　　　She　looked　up　as　if　surprised　to　see　him；　tilted　her　head　thoughtfully；　then　smiled　as　though　it　had　just　occurred　to　her。　〃Oh；　yes。　I　wanted　to　see　if　you　could　be　taught　to　e　when　I　call。〃　Her　smiled　deepened；　it　had　to　be　because　she　had　heard　his　teeth　grinding。　He　scrubbed　at　his　nose；　there　was　a　faint　rank　smell　here。
　　　　　　　Gaul　chuckled　softly。　〃As　well　try　to　understand　the　sun；　Perrin。　It　simply　is；　and　it　is　not　to　be　understood。　You　cannot　live　without　it；　but　it　exacts　a　price。　So　with　women。〃
　　　　　　　Bain　leaned　over　to　whisper　in　Chiad's　ear；　and　they　both　laughed。　From　the　way　they　looked　at　Gaul　and