gc.thewhiterose-第37部分

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　　　He　floated　into　my　cell；　hovered　there　considering　me。　I　did　my　best　to　appear　unintimidated；　failed。
　　　A　ghost　of　a　voice　stirred　the　air。　〃Your　time　has　e。　It　will　be　a　prolonged　and　painful　ending　to　your　tale。　And　I　will　enjoy　every　moment。〃
　　　〃I　doubt　it。〃　Had　to　keep　up　the　show。　〃Mama　won't　like　you　messing　with　her　prisoner。〃
　　　〃She　is　not　here；　physician。〃　He　began　to　drift　backward。　〃We　will　begin　soon。　After　time　for　reflection。〃　A　snatch　of　insane　chuckle　drifted　in　behind　him。　I　am　not　sure　if　he　or　Whisper　was　the　source。　She　was　in　the　hallway；　watching。
　　　A　voice　said；　〃But　she　is　here。〃
　　　They　froze。　Whisper　went　pallid。　Limper　sort　of　folded　in　upon　himself。
　　　The　Lady　materialized　out　of　nowhere；　appearing　first　as　golden　sparkles。　She　said　nothing　more。　The　Taken　did　not　speak　either；　for　there　was　nothing　they　could　say。
　　　I　wanted　to　interject　one　of　my　remarks；　but　the　better　part　of　valor　prevailed。　Instead；　I　tried　to　make　myself　small。　A　roach。　Beneath　notice。
　　　But　roaches　get　squished　beneath　the　uncaring　foot　。　。　。
　　　The　Lady　finally　spoke。　〃Limper；　you　were　given　an　assignment。　Nowhere　in　your　brief　is　there　an　allowance　for　you　to　leave　your　mand。　Yet　you　have　done　so。　Again。　And　the　results　are　the　same　as　when　you　slipped　off　to　Roses　to　sabotage　Soulcatcher。〃　Limper　wilted　even　more。
　　　That　was　one　damned　long　time　ago。　One　of　our　sneaky　tricks　on　the　Rebel　of　the　day。　What　happened　was；　the　Rebel　attacked　Limper's　headquarters　while　he　was　away　from　his　demense　trying　to　undermine　Soulcatcher。　So　Darling　was　whooping　it　up　on　the　Plain。　My　spirits　rose。　It　was　the　confirmation　I'd　had　that　the　movement　had　not　collapsed。
　　　〃Go；〃　the　Lady　said。　〃And　know　this。　There　will　be　no　more　understanding。　Henceforth　we　live　by　the　iron　rules　as　my　husband　made　them。　Next　time　will　be　the　last　time。　For　you　or　anyone　else　who　serves　me。　Do　you　understand？　Whisper？　Limper？〃
　　　They　understood。　They　were　careful　to　say　so　in　so　many　words。
　　　There　was　munication　there　beneath　the　level　of　mere　words；　not　accessible　to　me；　for　they　went　away　absolutely　convinced　their　continued　existence　depended　upon　unquestioning　and　unswerving　obedience　not　only　to　the　letter　but　the　spirit　of　their　orders。　They　went　with　a　crushed　air。　The　Lady　faded　the　moment　my　cell　door　closed。　She　appeared　in　the　flesh　shortly　before　nightfall。　Her　anger　still　simmered。　I　gathered；　from　hearing　guards　gossip；　that　Whisper　had　been　ordered　back　to　the　Plain；　too。　Things　had　turned　bad　out　there。　The　Taken　on　the　scene　could　not　cope。
　　　〃Give　them　hell；　Darling；〃　I　murmured。　〃Give　them　hell。〃　I　was　working　hard　on　resigning　myself　to　whatever　fate's　horror　shop　stocked　for　me。
　　　Guards　brought　me　out　of　the　cell　soon　after　nightfall。　They　brought　Raven；　too。　I　asked　no　questions。　They　would　not　have　answered。
　　　The　Lady's　carpet　rested　in　the　fortress'　main　court。　The　soldiers　placed　Raven　upon　it；　tied　him　down。　A　glum　sergeant　gestured　for　me　to　board。　I　did　so；　surprising　him　by　knowing　what　to　do。　My　heart　was　in　my　heels。　I　knew　my　destination。　The　Tower。
　　　I　waited　half　an　hour。　Finally　she　came。　She　looked　thoughtful。　Even　a　little　disturbed　and　uncertain。　She　took　her　place　at　the　leading　edge　of　the　carpet。　We　rose。
　　　Riding　a　windwhale　is　more　fortable　and　much　less　trying　to　the　nerves。　A　windwhale　has　substance；　has　scale。
　　　We　rose　perhaps　a　thousand　feet　and　began　running　south。　I　doubt　we　were　making　more　than　thirty　miles　per　hour。　It　would　be　a　long　flight；　then；　unless　she　chose　to　break　it。
　　　After　an　hour　she　faced　me。　I　could　barely　discern　her　features。　She　said；　〃I　visited　the　Barrowland；　Croaker。〃
　　　I　did　not　respond；　not　knowing　what　was　expected。
　　　〃What　have　you　done？　What　have　you　people　set　free？〃
　　　〃Nothing。〃
　　　She　looked　at　Raven。　〃Perhaps　there　is　a　way。〃　After　a　time：　〃I　know　the　thing　that　is　loose　。　。　。　Sleep；　physician。　We'll　talk　another　time。〃　And　I　went　to　sleep。　And　when　I　wakened　I　was　in　another　cell。　And　knew；　by　the　uniforms；　that　my　new　prison　was　the　Tower　at　Charm。
　　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty…Nine：　A　GUEST　AT　CHARM
　　　
　　　A　colonel　of　the　Lady's　household　force　came　for　me。　He　was　almost　polite。　Even　back　when；　her　troops　never　were　sure　of　my　status。　Poor　babies。　I　had　no　niche　in　their　ordered　and　hierarchical　universe。
　　　The　Colonel　said；　〃She　wants　you　now。〃　He　had　a　dozen　men　with　him。　They　did　not　look　like　an　honor　guard。　Neither　did　they　act　like　executioners。
　　　Not　that　it　mattered。　I　would　go　if　they　had　to　carry　me。
　　　I　left　with　a　backward　glance。　Raven　was　holding　his　own。
　　　The　Colonel　left　me　at　a　doorway　into　the　inner　Tower；　the　Tower　inside　the　Tower；　into　which　few　men　pass；　and　from　which　fewer　return。　〃March；〃　he　said。　〃I　hear　you've　done　this　before。　You　know　the　drill。〃
　　　I　stepped　through　the　doorway。　When　I　looked　back　I　saw　only　stone　wall。　For　a　moment　I　became　disoriented。　That　passed　and　I　was　in　another　place。　And　she　was　there；　framed　by　what　appeared　to　be　a　window；　though　her　parts　of　the　Tower　are　pletely　ensheathed　within　the　rest。　〃e　here。〃
　　　I　went。　She　pointed。　I　looked　out　that　non…window　on　a　burning　city。　Taken　soared　above　it；　hurling　magicks　that　died。　Their　target　was　a　phalanx　of　windwhales　that　were　devastating　the　city。
　　　Darling　was　riding　one　of　the　whales。　They　were　staying　within　her　null；　where　they　were　invulnerable。
　　　〃They　are　not；　though；〃　the　Lady　said；　reading　my　thoughts。　〃Mortal　weapons　will　reach　them。　And　your　bandit　girl。　But　it　does　not　matter。　I've　decided　to　suspend　operations。〃
　　　I　laughed。　〃Then　we've　won。〃
　　　I　do　believe　that　was　the　first　time　I　ever　saw　her　piqued　with　me。　A　mistake；　mocking　her。　It　could　make　her　reassess　emotionally　a　decision　made　strategically。
　　　〃You　have　won　nothing。　If　that　is　the　perception　a　shift　of　focus　will　generate；　then　I　will　not　break　off。　I　will　adjust　the　campaign's　focus　instead。〃
　　　Damn　you；　Croaker。　Learn　to　keep　your　big　goddamn　mouth　shut　around　people　like　this。　You　will　jack…jaw　your　way　right　into　a　meat　grinder。
　　　After　regaining　her　self…control；　she　faced　me。　The　Lady；　from　just　two　feet　away。　〃Be　sarcastic　in　your　writing　if　you　like。　But　when　you　speak；　be　prepared　to　pay　a　price。〃
　　　〃I　understand。〃
　　　〃I　thought　you　would。〃　She　faced　the　scene　again。　In　that　far　city…it　looked　like　Frost…a　flaming　windwhale　fell　after　being　caught　in　a　storm　of　shafts　hurled　by　ballistae　bigger　than　any　I'd　ever　seen。　Two　could　play　the　suck…in　game。　〃How　well　did　your　translations　go？〃
　　　〃What？〃
　　　〃The　documents　you　found　in　the　Forest　of　Cloud；　gave　to　my　late　sister　Soulcatcher；　took　from　her　again；　gave　to　your　friend　Raven；　and　took　from　him　in　turn。　The　papers　you　thought　would　give　you　the　tool　of　victory。〃
　　　〃Those　documents。　Ha。　Not　well　at　all。〃
　　　〃You　couldn't　have。　What　you　sought　isn't　there。〃
　　　〃But　。　。　。　〃
　　　〃You　were　misled。　Yes。　I　know。　Bomanz　put　them　together；　so　they　must　hold　my　true　name。　Yes？　But　that　has　been　eradicated…except；　perhaps；　in　the　mind　of　my　husband。〃　She　became　remote　suddenly。　〃The　victory　at　Juniper　cost。〃
　　　〃He　learned　the　lesson　Bomanz　did　too　late。〃
　　　〃So。　You　noticed。　He　has　information　enough　to　pry　an　answer　from　what　happened　。　。　。　No。　My　name　isn't　there。　His　is。　That　was　why　they　so　excited　my　sister。　She　saw　an　opportunity　to　supplant　us　both。　She　knew　me。　We　were　children　together；　after　all。　And　protected　from　one　another　only　by　the　most　tangled　web　that　could　be　woven。　When　she　enlisted　you　in　Beryl　she　had　no　greater　ambition　than　to　undermine　me。　But　when　you　delivered　those　documents　。　。　。　〃
　　　She　was　thinking　aloud　as　much　as　explaining。
　　　I　was　stricken　by　a　sudden　insight。　〃You　don't　know　his　name！〃
　　　〃It　was　never　a　love　match；　physician。　It　was　the　shakiest　of　alliances。　Tell　me。　How　do　I　get　those　papers？〃
　　　〃You　don't。〃
　　　〃Then　we　all　lose。　This　is　true；　Croaker。　While　we　argue　and　while　our　respective　allies　strive　to　slash　one　another's　throats；　the　enemy　of　us　all　is　shedding　his　chains。　All　this　dying　will　be　for　naught　if　the　Dominator　wins　free。〃
　　　〃Destroy　him。〃
　　　〃That's　impossible。〃
　　　〃In　the　town　where　I　was　born　there　is　a　folk　tale　about　a　man　so　mighty　he　dared　mock　the　gods。　In　the　end　his　might　proved　sheer　hubris；　for　there　is　one　against　whom　even　the　gods　are　powerless。〃
　　　〃What's　the　point？〃
　　　〃To　twist　an　old　saw；　death　conquers　all。　Not　even　the　Dominator　can　wrestle　death　and　win　every　time。〃
　　　〃There　are　ways；〃　she　admitted。　〃But　not　without　those　papers。　You　will　return　to　your　quarters　now；　and　reflect。　I　will　speak　to　you　again。〃
　　　I　was　dismissed　that　suddenly。　She　faced　the　dying　city。　Suddenly；　I　knew　my　way　out。　A　powerful　impulse　drove　me　toward　the　door。　A　moment　of　dizziness　and　I　was　outside。
　　　The　Colonel　came　puffing　along　the　corridor。　He　returned　me　to　my　cell。
　　　I　planted　myself　on　my　bunk　and　reflected；　as　ordered。
　　　There　was　evidence　enough　that　the　Dominator　was　stirring；　but　。　。　。　The　business　about　the　documents　not　holding　the　lever　we　had　counted　on…that　was　the　shocker。　That　I　had　to　swallow　or　reject；　and　my　choice　might　have　critical　repercussions。
　　　She　was　leading　me　for　her　own　ends。　Of　course。　I　conceived　numerous　possibilities；　none　pleasant；　but　all　making　a　sort　of　sense　。　。　。
　　　She'd　said　it。　If　the　Dominator　broke　out；　we　were　all　in　the　soup；　good　guys　and　bad。
　　　I　fell　asleep。　There　were　dreams；　but　I　do　not　recall　them。　I　awakened　to　find　a　hot　meal　freshly　delivered；　sitting　atop　a　desk　that　had　not　been　there　before。　On　that　desk　was　a　generous　supply　of　writing　materials。
　　　She　expected　me　to　resume　my　Annals。
　　　I　devoured　half　the　food　before　noting　Raven's　absence。　The　old　nerves　began　to　rattle。　Why　was　he　gone？　Where　to？　What　use　did　she　have　for　him？　Leverage？
　　　Time　is　funny　inside　the　Tower。
　　　The　usual　Colonel　arrived　as　I　finished　eating。　The　usual　soldiers　acpanied　him。　He　announced；　〃She　wants　you　again。〃
　　　〃Already？　I　just　came　back　from　there。〃
　　　〃Four　days　ago。〃
　　　I　touched　my　cheek。　I　have　been　affecting　only　a　partial　beard　of　late。　My　face　was　brushy。　So。　One　long　sleep。　〃Any　chance　I　could　get　a　razor？〃
　　　The　Colo