cacb.thefarkingdoms-第59部分

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the　wisdom　of　the　Other　Worlds　before　making　a　statement　on　the　terrible　events。
　Once　again　the　libels　against　the　Antero　family　surfaced。　We；　too；　were　not　really　true　to　Orissa；　but　gave　fealty　only　to　gold　coins　and　silver　bars。　One　night　a　bravo　even　chanced；　within　my　hearing；　that　the　noble　Evocators　had　sensed　corruption　within　my　brother　Halab；　which　was　why　he　died。　I　drove　the　man's　teeth　down　his　throat　with　the　butt　of　my　dagger　and　would　have　butchered　him　like　a　hog　if　Rali　had　not　dragged　me　away。　She　and　Maeen　were　now　the　only　fort　in　my　life。　But　even　that　brawl　was　one　of　the　few　bright　colors　I　remember。　It　was　as　if　all　the　world　was　cast　in　a　gray　mist；　and　that　a　veil　hung　between　me　and　life。　Deoce　and　Emilie　were　more　in　my　thoughts　than　any　of　this　shrilling　and　screaming。
　It　was　about　this　time　that　the　dream　returned　to　me；　the　nightmare　of　being　a　tortured　prisoner　led　by　a　being　I　now　saw　as　Greif　the　Lycanthian　through　strange　caverns　to　my　destruction；　a　fate　part　of　me　weled　in　the　dream。
　I　caught　myself　glooming　at　the　river　near　dawn；　watching　the　dark　waters　flow　out　toward　the　sea；　and　found　myself　thinking　of　how　they　looked　gentle；　like　a　weling　bed　to　a　tired　man。　I　pulled　myself　back。　My　father　might　have　struck　me　if　he　had　been　alive　and　had　known　my　thoughts。　No　Antero　had　ever　allowed　himself　to　sink　into　this　kind　of　self…pity。　But　I　must　do　something；　and　do　it　immediately。
　As　soon　as　the　thought　hit　me；　I　knew　what　to　do。　Orissa　would　do　nothing　to　save　Janos；　even　if　the　city　suddenly　came　to　its　senses。　Very　well；　I　would；　I　hastened　home。　I　woke　the　household　and　began　issuing　orders。　I　told　Rali　what　I　intended；　and　she　frowned。　〃You　might　be　jumping　into　waters　deeper　than　you　think；〃　she　said；　and　I　flinched　inadvertently　at　her　parison。　〃Perhaps　Janos　is　more　precious　to　Lycanth　。。。　or　they've　so　convinced　themselves　。。。　than　we　realize。〃
　〃I　don't　see　that；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　never　known　a　Lycanthian　to　refuse　gold。　And　I　shall　instruct　Janos；　before　ransoming；　to　tell　the　Lycanthians　everything　he　knows。　Let　them　mount　their　own　expedition　if　they　wish；　and　face　the　desert；　the　slavers；　and　the　carrion　eaters。　Janos；　as　proven　by　his　getting　lost　in　the　return　journey；　has　but　a　faulty　map　in　his　mind。　No　other　exists；　save　what　I　drew；　and　what　I　remember。〃
　Rali　shook　her　head。　〃You　are　thinking　like　a　logical　man；　my　brother。　That　may　lead　you　into　trouble。　When　men　concern　themselves　with　the　color　of　their　flags；　such　as　both　our　cities　are　doing　at　the　moment；　and　what　they　see　as　prestige　of　race　。。。　all　rationality　vanishes。　Add　to　that　the　insanity　a　mere　mention　of　the　Far　Kingdoms　is　producing　these　days　。。。〃　Her　voice　trailed　off。　〃Go　if　you　must；　Amalric。　But　I　fear　for　you。〃
　By　dawn　the　anonymous　carriage　I　had　hired　was　beyond　the　gates　of　the　city。　In　it　were　two　chests　of　pure；　soft　gold　rolls　I'd　taken　from　the　vaults　below　our　villa。　Those　would　entrance　the　Lycanthians；　even　their　magic…soaked　Archons；　if　necessary。　Not　quite　a　king's　ransom；　but　certainly　sufficient　for　a　baron　or　two。　The　gold　was　guarded　by　six　of　my　best　retainers。　I　wished　to　take　Sergeant　Maeen；　but　realized　if　the　sole　survivor　to　the　tragedy　left　the　city　headed　toward　Lycanth；　my　enemies　would　find　the　obvious　explanation　and　have　troops　after　us　within　hours。
　THE　JOURNEY　TO　Lycanth　went　uneventfully。　I　ordered　the　carriage　and　my　men　to　remain　at　the　last　decent　inn；　just　a　day's　journey　from　the　city；　until　summoned；　and　rode　to　Lycanth　alone。　I　did　not　notice　the　weather　or　if　there　were　other　travelers　about。　I　was　busily　rehearsing　my　reasoning　and　the　approach　I　would　use　to　free　Janos。　I　entered　the　city　without　incident　and　rode　toward　the　same　inn　we　had　stayed　in　previously。　I　planned　to　refresh　myself　and　then　begin　investigating　in　what　manner　one　approached　the　Lycanthian　rulers　to　seek　a　boon。　I　never　reached　the　inn。
　It　was　twilight；　and　the　streets　were　crowded　as　the　Lycanthian　workers　made　their　way　home；　and　I　had　to　force　my　horse　through　the　throng。　Quite　suddenly　I　was　alone；　sitting　my　horse　on　a　near…deserted　street；　the　last　Lycanthian　scuttling　indoors。
　I　heard　a　baying；　had　time　to　remember；　and　around　the　corner　loped　that　obscene；　hairless　hyena　with　the　face　of　a　man；　it　was　the　creature　that　had　ordered　us　to　the　castle　of　the　Archons；　and　then　called　out　that　young　woman　to　her　death。　It　sat　on　its　haunches　and　regarded　me。　Again；　it　bayed；　and　the　cry　echoed　across　the　stone　buildings　around　me。
　Then　it　spoke。　〃Amalric　Antero。　You　are　summoned。　You　must　obey。〃
　I　pulled　at　my　horse's　reins　reflexively；　trying　to　turn　my　mount　away　from　the　caller。　But　a　rank　of　soldiers　doubled　across　the　street　behind　me；　spears　leveled。　A　second　line　of　guards　appeared　behind　the　creature。
　〃Amalric　Antero。　You　are　summoned。〃
　
　CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN
　The　Dungeon　of　the　Archons
　I　WAS　BROUGHT　to　that　great　sea　castle　just　at　the　end　of　the　promontory　and　escorted　through　long；　echoing；　dank　corridors；　guarded　and　locked　portals；　and　high…ceilinged　chambers。　It　seemed　as　if　the　only　beings　in　this　great　castle　were　guards；　myself；　and　that　noxious　creature　that　trotted　just　ahead　of　me。　We　reached　an　entranceway　blocked　only　by　a　heavy；　dark　green　curtain。　The　soldiers；　without　ever　a　mand；　wheeled　and　marched　away　。。。　leaving　only　the　Finder　as　my　guard。
　〃Amalric　Antero。　You　are　summoned；〃　and　it　went　through　the　curtain。　I　followed；　numb；　into　yet　another　bare　chamber。　Everything　in　this　room　was　entirely　of　stone：　from　the　groin…vaulted　ceiling；　to　the　stanchions　that　held　flaring　torches；　to　the　low　riser　at　the　far　end　of　the　room。　There　were　two　circular　pedestals　on　either　side　of　the　riser。　The　creature　positioned　itself　in　front　of　that　stage。　I　heard；　or　rather　felt；　a　humming…as　if　the　air　itself　was　moving。　The　humming　grew　louder；　and　then　I　saw　a　shimmer　atop　each　pedestal；　a　shimmer　taller　than　the　height　of　a　tall　man。　The　Finder　abased　itself。　I　did　not
　I　suppose　I　should　have　knelt。　I　had　and　have　since　knelt　in　front　of　many　strange　gods；　kings；　and　even　bandits　who　have　given　themselves　lordly　titles。　It　matters　little　and　frequently　adds　to　future　profit　or　immediate　survivability。　It　sometimes　is　just　a　matter　of　mon　courtesy。　But　here；　in　the　bowels　of　the　Archons'　castle；　I　kept　my　feet。　Perhaps　I　felt　pride　as　an　Antero；　or　as　an　Orissan。　But　I　would　not　kneel　to　these　swirling　mists。　The　humming　grew　louder　still；　then　changed　pitch　and　grew　into　an　angry　bass　drone；　such　as　might　e　from　a　nest　of　monstrous　wasps；　but　nothing　else　happened；　and　then　the　drone　stopped。
　As　the　silence　lingered；　a　man　came　out　of　the　darkness　behind　the　pedestals。　He　was　quite　beautiful；　a　term　I　do　not　generally　use　for　males；　but　this　man…from　his　softly　curled　blond　hair；　to　his　boyishly　smiling　full　lips；　to　his　slender　body；　was　beautiful。
　〃Lord　Amalric。　I　had　hoped　our　。。。　acquisition　of　your　minion　might　make　you　decide　to　e　to　Lycanth。　I　am　Nisou　Symeon。〃　This　then　was　the　man；　hardly　more　than　a　boy；　both　my　father　and　Greif　had　said　was　the　most　evil　of　the　Symeons…the　clan　the　Anteros　had　warred　against　for　three　generations。　Even　though　I　was　in　desperate　straits；　I　noted　his　face　and　realized　once　more　that　only　a　fool　judges　good　or　evil　by　its　beauty　or　ill　favor。
　I　sorted　through　my　various　responses；　discarding　the　obvious　ones　of　fear；　surprise；　disdain；　or　even　bravura　posturing。　〃Lord　Symeon；〃　I　finally　said。　〃So　you　have　convinced　your　rulers　that　you　can　seize　an　Orissan　nobleman　without　heed　of　any　consequences。〃
　〃My　Lords；　the　Archons；　needed　no　convincing；〃　Symeon　said。　〃In　case　you　have　been　buried　in　your　dreams　of　the　past　like　most　Orissans；　you　may　not　have　noticed　there　is　a　new　spirit　abroad　in　Lycanth。　It　is　time　for　us　to　reaffirm　our　historic　duty　and　seek　our　proper　place　in　the　sun。〃　I　remembered　Cassini's　harsh　verdict　outside　Lycanth；　when　he　said　that　we　should　have　obliterated　the　city　and　its　populace；　for　fear　they　would　rise　once　more。　Even　such　a　one　as　Cassini　may　sometimes　glimpse　beyond　the　veil。
　〃Further；〃　Symeon　continued；　〃even　if　we　were　concerned　as　to　any　reprisal　from　Orissa；　I　doubt　if　it　would　be　mounted　over　mischief　done　to　an　Antero。　Your　homeland　hardly　sings　your　praises　these　days。〃　I　maintained　a　stony　countenance　and　made　no　reply；　but　he　certainly　was　correct。
　〃What　we　require　from　you；〃　Symeon　continued；　〃is　a　full　and　plete　description　of　your　route　to　the　Far　Kingdoms。　It　is　axiomatic　that　Lycanth　is　the　only　logical　power　to　seek　an　alliance　with　the　kingdoms…especially　considering　the　catastrophe　Orissa；　abetted　by　your　underling；　managed　to　produce　from　the　most　recent　attempt　to　reach　the　kingdoms。〃
　〃You　are　quite　mistaken　if　you　think　Captain　Greycloak　is　in　any　way　my　'underling'　or　'patriot。'　〃
　〃Oh？　I　suppose　you　have　merely　e　to　Lycanth　to　save　him　out　of　pure　altruism？　And；　if　he　is　not　your　underling；　then　what？〃　He　curled　his　lip。　〃Lover？〃
　I　blinked；　not　having　been　aware　that　Lycanthian　attitudes　were　as　backward　as　their　buildings。　It　was　no　trouble　to　ignore　what　he　evidently　considered　an　insult。　I　managed　a　cynical　grin。　〃Very　well。　What　blandishments　are　you　prepared　to　offer　for　my　cooperation？〃
　〃I　could　be　quite　foolish；〃　he　replied；　〃and　promise　you　gold；　or　a　high　position　here　in　Lycanth。　Of　course　you　cannot　be　permitted　to　return　to　Orissa　until　there　is　an　。。。　adjustment　between　our　two　cities。　But　I　shall　offer　you　neither；　not　being　a　dunce　nor　thinking　you　one　either。　There　can　be　but　one　prize　for　you　。。。　all　others　are　valueless　beside　it。　Actually；　I　need　promise　nothing；　and　my　Lords　the　Archons　would　think　me　less　than　their　full…hearted　servant　if　I　did。　We　wish　to　possess　the　knowledge　you　and　Captain　Greycloak　share　of　the　routes　toward　the　Far　Kingdoms；　from　coastal　tides　to　edible　fruits　to　annoying　insects　to　the　natives　to　any　and　all　sorceries　you　encountered。　We　are　prepared　to　use　all　the　talents　and　skills　of　Lycanth　in　encouraging　you　to　enlighten　us；　and　have　no　qualms　as　to　how　or　when　these　skills　will　be　utilized　to　convince　you。　We　also　are　in　no　particular　hurry；　since　both　my　Lo