sheritepper.necromancer nine-第12部分

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und　the　little　image　of　Shattnir；　First　Sorcerer；　great　lady　of　Power。　She　did　not　speak　to　me　as　the　others　had　done。　Instead；　she　flowed　into　my　veins　and　across　my　skin；　bound　me　around　with　her　net；　tied　me　into　her　being；　and　began　to　take　the　heat　from　the　sun　and　place　it　somewhere　within。　I　could　feel　it　building　within　me；　a　tightness；　as　though　my　skin　were　stretched　and　swollen。　I　knew　my　eyes　were　bulging　and　my　lips　turning　outward；　puffed；　but　my　reflection　in　the　polished　harness　plate　between　the　horse's　ears　showed　no　change　in　my　appearance。　'Not　too　much；〃　I　begged　silently。　〃Enough；　Shattnir；　but　not　too　much。〃　She　did　not　listen　but　went　on　taking　the　power　from　the　bright　sky；　more　and　more　and　more；　until　at　last　I　gave　up　waiting　to　explode　and　let　her　find　room　for　it　all。　When　I　quit　holding　my　breath；　the　swollen　feeling　abated　slightly；　and　evidently　there　was　room　for　it　all　for　we　rode　so　until　the　mountains　rose　across　the　sun　to　make　a　long；　violet…gray　shade　for　our　stopping　place。
　The　fires　were　lit；　the　silent　pawns　began　their　evening　chores　and　routines。　Izia　moved　among　the　horses；　examining　their　hooves；　stroking　their　glossy　hides；　murmuring　to　them。　I　excused　myself　to　go　away　from　the　camp；　unsurprised　when　one　of　the　booted　men　followed　me。　I　did　not　go　into　the　copse；　however；　but　up　the　rocky　slope　against　the　cliff；　stumbling　a　little　on　the　scree；　seeing　loose　bits　of　it　slide　and　rattle　beneath　my　feet　with　hopeful　satisfaction。　There　was　a　hollow　there；　a　place　where　a　piece　of　the　cliff　had　broken　away　from　the　main　mass　leaving　a　narrow　space　behind　it；　no　larger　than　a　closet。　I　eased　myself　within；　watching　my　follower　peering　after　me。　Well　enough。
　I　reached　into　the　pouch　and　took　the　image　of　Wafnor　into　my　hand；　first　and　greatest　Tragamor。　I　became　a　room　into　which　a　man　with　a　cheerful　face　entered；　laughing；　grasping　the　hands　of　those　there　with　a　fond　greeting。　Almost　I　could　hear　him；　〃Dorn；　Trandilar；　Shattnir；　how　well　you　all　look。　Oh；　it　is　good　to　see　my　friends　again。〃　And　then　he　was　at　my　side　saying；　〃And　what　have　we　to　do？〃
　Perhaps　I　told　him；　perhaps　he　simply　knew。　I　cannot　really　describe　what　it　is　like。　Sometimes　it　is　like　telling　another　person　something；　sometimes　it　is　like　talking　to　oneself；　sometimes　simply　like　knowing。　Within　me　I　felt　his　arms　reach　up；　up　along　the　cliff　face；　higher　and　higher　to　the　rimrock　fifty　manheights　or　more　above；　to　grasp　the　stones　there　and　move　them；　one；　two；　a　dozen；　slowly　down　and　down　until　they　began　to　roll　and　fall；　to　tumble　clacking　against　others；　knocking；；　more　and　more；　down；　an　avalanche　of　stone；　toward　my　hidden　closet　behind　the　stone；　a　rumbling　roar　as　I　shrieked　to　the　man　who　watched　me；　〃Look　out！　Rock　fall！〃　One　glimpse　of　his　face；　a　white　oval　around　the　round　hole　of　a　dark　scream。
　Then　I　could　feel　nothing　and　hear　nothing　except　the　grating　roar　of　the　stones。　Still　Wafnor　reached　out　to　them；　stacking　this　one　and　that　one　as　they　fell；　arranging　them　over　me；　over　and　around　like　a　cave　while　outside　the　shuddering　cave　the　stones　still　fell　for　long　moments　into　a　shattered　silence。
　There　were　cracks　among　the　stones　around　me；　little　crevices　to　let　in　the　air　and　the　sound。　Through　these　I　could　hear　the　whinnying　of　beasts；　snorts；　cries　of　men；　Izia's　scream　as　she　tugged　animals　away　from　the　tumbling　stones。　Wafnor　reached　out　once　more；　across　the　camp　to　the　place　my　horse　was　tethered　with　my　pack　and　saddle　still　upon　him；　urged　him　away　into　the　trees；　out　of　sight　of　the　camp。　calmed　the　horse　there　to　wait　for　me。　Then　Wafnor　did　nothing；　I　did　nothing；　and　we　merely　waited　and　listened　to　the　sounds。
　〃Where　is　he？〃　Laggy　Nap；　raging。
　A　voice　in　answer；　shaky；　almost　hysterical。　〃I　don't　know。　He　was　against　the　rock；　up　in　there；　and　it　came　down　on　top　of　him。　He　screamed　at　me　to　look　out。　You　heard　him　scream。　It　came　down　right　on　top　of　him　。。。　buried　。。。　covered　over。
　〃Devils　take　it；〃　Nap　screamed。　〃What　started　the　fail？〃
　〃Just　started。　Nothing。　Didn't　see　anything。　No　people；　nothing　moving。　No　thunder；　nothing　like　that。　Just　started　。。。
　〃Shadow　men？　Did　you　see　shadow　men？〃
　〃Nothing；　sir。　Nothing　at　all。　He　screamed；　and　the　rocks　were　ing　down。〃
　Nap　once　more；　this　time　strident；　calling　in　his　servitors。　〃Get　up　here；　you　lot。　We'll　have　to　dig　him　out！〃　He　sounded　frantic。　Dig　me　out？　And　why？　This　was　unexpected；　but　Wafnor　did　not　seem　disturbed。　He　reached　high　once　again；　sent　a　few　small　stones　cascading　at　Nap's　feet；　followed　by　a　medium…sized　boulder　or　two。　High　above　I　could　feel　Wafnor's　hands　upon　the　megalith；　swaying　it。
　〃Get　back；　get　back。　The　whole　wall　looks　to　e　down。　Oh；　why　did　he　e　up　here　against　the　wall。　Izia！　Did　he　say　anything　to　you？〃
　Her　voice。　〃You　know　he　did　not；　sir。　He　has　said　nothing　to　me　out　of　your　hearing。　And　now　he　is　dead。
　〃I　was　told　to　bring　him；〃　Nap　snarled。　〃Bring　him　to　the　west；　to　Tallman　and　the　mumble…mouths。　How　can　I　go　empty…handed？〃
　〃Why　would　they　do　anything　to　you？　It　is　not　your　fault　the　cliff　fell。　It　is　ill　luck；　but　not　your　doing。〃
　〃I　have　had　ill　luck　since　the　Shifter　sold　you　to　me；　fool。　Ill　luck　all　the　years　of　our　travel。　I　would　you　were　dead　beneath　that　rock　instead　of　the　one　I　was　told　to　bring。〃　I　heard　the　sound　of　a　blow；　a　scream；　then　long　silence。
　A　man's　voice　at　last。　〃Surely　even　they　understand　things　that　happen　which　are　not　foreseen。〃
　〃Which　are　nor　foreseen！　Yes！　But　which　should　have　been　foreseen。　I　will　demand　they　give　a　Seer　to　serve　me。　Perhaps　more　than　one。　When　we　arrive；　I　will　demand　。。。〃
　〃Do　we　continue　on　this　road；　sir？〃
　〃No。　This　road　goes　nowhere。　We　came　this　way　only　to　follow　that　troublesome　Necromancer；　that　death's…head；　that　son　of　a　loathsome　toad。　Oh；　I　came　this　way　only　to　trap　him；　and　now　he　is　trapped　too　deep　for　me　to　reach！　We　go　back　to　River　Haws；　and　north　almost　to　Hell's　Maw；　then　west　by　Cagihiggy　water。　We　can　take　no　time　for　food。　We　go　now！〃
　I　heard　a　voice　saying　something　weary　and　hopeless　about　Hell's　Maw；　and　the　sound　of　another　blow。　Then　were　the　rattle　of　harness；　the　creaking　of　wheels；　the　voices　of　men　and　one　woman　dying　away　to　the　east；　gone。　Then　long　gone。　I　waited；　not　moving。　Nap　was　tricky。　He　might　think　to　leave　someone　to　watch。　Night　came。　I　slept。　Morning　came；　and　Wafnor　moved　the　stones　aside。　I　was　born　into　the　world　like　a　revenant　to　a　Necromancer's　call；　squinting　in　the　sun。　When　I　whistled；　my　horse　came　from　the　trees　where　Wafnor　had　held　him　throughout　the　night。　We　needed　water；　he　and　I；　and　only　when　that　was　taken　care　of　did　we　ride　on　to　the　west。　I　should　have　been　cheered；　but　was　not。　My　escape；　my　safety　were　shadowed　by　Izia's　continuing　captivity；　and　she　was　in　my　mind　during　the　morning　hours；　so　much　so　that　at　last　I　decided　it　would　do　her　no　good；　nor　me；　this　brooding。　So；　I　set　my　mind　firmly　upon　Mavin's　words；　〃Befriend　the　shadows。〃　e　evening；　I　would　try　to　do　her　bidding。
　The　way　led　upward。　From　a　lonely　height　I　could　look　back　along　the　trail　to　see　a　small　trail　of　dust　on　the　eastern　horizon。
　Was　that　Laggy　Nap？　Izia？　Was　there　something　I　should　have　done　which　I　had　not？　Within　me　was　a　kind　of　consultation。　and　voices　came　to　tell　me　there　was　nothing　I　could　have　done；　not　then；　that　there　were　more　urgent　things　for　me　to　do。　Still；　I　felt　the　queasiness　of　one　who　leaves　a　needful　task　undone。　Though　I　tried　not　to　think　of　her；　she　was　much　in　my　mind。
　And　still　in　my　mind　in　the　evening。　I　watched　from　beside　my　fire；　waiting　for　evidence　of　shadow　men。　I　saw　nothing；　heard　nothing　except　an　occasional　interruption　of　insect　sounds　as　though　something　might　have　walked　among　them。　Morning　came；　gray　and　dripping；　and　I　rode　on　west　to　another　evening　and　another　fire。　I　reached　out　to　Trandilar；　begged　her　for　a　blandishment；　a　beguilement　to　charm　birds；　small　beasts；　whatever　might　be　within　sight　or　smell　of　me。　She　let　it　flow　through　me　and　breathe　into　the　air；　a　perfume；　a　subtle　fragrance　of　desire。　Watching　quiet　greeted　it；　a　silent　attention。　I　could　not　say　how　I　knew　they　were　there；　but　I　knew　it。　I　slept　at　last；　weary　with　waiting　for　them　to　e　to　me。
　
　In　the　morning　I　journeyed　beside　a　stream　which　became　a　small　river。　I　had　e　high　onto　a　tilted　upland　that　slanted　down　toward　the　west；　and　the　river　I　followed　was　fed　from　all　sides　by　swiftly　flowing　rivulets　making　conversational　noises　over　the　polished　stones　of　their　beds。　By　day's　end　I　began　to　smell　something　strange；　a　vast　wetness；　like　that　of　the　Gathered　Waters；　but　different　in　some　way　I　could　not　describe。　Suddenly；　the　air　before　me　was　full　of　rainbows；　the　river　plunged　away　through　a　notch　in　the　land；　and　I　could　see　the　waters　below；　a　mighty　sea　stretching　beyond　sight　into　the　west。　The　evening　wind　was　in　my　face；　thrusting　the　waters　onto　the　beach　below　in　long　bers　of　white。　A　twisting　path　wound　down　the　face　of　the　cliffs；　and　at　the　bottom　the　beaches　reached　away　north　and　south　in　a　smooth　curve　into　which　the　elevated　land　behind　me　dropped　and　vanished。　Some　little　distance　to　the　north　was　an　inlet　bordered　with　trees；　a　grassy　bank；　a　pool　of　still　water　over　which　white　flowers　nodded　their　heads　and　devil's　needles　dipped　glassy　wings。　The　horse　stumbled　with　tiredness；　I　licked　lips　wet　with　salt　and　almost　fell　when　I　dismounted。　There　was　no　sound　but　water　talk；　yet　I　knew　something　was　watching　me；　had　been　watching　me　for　days。　I　was　too　weary　to　eat　so　only　pulled　the　saddle　from　the　horse　and　rolled　myself　into　a　blanket　to　sleep　dreamlessly。
　It　was　dark　when　I　woke；　dark　lit　by　a　half　moon。　Some　sound　had　wakened　me；　some　cry。　I　stared　across　the　moonlit　waters　to　see　a　boat；　a　long；　low　boat　like　those　carried　on　larger　ships。　It　seemed　empty；　but　I　had　heard　a　cry。　The　boat　showed　only　as　an　outline　against　a　kind　of　glow；　a　subtle　luminescence；　nebulous　and　equivocal。　It　drifted　toward　me；　grated　on　the　pebbles　of　the　beach　and　rocked　there；　each　wave　threatening　to　carry　it　out　once　more。　In　my　sleep…befuddled　mind　it　seemed　fortuitous；　a　boat　to　carry　m