sheritepper.necromancer nine-第35部分

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es；　until　I　heard　Huld　ing；　then　rose　once　more；　lying　flat；　skimming　like　an　arrow　behind　the　stacked　bodies　toward　the　chill　wind。　Himaggery　gasped。　I　was　holding　him　under　one　Shifted　arm；　huge　and　hairy　as　a　pombi's　leg。　Well；　he　should　have　been　used　to　Shifter　ways。　In　order　to　get　me　upon　my　mother　he　should　have　known　her　rather　well。
　The　shaking　of　the　cavern　was　constant。　I　heard　Huld　shout　something；　away　behind　me；　then　another　shout　which　sounded　like　fear。　He　had　either　been　under　a　falling　chunk　of　rock　or　had　been　narrowly　missed。　I　didn't　care　which。　The　opening　of　the　cavern　was　before　me。　Mavin　was　already　there。　The　entrance　was　covered　by　a　narrow　grill　which　sizzled　with　the　same　force　Huld's　weapon　had　used。　Mavin　spread　her　hands　wide　in　con…sternation。　She　could　not　Shift　to　go　through　the　narrow　openings　without　frying　herself。　Within　me；　Shattnir　laughed。　The　laughter　of　Shattnir　had　nothing　of　humor　in　it。　It　was　not　an　experience；　then　or　thereafter；　which　I　greatly　enjoyed。　　All　the　heat　of　the　great　melted　slab　went　into　the　bolt　which　broke　the　grill；　melted　it　in　its　turn；　and　spread　its　broken　shards　over　half　the　mountain　side。　Mavin　fled　through　the　opening；　out　and　down；　knowing　I　would　follow。　Around　us　the　earth　clamored；　no　longer　quivering　but　heaving　to　and　fro　in　long；　hideous　waves。　I　flew　through　the　opening　into　nubilous　air；　high　into　gray　cloud　to　see　the　white　wings　of　a　huge　bird　slide　through　the　gloom　beneath　me。　　Then　we　saw　it；　Himaggery　and　I。　Away　to　the　southeast；　where　the　shiptower　might　have　been；　a　ball　of　flame；　swelling；　swelling　into　a　little　sun；　a　cloud　rising　from　it　lit　from　below；　bloody　and　skull…shaped　in　the　murk；　fires　within　it；　lightnings　playing　upon　its　top。　The　wind　took　us　then；　tumbling　us　over　and　over　in　the　high　air　on　the　face　of　a　hot　wind　which　Shattnir　merely　sucked　into　me　and　stored　away。　The　earth　roared；　heaved；　and　fell　in　mighty　undulations。　I　saw　a　mountain　tremble；　throw　back　its　head　and　laugh　into　roaring　fragments　as　we　spun　through　the　air　again；　rolling　on　the　wind。　Wild　fire　licked　and　crackled　and　eventually　died。　　After　a　time　we　came　down；　onto　a　green　hill　which　sat　quietly　beneath　us；　steady　as　a　chair。　Wind　from　the　north　whipped　the　bloody　clouds　to　tatters　and　away。　The　sun　broke　through；　midway　down　the　western　sky。　It　was　not　a　day；　yet；　since　we　had　hidden　in　the　shiptower　to　see　the　Ceremony　of　Calling　Home。　
　Beside　me；　Himaggery　picked　up　a　straw　and　closed　trembling　lips　upon　it。　　〃Well；　lad。　What　do　you　think　we　should　do　now？〃
　I　picked　up　a　straw　of　my　own。　　〃I　don't　know　what　you　want　to　do；　Himaggery；〃　I　said。
　〃But　I'm　going　to　change　myself　into　a　Dragon　and　go　looking　for　my　mother。〃
　
　13。　Bright　Demesne
　We　found　Mavin　on　her　pinnacle；　just　where　I　had　thought　she　would　be；　and　she　was　properly　admiring　of　the　most　splendid　Dragon　she　or　anyone　in　the　world　had　ever　seen。　It　was　exactly　as　Chance　had　said；　a　fool　idea。　The　fire　and　speed　and　wind　in　the　wings　were　all　very　well；　but　there　was　still　Windlow　in　my　pocket　and　the　bodies　of　ten　thousand　great　Gamesmen　（as　well　as　a　few　pawns）　lying　in　the　cavern　under　the　snows。　Oh；　we　had　gone　back；　Himaggery　and　I；　just　to　be　sure。　The　cavern　was　quite　intact　except　for　a　little　fallen　ice　and　melted　stone。　Huld　was　not　there；　dead　nor　alive；　which　meant　he　was　still　at　large　in　the　world；　hunting　me。　I　was　growing　tired　of　that。
　So；　once　I　had　done　my　gomerousing　around　as　a　Dragon；　I　settled　with　Himaggery　and　Mavin　on　the　pinnacle；　to　await　the　arrival　of　my　cousins。　We　sat　about　Mavin's　fire；　me　watching　Himaggery　be　excruciatingly　polite　to　her　while　she　twitted　him　at　every　opportunity。　I　finally　took　her　aside　and　told　her　to　let　him　alone。　If　she　truly　did　not　want　to　be　the　man's　pawnish　mate；　I　told　her；　then　she　should　not　keep　saying　so　so　vehemently；　which　would　just　make　him　believe　the　opposite。　I　don't　know　how　I　figured　that　out；　except　that　Trandilar　probably　had　something　to　do　with　it。　At　any　rate；　it　bought　us　some　peace　and　we　got　along　better。
　Swolwys　and　Dolwys　arrived　in　good　time。　They　had　delivered　Izia；　improved　in　both　health　and　spirits　by　the　time　they　arrived。　More　important；　when　they　had　e　to　Izia's　home；　Yarrel　had　been　there　and　she　had　remembered　him。　The　cousins　did　not　say　much　about　that　meeting。　I　hoped　for　their　sakes　that　Yarrel　had　not　treated　them　as　coldly　as　he　had　treated　me　when　last　we　met。　His　rejection　of　me　still　hurt；　and　I　hoped　that　Izia's　return　might　make　him　feel　more　kindly；　though　I　knew　that　if　he　learned　all　she　had　gone　through　in　the　intervening　years；　he　might　hate　all　Gamesmen　even　more。　　And　this　line　of　thought　brought　me　to　thoughts　of　Windlow。　I　figured　that　matter　out　in　the　privacy　of　the　cave；　unwilling　to　talk　about　it　with　anyone。　I　simply　chipped　at　the　corner　of　the　tiny　Didir　figure　with　my　thumbnail　until　the　white　covering　flaked　away　to　show　the　blue　beneath。　The　Gamesmen　of　Barish　were　blues；　simply　（simply！）　blues；　made　in　the　long　past　for　some　reason　I　could　not　know；　though　I　was　beginning　to　make　some　rather　astonishing　guesses。　The　Gamesmen　themselves　did　not　tell　me；　though　whether　they　could　not　or　would　not；　I　did　not　know。　At　the　moment　I　was　content　to　let　things　be。　Except　for　one　thing。
　At　one　time　or　another；　casually；　over　a　period　of　several　days；　I　handed　one　or　another　of　the　Gamesmen　to　my　cousins；　to　Mavin；　even　to　Himaggery。　They　handled　them　as　I　had　done；　with　bare　hands；　but　they　gave　no　indication　that　they　felt　anything　or　experienced　anything　at　all。　So。　〃Blues〃　could　not　be　Read　by　anyone　who　handled　them。　It　was　a　particular　Talent　which　I　had；　seemingly　I　alone　of　all　the　world。　So　again。　No　one　had　seen　me　take　the　Windlow　blue。　No　one　knew　I　had　it。　I　doubt　that　either　Mavin　or　Himaggery　ever　thought　about　it。　and　I　did　nothing　at　all　to　remind　them。　　We　traveled　to　the　Bright　Demesne　together；　three　horses　and　two　horsemen。　We　younger　ones　were　the　horses；　two　for　riding；　one　for　baggage。　I　thought　of　Chance　when　I　did　it。　He　would　have　approved　mightily　of　how　inconspicuous　I　was。　　I　could　not　help　but　overhear　the　long　conversations　between　my　mother　and　Himaggery　（I　could　not　think　of　him　as　〃Father〃）。　As　the　hours　of　our　travel　wore　on。　they　spoke　more　and　more　often　of　certain　Gamesmen　they　had　known。　I　heard　again　the　name　of　Throsset　of　Dornes。　I　heard　again　the　name　of　Minery　Mindcaster。　Himaggery　spoke　of　the　High　Wizard　Chamferton；　and　Bartelmy　of　the　Ban。　They　were　cataloging　all　those　they　had　seen　in　the　cavern　or　suspected　might　be　there。　　And　they　were　making　plans　to　bring　all　the　blues　of　all　the　world　to　the　Bright　Demesne。　〃There　will　be　a　way；　Himaggery　insisted。　〃A　way　to　do　it　without　the　machines。　Or　to　build　a　new　machine　to　do　it。　So　many；　so　great。　We　cannot　leave　them　there；　stacked　like　stove　wood。〃
　And　then　they　would　talk　more；　list　more　names；　and　end　by　saying　the　same　thing　again。　Peter　in　the　horse's　head　nodded　wisely。　We　were　no　sooner　out　of　one　mess　than　we　would　get　into　another。
　And；　of　course；　they　talked　about　the　Council。　The　mysterious　Council。　The　wonderful　Council。　The　probably　threatening　Council。　They　could　not　decide　whether　it　was　totally　inimical；　perhaps　beneficial；　or；　possibly；　nonexistent。　Peter　inside　the　horse's　head　nodded　again。　Such　questions　could　not　be　left　unanswered；　not　by　one　like　Himaggery。　Peter　inside　the　horse's　head　had　other　thoughts；　about　Quench；　Huld；　books；　about　what　several　hundred　or　thousand　pawns　who　had　been　〃techs〃　might　do　when　loosed　into　a　world　which　did　not　know　they　existed。
　And　we　came　at　last　to　the　Bright　Demesne。　Word　having　been　sent　ahead；　we　were　expected。　There　was　a　certain　amount　of　orderly　rejoicing；　and　Mertyn　seemed　to　have　some　trouble　letting　me　out　of　his　sight　for　several　days。　Chance；　on　the　other　hand；　behaved　as　though　I　had　only　been　gone　on　a　day…long　mushroom　hunt　and　was　no　different　on　my　return　than　on　my　going。　Only　the　quantity　and　quality　of　the　food　which　kept　appearing　before　me　told　me　that　he　had　worried　about　me。　I　helped　him　by　pretending　I　did　not　notice。
　There　was　mourning；　too；　for　Windlow。　I　wept　with　the　rest　and　kept　my　mouth　shut。
　And　then　Izia　arrived…with　Yarrel。
　They　rode　into　the　kitchen　court　about　noon。　I　was　in　the　kitchen　garden　with　Chance；　pulling　carrots。　There　is　no　Talented　way　to　do　this　easier　than　simply　stooping　over　and　yanking　them　out　by　their　tops。　So　I　was　muddy　and　sweating　and　unsuspecting　when　the　clatter　of　hooves　came　from　the　cobbled　yard。　I　looked　up。　wiping　my　eyes　with　my　shirttail；　and　saw　Izia　looking　at　me；　very　pale　and　very　beautiful。　She　reached　one　hand　to　the　person　beside　her；　and　then　I　saw　Yarrel。　He　was　looking　at　me；　too；　but　with　an　expression　in　which　resentment　and　eagerness　seemed　equally　bined。　He　slid　from　the　horse's　back；　helped　Izia　down；　and　they　came　together　toward　me。　All　I　could　think　of　was　that　I　wanted　to　hide；　not　to　have　him　angry　or　hateful　to　me　again。　　Perhaps　he　saw　this　emotion　on　my　face；　for　he　stopped　and　smiled；　almost　shyly。　〃Peter。〃　Was　there　something　of　a　plea　in　that　voice？　I　gritted　my　teeth　and　stepped　forward；　the　shirttail　still　between　my　hands；　wiping　away　the　mud　so　that　I　could　offer　him　a　clean　hand。　He　did　not　wait　for　that；　but　took　both　muddy　fists　in　his　own　and　drew　me　within　the　circle　of　his　arms。
　It　was　only　a　moment；　a　moment　before　he　stepped　back；　his　face　calm　again　as　he　raised　his　hand　to　Chance　and　let　me　guide　them　into　the　kitchens。　We　sat　there　in　the　fireglow　as　we　had　sat　year　on　year；　within　hands'　clasp　of　one　another；　eating　Chance's　baking　and　telling　one　another　of　all　that　had　happened　in　our　worlds。　It　would　be　good　to　write　that　all　was　as　it　once　had　been；　the　old　friendship；　the　old　closeness。　But　that　would　be　a　sentimental　story；　not　true。　It　was　not　as　it　had　been；　it　was　only　better　than　it　was　before　he　came。　　And　Izia　sat　there；　sometimes　smiling　a　little；　a　tiny　smile；　tight　and　tentative；　but　a　smile；　nonetheless。　Once　she　even　laughed；　a　short　little　hoot　of　laughter；　like　a　surprised　owl。　I　knew　then　that　I　had　loved　her　for　herself；　and　because　she　resembled