cspector.worldwithoutend-第13部分

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　Alachia's　fine　Italian　hand　at　work；　no　doubt。
　
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃There　was　a　time　when　I　had　to　make　that　painful　choice。　But　there　were　reasons　for　my　choice　and　I　was　not　the　only　one　who　made　that　decision。　I；　too；　am　proud　of　my　people。　But　we　are　not　perfect；　nor　are　we　always　right。　I　am　not　blindly　devoted　to　every　act。　And　those　matters　have　no　bearing　on　the　dangers　before　us　now。〃
　
　Lady　Brane　took　a　sip　from　her　glass；　then　swirled　the　contents　around　as　she　stared　into　them。
　
　〃Yes；〃　she　said　at　last。　〃These　dangers。　How　is　it　you　know　of　them　and　the　rest　of　us　do　not？　Are　you　so　special？　So　powerful？〃
　
　Yes；　I　wanted　to　say。　Yes；　/　am　special。　I　haven't　forgotten　why　I　am　here。　I　haven't　forgotten　the　past。　If　that　makes　me　special；　then　so　be　it。　As　for　power；　how　could　I　have　survived　for　almost　eight　thousand　years　without　it？　But　of　course　I　said　none　of　this。　She　would　discover　in　her　own　time　what　a　curse　immortality　was。
　
　〃Perhaps　it　would　be　easier　if　we　were　to　discuss　this　in　a　less　public　place；〃　I　said。　〃There　are　some　things　that　should　only　be　spoken　of　in　private。〃
　〃You're　right；〃　she　said。　〃I　was　hoping　only　to　e　to　a　quick　resolution　of　this　matter。〃
　〃That　is　my　most　fervent　wish；〃　I　said。
　〃Very　well；〃　she　said。　〃e　with　me。　You；　Harlequin；　Alachia；　and　I　will　discuss　this　matter。〃
　
　I　rose；　and　without　even　a　backward　glance　at　Caimbeui；　I　followed　her　from　the　hall。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　I'd　had　to　call　upon　the　good　graces　of　my　fellow　elves。　I　suspected　the　reception　to　what　I　was　about　to　say　would　be　chilly　indeed。
　
　She　opens　her　eyes。　Darkness　suffocates　her；　pushing　against　her　like　an　old　lover。　Putting　her　hands　up；　she　feels　the　smoothness　of　satin。　She　pushes；　but　there　is　resistance。　A　hardness　under　the　soft　fabric。
　
　A　spell。　There　is　light。
　
　This　is　no　kaer。　This　is　a　coffin。
　
　And　she's　been　buried　alive　in　it。
　
　Lady　Brane　motioned　for　me　to　sit。　The　room　was　an　odd　mixture　of　magic；　antiques；　and　hardware。　Though　I　dislike　the　technology　that　Caimbeui　so　adores；　even　I　was　impressed　with　the　array　of　hyper…edged　toys。　Any　shadowrunner　would　have　been　drooling　at　the　chance　to　get　his　hands　on　Lady　Deigh's　high…tech　toys。
　
　I　didn't　sit。　Instead　I　wandered　about　the　room；　looking　at　the　collection　of　elver　artifacts。　Encased　in　a　glass　box　was　a　long　silver　sword　whose　hasp　was　plated　in　gold　and　set　with　cabochon　emeralds　and　rubies。　So；　this　was　where　the　Sword　of　Nuadha　had　finally　e　to　rest。　I　thought　it　had　been　lost　long　ago。
　
　Next　to　it　was　a　plain　cup　roughly　carved　from　hom。　It　should　have　seemed　prosaic；　sitting　there　next　to　the　glory　of　the　sword；　but　it　was　the　other　way　round。　The　Sword　of　Nuadha　seemed　coarse　and　obvious。
　
　I'd　just　stepped　over　to　a　lovely　painting　of　Caimbeui　in　some　costume　I　didn't　recognize　when　he　and　Alachia　came　into　the　room。　Lady　Brane　smiled　at　her　and　she　smiled　back。　My　heart　sank　when　I　saw　this。　Already　I　was　at　a　disadvantage。　I　could　only　hope　that　Caimbeui　would　provide　a　strong　argument　for　my　position。
　
　〃Now　that　we're　all　here；〃　began　Lady　Brane。　〃Shouldn't　we　start？〃
　〃You　are　the　only　Elders？〃　I　asked；　more　than　a　little　shocked。
　〃No；　of　course　not；〃　said　Lady　Brane。　〃But　the　others　have　agreed　to　let　me　handle　this　situation　as　I　see　fit。　They　have　deferred　to　Lady　Alachia　and　me。〃
　I　glanced　over　at　Caimbeui；　who　kept　his　face　blank。　And　I　wondered　if　he　knew　this　would　be　the　situation　going　in。
　〃Very　well；〃　I　said。　〃It's　really　quite　simple。　The　Horrors　have　returned。〃
　Alachia　let　out　a　silvery　laugh　that　I　just　knew　would　enchant　any　man　who　heard　it　and　which　set　my　teeth　on　edge。
　〃You　are　still　so　melodramatic；　Aina；〃　she　said。　〃Good　heavens。　It　is　far　too　early　for　them　to　have　returned。〃
　When　I　answered　and　my　voice　was　calm；　it　surprised　me。　For　as　long　as　I　could　remember；　Alachia　had　the　power　to　anger　me　with　her　flip　ments。
　
　〃I　realize　that　you　are　far　older　than　I；〃　I　said。　〃But　my　experience　with　what　you　so　blithely　refer　to　as　the　Enemy　is　hardly　inconsiderable。　Even　you　would　have　to　admit　that。〃
　
　She　gave　a　small　nod　of　her　head；　the　best　acknowledgment　I　could　hope　for。
　
　〃Caimbeui　came　to　me　the　other　day　and　told　me　of　his　recent　experience　with　them。〃
　
　Alachia　and　Lady　Brane　looked　at　him　expectantly；　and　he　preened　a　bit　under　the　attention。　What　an　ego。　But　he　did　manage　to　tell　them　about　Thayla　and　the　bridge　from　the　astral　planes　and　how　he　had　stopped　them。
　
　〃Well；〃　said　Alachia。　〃There　you　have　it。　Thayla's　there　protected　by　one　of　those　hirelings；　and　we're　all　quite　safe。〃
　
　〃Are　you　pletely　mad？〃　I　asked；　losing　my　temper　at　last。　〃Hasn't　anything　he's　said　sunk　in？　Oh；　I　expected　him　to　be　full　of　beer　and　sausages。　He's　always　had　this　messiah　plex；　but　you　know　better。　If　they　don't　get　through　that　way；　they'll　find　another。　They're　ing　back　now　because　they　can。　Look　at　what　happened　in　Maui。〃
　
　And　then　it　dawned　on　me。　I　almost　hit　myself　for　being　such　a　fool。　Of　course；　she　knew　the　dangers。　But　she　didn't　care。　I　thought　back　over　our　history　together　and　realized　that　Alachia　had　been　at　her　most　powerful　during　the　times　when　we　faced　the　Enemy。　Her　dark　knowledge　had　been　as　much　a　bane　as　help。　But　it　hadn't　mattered　because　we　would　do　anything　to　survive。　And　I　knew　what　she　wanted　was　for　that　time　to　e　again。　She　was　tired　of　waiting。
　
　But　perhaps　I　could　reach　Lady　Brane。
　
　〃Lady　Brane；〃　I　began；　〃I　know　you　have　heard　terrible　stories　about　me。　Some　are　even　true。　But　that　isn't　what　is　important　here。　What　is　important　is　that　I'm　telling　the　truth。　I　know　better　than　most　the　evil　these　creatures　will　unleash　should　they　e　through　before　we　are　prepared。　They　will　lay　waste　the　world　and　everything　in　it。　And　this　time　we　aren't　prepared　to　stop　them。　We　haven't　the　power。〃
　
　〃You　seem　powerful　enough；〃　said　Lady　Brane。　〃You　call　down　the　Hunt；　or　part　of　it；　at　least。　You　live　beyond　the　rule　of　either　Tir。　You　consort　with　the　Great　Worms　as　though　you　were　one　of　them　instead　of　one　of　us。〃
　
　〃Now；　now；〃　said　Alachia。　〃Let's　be　fair。　Aina　has　always　been　very　forthright　about　what　she　believes　in。　She　has　never　challenged　the　authority　of　the　Tirs。　Nor　has　she　sought　temporal　power　for　herself。　I　prefer　to　think　that　she　has　been　terribly　misled　and　will　someday　see　her　error　and　e　back　to　us。〃
　
　I　looked　at　Caimbeui；　trying　hard　riot　to　lose　what　little　I'd　had　to　eat　in　the　last　few　days。　The　expression　on　his　face　was　shocked；　then　suspicious。　Yet；　still　he　didn't　speak　up。　What　was　wrong　with　him？
　
　〃Alachia　is　right；　of　course；〃　said　Lady　Brane。　〃What　other　proof　do　you　have　that　the　Enemy　is　near？〃
　〃Dreams；〃　I　said；　hoping　she　would　understand　the　importance　of　this。　〃And　the　certain　knowledge　that　one　of　the　most　powerful　of　them　is　already　among　us。〃
　
　〃And　where　is　this　dread　creature？〃　asked　Alachia。
　〃I　know　not；〃　I　said。　〃Only　that　he　is　here　now。　He　has　contacted　me。〃
　〃And　why　would　it　bother　to　e　for　you？〃
　〃Because；〃　I　said。　〃It　knows　me。　I　am　the　one　it　wants。〃
　〃And　you　are　so　special？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃You　should　remember。　It　was　the　monster　who　marked　me　so　many　millennia　ago。〃
　
　I　thought　I　saw　Alachia　go　a　little　paler。　Lady　Brane　seemed　a　bit　confused；　and　I　suspected　there　was　much　that　Alachia　had　left　out　of　her　history　lessons。
　
　〃How　do　you　know　for　certain　that　it　is　this　one？〃　Alachia　asked。　〃This　could　be　the　work　of　another　Elder。　You　have　your　enemies；　my　dear。〃
　
　My　eyes　narrowed。　〃I　know　of　no　enemy　of　mine　who　would　use　such　matters　for　the　Game。　That　would　be　a　gross　breach　of　etiquette。　No；　it　is　he。〃
　
　〃But　what　would　you　have　us　do　about　it？〃　Alachia　asked。　〃It　seems　that　this　is　really　your　problem。〃
　
　〃Now；　perhaps；〃　I　said。　〃But　it　means　they　can　get　through。　We　are　not　safe　any　more。　We　must　prepare　for　them；　and　also　curtail　our　use　of　magic。〃
　
　Lady　Brane　came　out　of　her　chair。　〃Stop　using　magic？　Now　I　think　you　are　the　one　who　is　mad；〃　she　said。　〃I　hardly　think　one　of　these　creatures　is　a　serious　enough　threat　to　us。　You　are　terribly　powerful。　Why　don't　you　just　kill　it？〃
　
　〃I've　tried；〃　I　said　bleakly。　〃I　thought　I　had　rid　the　world　of　him　long　ago。　But　I　was　mistaken。　That　is　why　it　is　vital　for　us　to　put　a　stop　to　them　now…　before　they　get　a　better　foothold　in　the　world。〃
　〃How　are　you　going　to　stop　everyone　from　using　magic？〃　asked　Lady　Brane。
　〃It　isn't　small　magics　that　are　the　danger。　It's　the　great　acts　that　draw　them。　The　Great　Ghost　Dance。　The　Veil；　I'm　certain；　is　creating　a　pull。　While　it　will　protect　you　from　them；　it　will　also　bring　them　like　carrion　to　a　carcass。〃
　
　〃Not　a　very　appetizing　thought；〃　muttered　Alachia。
　〃You　know　what　a　danger　they　are；〃　I　said。　〃Why　haven't　you　told　her？〃
　〃I　have　told　her。　But　I've　also　told　her　we　dealt　successfully　with　them　before。〃
　Caimbeui　and　I　both　laughed…harsh　and　sarcastic。
　〃Did　Alachia　tell　you　what　was　done　to　survive？〃　I　asked　Lady　Brane。
　〃Not　yet；〃　Alachia　said　coldly。　〃What　difference　does　it　make　now？　We　survived。〃
　〃Do　you　thi'nk　Aithne　would　agree　with　you？〃　I　asked。
　〃Perhaps。　Perhaps　not。　But　he　would　no　doubt　agree　with　me　long　before　he　would　agree　with　you。〃
　
　I　turned　away　and　walked　to　a　small　tray　set　up　in　one　er　of　the　room。　Bottles　filled　with　amber；　gold；　and　red　liquid　glowed　softly。　I　picked　one　at　random　and　splashed　a　healthy　amount　into　one　of　the　cut　crystal　glasses。　It　burned　going　down。　Irish　whiskey。
　
　〃I　have　a　proposal；〃　said　Lady　Brane。　〃Though　I　am　inclined　with　Alachia　to　think　you　are　overestimating　the　threat　of　this　creature；　I　do　not　wish　to　pletely　disregard　your　warning。　You　are；　after　all；　one　of　the　Elders。　And　you　have　not　meddled　in　our　affairs　unnecessarily。
　
　〃So　I　suggest　that　you　go　to　Tir　Tairngire。　Though　we　are　at　cross…purposes　with　them　in　many　things；　this　matter　could　certainly　constitute　a　danger　that　concerns　the　entire　elver　nation。　If　you　can　convince　the　Elders　there　that　the　threat　is　real；　then　I　shall　lend　you　any　support　you　might　need