cspector.worldwithoutend-第28部分

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ss。　Perhaps　in　Maui。　Or　maybe　there　is　another　point　of　entry。　All　I　know　is　that　he　is　here。〃
　
　There　was　a　hush　for　a　moment；　then　everyone　began　to　ask　questions。　Lugh　called　for　them　to　calm　down。
　
　〃How　do　you　know　it's　the　Enemy？〃　Lugh　asked。
　〃He　has　contacted　me；〃　I　said。　〃First；　there　were　dreams。　Then　I　received　a　tele　munication。　Two　nights　ago　he　attacked　us　in　our　hotel　room　here　in　Portland。〃
　〃What　do　you　know　about　this。　Harlequin？〃　asked　Surehand。
　〃Just　what　Aina　has　told　you。　You　know　about　the　events　in　Maui；〃　he　said。　This　surprised　me。　I　didn't　know　he'd　told　them　about　Maui。　〃I　was　there　when　the　call　came　to　Aina's　place　in　Scotland。　And　I　was　there　when　it　attacked　us　in　the　hotel　room。〃
　〃Perhaps　it's　just　one；〃　said　Sean。　〃It　would　be　easy　enough　to　deal　with。〃
　〃I　don't　see　what　the　big　fuss　is　about；〃　said　Ala…chin。　〃We've　defeated　them　before。　We'll　defeat　them　again。〃
　〃Haven't　you　heard　a　word　I've　said？〃　I　asked。　〃It's　too　early　for　them　to　be　ing　through。　We're　not　ready。　The　world　isn't　ready。　You've　spent　so　much　time　playing　at　politics　and　nations　that　you've　neglected　the　important　things。　It's　as　though　we've　left　nuclear　weapons　for　cavemen　to　play　with。　These　people　don't　understand　what's　at　stake。　And　they　certainly　don't　prehend　the　nature　of　the　powers　they're　dealing　with。〃
　〃Now　we　get　down　to　it；〃　crowed　Alachia。　〃All　this　time　going　on　about　how　much　more　pure　and　noble　you　are　than　us。　You　just　don't　want　anyone　using　the　power。　What's　the　matter；　Aina；　scared　someone　will　tread　on　your　magical　toes？〃
　
　I　glanced　over　at　Caimbeui；　but　he　was　busy　trying　to　annoy　Ehran。　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃But　these　magical　spikes　seem　to　be　attracting　the　Enemy。　As　long　as　people　capriciously　use　blood　magic；　the　risk　will　grow。〃
　
　〃You　would　know　about　blood　magic；〃　said　Aithne。
　〃Yes；　and　you　should　be　smart　enough　to　lay　aside　your　hatred　of　me　to　see　the　larger　issue　at　hand。　We　must　stop　this　one　and　prevent　the　rest　from　ing　through。〃
　〃I　think　you're　overestimating　the　danger；〃　inter…jetted　Alachia。　〃Perhaps　your　experience　is　tinting　/　your　perspective。〃
　〃Besides；　we　have　plans；〃　said　Laverty。　〃Now　is　not　a　good　time　to　reveal　such　secrets。〃
　〃Have　I　been　shut　up　with　a　bunch　of　lunatics？〃　I　shouted。　〃You　don't　pick　when　the　Enemy　es。　They　will　e　when　the　circumstances　are　right。　The　best　we　can　do　is　slow　that　event　down。　Which　means　we　must　act　now。〃
　
　I　stopped　then；　realizing　they　weren't　listening　to　me。　They　were　staring　gape…mouthed　at　something　behind　me。　Slowly；　I　turned。
　
　A　vortex　of　smoke　was　whirling　up　out　of　the　floor　in　front　of　the　fireplace。　A　shape　uncoiled　from　inside　the　smoke　and　stepped　forward。　Ysrthgrathe。　Hanging　limply　in　his　arms　was　Glasgian　Oakforest。
　
　〃I　do　so　love　to　make　an　entrance；〃　he　said　as　he　dropped　Glasgian　on　the　floor。　〃But　I　know　better　than　to　overstay　my　wele。　Aina；　it　is　so　good　to　see　you　again。　See；　I've　brought　you　a　little　present。　I　shall　see　you　soon；　my　dear。　'til　we　meet　again。〃
　
　Then　he　disappeared。
　
　Lances　of　arcane　fire　cut　through　the　space　where　he'd　been　a　moment　before。　Aithne　rushed　to　Glasgian's　side。　Surehand　called　for　his　Paladins。　Sean　and　Jenna　hovered　behind　Aithne　asking　if　they　could　help。　Ehran　and　Caimbeui　had　that　odd；　distracted　look　in　their　eyes；　the　faintest　traces　of　energy　crackling　around　them。
　
　I　turned　away　from　the　sight　of　Aithne　holding　Glasgian's　limp　body。　It　was　then　that　I　saw　Alachia's　face。　She　had　a　small；　knowing　smirk　on　her　face。　And　a　notion　so　terrible　filled　my　mind　that　I　immediately　pushed　it　away。　I　couldn't　think　such　a　thing。　Not　even　of　her。
　
　I　spun　away　from　the　sight　of　her。　Now　Glasgian　seemed　to　be　ing　around。　When　he　saw　that　he；　was　in　his　father's　arms；　his　face　crumpled　and　he　I　began　to　cry。　Aithne　cooed　and　cradled　Glasgian　in　his　arms　until　his　sobs　diminished　into　irregular　hiccups。　At　last；　Glasgian　seemed　to　fall　into　another　kind　of　stupor。
　
　Surehand　suggested　that　Aithne　have　Glasgian　carried　up　to　a　room；　but　Aithne　refused　and　hugged　Glasgian　tightly　to　him。
　
　
　〃This　is　all　your　doing；〃　he　hissed　at　me。　〃This　sort　of　thing　follows　wherever　you　go。　I　knew　we　shouldn't　ever　have　anything　to　do　with　you　again。〃
　〃For　heaven's　sake；　Aithne；〃　said　Lofwyr。　〃She　didn't　bring　it　here。〃
　〃Yes；　she　did；〃　he　said。　〃That　creature　has　followed　her　through　space　and　time。　It　will　destroy　anyone　around　her。　This　isn't　the　Enemy。　It's　her　enemy。　It　has　e　for　her　and　I　say　we　let　it　have　her。　She　seeks　to　divert　the　issue。　But　we　must　see　it　for　what　it　is。　This　is　Aina's　battle。　Not　ours。　Let　her　deal　with　it。〃
　〃I　must　agree　with　Aithne；〃　said　Alachia。　〃Obviously；　Aina　wants　us　to　bee　involved　with　this　personal　matter。　We　don't　know　that　she　didn't　conjure　it　up　herself。　After　all；　that　was　a　specialty　of　hers；　as　I　recall。　This　isn't　about　the　world…it's　aborn　her。
　
　She　has　turned　her　back　on　us。　I　say　we　let　her　shift　for　herself。〃
　
　I　had　my　back　to　her；　but　I　knew　she　had　plastered　a　noble；　righteously　dignified　expression　on　her　face。
　
　Now　they　all　would　agree　with　her。
　
　〃This　is　a　terrible　mistake；〃　I　said。　〃If　I　cannot　stop　him；　he　will　bring。them　all　across。　He　has　the　power　to　do　so。〃
　〃Get　her　out　of　here；〃　snarled　Aithne。　〃If　she　says　one　more　word　I　think　I'll。。。〃
　Caimbeui　came　and　wrapped　his　jacket　around　me。　I　hadn't　realized　I'd　been　shivering。　
　〃Let's　go；〃　he　said。　〃But。。。〃
　〃You've　done　all　you　could；〃　he　said。　I　let　him　lead　me　from　the　room。　Our　footsteps。　echoed　down　the　long　hallway　as　we　left。
　
　
　〃What　am　I　going　to　do？〃　I　asked。
　I　was　huddled　in　the　back　of　the　limo。　Caimbeui　gave　the　driver　instructions　to　take　us　straight　to　the　airport。
　〃We'd　best　get　out　of　here　as　quickly　as　possible；〃　he　said。
　〃What　about　our　things　at　the　hotel？〃　I　asked。
　〃Leave　them；〃　he　replied。　〃It's　just　clothes。〃
　〃Where　are　we　going？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　The　next　possible　flight　out。　I　don't　want　Aithne　or　Alachia　thinking　they　might　want　to　have　us　arrested。〃
　〃Arrested？　What　could　they　possibly　arrest　us　for？〃
　〃You　name　it。　All　they　have　to　do　is　convince　Lugh　to　send　out　the　order。　They　could　lock　us　up　and'keep　us　locked　up　for　a　long　time。　Have　you　forgotten　when　Alachia　kept　you　imprisoned　before？　They　would　be　able　to　justify　it。〃
　
　I　shoved　my　hands　into　the　pockets　of　my　jacket。　I'd　failed；　I　thought。　They'd　rejected　me　and　my　warnings。　Now　I　would　have　to　face　Ysrthgrathe　by　myself。　I　didn't　know　if　I　had　the　strength　to　fight　him　again。
　
　The　lime's　headlights　illuminated　row　after　row　of　dormant　rose　bushes。
　Thorns。
　So　many　thorns。
　
　The　first　flight　we　could　book　passage　on　was　a　small　tour　plane。　They　were　doing　a　hop　from　Portland　to　Eugene；　then　on　to　a　small　airstrip　near　Crater　Lake。　After　refueling　there；　the　next　leg　was　to　Eureka。
　
　I　hated　small　planes　even　more　than　large　ones。　So　many　things　to　go　wrong；　none　of　which　I　had　any　control　over。　How　loathsome。
　
　Luckily；　the　leg　from　Portland　to　Eugene　was　quiet。　While　Caimbeui　and　I　stretched　our　legs；　they　took　on　more　passengers。　Lots　of　back…to…nature　types。　A　couple　of　humans　who　said　they　were　going　to　Crater　Lake　to　perform　research。　The　rest　were　elves。　Judging　from　their　totems　and　tattoos；　they　all　appeared　to　be　involved　with　some　kind　of　shamanistic　magic。
　
　This　annoyed　me。　These　shamans。
　
　〃Do　you　see？〃　I　asked　Caimbeui　in　a　low　whisper。　〃They　just　don't　see　the　large　way　of　things。　With　｜　them　it's　all　power　conferred　through　something　else。　They　don't　see　that　the　power　is　in　them。〃
　
　〃You　can't　make　them　other　than　what　they　are；〃　Caimbeui　said。　〃They　were　shaped　by　a　world　where　magic　didn't　exist。　Their　understanding　of　it　will　always　be　limited。　Maybe　the　next　generation。。。〃
　
　I　frowned。　〃If　we　don't　stop　Ysrthgrathe；　there　might　not　be　another　generation。〃
　
　The　plane　circled　over　Crater　Lake　before　landing　on　the　small　airstrip　about　five　miles　away。　The　shamans　and　the　humans　all　filed　off　with　their　backpacks。　I　knew　that　Crater　Lake　had　been　sealed　off　for　some　time　by　the　military。　It　amazed　me　that　anyone　would　try　to　get　close　to　it　without　some　sort　of　clearance。
　
　Then　it　occurred　to　me…how　stupid　I　was…that　they　just　might　have　clearance。　If　what　Dunkelzahn　had　told　me　about　Crater　Lake　was　true；　then　the　Tir　could　very　well　be　pulling　in　magicians　here　and　there　to　help　them。
　
　Caimbeui　and　I　also　got　out　at　this　stop。　There　was　a　two…hour　layover。　We　followed　the　others　into　the　tiny　terminal。　It　was　just　one　large　room　with　a　few　benches。　Through　the　plate　glass　window　I　saw　two　army　jeeps　with　soldiers　waiting　outside。　The　shamans　and　the　humans　went　immediately　to　them；　gave　some　papers　to　the　soldiers；　then　piled　into　the　Jeeps。
　
　〃How　much　do　you　know　about　what's　happening　down　there　at　Crater　Lake？〃　I　asked　Caimbeui。
　
　〃Enough　to　know　it　would　only　upset　you；〃　he　replied。　〃Are　you　hungry？〃
　
　I　nodded。　〃Starved；〃　I　said。　〃But　it　looks　like　there　are　only　those　vending　machines　over　there。　
　Stale；　dried　mise　soup；　dehydrated　beans　and　rice；　maybe　an　old　candy　bar。〃
　
　〃Have　no　fear；　madam；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　two　hours；　and　I　happen　to　know　of　a　place　nearby　that　has　fabulous　food　and　a　hell　of　a　view。〃
　
　He　led　me　outside　and　hailed　what　had　to　be　the　only　taxi　for　five　counties。　The　driver　actually　agreed　to　let　us　hire　him　for　the　next　two　hours。　Caimbeui　gave　him　the　name　of　the　restaurant；　and　we　were　off。
　
　He　hadn't　lied　about　the　view。　We　were　at　the　top　of　one　of　the　higher　peaks　in　the　area。　From　this　vantage　we　could　see　the　surrounding　countryside。　Off　in　the　distance　was　a　blue　glow　that　made　me　very　nervous。
　
　〃Is　that　what　I　think　it　is？〃　I　asked　Caimbeui。
　〃Shhh；　no　questions　now；〃　he　said。　〃Just　have　something　to　eat　and　think　about　getting　out　of　here　after　dinner。　We'll　talk　later。〃
　
　It　annoyed　me；　but　perhaps　he　was　right。　No　matter　what　was　happening；　I　couldn't　stop　it。　Not　now；　at　any　rate。
　
　Slowly；　I　began　to　relax。　There　were　mostly　military　types　in　the　restaurant。　Some　civilians；　but　they　l