srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第87部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Without　warning；　Amok　appeared。　The　youth's　arrival　startled　Covenant；　but　he　took　it　as　a　sign　that　he　was　on　the　right　track。　With　a　heavy　sigh；　he　said；　〃Why　in　the　name　of　your　Vow　or　at　least　simple　friendship　didn't　you　tell　the　High　Lord　about　Amok　when　he　first　showed　up？〃
　Bannor's　gaze　did　not　waver。　In　his　familiar；　awkward；　atonal　inflection；　he　replied；　〃Ur…Lord；　we　have　seen　the　Desecration。　We　have　seen　the　fruit　of　perilous　lore。　Lore　is　not　knowledge。　Lore　is　a　weapon；　a　sword　or　spear。　The　Bloodguard　have　no　use　for　weapons。　Any　knife　may　turn　and　wound　the　hand　which　wields　it。　Yet　the　Lords　desire　lore。　They　do　work　of　value　with　it。　Therefore　we　do　not　resist　it；　though　we　do　not　touch　it　or　serve　it　or　save　it。
　〃High　Lord　Kevin　made　his　Wards　to　preserve　his　lore…and　to　lessen　the　peril　that　his　weapons　might　fall　into　unready　hands。　This　we　approve。　We　are　the　Bloodguard。　We　do　not　speak　of　lore。　We　speak　only　of　what　we　know。〃
　Covenant　could　not　go　on。　He　felt　that　he　had　already　multiplied　his　offenses　against　Bannor　too　much。　And　he　was　moved　by　what　Bannor　said；　despite　the　Bloodguard's　flat　tone。
　But　Elena　had　learned　enough　to　pursue　his　reasoning。　Her　voice　was　both　quiet　and　authoritative　as　she　said；　〃First　Mark…Bannor…the　Bloodguard　must　make　a　decision　now。　Hear　me。　I　am　Elena；　High　Lord　by　the　choice　of　the　Council。　This　is　a　question　of　loyalty。　Will　you　serve　dead　Kevin's　wisdom；　or　will　you　serve　me？　In　the　past；　you　have　served　two　causes；　the　dead　and　the　living。　You　have　served　both　well。　But　here　you　must　choose。　In　the　Land's　need；　there
　is　no　longer　any　middle　way。　There　will　be　blood　and　blame　upon　us　all　if　we　allow　Corruption　to　prevail。〃
　Slowly；　Bannor　turned　toward　the　First　Mark。　They　regarded　each　other　in　silence　for　a　long　moment。　Then　Morin　faced　the　High　Lord　with　a　magisterial　look　in　his　eyes。　〃High　Lord；〃　he　said；　〃we　do　not　know　the　name　of　the　Seventh　Ward's　power。　We　have　heard　many　names…some　false；　others　dead。　But　one　name　we　have　heard　only　uttered　in　whispers　by　High　Lord　Kevin　and　his　Council。
　〃'That　name　is　the　Power　of　mand。〃
　When　Amok　heard　the　name；　he　nodded　until　his　hair　seemed　to　dance　with　glee。
　
　TWENTY…FOUR：　Descent　to　Earthroot
　
　COVENANT　found　that　he　was　sweating。　Despite　the　chill　breeze；　his　forehead　was　damp。　Moisture　itched　in　his　beard；　and　cold　perspiration　ran　down　his　spine。　Morin's　submission　left　him　feeling　curiously　depleted。　For　a　moment；　he　looked　up　at　the　sun　as　if　to　ask　it　why　it　did　not　warm　him。
　Melenkurion's　spires　reached　into　the　morning　like　fingers　straining　to　bracket　the　sun。　Their　glaciered　tips　caught　the　light　brilliantly；　the　reflected　dazzle　made　Covenant's　eyes　water。　The　massive　stone　of　the　peaks　intimidated　him。　Blinking　rapidly；　he　forced　his　gaze　back　to　High　Lord　Elena。
　Through　his　sun　blindness；　he　seemed　to　see　only　her　brown；　blond…raddled　hair。　The　lighter　tresses　gleamed　as　if　they　were　burnished。　But　as　he　blinked；　his　vision　cleared。　He　made　out　her　face。　She　was　vivid　with　smiles。　A　new　thrill　of　life　lit　her　countenance　with　recovered　hope。　She　did　not　speak；　but　her　lips　formed　the　one　word；　Beloved。
　Covenant　felt　that　he　had　betrayed　her。
　Morin　and　Bannor　stood　almost　shoulder　to　shoulder　behind　her。　Nothing　in　the　alert　poise　of　their　balance；　or　in　the　relaxed　readiness　of　their　arms；　expressed　any　surprise　or　regret　at　the　decision　they　had　made。　Yet　Covenant　knew　they　had　fundamentally　alerted　the　character　of　their　service　to　the　Lords。　He　had　exacted　that　from　them。　He　wished　he　could　apologize　in　some　way　which　would　have　meaning　to　the　Bloodguard。
　But　there　was　nothing　he　could　say　to　them。　They　were　too　absolute　to　accept　any　gesture　of　contrition。　Their　solitary　munion　with　their　Vow　left　him　no　way　in　which　to　approach　them。　No　apology　was　sufficient。
　〃The　Power　of　mand；〃　he　breathed　weakly。　〃Have　mercy　on　me。〃　Unable　to　bear　the　sight　of　Elena's　relieved；　triumphant；　grateful　smile；　or　of　Amok's　grin；　he　turned　away　and　walked　wearily　out　across　the　plateau　toward　Rivenrock's　edge　as　if　his　feet　were　trying　to　learn　again　the　solidity　of　the　stone。
　He　moved　parallel　to　the　cleft；　but　stayed　a　safe　distance　from　it。　As　soon　as　he　could　see　a　substantial　swath　of　Garroting　Deep　beyond　the　cliff　edge；　he　stopped。　There　he　remained；　hoping　both　that　Elena　would　e　to　him　and　that　she　would　not。
　The　prevailing　breeze　from　the　Forest　blew　into　his　face；　and　for　the　first　time　in　many　days　he　was　able　to　distinguish　the　tang　of　the　season。　He　found　that　the　autumn　of　the　Land　had　turned　its　corner；　traveled　its　annual　round　from　joy　to　sorrow。　The　air　no　longer　gleamed　with　abundance　and　fruition；　with　ripeness　either　glad　or　grim。　Now　the　breeze　tasted　like　the　leading　edge　of　winter…a　sere　augury；　promising　long　nights　and　barrenness　and　cold。
　As　he　smelled　the　air；　he　realized　that　Garroting　Deep　had　no　fall　color　change。　He　could　make　out　stark　black　stands　where　the　trees　had　already　lost　their　leaves；　but　no　blazonry　palliated　the　Deep's　darkness。　It　went　without　transition　or　adornment　from　summer　to　winter。　He　sensed　the　reason　with　his　eyes
　and　nose；　the　old　Forest's　angry　clench　of　consciousness　consumed　all　its　strength　and　will；　left　it　with　neither　the　ability　nor　the　desire　to　spend　itself　in　mere　displays　of　splendor。
　Then　he　heard　footsteps　behind　him；　and　recognized　Elena's　tread。　To　forestall　whatever　she　wanted　to　tell　him　or　ask　him；　he　said；　〃You　know；　where　I　e　from；　the　people　who　did　this　to　a　forest　would　be　called　pioneers…a　very　special　breed　of　heroes；　since　instead　of　killing　other　human　beings　they　concentrate　on　slaughtering　nature　itself。　In　fact；　I　know　people　who　claim　that　all　our　social　disfort　es　from　the　mere　fact　that　we've　got　nothing　left　to　pioneer。〃
　〃Beloved；〃　she　said　softly；　〃you　are　not　well。　What　is　amiss？〃
　〃Amiss？〃　He　could　not　bring　himself　to　look　at　her。　His　mouth　was　full　of　his　bargain；　and　he　had　to　swallow　hard　before　he　could　say；　〃Don't　mind　me。　I'm　like　that　Forest　down　there。　Sometimes　I　can't　seem　to　help　remembering。〃
　In　the　silence；　he　sensed　how　little　this　answer　satisfied　her。　She　cared　about　him；　wanted　to　understand　him。　But　the　rebirth　of　hope　had　restored　the　urgency　of　her　duty。　He　knew　that　she　could　not　spare　the　time　to　explore　him　now。　He　nodded　morosely　as　she　said；　〃I　must　go…the　Land's　need　bears　heavily　upon　me。〃　Then　she　added；　〃Will　you　remain　here　…await　my　return？〃
　At　last；　he　found　the　strength　to　turn　and　face　her。　He　met　the　solemn　set　of　her　face；　the　displaced　otherness　of　her　gaze；　and　said　gruffly；　〃Stay　behind？　And　miss　risking　my　neck　again？　Nonsense。　I　haven't　had　a　chance　like　this　since　I　was　in　Mount　Thunder。〃
　His　sarcasm　was　sharper　than　he　had　intended；　but　she　seemed　to　accept　it。　She　smiled；　touched　him　lightly　on　the　arm　with　the　fingers　of　one　hand。　〃e；　then；　beloved；〃　she　said。　〃The　Bloodguard　are　prepared。　We　must　depart　before　Amok　places　other　obstacles　in　our　way。〃
　He　tried　to　smile　in　return；　but　the　uncertain　muscles　of　his　face　treated　the　attempt　like　a　grimace。　Muttering　at　his　failure；　he　went　with　her　back　to
　ward　the　Bloodguard　and　Amok。　As　they　walked；　he　watched　her　sidelong；　assessed　her　covertly。　The　strain　of　the　past　three　days　had　been　pushed　into　the　background；　her　forthright　stride　and　resolute　features　expressed　new　purpose；　strength。　The　resurgence　of　hope　enabled　her　to　discount　mere　exhaustion。　But　her　knuckles　were　tense　as　she　gripped　the　Staff；　and　her　head　was　thrust　forward　at　a　hungry　angle。　She　made　Covenant's　bargain　lie　unquiet　in　him；　as　if　he　were　an　inadequate　and　unbinding　grave。
　In　his　mind；　he　could　still　feel　Rivenrock　heaving。　He　needed　steadier　footing；　nothing　would　save　him　if　he　could　not　keep　his　balance。
　Vaguely；　he　observed　that　the　First　Mark　and　Bannor　were　indeed　ready　to　travel。　They　had　bound　all　the　supplies　into　bundles；　and　had　tied　these　to　their　backs　with　clingor　thongs。　And　Amok　sparkled　with　eagerness；　visions　seemed　to　caper　in　his　gay　hair。　The　three　of　them　gave　Covenant　an　acute　pang　of　unpreparedness。　He　did　not　feel　equal　to　whatever　lay　ahead　of　the　High　Lord's　party。　A　pulse　of　anxiety　began　to　run　through　his　weary　mood。　There　was　something　that　he　needed　to　do；　he　needed　to　try　to　recover　his　integrity　in　some　way。　But　he　did　not　know　how。
　He　watched　as　the　High　Lord　bade　farewell　to　the　Ranyhyn。　They　greeted　her　gladly；　stamping　their　feet　and　nickering　in　pleasure　at　the　prospect　of　activity　after　three　days　of　patient　waiting。　She　embraced　each　of　the　great　horses；　then　stepped　back；　gripping　the　Staff；　and　saluted　them　in　the　Ramen　fashion。
　The　Ranyhyn　responded　by　tossing　their　manes。　They　regarded　her　with　proud；　laughing　eyes　as　she　addressed　them。
　〃Brave　Ranyhyn…first　love　of　my　life…I　thank　you　for　your　service。　We　have　been　honored。　But　now　we　must　go　on　foot　for　a　time。　If　we　survive　our　path；　we　will　call　upon　you　to　carry　us　back　to　Revelstone　in　victory　or　defeat；　we　will　need　the　broad　backs　of　your　strength。
　〃For　the　present；　be　free。　Roam　the　lands　your　hearts　and　hooves　desire。　And　if　it　should　e　to
　。k
　pass　that　we　do　not　call…if　you　return　unsummoned　to　the　Plains　of　Ra…then；　brave　Ranyhyn；　tell　all　your　kindred　of　Myrha。　She　saved　my　life　in　the　landslide；　and　gave　her　own　for　a　lesser　horse。　Tell　all　the　Ranyhyn　that　Elena　daughter　of　Lena；　High　Lord　by　the　choice　of　the　Council；　and　holder　of　the　Staff　of　Law；　is　proud　of　your　friendship。　You　are　the　Tail　of　the　Sky；　Mane　of　the　World。〃
　Raising　the　Staff；　she　cried；　〃Ranyhyn！　Hail！〃
　The　great　horses　answered　with　a　whinny　that　echoed　off　the　face　of　Melenkurion　Skyweir。　Then　they　wheeled　and　galloped　away；　taking　with　them　Covenant's　mustang。　Their　hooves　clattered　like　a　roll　of　fire　on　the　stone　as　they　swept　northward　and　out　of　sight　around　the　curve　of　the　mountain。
　When　Elena　turned　back　toward　her　panions；　her　sense　of　loss　showed　clearly　in　her　face。　In　a　sad　voice；　she　said；　〃e。　If　we　must　travel　without　the　Ranyhyn；　then　let　us　at　least　travel　swiftly。〃
　At　once；　she　turned　expectantly　to　Amok。　The　ancient　youth　responded　with　an　ornat