gc.shadowslinger-第43部分

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an？
　　Would　the　man　tell　him　anything？
　　Finding　Bullock　was　no　problem。　The　main　prison　did　not　move。　Finding　the　courage　to　face　him；　even　from　beyond　bars；　was　another　matter。　But　this　entire　city　lay　under　a　shadow。
　　Torment　racked　Shed。　Guilt　cut　him　apart。　He　had　done　things　that　left　him　unable　to　endure　himself。　He　had　mitted　crimes　for　which　there　was　no　way　of　making　restitution。　Yet　here　was　something。　。　。　。
　　〃You're　a　fool；　Marron　Shed；〃　he　told　himself。　〃Don't　worry　about　it。　Meadenvil　can　look　out　for　itself。　Just　move　on　to　another　city。〃
　　But　something　deeper　than　cowardice　told　him　he　could　not　run。　And　not　just　from　himself。　A　creature　from　the　black　castle　had　appeared　in　Meadenvil。　Two　men　who　had　had　dealings　with　the　castle　had　e　here。　That　could　not　be　coincidence。　Suppose　he　moved　on？　What　was　to　keep　the　creatures　from　turning　up　again；　wherever　he　went？
　　He　had　made　a　deal　with　a　devil。　On　a　gut　level　he　sensed　that　the　net　in　which　he　had　been　taken　had　to　be　unwoven　strand　by　strand。
　　He　moved　the　everyday；　cowardly　Shed　to　a　throne　far　behind　his　eyes　and　brought　forward　the　Shed　who　had　hunted　with　Krage　and　eventually　killed　his　tormentor。
　　He　did　not　recall　the　cock…and…bull　story　he　used　to　get　past　the　wards；　but　did　bullshit　his　way　in　to　see　Bullock。
　　The　Inquisitor　had　lost　none　of　his　spirit。　He　came　to　the　bars　spitting　and　cursing　and　promising　Shed　an　excruciating　death。
　　Shed　countered；　〃You　ain't　never　going　to　punish　nobody　but　maybe　a　cockroach　in　there。　Shut　up　and　listen。　Forget　who　you　were　and　remember　where　you　are。　I'm　the　only　hope　you　got　of　getting　out。〃　Shed　was　amazed。　Could　he　have　been　half　as　firm　without　the　intervening　bars？
　　Bullock's　face　went　blank。　〃Go　ahead。　Talk。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　how　much　you　hear　in　here。　Probably　nothing。　I'll　run　it　down。　After　you　left　Juniper；　the　rest　of　the　Black　pany　showed　up。　They　took　over。　Their　Lady　and　what…not　came　to　town。　They　attacked　the　black　castle。　I　don't　know　how　that　turned　out。　What　word　there　is　makes　it　sound　like　the　city　was　wiped　out。　During　the　fighting　some　of　the　pany　guys　grabbed　a　ship　and　got　out　on　account　of　their　masters　were　going　to　turn　on　them。　Why　I　don't　know。〃
　　Bullock　stared　at　him；　considering。　〃That's　the　truth？〃
　　〃From　what　I've　heard　second…hand。〃
　　〃It　was　those　Black　pany　bastards　got　me　in　here。　Framed　me。　I　only　had　a　fight　with　Raven。　Hell；　he　almost　killed　me。〃
　　〃He's　dead　now。〃　Shed　described　what　Asa　had　seen。　〃I　have　a　notion　what　killed　him　and　why。　What　I　need　to　know　is　where　it　happened。　So　I　can　make　sure。　You　tell　me　that　and　I'll　try　to　get　you　out。〃
　　〃I　only　know　approximately。　I　know　where　I　caught　up　with　him　and　which　way　him　and　Asa　went　when　they　got　away。　That　should　pin　it　down　pretty　close。　Why　do　you　want　to　know？〃
　　〃I　think　the　castle　creatures　planted　something　on　Raven。　Like　a　seed。　I　think　that's　why　he　died。　Like　the　man　who　brought　the　original　seed　to　Juniper。''
　　Bullock　frowned。
　　〃Yeah。　Sounds　tall。　But　listen　to　this。　The　other　day　I　saw　one　of　the　creatures　near　where　I'm　staying。　Watching　me。　Wait！　I　know　what　they　look　like。　I　met　them。　Also；　people　are　disappearing。　Not　too　many　yet。　Not　enough　to　cause　a　big　stink。　But　enough　to　scare　people。〃
　　Bullock　moved　to　the　back　of　his　cell；　settled　on　the　floor；　placed　his　back　against　the　wall。　He　was　quiet　for　more　than　a　minute。　Shed　waited　nervously。　〃What's　your　interest；　innkeeper？〃
　　〃Repayment　of　a　debt。　Bullock；　the　Black　pany　kept　me　prisoner　for　a　while。　I　learned　a　lot　about　that　castle。　It　was　nastier　than　anybody　guessed。　It　was　a　doorway　of　sorts。　Through　which　a　creature　called　the　Dominator　was　trying　to　get　into　the　world。　I　contributed　to　the　growth　of　that　thing。　I　helped　it　reach　the　point　where　it　attracted　the　Black　pany　and　its　sorcerer　friends。　If　Juniper　has　been　destroyed；　it's　as　much　my　fault　as　anybody's。　Now　the　same　fate　threatens　Meadenvil。　I　can　do　something　to　stop　it。　If　I　can　find　it。〃
　　Bullock　sniggered。　Sniggers　turned　into　chuckles。　Chuckles　became　laughter。
　　〃Then　rot　here！〃　Shed　shouted；　and　started　to　leave。　
　　〃Wait！〃　Shed　turned。
　　Bullock　stifled　his　mirth。　〃Sorry。　It's　so　incongruous。　You；　so　righteous。　I　mean；　I　really　believe　you　mean　it。　All　right；　Marron　Shed。　Give　it　a　shot。　And　if　you　manage　it　and　you　get　me　out　of　here；　I　might　not　drag　you　back　to　Juniper。〃
　　〃There's　no　Juniper　to　drag　me　to；　Bullock。　Rumor　says　the　Lady　planned　to　loot　the　Catabs　after　she　finished　the　black　castle。　You　know　what　that　means。　All…out　rebellion。〃
　　Bullock's　humor　vanished。　〃Straight　down　the　Shaker　Road；　past　the　twelfth　mile　marker。　Left　on　the　first　farm　track；　under　a　dead　oak　tree。　You　go　at　least　six　miles　on　that。　Way　past　the　farms。　That's　wild　country。　You　better　go　armed。〃
　　〃Armed？〃　Shed　grinned　a　big；　self…conscious　grin。　〃Marron　Shed　never　had　guts　enough　to　learn　to　use　a　weapon。　Thanks。〃
　　〃Don't　forget　me；　Shed。　My　trial　es　up　first　week　next　month。〃
　　〃Right。〃
　　Shed　dismounted　and　began　leading　the　rented　mule　when　he　reached　a　point　he　estimated　to　be　six　miles　from　the　Shaker　Road。　He　went　on　another　half…mile。　The　track　was　little　more　than　a　game　trail；　winding　through　rugged　country　densely　covered　with　hardwood。　He　saw　no　evidence　man　ever　traveled　this　way。　Odd。　What　had　Raven　and　Asa　been　doing　out　here？　He　could　think　of　no　reason　that　made　sense。　Asa　had　claimed　they　were　running　from　Bullock。　If　so；　why　hadn't　they　kept　on　going　down　the　Shaker　Road？
　　His　nerves　tautened。　He　touched　the　amulet；　the　knife　hidden　up　his　sleeve。　He　had　splurged　and　bought　himself　two　good　short　weapons；　one　for　his　belt　and　one　for　his　sleeve。
　　They　did　little　to　boost　his　confidence。
　　The　trail　turned　downhill；　toward　a　brook；　ran　beside　that　for　several　hundred　yards；　and　debouched　into　a　broad　clearing。　Shed　almost　walked　into　that。　He　was　a　city　boy。
　　Never　before　had　he　been　into　country　more　wild　than　the　Enclosure。
　　Some　innate　sense　of　caution　stopped　him　at　the　clearing's　edge。　He　dropped　to　one　knee；　parted　the　undergrowth；　cursed　softly　when　the　mule　nudged　him　with　its　nose。
　　He　had　guessed　right。
　　A　great　black　lump　stood　out　there。　It　was　the　size　of　a　house　already。　Shed　stared　at　faces　frozen　in　screams　of　terror　and　agony。
　　A　perfect　place　for　it；　out　here。　Growing　this　fast；　it　would　bee　plete　before　anyone　discovered　it。　Unless　by　accident。　And　the　accidental　discoverer　would　bee　one　with　it。
　　Shed's　heart　hammered。　He　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　race　back　to　Meadenvil　and　cry　the　city's　danger　in　the　streets。　He　had　seen　enough。　He　knew　what　he　had　e　to　learn。　Time　to　get　away。
　　He　went　forward；　slowly。　He　dropped　the　mule's　reins；　but　it　followed；　interested　in　the　tall　grass。　Shed　approached　the　black　lump　carefully；　a　few　steps　at　a　time。　Nothing　happened。　He　circled　it。
　　The　shape　of　the　thing　became　more　evident。　It　would　be　identical　to　the　fortress　overlooking　Juniper；　except　for　the　way　its　foundations　conformed　to　the　earth。　Its　gate　would　face　south。　A　well…beaten　path　led　to　a　low　hole　there。　Further　confirmation　of　his　suspicions。
　　Where　had　the　creatures　e　from？　Did　they　roam　the　world　at　will；　hidden　on　the　edge　of　night；　seen　only　by　those　who　bargained　with　them？
　　Returning　to　the　side　from　which　he　had　approached；　he　stumbled　over　something。
　　Bones。　Human　bones。　A　skeleton…head；　arms；　legs；　with　part　of　the　chest　missing。　Still　clad　in　tatters　he'd　seen　Raven　wear　a　hundred　times。　He　knelt。　〃Raven。　I　hated　you。　But　I　loved　you；　too。　You　were　the　worst　villain　I　ever　knew。　And　as　good　a　friend　as　I　ever　had。　You　made　me　start　thinking　like　a　man。〃　Tears　filled　his　eyes。
　　He　searched　childhood　memories；　finally　found　the　prayer　for　the　passage　of　the　dead。　He　began　to　sing　in　a　voice　that　had　no　notion　how　to　carry　a　tune。
　　The　grass　swished　only　once；　just　on　the　edge　of　audibility。　A　hand　closed　on　his　shoulder。　A　voice　said；　〃Marron　Shed。〃
　　Shed　shrieked　and　grabbed　for　his　belt　knife。
　　
　　　Chapter　Forty…Three：　MEADENVIL：　WARM　TRAIL
　　
　　I　did　not　have　a　good　night　after　visiting　Raven's　ship。　It　was　a　night　of　dreams。　Of　nightmares；　if　you　will。　Of　terrors　I　dared　not　mention　when　I　wakened；　for　the　others　had　troubles　and　fears　enough。
　　She　came　to　me　in　my　sleep；　as　she　had　not　done　since　our　grim　retreats　when　the　Rebel　was　closing　in　on　Charm；　so　long　ago。　She　came；　a　golden　glow　that　might　have　been　no　dream　at　all；　for　it　seemed　to　be　there　in　the　room　I　shared　with　five　other　men；　illuminating　them　and　the　room　while　I　lay　with　heart　hammering；　staring　in　disbelief。　The　others　did　not　respond；　and　later　I　was　not　sure　I　had　not　imagined　the　whole　thing。　It　had　been　that　way　with　the　visits　in　the　way　back　when。
　　〃Why　did　you　abandon　me；　physician？　Did　I　treat　you　less　than　well？〃
　　Baffled；　confused；　I　croaked　out；　〃It　was　run　or　be　killed。　We　would　not　have　fled　had　there　been　a　choice。　We　served　you　faithfully；　through　hazards　and　horrors　greater　than　any　in　our　pany's　history。　We　marched　to　the　ends　of　the　earth　for　you；　without　plaint。　And　when　we　came　to　the　city　Juniper；　and　spent　half　our　strength　storming　the　black　castle；　we　learned　that　we　were　to　be　rewarded　by　being　destroyed。〃
　　That　marvelous　face　formed　in　the　golden　cloud。　That　marvelous　face　drawn　in　sadness。　〃Whisper　planned　that。　Whisper　and　Feather。　For　reasons　of　their　own。　But　Feather　is　gone　and　Whisper　has　been　disciplined。　I　would　not　have　allowed　such　a　crime　in　any　case。　You　were　my　chosen　instruments。　I　would　permit　no　machination　of　the　Taken　to　harm　you。　e　back。〃
　　〃It's　too　late；　Lady。　The　die　is　cast。　Too　many　good　men　have　been　lost。　Our　heart　is　gone。　We　have　grown　old。　Our　only　desire　is　to　return　to　the　South；　to　rest　in　the　warm　sun　and　forget。〃
　　〃e　back。　There　is　much　to　be　done。　You　are　my　chosen　instruments。　I　will　reward　you　as　no　soldiers　have　ever　been　rewarded。〃
　　I　could　detect　no　hint　of　treachery。　But　what　did　that　mean？　She　was　ancient。　She　had　deluded　her　husband；　who　was　far　harder　to　fuddle　than　I。　〃It's　too　late；　Lady。〃