df.therunelords-第49部分

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　Behind　Gaborn；　Iome's　Days　shifted　nervously；　and　the　bakers　suddenly　left　the　tomb　as　if　they'd　just　recalled　urgent　matters　elsewhere。　Iome　wanted　to　break　into　tears；　to　fall　into　his　arms。　She　only　stood；　trembling　terribly。　〃No。　Nothing。〃
　Gaborn　swallowed　hard。　〃Can　you　bear　another　message　to　the　Princess　for　me？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Tell　her。。。that　she　haunts　my　dreams。　That　her　beauty　is　indelible　in　my　memory。　Tell　her　that　I'd　hoped　to　save　her；　hoped　to　give　her　some　small　aid；　and　maybe　I　did　some　goodI　killed　a　powerful　flameweaver。　Because　I'm　here；　my　father　has　e；　though　perhaps　too　late。　Tell　her　I　stayed　the　night　in　Castle　Sylvarresta；　but　now　see　that　I　must　leave。　My　father's　soldiers　are　hunting　for　me　in　the　woods。　I　dare　stay　no　longer。　I'm　going　to　try　for　the　woods；　before　my　father　charges　the　city。〃
　Iome　nodded。
　〃Will　you　e　with　me？〃　Gaborn　asked。　He　stared　into　her　face；　and　now　she　knew　without　a　doubt　that　he　recognized　her。　His　eyes　were　filled　not　with　contempt；　but　with　pain；　and　so　much　gentleness；　she　longed　to　fall　into　his　arms。　Yet　she　dared　not　move。
　Iome's　eyes　filled　with　tears。　〃e？　And　leave　my　father？　No。〃
　〃Raj　Ahten　will　not　hurt　him。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Iome　said。　〃Idon't　know　what　to　think。　Raj　Ahten　is　not　totally　evil；　not　as　I　feared。　Binnesman　hopes　for　some　good　from　him。〃
　〃　'When　you　behold　the　face　of　pure　evil；　it　will　be　beautiful。'　〃　Gaborn　quoted　an　old　saying　among　Runelords。
　〃He　says　he　wants　to　fight　the　reavers；　that　he　wants　to　unite　mankind　for　our　own　defense。〃
　〃And　when　the　war　is　won；　can　the　Wolf　Lord　give　your　endowments　back　to　you？　Will　he　give　his　own　life　so　that　all　those　who　were　robbed　of　endowments　can　regain　them；　as　Good　King　Herron　did？　I　think　not。　He　will　keep　them。〃
　〃You　don't　know　that；〃　Iome　said。
　〃I　do；〃　Gaborn　insisted。　〃Raj　Ahten　has　revealed　his　nature。　He　has　no　respect　for　you　or　any　other。　He　will　take　all　that　you　have；　leave　you　with　nothing。〃
　〃How　can　you　be　sure？　Binnesman　seemed　to　want　him　to　change。　He　hoped　to　convince　the　Wolf　Lord　to　rid　himself　of　the　flame　weavers。〃
　〃You　believe　he　will　do　it？　You　can　stand　here；　over　the　body　of　your　dead　mother；　and　believe　Raj　Ahten　has　any　degree　of　decency　whatsoever；〃
　〃When　he　speaks；　when　you　look　in　his　face〃
　〃Iome；〃　Gaborn　said；　〃how　can　you　doubt　that　Raj　Ahten　is　evil？　What　do　you　have　that　he　has　not　yet　tried　to　take？　Your　body？　Your　family？　Your　home？　Your　freedom？　Your　wealth？　Your　position？　Your　country？　He　has　taken　your　life；　as　surely　as　if　he'd　slain　you；　for　he　desires　to　strip　away　all　that　you　have　and　all　you　hope　to　be。　What　more　must　he　do　to　you；　before　you　know　him　to　be　evil？　What　more？〃
　Iome　could　not　answer。
　〃I'm　going　to　cut　off　the　bastard's　head；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃I'm　going　to　find　a　way　to　do　it；　but　first　we　need　to　get　out　of　here　alive。　Now　will　you　e　with　me；　if　I　bring　your　father　out　of　the　city；　too？〃
　He　took　her　hand；　and　when　he　touched　her；　all　darkness　fled。　Iome's　heart　pounded。　She　almost　dared　not　to　believe　her　fortune；　for　when　she　looked　into　Gaborn's　eyes；　all　her　fears；　all　her　self…loathing　and　sense　of　ugliness　vanished。　It　was　as　if　he　were　some　living　talisman　that　wrought　a　change　on　her　very　heart。　A　stone　fortress；　she　thought。　A　haven。　〃Please；〃　he　begged；　using　all　the　powers　of　his　Voice。
　She　nodded　yes；　numb。　〃I'll　e。〃
　Gaborn　squeezed　her　hand。　〃I　don't　know　how；　yet；　but　I'll　e　for　you　and　your　fathersoonin　the　Dedicates'　Keep。〃
　Iome　felt　again　that　sensual　thrill；　the　longing　she　associated　with　the　presence　of　Binnesman。　Her　heart　pounded。　He　had　just　held　her　tenderly；　as　though　she　still　had　her　endowments　of　glamour；　as　if　she　were　beautiful。
　He　turned；　took　a　short　sword　from　a　corpse　and　tucked　it　in　the　folds　of　his　robe；　then　hurried　from　the　tomb；　his　fleeting　shadow　blocking　the　cold　sunlight　a　moment。
　As　he　fled；　she　almost　dared　not　believe　he　would　return　for　her；　that　he　would　not　save　her。　Yet　a　warm　certainty　filled　her。　He　would　be　back。
　When　he　was　gone；　Iome's　Days　said；　〃You　should　be　careful　of　that　one。〃
　〃How　so？〃
　〃He　could　break　your　heart。〃　Iome　could　not　fail　to　note　something　odd　in　the　Days'　voice；　a　tone　of　respect。
　Iome　felt　terrified。　If　Raj　Ahten　caught　her　trying　to　escape；　he'd　show　no　mercy。　Yet　she　knew　that　her　heart　was　not　pounding　in　fear；　but　for　another　reason。　She　held　her　hand　over　her　heart；　trying　to　still　it。
　I　think　he　already　has　broken　it；　she　told　herself。
　　
　Chapter　18
　DUELING　WITH　DECEPTION
　　
　Two　hours　after　Gaborn　fled　Iome　in　the　tombs；　Borenson　rode　up　to　the　ruined　gates　of　Castle　Sylvarresta；　a　green　flag　of　truce　flying　from　a　dead　nomen's　lance。　He　forced　a　smile。
　His　muscles　ached；　and　his　armor　was　covered　in　blood。　He　now　rode　a　new　horse；　gleaned　from　a　fellow　soldier　who　would　never　ride　again。
　It　would　be　a　game　to　match　wits　with　Raj　Ahten；　one　he　did　not　want　to　play。　Luck　had　not　favored　him。　Most　of　his　warriors　had　been　slaughtered。　He'd　paid　for　every　small　victory。　His　soldiers　had　slain　more　than　two　thousand　nomen。　He　had　unhorsed　most　of　the　Wolf　Lord's　army；　and　had　managed　to　slay　or　drive　off　a　number　of　Frowth　giantswhile　a　dozen　more　of　the　creatures　had　perished　in　that　insane　fire。　Dozens　of　Raj　Ahten's　legendary　Invincibles　had　followed　Borenson's　men　into　the　woods；　and　the　Invincibles　were　now　so　full　of　arrows　that　their　corpses　looked　as　prickly　as　hedgehogs。
　Yet　Borenson　had　not　won　a　clear　victory；　despite　heavy　enemy　losses。　Raj　Ahten　had　quit　hunting　Borenson's　men　when　they　got　deep　into　the　woods；　fearing　an　ambush。　In　part；　Borenson　had　hoped　that　Raj　Ahten　would　brave　the　woods；　where　his　own　men；　he　felt　sure；　would　have　the　advantage。
　But　Borenson　also　wanted　Raj　Ahten　to　fear　that　ambush；　needed　Raj　Ahten　to　believe　that　the　woods　were　full　of　men。　King　Orden　had　often　said　that　even　a　man　with　great　endowments　of　wit　could　be　outsmarted；　for　〃Even　the　wisest　man's　plots　are　only　as　good　as　his　information。〃
　So　it　was　that　Borenson　rode　up　to　the　gates　of　Castle　Sylvarresta；　reigned　his　horse　in　at　the　moat。　Smiling。
　On　the　charred　wall　above　the　ruined　gate　towers；　one　of　Raj　Ahten's　soldiers　waved　his　own　lance　overhead　three　times；　an　acceptance　of　Borenson's　request　for　truce；　then　waved　at　him；　beckoning　him　to　ride　into　the　castle。　The　drawbridge　was　down；　its　gears　and　chains　melted。　One　side　of　the　drawbridge　was　so　charred　it　had　a　hole　in　it　large　enough　to　let　a　man　ride　through。
　Borenson　stayed　where　he　was；　not　wanting　to　deliver　messages　in　private；　and　shouted；　〃I'm　in　no　mood　for　a　swim；　not　in　this　armor。　Raj　Ahten；　I　bear　a　message　for　you！　Will　you　face　me；　or　must　you　hide　behind　these　walls？〃
　It　seemed　madness　to　accuse　the　Wolf　Lord　of　cowardice；　but　Borenson　had　long　ago　decided　that　sanity　was　no　virtue　in　an　insane　world。
　In　twenty　seconds；　when　he　heard　no　response；　Borenson　shouted　again。　〃Raj　Ahten；　in　the　South　they　call　you　the　Wolf　Lord；　but　my　lord　says　you　are　no　wolf；　that　you　are　born　of　a　mon　whippet；　and　that　you　have　not　the　natural　affections　of　a　man；　but　instead　are　given　to　fondling　bitches。　What　say　you？〃
　Suddenly；　atop　the　wall；　stood　Raj　Ahten；　shining　like　the　sun；　the　white　owl's　wings　sweeping　wide　from　his　black　helm。　He　gazed　down；　imperious；　unperturbed　by　the　insults。
　〃Serve　me；〃　he　said　softly；　so　seductively　that　Borenson　almost　found　himself　leaping　from　his　horse；　to　fall　on　one　knee。
　But　he　recognized　the　use　of　Voice　immediately；　was　able　to　ignore　it。　A　captain　in　Orden's　guard　could　not　be　the　kind　of　man　easily　swayed　by　Voice。
　〃Serve　you；　the　one　who's　been　baying　from　these　walls　all　morning；　breathing　out　threats　to　my　lord？　You　must　be　mad！〃　Borenson　said。　He　spat　on　the　ground。　〃I　fear　there　is　no　profit　in　serving　you。　You　don't　have　long　to　live。〃
　〃You　claim　to　have　a　message？〃　Raj　Ahten　asked。　Borenson　thought　that　the　Wolf　Lord　seemed　too　eager　to　stem　the　tide　of　insults。
　Borenson　made　a　show　of　taking　a　long　gaze　at　the　soldiers　along　the　castle　walls。　Thousands　of　archers　were　there；　other　defenders　with　pike　and　sword。　And　on　the　wall…walks　behind　them　were　citizens　of　Castle　Sylvarrestacurious　boys；　eager　to　hear　his　message。　Some　farmers；　merchants；　and　tradesmen　stood　now　to　defend　the　walls　for　Raj　Ahten　as　vigorously　as　they　would　have　stood　to　defend　Sylvarresta　the　night　before。　Borenson　felt　acutely　aware　that　his　message　was　for　these　soldiers　and　townsmen　more　than　for　Raj　Ahten。　A　message　foretelling　doom　that　was　delivered　in　private　might　demoralize　a　single　leader。　The　same　message　delivered　before　an　army　could　subvert　an　entire　nation。
　〃Such　a　small　army；　to　be　trapped　so　far　from　home；〃　Borenson　said；　as　if　musing　to　himself。　Yet　he　threw　his　own　voice；　loud　enough　so　the　men　on　the　far　walls　could　hear。
　〃They　are　a　fine　army；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃Good　enough　for　the　likes　of　you。〃
　〃Indeed；〃　Borenson　countered。　〃I　do　mend　them。　Your　men　died　most　excellently　in　the　woods　this　morning。　They　fought　almost　as　well　as　expected。〃
　Raj　Ahten's　eyes　blazed。　Borenson　had　succeeded　in　angering　him。　This　is　maybe　not　the　smartest　thing　I've　ever　done；　Borenson　told　himself。
　〃Enough　of　this；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃Your　own　men　died　well；　too。　If　you　desire　a　contest　to　see　whose　men　die　best；　then　I　must　concede　that　your　men　will　win；　for　I　slaughtered　enough　of　them　today。　Now；　deliver　your　message。　Or　did　you　e　merely　to　try　my　patience？〃
　Borenson　raised　a　brow；　shrugged。　〃My　message　is　this。　Two　days　ago　King　Mendellas　Draken　Orden　took　the　castle　at　Longmont！〃
　He　waited　a　moment　for　this　news　to　sink　in；　then　added；　〃And　though　you　have　sent　occupying　forces　to　hold　that　piece　of　rock；　King　Orden　bids　me　to　let　you　know　that　your　reinforcements　have　been　slaughtered　to　the　man。〃
　This　news　shook　the　defenders　on　the　castle　walls。　Raj　Ahten's　men　were　gazing　at　one　another；　trying　to　consider　how　to　react。
　〃You　lie；〃　Raj　Ahten　said　evenly。
　〃You　accuse　me　of　lying？〃　Borenson　said；　using　his　own　gift　of　Voice　as　best　he　could；　trying　to　sound　righteous　and　indignant。　〃You　know　the　truth　of　it。　As　proof；　you　may　search　y