df.therunelords-第51部分

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　Yet　dire　portents　now　warned　against　it。　The　pyromancer　had　seen　a　king　here；　a　king　who　could　destroy　the　Great　Light　of　Indhopal。
　Raj　Ahten　had　left　himself　open　to　attack。　He'd　brought　fewer　than　a　thousand　forcibles　to　Castle　Sylvarresta；　and　over　half　of　those　had　been　used　up　last　night；　consumed　by　the　spells　that　bound　Raj　Ahten　and　his　Dedicates。　He'd　left　forty　thousand　forcibles　at　Longmont；　true；　and　he'd　judged　that　those　forcibles　would　be　safe。　Longmont　was　a　great　castle；　with　high　walls　bound　with　magic　spells。　And　though　Raj　Ahten's　forces　in　Longmont　had　been　small；　their　numbers　were　to　have　been　bolstered　soon。
　The　window　of　opportunity　for　someone　to　strike　at　Longmont　had　been　dreadfully　narrow。　Given　Longmot's　defenses；　it　should　have　been　able　to　withstand　any　attack　from　the　smaller　keeps　within　striking　distance。　Castles　Groverman　and　Dreis　were　both　within　a　days'　ride　from　Longmont。　But　Raj　Ahten's　advance　scouts　had　assured　him　that　the　garrisons　there　were　small。　Jureem's　spies　had　seen　none　of　Orden's　forces　in　either　castle。
　His　spies　only　sent　word　that　Orden　had　brought　a　〃larger　than　anticipated　retinue〃　to　celebrate　Hostenfest；　and　that　they　were　camped　outside　the　village　of　Hazen；　on　the　southern　borders　of　Heredon。　The　retinue　contained　at　most　three　thousand　menincluding　knights；　squires；　cooks；　and　camp　followers。　It　was　a　large　force；　larger　than　Raj　Ahten　had　planned　to　engage。　Normally　Orden　brought　fewer　than　three　hundred　men　to　the　hunt。
　But　now　the　scouts　said　that　last　night；　over　two　thousand　knights　had　been　riding　toward　Castle　Sylvarresta。　How　could　that　be？　Did　Orden　bring　two　forces；　one　to　attack　Longmont；　another　to　ride　north？
　Two　days。　Jureem　hadn't　received　a　report　from　Longmont　in　two　days。　He　should　have　had　a　status　report。　Jureem　suspected　that　Longmont　had　fallen。　King　Orden　had　somehow　taken　the　castle。
　Fifty　thousand　men；　the　messenger　had　said。　Fifty　thousand？　The　number　unnerved　Jureem；　for　it　seemed　too　close　to　the　number　of　knights　he'd　estimated　Orden　would　marshal　against　his　master　next　springif　Orden　escaped　the　trap。　King　Orden　could　marshal　a　quarter　million　knights　of　decent　prowess；　but　he'd　not　attack　with　anywhere　close　to　that　number。　He　wouldn't　dare　leave　his　castles　defenseless。
　Elaborate　schemes；　all　on　the　verge　of　crumbling。　Raj　Ahten　needed　to　take　the　North；　and　he　needed　to　take　it　quickly。　For　years　now　the　blood…metal　mines　of　Kartish　had　been　playing　out。　They'd　be　empty　by　midwinter。
　Only　in　Inkarra　could　he　get　more　blood　metal。　It　was　said　that　the　mines　there　still　yielded　well。
　Yet　no　lord　of　Rofehavan　or　Indhopal　had　ever　succeeded　in　invading　Inkarra。　Wizards　there　were　not　powerful；　but　they　were　plentiful。　The　Inkarrans　had　adopted　battle　tactics　well　suited　to　their　terrainquick　strikes　in　the　hills　on　solid　little　ponies。　And　the　Inkarrans　could　not　be　defeated　unless　one　also　defeated　the　high　lords　of　the　arr。
　Worst　of　all；　in　long　ages　past；　a　certain　Master　Facilitator　named　Tovil　had　fled　Rofehavan　to　Inkarra；　and　there　he　had　launched　a　new　school　for　the　study　of　forcibles。　In　Inkarra；　amazing　discoveries　had　been　made；　discoveries　no　other　wizards　had　ever　been　able　to　duplicate。　In　Inkarra；　forcibles　had　been　developed　that　left　no　scar；　so　that　one　could　learn　from　a　mark　the　shape　of　a　rune　of　power。　These　forcibles　transmitted　talents　and　skills　from　one　person　to　another。
　In　all　the　years　of　spying；　the　lords　of　Rofehavan　and　Indhopal　had　never　been　able　to　duplicate　the　Inkarrans'　discoveries。
　Each　time　a　Northern　lord　had　tried　to　invade　the　South；　he　quickly　found　that　the　Southerners　did　not　just　fight　himthey　also　provided　forcibles　to　his　enemies。
　Thus；　no　lord　had　ever　been　able　to　take　Inkarra；　drain　its　riches；　or　penetrate　its　secrets。
　Jureem　knew　that　Raj　Ah　ten　had　to　act　soon。　He　had　to　drain　the　Northern　kings　now；　subjugate　them；　and　then　move　on。　It　was　quite　possible　that　in　days　now　lost　to　legend；　Daylan　Hammer　had　taken　endowments　of　will　and　talent；　that　these　were　an　integral　piece　that　Raj　Ahten　needed　before　he　could　bee　the　Sum　of　All　Men。
　Jureem　prided　himself　on　being　a　man　who　was　not　easily　deceived。　He　strongly　suspected　that　Borenson　had　told　an　intricate　tale　based　on　some　truth；　twisted　together　liberally　with　lies。　Yet　as　Jureem　considered　the　message　Borenson　had　brought；　it　was　damnably　difficult　to　know　where　the　truth　ended　and　the　lies　began。
　After　only　a　few　moments　on　the　castle　wall；　Raj　Ahten　looked　to　his　side；　at　Jureem。　〃My　counselors；　let　us　walk；〃　he　said。　The　Wolf　Lord　seldom　sought　advice　from　Jureem　or　Feykaald　anymore。　Certainly　his　master　was　worried。
　They　came　down　from　the　city　wall；　walking　along　the　steps；　and　had　not　gone　far　before　they　were　out　of　the　crowd；　heading　up　a　small　rise　toward　the　stables。
　〃Feykaald；〃　the　Wolf　Lord　asked　the　oldest　of　his　counselors。　〃What　think　you：　Does　King　Orden　have　his　son？〃
　〃Of　course　not；〃　Feykaald　hissed。　〃The　messenger　was　too　startled；　too　frightened；　when　you　first　mentioned　the　ransom。　That　messenger　was　full　of　lies。　He　spoke　not　a　word　of　truth。〃
　〃I　agree　that　Orden　does　not　yet　have　his　son；　but　though　the　messenger's　manner　showed　him　to　be　a　liar；　he　spoke　some　truth。〃
　〃He　does　not　have　his　son；〃　Jureem　agreed；　replaying　every　nuance　of　the　messenger's　voice；　every　expression。
　〃Granted；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃What　of　Longmont？〃
　〃He　could　not　have　conquered　it；〃　Feykaald　spat　quickly。
　〃He　has　done　so；〃　Raj　Ahten　said；　his　voice　not　betraying　the　concern　that　this　must　have　caused。　Jureem's　heart　nearly　froze　at　the　thought。
　〃O　Greatest　of　Lights；〃　Jureem　said；　〃I　must　argue　with　you。　The　messenger's　demeanor　clearly　indicated　that　this；　too；　was　a　lie。　Orden　must　be　a　fool；　to　send　such　a　poor　liar　on　such　an　errand！〃
　〃It　is　not　the　messenger's　demeanor　that　convinced　me；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃I　felt　a　dizziness　at　dawn。　Virtue　left　me。　Many　hundreds　of　Dedicates　died；　and　their　endowments　are　lost。　Of　that　I　am　sure。〃
　To　lose　so　many　endowments　was　a　deep　blow；　a　fearsome　cut。　Yet　it　did　not　terrify　Jureem。　In　distant　lands　to　the　south；　Raj　Ahten's　facilitators　worked　assiduously　to　find　new　Dedicates　for　him。　These　were　men　with　great　glamour　and　powers　of　Voice；　who　could　lure　others　into　Raj　Ahten's　service；　put　the　forcibles　to　them。　Raj　Ahten　was　in　a　constant　state　of　flux；　gaining　in　strength　and　wit　and　glamour　and　stamina　at　an　astonishing　rate。　Jureem　no　longer　knew　how　many　thousands　served　as　his　lord's　Dedicates。　He　knew　only　that　his　lord　grew　in　power；　day　by　day。　Jureem　could　not　yet　see　what　his　lord　would　bee；　when　he　became　the　Sum　of　All　Men。
　But　this　morning　he　had　suffered　a　blow。
　In　a　day　or　two；　Raj　Ahten's　occupying　armies　would　arrive；　a　hundred　thousand　strong；　and　lay　siege。　Orden　could　not　have　anticipated　so　large　an　occupying　force。
　At　the　same　time；　three　armies　would　enter　the　kingdom　of　Orwynne　to　the　west；　and　King　Theros　Val　Orwynne；　upon　seeing　that　he　was　caught　in　a　vise；　would　have　little　choice　but　to　either　surrender　or　dig　in　for　a　siege。　He　would　not　be　able　to　send　aid　to　Orden　in　Longmont。
　Meanwhile；　saboteurs　in　Fleeds　had　begun　poisoning　the　grain　stock　to　the　stables　of　High　King　Connel；　preventing　the　horse　clans　from　mounting　their　fierce　cavalry　attacks。
　No；　Orden　had　to　be　terrified。　So　he　was　sending　this　little　yapping　messenger　to　bark　at　Raj　Ahten。
　〃Perhaps；〃　Jureem　said；　〃Orden　has　taken　Longmont；　but　he　cannot　hold　it。〃　Yet　if　Raj　Ahten　was　right；　if　Longmont　had　fallen；　and　this　messenger　had　managed　to　feign　dishonesty　through　his　whole　speech；　was　it　yet　possible　that　in　every　matter　he　had　spoken　the　truth？
　Now　Raj　Ahten　said　the　thing　Jureem　dreaded　most。　〃Do　we　have　a　spy　in　our　midst？〃
　Jureem　considered；　could　see　no　other　way　to　explain　how　Orden　had　known　that　Raj　Ahten　planned　to　attack　Heredon。　Nor　could　Orden　have　known　about　the　forcibles　hidden　in　Longmont；　or　known　that　the　garrison　was　undermanned。
　Immediately；　Jureem　worried　that　he　himself　might　have　been　the　problem。　Had　he　spoken　of　these　things　to　any　of　his　lovers？　Had　he　spoken　before　any　servants　or　strangers？　A　careless　word　to　the　wrong　person？
　It　could　have　been　me；　Jureem　thought。　He'd　confided　his　fears　about　leaving　Longmont　undermanned　to　one　of　his　lovers；　a　horseman　who　bred　fine　stallions。　But　had　he　mentioned　that　the　forcibles　would　be　there？　No。　He　had　not　spoken　of　them。
　Jureem　looked　to　his　side。　Feykaald　had　been　with　Raj　Ahten　for　many　years。　Jureem　trusted　the　man。　As　for　the　flameweavers；　they　cared　nothing　for　Raj　Ahten。　They　served　the　elemental　fires；　and　would　follow　Raj　Ahten　only　so　long　as　he　promised　them　war；　promised　to　feed　their　master。
　So　Jureem　did　not　worry　that　these　men　were　spies。　True；　it　could　be　that　one　of　the　captains　was　a　spy。　But　how？　How　could　even　a　spy　have　notified　Orden　of　the　opportunity　at　Longmont　on　such　short　notice？
　No；　it　was　the　Days；　the　tall　man　with　graying　hair　and　chiseled；　imperious　features　who　most　worried　Jureem。　He　could　have　aided　Orden　in　this　battle。　Only　he。
　Jureem　dreaded　this　moment；　had　long　suspected　it　would　e。　The　Days　claimed　they　were　neutral；　that　they　never　aided　any　lord　against　another。　To　do　so　would　have　been　to　interfere　in　the　affairs　of　men；　an　action　that　the　Days　said　the　Lords　of　Time　would　not　tolerate。　So　they　merely　recorded　eventsbut　Jureem　had　heard　too　many　rumors；　too　many　hints　at　unscrupulous　dealings　in　the　past。　For　years；　Raj　Ahten　had　grown　in　power　until　he　reached　the　point　where　Jureem　suspected　that　the　Days　would　unite　against　him。
　In　their　own　way；　Jureem　believed　the　Days　were　far　more　of　a　threat　than　the　irrepressible　Knights　Equitable。
　The　Days；　of　course；　knew　Raj　Ahten's　actions。　The　Days　knew　well　in　advance　that　Raj　Ahten　planned　to　attack　Longmont；　knew　he'd　left　the　castle　without　a　sufficient　garrison。　The　Days'　twin；　the　man　or　woman　who　shared　his　mind　in　the　monastery　to　the　north；　of　course　knew　what　had　e　to　pass。　And　anything　learned　by　one　Days　could　swiftly　be　relayed　to　many。
　It　was　all　Jureem　could　do　to　keep　from　whirling　now　and　gut