df.therunelords-第52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！


　It　was　all　Jureem　could　do　to　keep　from　whirling　now　and　gutting　the　Days。
　〃I　think；　we　are　betrayed；　my　lord；〃　Jureem　said；　glancing　at　the　Days。　〃Though　I　know　not　how。〃　His　master　was　watching；　had　seen　the　covert　accusation。
　Yet　what　could　the　master　do？　If　Jureem　accused　the　Days　falsely；　and　slew　him；　he　might　make　matters　worse。　All　of　the　Days　would　then　openly　fight　Raj　Ahten；　betray　his　secrets　into　every　ear。
　On　the　other　hand；　if　Jureem　did　not　slay　the　Days；　then　a　spy　would　remain　in　the　camp。
　Raj　Ahten　stopped。
　〃What　will　we　do　now？〃　Feykaald　asked；　wringing　his　little　hands。　They　stuck　out　from　his　turquoise　silk　robes　like　twisted　knots　from　a　tree　limb。
　〃What　do　you　think　we　should　do？〃　Raj　Ahten　asked。　〃You　are　my　counselor；　Feykaald。　So　counsel　me。〃
　〃We　should　send　a　message；〃　Feykaald　whispered；　〃to　General　Suh；　and　divert　his　armies　to　us　for　reinforcement；　instead　of　having　him　attack　Orwynne。〃
　Feykaald　was　old；　tough；　and　full　of　experience。　He'd　lived　long　by　being　careful。　But　Jureem　knew　that　Raj　Ahten　often　desired　less…cautious　counsel。　The　Wolf　Lord　had　grown　in　power　by　listening　to　Jureem。
　He　leaned　his　ear　to　Jureem。　〃And　what　would　you　do？〃
　Jureem　bowed　his　head。　He　spoke　carefully　as　he　thought　aloud。　〃Forgive　me；　O　Blessed　Light；　if　in　this　matter；　I　do　not　seem　so　alarmed。〃　He　flashed　a　distrustful　glance　at　Feykaald。　〃It　may　be　true　that　King　Orden　has　captured　your　forcibles；　but　who　will　he　use　them　on？　You　have　already　stripped　endowments　from　everyone　who　was　worthy　at　Longmont。　Orden　cannot　use　the　local　populace。　Which　means　he　would　have　to　take　endowments　only　from　his　warriorsan　unfortunate　proposition；　for　with　each　endowment　he　took　to　himself；　he　would　weaken　his　own　army。〃
　〃So　you　propose？〃
　〃Go　to　Longmont　and　take　your　forcibles　back！〃　It　was；　of　course；　the　only　possible　answer。　Raj　Ahten　could　ill　afford　to　wait　for　reinforcements。　It　would　only　give　Orden　time　to　either　slip　away　with　the　treasure　or　draw　reinforcements　himself。
　Raj　Ahten　smiled　at　this　answer。　It　was　risky；　Jureem　knew。　Perhaps　Orden　wanted　to　draw　them　out　of　Castle　Sylvarresta　for　an　ambush。　But　all　life　was　a　risk。　And　Raj　Ahten　could　ill　afford　to　do　nothing。
　The　Master　had　taken　six　endowments　of　metabolism。　In　doing　so；　he　was　able　to　thwart　the　assassins　who　came　after　him　time　and　again。
　But　taking　such　endowments　carried　a　great　danger；　the　promise　of　an　early　death。　Metabolism　could　serve　as　a　weapon　against　its　owner。　Indeed；　in　one　case；　according　to　legend；　a　Dedicate　who　gave　a　great　king　metabolism　was　kidnapped　by　the　King's　enemies。　Then；　the　enemies　gave　hundreds　of　endowments　of　metabolism　to　the　Dedicate；　making　him　a　vector；　so　that　the　King　died　of　old　age　in　a　matter　of　weeks。　For　this　reason；　Raj　Ahten　had　vectored　all　his　metabolism　through　a　single　Dedicate；　a　man　he　always　kept　near　to　his　side；　in　case　he　needed　to　slay　the　man　and　break　his　own　link。
　Few　kings　ever　dared　take　more　than　one　or　two　endowments　of　metabolism。　With　six；　Raj　Ahten　could　run　six　times　the　speed　of　another　man。
　But　he　also　aged　six　times　faster。　And　though　Jureem's　master　had　many　thousands　of　endowments　of　stamina；　and　would　grow　old　with　incredible　grace；　Jureem　knew　that　the　human　body　was　meant　to　wear　out　over　time。　His　master　had　lived　for　thirty…two　years　now；　but　because　of　his　many　endowments　of　metabolism；　he　had　aged　far　more　than　that。　Physically；　he　was　in　mid…eighties。
　Raj　Ahten　could　not　hope　to　live　much　beyond　the　biological　age　of　a　hundred　and　ten；　nor　could　he　survive　without　his　endowments。
　Only　a　few　years　back；　Raj　Ahten　had　made　the　unfortunate　mistake　of　slaying　some　of　his　Dedicates；　so　that　he　could　slow　his　own　aging。　But　within　a　week；　a　Northern　assassin　had　nearly　slain　the　Wolf　Lord。　Since　then；　Raj　Ahten　had　been　forced　to　bear　this　lonely　burden　of　high　metabolism。
　Three　years。　He　needed　to　unite　the　world；　to　bee　the　Sum　of　All　Men　within　three　years；　or　he'd　die。　One　year　to　consolidate　the　North。　Two　to　take　the　South。　If　Jureem's　master　died；　it　might　well　be　that　the　hope　of　all　mankind　would　die　with　him。　The　reavers　were　that　powerful。
　〃So　we　go　to　Longmont；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃What　of　Orden's　army　in　the　Dunnwood？〃
　〃What　army？〃　Jureem　asked；　certain　from　many　small　cues　that　there　was　no　great　threat。　〃Have　you　seen　an　army？　I　heard　war　horns　blowing　in　the　wood；　but　did　I　hear　a　thousand　horses　neighing？　No！　Orden's　mists　were　there　only　to　hide　his　weakness。〃
　Jureem　squinted　up　at　his　master。　Jureem's　obesity；　his　bald　head；　made　him　look　like　an　oaf；　but　Raj　Ahten　had　long　known　that　Jureem　was　every　bit　as　dangerous　as　a　cobra。　Jureem　found　himself　saying；　〃You　have　twenty　legions　approaching　Longmontan　army　Orden　cannot　withstand；　not　if　you　fight　at　our　head。　We　must　go　and　take　Longmont。〃
　Raj　Ahten　nodded　solemnly。　Those　forty　thousand　forcibles　represented　the　labor　of　thousands　of　miners　and　craftsmen　over　the　past　three　years。　A　large　pocket　of　blood　orenow　tapped　dry。　They　were　irreplaceable。
　〃Prepare　the　men　to　march；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃We　will　empty　Sylvarresta's　treasury；　take　what　food　we　need　from　villages　we　pass。　We　leave　in　an　hour。〃
　〃My　lord；　what　of　the　horses？〃　Feykaald　asked。　〃We　will　need　mounts。〃
　〃Our　soldiers　have　enough　endowments；　most　need　no　mounts；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃And　mon　horses　require　food　and　rest；　more　than　a　man。
　My　warriors　shall　run　to　Longmont。　We　will　use　what　horses　we　can。　We'll　empty　Sylvarresta's　stables。〃
　A　hundred　and　sixty　miles　by　road。　Jureem　knew　that　Raj　Ahten　could　walk　that　distance　himself　in　a　few　hours；　but　most　of　his　archers　would　not　bear　the　burden　of　more　than　a　single　endowment　of　metabolism。　Such　soldiers　could　not　run　to　Longmont　in　less　than　a　day。
　Raj　Ahten　would　have　to　leave　his　nomen　here。　They　would　only　slow　the　march。　The　giants　and　war　dogs；　though；　could　take　such　abuse。
　〃But；〃　Feykaald　urged；　〃what　of　your　Dedicates　here？　You　have　two　thousand　in　the　Dedicates'　Keep。　We　don't　have　horses　to　move　them；　nor　do　we　have　enough　guards　to　protect　them。〃　His　attention；　too；　had　turned　to　logistics。
　Raj　Ahten's　answer　was　chilling。　〃We　need　leave　no　warriors　to　guard　the　Dedicates'　Keep。〃
　〃What？〃　Feykaald　asked。　〃You　practically　beg　Orden　to　attack。　You'll　get　your　Dedicates　killed！〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃But　at　least　their　deaths　will　serve　some　higher　purpose。〃
　〃Higher　purpose？　What　higher　purpose　can　their　deaths　serve？〃　Feykaald　asked；　wringing　his　hands；　mystified。
　But　Jureem　suddenly　saw　the　plan　in　all　its　cruelty　and　magnificence：　〃Their　murders　shall　nurture　facetiousness；〃　Jureem　reasoned。　〃For　years；　the　Northern　nations　have　united　against　us。　But　if　Orden　murders　Sylvarresta's　Dedicates；　as　he　must；　if　he　destroys　his　oldest　and　dearest　friend；　what　will　he　win？　He　might　weaken　us　for　a　few　days；　but　he　will　weaken　himself　forever。　Even　if　he　should　escape　with　the　forcibles；　the　lords　of　the　North　will　fear　Orden。　Some　here　in　Heredon　will　revile　him；　perhaps　even　seek　vengeance。　All　this　shall　work　against　House　Orden；　and　destroying　Orden　is　the　key　to　taking　the　North。〃
　〃You　are　most　wise；〃　Feykaald　whispered；　glancing　first　at　Raj　Ahten；　and　then　at　Jureem；　his　voice　filled　with　awe。
　Yet　such　a　waste　saddened　Jureem。　So　many　men　go　through　their　lives　content　to　do　nothing；　to　be　nothing。　It　was　wise　to　harvest　endowments　from　such　men；　put　them　to　use。　But　wasting　the　lives　of　Dedicates　this　waywas　a　great　shame。
　Jureem　and　Feykaald　shouted　a　few　curt　orders；　and　in　moments　the　castle　walls　became　alive　as　the　troops　prepared　for　the　march。　Men　rushed　to　and　fro。
　Raj　Ahten　began　heading　along　the　narrow　cobbled　streets；　wanting　to　be　alone　with　his　thoughts；　walking　past　the　King's　stablessome　fine　new　wooden　buildings　that　stood　two　stories　tall。　The　upper　story　held　hay　and　grain。　The　lower　stabled　the　horses。
　His　men　rushed　everywhere；　claiming　the　first　steeds　they　found；　shouting　orders　to　stablehands。
　As　he　passed；　Raj　Ahten　peered　into　several　open　doors。　A　few　Dedicate　horses　were　kept　in　stalls；　many　of　them　hanging　from　slings　where　stable…masters　groomed　and　pampered　the　unfortunate　beasts。　Barn　swallows　darted　in　and　out　through　the　open　doors；　peeping　in　alarm。
　The　stables　became　tremendously　busy。　Not　only　were　Sylvarresta's　horses　stabled　here；　but　some　of　Raj　Ahten's　finer　beasts　had　been　brought　last　night；　to　be　cared　for　by　Raj　Ahten's　own　stablemasters。
　He　had　enough　good　warhorses　to　mount　a　decent　cavalry。
　Raj　Ahten　ducked　into　the　last　stable。　The　odor　of　dung　and　horse　sweat　clung　in　the　air。　Such　stench　irritated　Raj　Ahten；　with　his　overdeveloped　sense　of　smell。　Raj　Ahten's　stablemaster　washed　the　master's　horses　twice　daily　in　lavender　water　and　parsley；　to　diminish　such　offensive　odors。
　In　the　front　of　the　stable；　a　boy　with　dark　hair　stood　by　a　stall。　He'd　bridled　a　force　horsea　good　one　by　the　number　of　runes　on　itand　stood　grooming　it；　preparing　it　for　the　saddle。　Several　horses　of　equal　merit　stood　by。　The　lad　was　too　pale　of　face　to　be　one　of　Raj　Ahten's　own　stablehands；　had　to　have　been　inherited　from　Sylvarresta。
　The　young　man　turned　at　the　sound　of　Raj　Ahten's　entry；　glanced　nervously　over　his　shoulder。
　〃Leave；〃　Raj　Ahten　told　the　boy。　〃Take　the　horses　to　the　gates　and　hold　them　yourself。　Reserve　the　best　for　Counselor　Feykaald　and　Chancellor　Jureem　hereno　other。　Understand？〃　Raj　Ahten　pointed　to　Jureem；　who　stood　just　outside　the　door；　and　Jureem　nodded　curtly　at　the　boy。
　The　young　man　nodded；　threw　a　small　hunting　saddle　over　the　horse's　back；　and　hurried　past　Raj　Ahten　and　his　counselors；　gawking；　terrified。
　Raj　Ahten　sometimes　had　that　effect　on　people。　It　made　him　smile。　From　behind；　the　boy　looked　familiar。　Yet　Raj　Ahten　suddenly　felt　a　certain　muzziness；　a　cloudiness　of　thought　as　he　tried　to　recall。　Then　he　had　ithe　had　seen　the　boy　on　the　street；　earlier　this　morning。
　But　no；　he　now　remembered；　it　had　not　been　the　boy。　Merely　a　statue　that　looked　like　him。　The　young　man　led　the　horse　from　the　stable；　began　buckling　and　cinching　the　saddle；　tying　on　saddlebags；　just　out　of　earshot。
　Alone