rj.thepathofdaggers-第119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！


ssible　that　he　was　still　in　Cairhien；　but　they　still　demanded　to　know　why　he　had　not　sent　for　them　afterward；　and　Rand　had　had　no　answers。　He　muttered　something　under　his　breath；　and　quickened　his　pace　so　Min　had　to　stretch　her　legs　to　keep　up。
　　　　　　　〃Watch　Cadsuane　carefully；　Min；〃　he　said。　〃And　you；　too；　Morr。　She's　up　to　some　Aes　Sedai　scheme；　but　burn　me　if　I　can　see　what。　I　don't　know。　There's　…　〃
　　　　　　　A　stone　wall　seemed　to　strike　Min　from　behind；　she　thought　she　heard　roaring；　crashing。　And　then　Rand　was　turning　her　over　…　she　was　lying　on　the　floor？　…　looking　down　at　her　with　the　first　fear　she　remembered　seeing　in　those　morning…blue　eyes。　It　only　faded　when　she　sat　up；　coughing。　The　air　was　full　of　dust！　And　then　she　saw　the　corridor。
　　　　　　　The　Maidens　were　gone　from　in　front　of　Rand's　doors。　The　doors　themselves　were　gone；　along　with　most　of　the　wall；　and　a　jagged　hole　nearly　as　big　gaped　in　the　wall　opposite。　She　could　see　into　his　apartments　clearly　despite　the　dust；　into　devastation。　Massive　piles　of　rubble　lay　everywhere；　and　above；　the　ceiling　yawned　open　to　the　sky。　Snow　swirled　down　onto　flames　dancing　among　the　rubble。　One　of　the　massive　blackwood　posts　of　his　bed　stuck　burning　out　of　shattered　stone；　and　she　realized　she　could　see　all　the　way　outside　to　the　stepped　towers　veiled　by　the　snowfall。　It　was　as　if　a　huge　hammer　had　smashed　into　the　Sun　Palace。　And　had　they　been　in　there；　instead　of　going　to　see　Cadsuane。。。　Min　shivered。
　　　　　　　〃What。。。？〃　she　began　unsteadily；　then　abandoned　the　useless　question。　Any　fool　would　see　what　had　happened。　〃Who？〃　she　asked　instead。
　　　　　　　Covered　in　dust；　hair　every　which　way；　and　with　tears　in　their　coats；　the　two　men　looked　as　if　they　had　been　rolled　along　the　corridor；　and　perhaps　they　had。　She　thought　they　were　all　a　good　ten　paces　farther　from　the　doors　than　she　remembered。　From　where　the　doors　had　been。　In　the　distance；　anxious　shouts　rose；　echoing　along　the　halls。　Neither　man　answered　her。
　　　　　　　〃Can　I　trust　you；　Morr？〃　Rand　asked。
　　　　　　　Fedwin　met　his　gaze　openly。　〃With　your　life；　my　Lord　Dragon；〃　he　said　simply。
　　　　　　　〃That's　what　I　am　trusting　you　with；〃　Rand　said。　His　fingers　brushed　her　cheek；　and　then　he　stood　abruptly。　〃Guard　her　with　your　life；　Morr。〃　Hard　as　steel；　his　voice。　Grim　as　death。　〃If　they're　still　in　the　Palace；　they'll　feel　you　try　to　make　a　gateway；　and　strike　before　you　can　finish。　Don't　channel　at　all　unless　you　must；　but　be　ready。　Take　her　down　to　the　servants'　quarters；　and　kill　anyone　or　anything　that　tries　to　get　to　her。　Anyone！〃
　　　　　　　With　a　last　look　down　at　her　…　oh；　Light；　any　other　time；　she　would　have　thought　she　could　die　happily；　seeing　that　look　in　his　eyes！　…　he　went　running；　away　from　the　ruination。　Away　from　her。　Whoever　had　tried　to　kill　him　would　be　hunting　for　him。
　　　　　　　Morr　patted　her　on　the　arm　with　a　dusty　hand　and　gave　her　a　boyish　grin。　〃Don't　worry；　Min。　I'll　take　care　of　you。〃
　　　　　　　But　who　was　going　to　take　care　of　Rand？　Can　I　trust　you；　he　had　asked　this　boy　who　had　been　one　of　the　first　to　e　asking　to　learn。　Light；　who　would　make　him　safe？
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Rounding　a　corner；　Rand　stopped　with　a　hand　against　one　wall　to　seize　the　Source。　A　fool　thing；　not　wanting　Min　to　see　him　stagger　when　someone　tried　to　kill　him；　but　there　it　was。　Not　just　any　someone。　A　man；　Demandred；　or　perhaps　Asmodean　e　back　at　last。　Maybe　both；　there　had　been　an　oddity；　as　if　the　weaving　came　from　different　directions。　He　had　felt　the　channeling　too　late　to　do　anything。　He　would　have　died；　in　his　rooms。　He　was　ready　to　die。　But　not　Min；　no；　not　Min。　Elayne　was　better　off；　turning　against　him。　Oh；　Light；　she　was！
　　　　　　　He　seized　the　Source；　and　saidin　flooded　him　with　molten　cold　and　freezing　heat；　with　life　and　sweetness；　filth　and　death。　His　stomach　twisted；　and　the　hallway　in　front　of　him　doubled　itself。　For　an　instant；　he　thought　he　saw　a　face。　Not　with　his　eyes；　in　his　head。　A　man；　shimmering　and　unrecognizable；　gone。　He　floated　in　the　Void；　empty；　and　full　of　the　Power。
　　　　　　　You　won't　win；　he　told　Lews　Therin。　If　I　die；　I'll　die　me！
　　　　　　　I　should　have　sent　Ilyena　away；　Lews　Therin　whispered　back。　She　would　have　lived。
　　　　　　　Pushing　the　voice　away　as　he　pushed　himself　from　the　wall；　Rand　slipped　along　the　Palace　corridors　with　all　the　stealth　he　could　muster；　stepping　lightly；　gliding　close　to　tapestry…hung　walls；　around　gold…worked　chests　and　gilded　cabinets　bearing　fragile　golden　porcelains　and　ivory　statuettes。　His　eyes　searched　for　his　attackers。　They　would　not　be　satisfied　short　of　finding　his　body；　but　they　would　be　very　careful　in　approaching　his　rooms　in　case　he　had　survived　by　some　ta'veren　swirl　of　fate。　They　would　wait；　to　see　whether　he　stirred。　In　the　Void；　he　was　as　near　one　with　the　Power　as　any　man　could　live　through。　In　the　Void；　as　with　a　sword；　he　was　one　with　his　surroundings。
　　　　　　　Frantic　shouts　and　clamor　rose　in　every　direction；　some　screaming　to　know　what　had　happened；　others　crying　that　the　Dragon　Reborn　had　gone　mad。　The　bundle　of　frustration　in　his　head　that　was　Alanna　provided　one　small　fort。　She　was　out　of　the　Palace；　as　she　had　been　all　morning；　maybe　even　outside　the　city　walls。　He　wished　Min　was；　too。　Sometimes　he　saw　men　and　women　down　one　hallway　or　another；　black…liveried　servants　mainly；　running；　falling　down　and　scrambling　up　to　run　again。　They　did　not　see　him。　With　the　Power　in　him；　he　could　hear　every　whisper。　Including　the　whisper　of　soft　boots　running；　light…footed。
　　　　　　　Backing　against　the　wall　beside　a　long　table　topped　with　porcelain；　he　quickly　wove　Fire　and　Air　around　himself　and　held　very　still　wrapped　in　Folded　Light。
　　　　　　　Maidens　appeared；　a　stream　of　them；　veiled；　and　ran　by　without　seeing　him。　Toward　his　apartments。　He　could　not　let　them　acpany　him；　he　had　promised；　but　to　let　them　fight；　not　to　lead　them　to　slaughter。　When　he　found　Demandred　and　Asmodean；　all　the　Maidens　could　do　was　die；　and　he　already　had　five　names　to　learn　and　add　to　his　list。　Somara　of　the　Bent　Peak　Daryne　was　already　there。　A　promise　he　had　had　to　make；　a　promise　he　had　to　keep。　For　that　promise　alone；　he　deserved　to　die！
　　　　　　　Eagles　and　women　can　only　be　kept　safe　in　cages；　Lews　Therin　said　as　though　quoting；　then　abruptly　began　weeping　as　the　last　of　the　Maidens　vanished。
　　　　　　　Rand　moved　on；　sweeping　back　and　forth　through　the　palace　in　arcs　that　slowly　moved　away　from　his　apartments。　Folded　Light　used　very　little　of　the　Power　…　so　little　no　man　could　have　felt　the　use　of　saidin　unless　right　on　top　of　it　…　and　he　used　it　whenever　anyone　seemed　about　to　see　him。　His　attackers　had　not　struck　at　his　rooms　on　the　chance　he　would　be　there。　They　had　eyes…and…ears　in　the　Palace。　Maybe　it　had　been　ta'veren　work　that　pulled　him　out　of　the　apartments；　if　a　ta'veren　could　work　on　himself；　and　maybe　just　happenstance；　but　perhaps　his　tugging　at　the　Pattern　could　bring　his　attackers　within　his　grasp　while　they　thought　him　dead　or　injured。　Lews　Therin　chuckled　at　the　thought。　Rand　could　almost　feel　the　man　rubbing　his　hands　in　anticipation。
　　　　　　　Three　more　times　he　had　to　hide　behind　the　Power　as　veiled　Maidens　rushed　by；　and　once　when　he　saw　Cadsuane　sweeping　along　the　corridor　ahead　with　no　fewer　than　six　Aes　Sedai　at　her　heels；　and　not　one　other　that　he　recognized　besides　her。　They　seemed　to　be　hunting。　He　was　not　afraid　of　the　gray…haired　sister；　precisely。　No；　of　course　not　afraid！　But　he　waited　until　she　and　her　friends　were　well　out　of　sight　before　letting　his　concealing　weave　go。　Lews　Therin　did　not　chuckle　over　Cadsuane。　He　was　deathly　silent　until　she　was　gone。
　　　　　　　Rand　stepped　away　from　the　wall；　a　door　opened　right　beside　him；　and　Ailil　peeked　out。　He　had　not　known　he　was　near　her　rooms。　Behind　her　shoulder　stood　a　dark　woman　with　fat　golden　rings　in　her　ears　and　a　medallion…filled　golden　chain　running　across　her　left　cheek　to　her　nose　ring。　Shalon；　Windfinder　to　Harine　din　Togara；　the　Atha'an　Miere　ambassador　who　had　moved　into　the　Palace　with　her　retinue　almost　as　Merana　informed　him　of　the　agreement。　And　meeting　with　a　woman　who　might　want　him　dead。　Their　eyes　popped　at　the　sight　of　him。
　　　　　　　He　was　as　gentle　as　he　could　be；　but　he　had　to　be　quick。　A　few　moments　after　the　door　opened；　he　was　tucking　a　somewhat　rumpled　Ailil　beneath　her　bed　alongside　Shalon。　Perhaps　they　were　not　part　of　what　was　happening。　Perhaps。　Safe　was　better　than　sorry。　Glaring　at　him　above　mouths　wadded　full　of　Ailil's　scarves；　the　two　women　writhed　against　the　torn　strips　of　bedsheet　he　had　used　to　bind　their　wrists　and　ankles。　The　shield　he　had　tied　off　on　Shalon　would　hold　her　for　a　day　or　two　before　the　knot　unraveled；　but　someone　would　find　them　and　cut　their　other　bonds　before　too　much　longer。
　　　　　　　Worrying　about　that　shield；　he　opened　the　door　enough　to　check　the　hallway；　and　hurried　out；　along　the　empty　corridor。　He　could　not　have　left　the　Windfinder　free　to　channel；　but　shielding　a　woman　was　not　a　matter　of　dribbles　of　the　Power。　If　one　of　his　attackers　had　been　close　enough。。。　But　he　saw　no　one　down　any　of　the　crossing　corridors；　either。
　　　　　　　Fifty　paces　beyond　Ailil's　rooms；　the　corridor　opened　into　a　square…railed　balcony　of　blue　marble　with　broad　stairs　at　either　end；　fronting　a　square　chamber　with　a　high；　vaulted　ceiling　and　the　same　sort　of　balcony　at　the　other　side。　Tapestries　ten　paces　long　hung　along　the　walls；　birds　soaring　to　the　skies　in　rigid　patterns。　Below；　Dashiva　stood　looking　about；　licking　his　lips　uncertainly。　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid　were　with　him！　Lews　Therin　chittered　of　killing。
　　　　　　　〃。。。　telling　you　I　felt　nothing；〃　Gedwyn　was　saying。　〃He's　dead！〃
　　　　　　　And　Dashiva　saw　Rand；　at　the　head　of　the　stairs。
　　　　　　　The　only　warning　he　had　was　the　sudden　snarl　that　contorted　Dashiva's　face。　Dashiva　channeled；　and　with　no　time　to　think；　Rand　wove　…　as　so　often；　he　did　not　know　what；　something　dredged　from　Lews　Therin's　memories；　he　was　not　even　sure　he　created　the　weave　entirely　himself；　or　whether　Lews　Therin　snatched　at　saidin　…　Air　and　Fire　and　Earth　woven　around　himself　just　so。　The　fire　that　leaped　from　Dashiva　erupted；　shattering　marble；　flinging　Rand　back　down　the　hallway；　bounding　and　rolling　in　his　cocoon。
　　　　　　　That　barrier　would　keep　out　anything　sh