rj.thepathofdaggers-第25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！


e　herself　almost　shivered　at　the　river　of　the　Power　that　streamed　into　her。　No　one　yet　was　drawing　nearly　as　much　as　she　could；　but　it　added　up；　especially　with　angreal　involved。　Elayne's　awareness　climbed　higher　with　each　addition　of　saidar。　She　could　smell　the　heavy　scents　in　the　lacework　gold　boxes　that　the　Windfinders　wore　around　their　necks；　and　separate　one　from　another。　She　could　make　out　each　fold　and　crease　in　everyone's　clothes　as　sharply　as　if　she　had　her　nose　pressed　to　the　cloth；　more　sharply。　She　was　aware　of　the　faintest　movement　of　the　air　against　her　hair　and　skin；　caresses　she　never　would　have　noticed　without　the　Power。
　　　　　　　That　was　not　the　whole　of　her　awareness；　of　course。　The　link　had　a　certain　kinship　to　the　Warder　bond；　just　as　intense　and　somehow　even　more　intimate。　She　knew　that　a　tiny　blister　from　climbing　the　hill　made　a　spot　of　pain　on　Nynaeve's　right　heel；　Nynaeve　always　talked　about　good　stout　shoes；　but　she　had　a　weakness　for　slippers　with　a　great　deal　of　embroidery。　Nynaeve　wore　a　fixed　frown；　directed　at　Caire；　her　arms　were　crossed；　her　fingers　wearing　the　angreal　played　on　the　braid　pulled　over　her　right　shoulder；　every　line　of　her　of　a　piece；　yet　inside　she　was　a　maelstrom　of　emotions。　Fear；　worry；　anticipation；　irritation；　wariness　and　impatience　bounced　over　each　other；　and　washing　through　it　all；　sometimes　submerging　the　rest；　ripples　of　warmth　and　waves　of　heat　that　threatened　to　burst　into　flame。　Those　last　Nynaeve　suppressed　quickly；　especially　the　heat；　but　they　always　returned。　Elayne　almost　thought　she　could　recognize　them；　but　it　was　like　something　glimpsed　from　the　corner　of　your　eye　that　was　gone　when　you　turned　your　head。
　　　　　　　Surprisingly；　Aviendha　felt　fear；　too；　but　small　and　tightly　contained；　and　all　but　swallowed　by　determination。　Garenia　and　Kirstian；　shaking　visibly；　were　nearly　pure　terror；　so　strong　it　was　amazing　that　they　could　even　have　begun　to　embrace　the　Source。　What　filled　Reanne　to　overflowing　was　eagerness；　and　no　matter　her　skirt　smoothing。　As　for　the　Atha'an　Miere。。。　Even　Tebreille　exuded　a　wary　alertness；　and　it　did　not　take　the　quick　darting　of　Metarra's　eyes；　and　Rainyn's；　to　know　the　focus　was　Caire；　watching　them　all；　impatient　and　manding。
　　　　　　　Her；　Elayne　left　to　last；　and　it　was　no　real　surprise　that　she　had　to　make　four　tries　…　four！　…　to　bring　the　woman　into　the　circle。　Caire　was　no　better　at　yielding　than　Nynaeve。　Elayne　desperately　hoped　the　woman　had　been　chosen　for　ability；　not　rank。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　now　pass　the　circle　to　you；〃　she　told　the　Windfinder　when　it　finally　was　done。　〃If　you　recall　what　I　did　with　Ny…　〃　Words　froze　momentarily　in　her　throat　as　guidance　of　the　circle　was　torn　from　her　surrender；　a　sensation　like　having　a　sudden　burst　of　wind　rip　all　of　her　clothes　off　or　yank　the　bones　out　of　her。　She　exhaled　fiercely；　and　if　it　sounded　close　to　spitting；　well；　so　be　it。
　　　　　　　〃Good；〃　Caire　said；　rubbing　her　hands　together。　〃Good。〃　Her　attention　focused　on　the　Bowl；　her　head　twisting　this　way　and　that　as　she　studied　it。　Well；　perhaps　not　all　her　attention。　Reanne　started　to　sit　down；　and　without　looking　up；　Caire　snapped；　〃Hold　your　station；　woman！　This　isn't　a　fish　lolly！　Stand　till　you're　told　to　move！〃
　　　　　　　Startled；　Reanne　jerked　back　to　her　feet；　muttering　under　her　breath；　but　she　might　as　well　have　ceased　to　exist　as　far　as　Caire　was　concerned。　The　Windfinder's　eyes　remained　on　the　flattened　crystal　shape。　Elayne　felt　resolve　in　her　great　enough　to　move　a　mountain。　And　something　else；　tiny　and　quickly　stamped　out。　Uncertainty。　Uncertainty？　If　after　all　of　this；　the　woman　really　did　not　know　what　to　do　…
　　　　　　　At　that　moment；　Caire　drew　deeply。　Saidar　flooded　through　Elayne；　almost　as　much　as　she　could　hold；　an　unbroken　ring　of　light　blazed　into　being；　joining　the　women　in　the　circle；　brighter　wherever　one　used　an　angreal；　but　nowhere　faint。　She　watched　closely　as　Caire　channeled；　forming　a　plex　weave　of　all　Five　Powers；　a　four…pointed　star　that　she　laid　atop　the　Bowl　with　what　Elayne　somehow　was　sure　was　exquisite　precision。　The　star　touched；　and　Elayne　gasped。　Once；　she　had　channeled　a　trickle　into　the　Bowl　…　in　Tel'aran'rhiod；　to　be　sure；　and　only　a　reflection　of　the　Bowl；　though　still　a　dangerous　thing　to　do　…　and　that　clear　crystal　had　turned　a　pale　blue；　and　the　carved　clouds　moved。　Now；　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds　was　blue；　the　bright　blue　of　a　summer　sky；　and　fleecy　white　clouds　billowed　across　it。
　　　　　　　The　four…point　star　became　five…pointed；　the　position　of　the　weave　altered　slightly；　and　the　Bowl　was　a　green　sea　with　great　heaving　waves。　Five　points　became　six；　and　it　was　another　sky；　a　different　blue；　darker；　winter　perhaps；　with　purple　clouds　heavy　with　rain　or　snow。　Seven　points；　and　a　gray…green　sea　raged　in　storm。　Eight　points　and　sky。　Nine　and　sea；　and　suddenly；　Elayne　felt　the　Bowl　itself　drawing　saidar；　a　wild　torrent　far　greater　than　all　the　circle　together　could　manage。
　　　　　　　The　changes　continued　unabated　inside　the　Bowl；　sea　to　sky；　waves　to　clouds；　but　a　writhing；　braided　column　of　saidar　shot　up　from　that　flattish　crystal　disc；　Fire　and　Air；　Water　and　Earth　and　Spirit；　a　column　of　intricate　lace　as　wide　as　the　Bowl；　climbing　up　and　up　into　the　sky；　until　its　top　rose　out　of　sight。　Caire　continued　her　weaving；　sweat　streaming　down　her　face；　she　paused　seemingly　only　to　blink　salty　drops　away　from　her　eyes　as　she　examined　the　images　in　the　Bowl；　then　laid　a　new　weave。　The　pattern　of　the　braiding　in　the　thick　column　altered　with　every　weave；　subtly　echoing　what　Caire　wove。
　　　　　　　It　was　a　very　good　thing　she　had　not　wanted　to　focus　the　flows　for　this　circle；　Elayne　realized；　what　the　woman　was　doing　required　years　more　study　than　she　had。　Many　years　more。　Suddenly；　she　realized　something　else。　That　ever…changing　lacework　of　saidar　bent　itself　around　something　else；　something　unseen　that　made　the　column　solid。　She　swallowed；　hard。　The　Bowl　was　drawing　saidin　as　well　as　saidar。
　　　　　　　Her　hope　that　no　one　else　had　puzzled　that　out　vanished　with　one　glance　at　the　other　women。　Half　stared　at　the　twisting　column　with　a　revulsion　that　should　have　been　reserved　for　the　Dark　One。　Fear　grew　stronger　among　the　emotions　shared　in　her　head。　Some　were　approaching　the　level　of　Garenia　and　Kirstian；　and　it　was　a　wonder　those　two　had　not　fainted。　Nynaeve　was　a　hair　from　sicking　up；　for　all　her　suddenly　too　smooth　face。　Aviendha　appeared　just　as　calm　outwardly；　but　inside；　that　tiny　fear　quivered　and　pulsed；　trying　to　grow。
　　　　　　　From　Caire　came　only　determination；　as　steely　hard　as　her　expression。　Nothing　was　going　to　stand　in　Caire's　way；　certainly　not　the　mere　presence　of　Shadow…tainted　saidin　mixed　into　her　weaving。　Nothing　was　going　to　stop　her。　She　worked　the　flows；　and　abruptly　spiderwebs　of　saidar　blossomed　from　the　unseen　top　of　the　column；　like　uneven　spokes　of　a　wheel；　almost　a　solid　fan　to　the　south；　sparser　fans　reaching　north　and　northwest；　single　lacy　spokes　stretching　in　other　directions。　They　changed　as　they　grew；　never　the　same　from　one　moment　to　the　next；　spreading　across　the　sky；　farther　and　farther；　until　the　ends　of　the　pattern　also　passed　out　of　sight。　Not　just　saidar　there　either；　Elayne　was　certain；　in　places　that　spiderweb　caught　and　curved　around　something　she　could　not　see。　Still　Caire　wove；　and　the　column　danced　to　her　bidding；　saidar　and　saidin　together；　and　the　spiderweb　altered　and　flowed　like　a　lopsided　kaleidoscope　spinning　across　the　heavens；　vanishing　into　the　distance；　on　and　on　and　on。
　　　　　　　Without　warning；　Caire　straightened；　knuckling　her　back；　and　released　the　Source　pletely。　Column　and　spiderweb　evaporated；　and　she　collapsed　as　much　as　sat　down；　breathing　hard。　The　Bowl　turned　clear　again；　but　small　patches　of　saidar　flashed　and　crackled　around　its　edges。　〃It　is　done；　the　Light　willing；〃　she　said　tiredly。
　　　　　　　Elayne　hardly　heard。　That　was　not　the　way　to　end　a　circle。　When　Caire　let　go　in　that　way；　the　Power　disappeared　from　every　woman　simultaneously。　Elayne's　eyes　popped。　For　one　instant；　it　was　as　though　she　stood　atop　the　highest　tower　in　the　world；　and　suddenly　the　tower　was　not　there　anymore！　Just　an　instant；　yet　hardly　pleasant。　She　felt　tired；　if　not　anywhere　near　what　she　would　have　had　she　actually　done　anything　beyond　serve　as　a　conduit；　but　what　she　felt　most　was　loss。　Letting　go　of　saidar　was　bad　enough；　having　it　simply　vanish　out　of　you　went　beyond　thinking　about。
　　　　　　　Others　had　suffered　far　worse　than　she。　As　the　glow　joining　the　circle　winked　out；　Nynaeve　sat　down　right　where　she　stood　as　though　her　legs　had　melted；　sat　stroking　the　bracelet…and…rings；　staring　at　it　and　panting。　Sweat　rolled　down　her　face。　〃I　feel　like　a　kitchen　sieve　that　just　had　the　whole　mill　poured　through　it；〃　she　murmured。　Carrying　that　much　of　the　Power　had　its　cost　even　if　you　did　nothing；　even　with　an　angreal。
　　　　　　　Talaan　wavered；　a　reed　in　the　wind；　casting　surreptitious　glances　at　her　mother；　plainly　afraid　to　sit。　Aviendha　stood　straight；　her　fixed　expression　saying　that　willpower　had　as　much　to　do　with　that　as　anything　else。　She　gave　a　slight　smile；　though；　and　made　a　gesture　in　Maiden　handtalk　…　worth　the　price　…　and　then　another　…　more　…　right　behind。　More　than　worth　the　price。　Everyone　looked　weary；　if　not　so　much　as　those　who　had　used　angreal。　The　Bowl　of　the　Winds　went　quiet　at　last；　just　a　wide　bowl　of　clear　crystal；　but　decorated　now　with　towering　waves。　Saidar　still　seemed　to　be　there；　though；　not　being　wielded　by　anyone；　not　visible；　but　in　dimly　felt　flashes　like　those　that　had　played　around　the　Bowl　at　the　end。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　raised　her　head　to　glower　at　the　cloudless　sky；　then　lowered　her　gaze　to　Caire。　〃All　that；　for　what？　Did　we　do　anything；　or　not？〃　A　breath　of　air　stirred　across　the　hilltop；　warm　as　the　air　in　a　kitchen。
　　　　　　　The　Windfinder　struggled　her　feet。　〃Do　you　think　Weaving　the　Winds　is　like　throwing　the　helm　over　on　a　darter？〃　she　demanded　contemptuously。　〃I　just　moved　the　rudder　on　a　skimmer　with　a　beam　as　broad　as　the　world！　He　will　take　time　to　turn；　time　to　know　he　is　supposed　to　turn。　That　he　must　turn。　But　when　he　does；　not　the　Father　of　Storms　himself　will　be　able　to　stand　in　his　way。　I　have　done　it；　Aes　Sedai；　and　the　Bowl　of　the　Win