tg.stone of tears-第71部分

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off　her　hood。　‘Margaret　dear；　how　nice　of　you　to　show　such　interest　in　our　little　group。　I　didn’t　know　you　were　that　stupid。　Did　you　think　I　let　you　see　the　quillion　in　my　office　by　accident？　That　I　wasn’t　aware　someone　was　interested？　I　had　to　know　who　was　skulking　about；　looking　into　things　that　were　none　of　their　concern。　I　let　you　see　it。　I　wasn’t　sure　though；　until　you　followed　us。’　Her　smile　froze　Margaret’s　breathing。　‘Think　we　are　fools？　I　saw　the　pool　of　Han　you　cast　for　us　to　step　in。　I　obliged　you。　Such　a　shame。　For　you。’
　
　Margaret’s　hand　was　clutched　tightly　around　the　gold　flower　at　her　neck；　her　fingernails　digging　into　her　palm。　How　could　they　have　seen　the　pool　of　her　Han？　The　answer　was　tragically　simple：　she　had　underestimated　them。　Underestimated　what　they　could　do　with　the　gift。　Her　mistake　was　going　to　cost　her　her　life。
　
　But　only　her。　Only　her。　Please；　dear　Creator；　only　her。　She　could　sense　Jedidiah　close　at　her　side。
　
　‘Jedidiah；’　she　whispered；　‘run。　I’ll　try　to　hold　them　off　while　you　escape。　Run；　my　love。　Run　for　your　life。’
　
　His　powerful　hand　came　up　and　gripped　her　upper　arm。　‘I　don’t　think　so；　‘my　love。’’　Her　eyes　were　captured　by　his　cruelly　empty　expression。　‘I　tried　to　save　you；　Margaret。　I　tried　to　get　you　to　turn　back。　But　you　wouldn’t　listen。’　He　glanced　to　the　Sister　across　the　clearing。　‘If　I　got　her　oath；　couldn’t　we　just。。。’　The　Sister　glared　back。　He　sighed。　‘No；　I　suppose　we　couldn’t。’
　
　He　gave　her　a　strong　shove　into　the　clearing。　She　came　to　a　stumbling　stop　at　the　edge　of　the　candles。　She　had　gone　numb。　Her　mind　refused　to　work。　Her　voice　refused　to　work。
　
　The　Sister　across　the　circle　clasped　her　hands　together；　looking　to　Jedidiah。　‘Has　she　told　anyone　else？’
　
　‘No。　Just　me。　She　was　looking　for　proof　before　she　went　to　anyone　else　for　help。’　His　eyes　returned　to　her。　‘Isn’t　that　right；　my　love？’　He　shook　his　head　again；　the　smirk　of　a　smile　touching　his　lips。　Lips　she　had　kissed。　She　felt　sick。　She　felt　like　the　biggest　fool　the　Creator　had　ever　seen。　‘Such　a　shame。’
　
　‘You　have　done　well；　Jedidiah。　You　will　be　rewarded。　And　as　for　you；　Margaret　。。。　well；　tomorrow　Jedidiah　will　report　that　after　trying　to　avoid　the　insistent　affections　of　an　older　woman；　he　finally　and　firmly　rejected　you　for　good；　and　you　ran　away　in　shame　and　humiliation。　If　they　e　here　and　find　your　bones；　it　will　confirm　their　fears　that　you　chose　to　end　your　life　because　you　felt　unworthy　to　live　any　longer　as　a　Sister　of　the　Light。’
　
　The　dark…flecked　eyes　glided　back　to　Margaret。　‘Let　me　have　her。　Let　me　test　my　new　gift。　Let　me　taste　it。’
　
　Those　eyes　kept　Margaret　frozen；　her　hand　still　clutching　the　gold　flower　at　her　neck。　She　could　hardly　breathe　through　the　numbing　agony　of　knowing　Jedidiah　had　betrayed　her。
　
　She　had　prayed　to　the　Creator　to　give　Jedidiah　strength；　strength　to　help　others。　She　had　had　no　idea　who　those　others　would　be。　The　Creator　had　answered　her　prayers；　foolish　as　they　had　been。
　
　When　the　Sister　consented；　the　thin　lips　widened　in　a　greedy　grin。　Margaret　felt　naked；　helpless；　in　the　penetrating　gaze　of　those　flecked　eyes。
　
　At　last；　Margaret　made　her　mind　work。　Her　thoughts　sprang　to　a　terrified　groping　for　a　way　of　escape。　She　could　only　think　of　one　thing　to　do；　before　it　was　too　late。　With　panicked　abandon；　she　let　her　Han　explode　through　every　fiber　of　herself；　and　brought　forth　a　shield；　the　most　powerful　shield　she　knew　…　a　shield　of　air。　She　made　it　hard　as　steel。　Impenetrable。　She　poured　her　hurt　and　hate　into　it。
　
　The　thin　smile　never　left。　The　flecked　eyes　didn’t　move。　‘Air；　is　it　then？　With　the　gift；　I　can　see　it　now。　Shall　I　show　you　what　I　can　do　with　air？　What　the　gift　can　do　with　it？’
　
　‘The　Creator’s　power　will　protect　me；’　Margaret　managed。
　
　The　thin　smile　turned　to　a　sneer。　‘You　think　so？　Let　me　show　you　the　Creator’s　impotence。’
　
　Her　hand　came　up。　Margaret　expected　a　ball　of　Wizard’s　Fire。　It　wasn’t；　it　was　a　ball　of　air　so　dense　she　could　see　it；　see　it　ing。　It　was　so　dense　it　distorted　what　was　seen　through　it。　Margaret　could　hear　the　whoosh　of　its　approach；　the　wail　of　its　power。　It　went　through　her　shield　like　flaming　pitch　through　paper。
　
　It　shouldn’t　have　been　able　to　do　that；　her　shield　was　air。　Air　should　not　have　been　able　to　break　a　shield　of　air；　not　a　shield　as　strong　as　she　had　made。　But　this　was　air　made　not　by　a　mere　Sister；　but　one　with　the　gift。　A　wizard’s　gift。
　
　Confused；　Margaret　realized　she　was　lying　on　the　ground；　looking　up　at　the　stars；　pretty　stars：　the　Creator’s　stars。　She　couldn’t　draw　a　breath。　Simply　couldn’t。
　
　She　thought　it　odd；　she　didn’t　remember　the　air　hitting　her。　Only　her　breath　being　ripped　violently　from　her　lungs。　She　felt　cold；　but　there　was　something　warm　against　her　face。　Warm　and　wet。　It　was　a　fort。
　
　Her　legs　didn’t　seem　to　work。　Try　as　she　might；　she　couldn’t　make　them　move。　With　the　greatest　of　effort；　she　managed　to　lift　her　head　a　bit。　The　Sisters　hadn’t　moved；　but　now　somehow；　they　were　farther　away。　They　all　watched　her。　Margaret　looked　down　at　herself。
　
　Something　was　terribly　wrong。
　
　Below　her　ribs；　there　was　mostly　nothing　there。　Just　the　shredded；　wet　remains　of　her　insides；　and　then　nothing。　Where　the　rest　of　her　should　have　been；　there　was　nothing。　Where　had　her　legs　gone？　They　must　be　somewhere。　They　had　to　be　somewhere。
　
　There　they　were。　They　lay　a　little　distance　away；　where　she　had　been　standing。
　
　So。　That　was　why　she　couldn’t　take　a　breath。　Air　shouldn’t　have　been　able　to　do　that。　It　was　impossible。　At　least　air　wielded　by　a　Sister　shouldn’t　have　been　able　to　do　that。　It　was　a　wonder。
　
　Dear　Creator；　why　have　you　not　helped　me？　I　was　doing　your　work。　Why　have　you　let　this　be　done！
　
　It　should　hurt；　shouldn’t　it？　Shouldn’t　it　hurt　to　be　ripped　in　half？　But　it　didn’t。　It　didn’t　hurt　the　least　little　bit。
　
　Cold。　She　felt　only　cold。　But　the　warm　rope　of　her　guts　lying　against　her　face　felt　good。　Warm。　She　took　fort　in　the　warmth。
　
　Maybe　it　didn’t　hurt　because　the　Creator　was　helping　her。　That　must　be　it。　The　Creator　had　taken　her　pain。　Dear　Creator；　thank　you。　I　did　my　best。　I　am　sorry　I　failed　you。　Send　another。
　
　Boots　were　near：　Jedidiah。　Husband　Jedidiah；　monster　Jedidiah。
　
　‘I　tried　to　warn　you；　Margaret。　I　tried　to　keep　you　away。　You　can’t　say　I　didn’t　try。’
　
　Her　arms　lay　sprawled　out　to　her　sides。　In　her　right　hand　she　could　feel　the　little　gold　flower。　She　hadn’t　let　go　of　it。　Even　as　she　was　torn　in　half；　she　never　let　go。　She　tried　to　now；　but　she　couldn’t　make　her　hand　open。　She　wished　she　had　the　strength　to　open　her　hand。　She　didn’t　want　to　die　with　that　in　her　hand。　But　she　just　couldn’t　open　her　fingers。
　
　Dear　Creator；　I　have　failed　in　this；　too。
　
　Since　she　couldn’t　release　it；　she　did　the　only　other　thing　she　could　think　of。　She　sent　the　rest　of　her　power　into　it。　Maybe　someone　would　see；　and　ask　the　right　question。
　
　Tired。　She　was　so　very　tired。
　
　She　tried　to　close　her　eyes；　but　they　wouldn’t　close。　How　could　a　person　die；　if　they　couldn’t　close　their　eyes？
　
　There　were　a　lot　of　stars。　Pretty　stars。　There　seemed　to　be　fewer　than　she　remembered。　Hardly　any　at　all。　She　thought　her　mother　had　told　her　once　how　many　there　were。　But　she　couldn’t　remember。
　
　Well；　she　would　just　have　to　count　them。
　
　One　。。。　two　。。。
　
　
　CHAPTER　21
　
　‘How　long？’　Chase　asked。
　
　The　seven　fierce…looking　men　that　were　squatted　down　in　a　half　circle　before　her　and　Chase　just　stared　at　him　and　blinked。　None　of　the　seven　had　any　weapons　except　belt　knives；　and　one　didn’t　even　have　that。　But　there　were　a　lot　of　other　men　standing　behind　them；　and　they　all　had　bows　or　spears；　or　both。
　
　Rachel　tugged　her　thick；　brown；　woolen　cloak　tighter　around　herself　and　shifted　her　weight　as　she　squatted；　wiggling　her　toes；　wishing　her　feet　weren’t　so　cold。　They　were　starting　to　tingle。　She　stroked　her　fingers　over　the　big；　amber　stone　hanging　on　the　chain　from　her　neck。　Its　smooth　teardrop　shape　felt　warm　against　her　fingers。
　
　Chase　mumbled　something　Rachel　couldn’t　understand　as　he　pushed　his　heavy　black　cloak　back　over　his　shoulders　and　then　pointed　with　a　stick　at　the　two　people　drawn　in　the　dirt。　All　the　leather　belts　for　his　weapons　creaked　as　he　leaned　forward　on　boots　big　enough　for　any　of　the　other　men　to　fit　both　of　their　feet　into　just　one。　He　tapped　his　stick　on　the　ground　again；　then　turned　and　pushed　his　hand　out　toward　the　grassland。
　
　‘How　long？’　He　pointed　at　the　drawing　and　pushed　his　hand　out　a　few　more　times。　‘How　long　since　they　left？’
　
　They　chattered　something　Chase　and　she　couldn’t　understand；　and　then　the　man　with　long　silver　hair　falling　down　around　his　sun　brown　face；　the　one　who　didn’t　have　a　coyote　hide　around　his　shoulders　but　wore　only　simple　buckskin　clothes；　drew　another　picture　in　the　dirt。　She　could　tell　what　it　was　easy　this　time。　It　was　the　sun。　He　made　marks　under　it。　Chase　watched　as　the　man　drew　three　rows　of　marks　under　the　picture　of　the　sun。　He　stopped。
　
　Chase　stared　at　the　picture。　Three　weeks。’　He　looked　up　at　the　man　with　the　long　hair。　Three　weeks？’　He　pointed　at　the　sun　on　the　ground　and　held　up　most　of　his　fingers　three　times。　They’ve　been　gone　three　weeks？’
　
　The　man　nodded　and　made　some　more　of　those　funny　words。
　
　Siddin　handed　her　another　piece　of　flat　bread　with　honey。　It　tasted　wonderful。　She　tried　to　eat　it　slowly；　but　it　was　gone　before　she　knew　it。　She　had　tasted　honey　only　once　before；　back　at　the　castle　when　she　lived　there　as　the　Princess’s　playmate。　The　Princess　never　let　her　have　honey；　said　it　wasn’t　for　the　likes　of　her；　but　one　of　the　cooks　had　given　her　some　once。
　
　Her　stomach　fluttered　at　the　memory　of　how　mean　the　Princess　had　been　to　her。　She　never　wanted　to　live　in　a　castle　again。　Now　that　she　was　Chase’s　daughter；　she　would　never　have　to。　Every　night　she　lay　in　her　blankets；　before　she　went　to　sleep；　and　wondered　what　the　rest　of　her　new　family　was　like。
　
　Chase　said　she　would　have　sisters　and　brothers。　A