tg.wizardfirstrule-第135部分

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s　able　to　what　he　had　done；　why　the　magic　hadn't　stopped　him；　and　from　the　look　on　Denna's　face；　he　knew　he　shouldn't　have　been　able　to　do　it。
　
　〃I　warned　her　before；〃　Richard　said；　holding　Denna's　glare。　〃Promise　made。　Promise　kept。〃　He　smiled。　〃Thank　you；　Mistress　Denna；　for　saving　my　life。　I　owe　you。〃
　
　She　stared　at　him　a　moment　before　her　expression　turned　dark。　She　stalked　out　of　the　room。　He　watched　the　Princess　writhing　on　the　floor　as　he　hung　in　the　shackles。
　
　〃Turn　over；　Violet；　or　you'll　drown　in　your　own　blood。　Turn　over！〃
　
　The　Princess　managed　to　flip　herself　over；　a　red　pool　spreading　under　her：　Men　appeared　in　a　rush；　tending　to　her。　Denna　watched。　They　lifted　her　carefully；　carrying　her　away。　He　could　hear　their　urgent　voices　fading；　disappearing　down　the　hall。
　
　And　then　he　was　alone　with　Denna。
　
　The　strap　hinges　creaked　as　she　pushed　the　door　closed　with　one　long…nailed　finger。　Richard　had　learned　over　the　last　few　days　that　Denna　truly　did　have　a　perverse　kindness　to　her。　He　had　learned　to　interpret　the　way　she　used　the　Agiel；　to　interpret　her　mood　through　it。　Sometimes　when　she　was　hurting　him。　he　could　tell　she　was　holding　back　out　of　a　twisted　caring　for　him。　He　knew　it　was　insane；　but　he　understood　that　there　were　times　she　felt　she　was　sharing　her　feelings　for　him　by　doing　her　worst。　He　knew；　too；　that　tonight　she　was　going　to　do　her　worst。
　
　She　stood　by　the　door；　watching　him。　Her　voice　was　soft。　〃You　are　a　very　rare　person；　Richard　Cypher。　Master　Rahl　warned　me　about　you。　Warned　me　to　take　care；　that　the　prophecies　speak　of　you。〃　She　walked　slowly；　her　boots　echoing　her　steps　on　the　stone；　to　stand　in　front　of　him；　close。　She　looked　into　his　eyes；　a　slight　wrinkle　to　her　brow。　Her　breath　on　his　face　was　quicker　than　normal。　〃That　was　quite　extraordinary；〃　she　whispered。　〃Thoroughly　exciting。〃　Her　eyes　searched　his　face　hungrily。　〃I　have　decided；〃　she　said　breathlessly；　〃to　have　you　as　my　mate。〃
　
　Richard　hung　from　the　chains；　helpless　against　this　madness。　He　didn't　know　what　the　power　was　that　had　risen　up　in　him；　or　how　to　call　it　back。　He　tried。　It　did　not　e。
　
　Denna　seemed　to　be　in　the　grip　of　something　he　didn't　understand；　as　if　she　were　trying　to　summon　the　courage　to　do　something；　fearing　it；　yet　anxiously　wanting　it。　Her　breathing　was　quickening；　her　chest　heaving；　as　she　looked　into　his　eyes。　Incredulous；　he　saw　something　the　ugliness　of　her　cruelty　had　never　let　him　see　before：　she　was　attractive。　Breathtakingly；　stunningly；　attractive。　He　thought　he　must　be　losing　his　mind。
　
　Shocked；　and　strangely　worried；　Richard　watched　as　she　slowly　put　the　Agiel　between　her　teeth。　He　could　tell　by　the　way　her　pupils　suddenly　expanded　that　it　was　hurting　her。　Her　skin　paled。　She　inhaled　sharply；　trembling　the　slightest　bit。　Denna　put　her　fingers　into　the　back　of　his　hair　and　held　his　head。　Slowly　she　brought　her　lips　to　his。　She　kissed　him　deeply；　passionately；　sharing　the　shattering　pain　of　the　Agiel　with　him。　With　her　tongue；　she　held　it　between　their　tips。　Her　kiss　was　savage；　bestial；　as　she　twisted　against　him。
　
　Every　fiber　of　his　being　burned　with　the　torture。　His　gasp　sucked　the　air　from　her　lungs；　hers　did　the　same　to　him。　…He　could　get　no　breath　but　hers；　she　none　but　his。　The　pain　made　him　forget　everything　but　her。　It　marauded　through　his　mind。　He　knew　by　the　sounds　she　was　making　that　she　was　feeling　the　same　agony　as　he。　Her　fingers　in　his　hair　tightened　into　fists　from　the　pain。　She　moaned　in　suffering。　Her　muscles　tightened　with　it。　It　raged　through　the　both　of　them。
　
　Without　prehending　why；　he　found　himself　kissing　her　back　just　as　passionately；　just　as　savagely。　The　pain　was　altering　his　perception　of　everything。　He　had　never　kissed　anyone　with　this　kind　of　lust。　Desperately；　he　wanted　her　to　stop。　Desperately；　he　didn't。
　
　The　strange　power　awakened　again。　He　tried　to　reach　for　it；　grasp　for　it；　hold　on　to　it。　But　it　slipped　from　him　and　was　gone。
　
　The　pain　was　overwhelming　him　as　Denna　crushed　her　lips　to　his；　the　Agiel　between　them；　their　teeth　grating　together。　She　pressed　her　body　to　his；　hooked　a　leg　around　his；　clung　to　him。　Her　cries　of　anguish　were　growing　more　desperate。　He　ached　to　hold　her。
　
　As　he　was　about　to　lose　consciousness；　she　pulled　away　from　him；　still　gripping　his　hair　in　her　fists。　Tears　ran　from　her　eyes　as　she　looked　into　his；　not　two　inches　away。　She　rolled　the　Agiel　into　her　mouth　with　her　tongue　and　held　it　there　with　her　teeth　as　she　shook　with　the　pain；　as　if　to　show　him　she　was　stronger　than　he。　Her　hand　came　slowly　and　took　away　the　Agiel　as　her　eyes　rolled　back　in　her　head。　She　gasped　for　air。
　
　Her　brow　wrinkled　together。　Tears　from　the　pain；　and　from　something　else；　flooded　from　her　eyes。　She　gave　him　a　kiss。　The　tenderness；　the　gentleness；　of　it；　shocked　him。
　
　〃We　are　bonded；〃　she　whispered　intimately。　〃Bonded　in　the　pain　of　the　Agiel。　I　am　sorry；　Richard。〃　She　brushed　his　cheek　with　trembling　fingers；　the　glaze　of　pain　still　in　her　eyes。　〃Sorry　for　what　I　will　do　to　you。　You　are　my　mate　for　life。〃
　
　Richard　was　stunned　by　the　passion　in　her　voice。　〃Please；　Mistress　Denna。　Please　let　me　go。　Or　at　least　help　me　stop　Darken　Rahl。　I　promise　you；　I　will　willingly　be　your　mate　for　life；　if　you　help　me　stop　him。　I　swear　on　my　life；　if　you　help　me；　I　will　stay　without　the　magic　holding　me。　Forever。〃
　
　She　put　a　hand　to　his　chest；　to　steady　herself　as　she　recovered。　〃Do　you　think　I　do　not　understand　what　I　am　doing　to　you？〃　Her　eyes　had　an　empty　gloss　to　them。　〃Your　training　and　service　will　last　for　mere　weeks；　before　you　die。　The　training　of　a　Mord…Sith　lasts　for　years。　Everything　I　do　to　you；　and　more；　has　been　done　to　me；　a　thousand　times　over。　A　Mord…Sith　must　know　her　Agiel　better　than　she　knows　herself。　My　first　trainer　took　me　for　his　mate　when　I　was　fifteen；　after　he　had　trained　me　since　I　was　twelve。　There　is　no　way　I　could　ever　live　up　to　his　cruelty；　or　his　ability　to　keep　a　person　on　the　cusp　between　life　and　death。　He　trained　me　until　I　was　eighteen；　when　I　killed　him。　For　that；　I　was　punished　with　the　Agiel　every　day　for　the　next　two　years。　This　Agiel。　The　very　same　one　I　use　on　you　was　the　one　used　to　train　me。　It　was　presented　to　me　when　I　was　proclaimed　Mord…Sith。　I　live　for　nothing　else　but　to　use　it。〃
　
　〃Mistress　Denna；〃　he　whispered。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　
　The　steel　returned　to　her　eyes。　She　nodded。　〃You　will　be
　
　There　is　no　one　who　will　help　you。　That　includes　me。　You　will　find　that　being　the　mate　to　a　Mord…Sith　brings　you　no　added　privileges；　only　a　great　deal　of　added　pain。〃
　
　Richard　hung　helpless　in　the　shackles；　overwhelmed　by　the　enormity　of　it　all。　Understanding　her　a　little　only　increased　his　hopelessness。　There　was　no　escape　for　him。　He　was　the　mate　of　a　madwoman。
　
　The　frown　and　the　smile　returned。　〃Why　would　you　be　so　foolish　as　to　do　what　you　did？　Surely；　you　must　know　I　will　hurt　you　for　doing　it。〃
　
　He　looked　at　her　puzzlement　for　a　moment。　〃Mistress　Denna；　what　difference　does　it　make？　You　are　going　to　hurt　me　anyway。　I　can't　imagine　what　more　you　could　do　to　me。〃
　
　Her　lip　curled　in　a　sneer。　〃Oh；　my　love；　you　have　a　very　limited　imagination。〃
　
　He　felt　her　grab　the　tongue　of　his　belt　and　yank　the　buckle　open。
　
　She　gritted　her　teeth。　〃It　is　time　we　found　some　new　places　on　you　to　hurt。　It　is　time　to　see　what　you　are　really　made　of。〃　The　look　in　her　eyes　made　him　go　cold。　〃Thank　you；　my　love；　for　giving　me　the　excuse　to　do　this　to　you。　I　have　never　before　done　it　to　another；　but　it　has　been　done　to　me　enough　times。　It　is　what　broke　me　when　I　was　fourteen。　Tonight；〃　she　whispered；　〃neither　of　us　is　going　to　get　any　sleep。〃　
　
　CHAPTER　42
　THE　BUCKETFUL　of　COLD　water　on　his　naked　flesh　barely　revived　him。　He　only　dimly　saw　the　little　rivers　of　water　that　were　stained　bright　red　as　they　ran　away　from　him　in　the　cracks　of　the　stone　floor　his　face　lay　against。　Each　shallow　breath　he　took　was　a　mighty　effort。　He　wondered　idly　how　many　of　his　ribs　she　had　broken。
　
　〃Put　your　clothes　on。　We're　leaving；〃　she　called　down　to　him。
　
　〃Yes；　Mistress　Denna；〃　he　whispered；　his　voice　so　hoarse　from　screaming　he　knew　she　couldn't　hear　him；　and　knew　she　would　hurt　him　for　not　answering；　and　yet　he　could　do　no　more。
　
　'When　the　Agiel　didn't　e；　he　moved　a　little；　saw　his　boot　and　reached　out　to　it；　pulling　it　to　him。　He　sat　up；　but　couldn't　raise　his　head　above　his　shoulders。　It　hung　limply。　With　great　difficulty；　he　started　putting　on　his　boot。　Gashes　on　his　feet　brought　tears　to　his　eyes　when　he　pulled。
　
　Her　knee　to　his　jaw　knocked　him　flat　on　his　back。　She　fell　on　him；　sitting　on　his　chest；　hitting　his　face　with　her　fists。
　
　〃What's　the　matter　with　you！　Are　you　stupid？　Your　pants　go　on　before　your　boots！　Do　I　have　to　tell　you　everything！〃　〃Yes　Mistress　Denna；　no　Mistress　Denna；　。forgive　me　Mistress　Denna；　thank　you　Mistress　Denna　for　hurting　me；　thank　you　Mistress　Denna　for　teaching　me；〃　he　mumbled。
　
　She　sat　on　his　chest；　panting　in　rage。　Her　breathing　slowed　after　a　time。
　
　〃e　on。　I　will　help　you。〃　She　leaned　over　and　kissed　him。　〃e　on；　my　love。　You'll　be　able　to　rest　while　we　travel。〃
　
　〃Yes；　Mistress　Denna。〃　The　sound　of　his　voice　was　hardly　more　than　a　breath。
　
　She　kissed　him　again。　〃e　on；　my　love。　It　will　be　better；　now　that　I　have　broken　you。　You　will　see。〃
　
　A　closed　carriage　stood　waiting　for　them　in　the　dark。　Clouds　from　the　horses'　breath　rose　and　drifted　slowly　in　the　cold；　still　air。　Richard　stumbled　a　few　times　as　he　walked　behind　her；　trying　to　keep　the　proper　slack　to　the　chain。　He　had　absolutely　no　idea　how　long　it　had　been　since　she　had　decided　he　was　to　be　her　mate；　nor　did　it　matter　to　him。　A　guard　opened　the　carriage　door。
　
　Denna　tossed　the　end　of　his　chain　on　the　floor。　〃Get　in。〃
　
　Richard　grabbed　the　sides　of　the　door。　He　dimly　heard　someone　approach　in　a　huff。　Derma　gave　a　little　tug　to　the　chain；　indicating　she　wanted　him　to　wait　where　he　was。
　
　〃Denna！〃　It　was　the　Queen；　at　the　head　of　her　advisors。
　
　〃Mistress　Denna；〃　she　corrected。
　
　The　Queen　looked　to　be　in　a　foul　mood。　〃Where　do　you　think　you　are　going