tg.wizardfirstrule-第58部分

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you　victory。　I　fear　nothing　but　that　I　should　fail　you。〃
　
　Darken　Rahl　put　his　arm　around　Demmin's　big　shoulders；　looking　up　at　the　pockmarked　face；　the　streak　of　black　hair　through　the　blond。　〃That　I　had　more　like　you；　my　friend。〃　He　took　his　arm　away　and　picked　up　the　bowl。　〃Go　now　and　tell　Queen　Milena　of　our　alliance。　Don't　forget　to　summon　the　dragon。〃　His　hint　of　a　smile　came　back。　〃And　don't　let　your　little　diversions　make　you　late　in　returning。〃
　
　Demmin　bowed　his　head。　〃Thank　you；　Master　Rahl；　for　the　honor　of　serving　you。〃　the　big　man　left　through　a　backdoor　as　Rahl　went　out　the　one　into　the　garden。　The　guards　stayed　in　the　small；　hot；　forge　room。
　
　Picking　up　the　feeding　horn；　Rahl　went　over　to　the　boy。　The　feeding　horn　was　a　long　brass　tube；　small　at　the　mouthpiece；　large　at　the　other　end。　The　big　end　was　held　up　to　shoulder　height　by　two　legs；　so　the　gruel　would　slide　down。　Rahl　set　it　down　so　the　mouthpiece　was　in　front　of　Carl
　
　〃What's　this　thing？〃　Carl　asked；　squinting　up　at　it。　〃A　horn？〃　〃Yes；　that's　right。　Very　good；　Carl。　It's　a　feeding　horn。　It's　a　part　of　the　ceremony　you　will　be　in。　The　other　young　men　who　have　helped　the　people　in　the　past　have　thought　it　a　most　fun　way　to　eat。　You　put　your　mouth　over　the　end　there；　and　I　serve　you　by　pouring　the　food　in　the　top。〃
　
　Carl　was　skeptical。　〃Really？〃
　
　〃Yes。〃　Rahl　smiled　reassuringly。　〃And　guess　what；　I　got　you　a　fresh　blueberry　pie；　still　warm　out　of　the　oven。〃
　
　Carl's　eyes　lit　up。　〃Great！〃　He　eagerly　put　his　mouth　over　the　end　of　the　horn。
　
　Rahl　passed　his　hand　in　a　circle　over　the　bowl　three　times　to　change　the　taste；　then　looked　down　at　Carl。　〃I　had　to　mash　it　up　so　it　will　go　through　the　feeding　horn；　I　hope　that's　all　right。〃
　
　〃I　always　mash　it　up　with　my　fork；〃　Carl　said　with　a　grin；　then　put　his　mouth　back　over　the　horn。
　
　Rahl　poured　a　little　gruel　into　the　end　of　the　horn。　When　it　reached　Carl's　mouth；　he　ate　it　eagerly。
　
　〃It's　great！　The　best　I　ever　had！〃
　
　〃I'm　so　pleased；〃　Rahl　said　with　a　shy　smile。　〃It's　my　own　recipe。　I　feared　it　wouldn't　be　as　good　as　your　mother's。〃
　
　〃It's　better。　Can　I　have　more？〃
　
　〃Of　course；　my　son。　With　Father　Rahl；　there　is　always　more。〃　
　
　CHAPTER　21
　WEARILY；　RICHARD　SEARCHED　THE　ground　where　the　trail　resumed　at　the　end　of　the　slide；　his　hopes　fading。　Dark　clouds　scudded　low　overhead；　occasionally　bringing　a　few　fat　drops　of　cold　rain　to　splatter　on　the　back　of　his　head　as　he　hunted。　It　had　occurred　to　him　that　maybe　Kahlan　had　made　it　through　the　Narrows；　that　she　had　only　bee　separated　for　him；　and　had　continued　on。　She　was　wearing　the　bone　Adie　had　given　her；　and　it　should　have　kept　her　safe。　She　should　have　been　able　to　make　it　through。　But　he　was　wearing　the　tooth；　and　Adie　had　said　he　couldn't　be　seen　either；　yet　the　shadows　had　e　from　them　anyway。　It　seemed　odd；　the　shadows　hadn't　moved　until　it　was　dark；　at　the　split　rock。　Why　didn't　they　e　for　them　before？
　
　There　were　no　tracks。　Nothing　had　been　through　the　Narrows　for　a　long　time。　Fatigue　and　despair　enveloped　him　again　as　fits　of　icy　wind　flapped　his　forest　cloak　around　him；　seeming　to　urge　him　on；　away　from　the　Narrows。　All　hope　gone；　he　turned　once　more　to　the　path；　toward　the　Midlands。
　
　He　had　taken　only　a　few　steps　when　a　thought　brought　him　to　a　sudden　halt
　
　If　Kahlan　had　bee　separated　from　him；　if　she　thought　the　underworld　had　taken　him；　if　she　thought　she　had　lost　him　and　was　alone；　would　she　have　continued　on；　to　the　Midlands？　Alone？
　
　No。
　
　He　turned　to　the　Narrows。　No。　She　would　have　gone　back。　Back　to　the　wizard。
　
　It　would　be　no　use　for　her　to　go　to　the　Midlands　alone。　She　needed　help；　that's　why　she　had　e　to　Westland　in　the　first　place。　Without　the　Seeker；　the　only　help　was　the　wizard。
　
　Richard　dared　not　put　too　much　faith　in　the　thought；　but　it　wasn't　that　far　back　to　the　place　where　he　had　fought　the　shadows；　where　he　had　lost　her。　He　couldn't　go　on　without　checking；　without　knowing　for　sure。　Fatigue　forgotten；　he　plunged　back　into　the　Narrows。
　
　Green　light　weled　his　return。　Following　his　tracks　back；　in　a　short　time　he　found　the　place　where　he　had　fought　the　shadows。　His　footprints　wandered　all　about　in　the　mud　of　the　slide；　telling　the　tale　of　his　battle。　He　was　surprised　at　how　much　ground　he　had　covered　in　the　fight。　He　didn't　remember　all　the　circling；　the　back　and　forth。　But　then　he　didn't　remember　much　of　the　fight；　until　the　last　part。
　
　With　a　jolt　of　recognition；　he　saw　what　he　was　looking　for。　The　tracks　of　the　two　of　them；　together；　then　hers；　alone。　His　heart　pounded　as　he　followed　them；　hoping　so　hard　it　hurt；　that　they　wouldn't　lead　into　the　wall。　Squatting；　he　inspected　them；　touched　them。　Her　tracks　wandered　about　a　while；　seemingly　confused；　and　then　they　stopped；　and　turned。　Where　their　pair　of　tracks　led　in　from　the　other　way；　one　set　of　tracks　lead　back。
　
　Kahlan's。
　
　Richard　stood　in　a　rush；　his　breathing　rapid；　his　pulse　racing。　The　green　light　glowed　irritatingly　about　him。　He　wondered　how　far　she　could　have　gone。　It　had　taken　them　most　of　the　night　to　laboriously　cross　the　Narrows。　But　they　hadn't　known　where　the　trail　was。　He　looked　down　at　the　footprints　in　the　mud。　He　did　now。
　
　He　would　have　to　go　fast；　he　couldn't　be　timid　in　following　the　way　back。　A　memory　of　something　Zedd　had　told　him　when　the　old　man　had　given　him　the　sword　came　into　his　mind。　The　strength　of　rage；　the　wizard　had　said；　gives　you　the　heedless　drive　to　prevail。
　
　The　clear　metallic　ringing　filled　the　dim　morning　air　as　the　Seeker　drew　his　sword。　Anger　flooded　through　him。　Without　a　second　thought；　Richard　dashed　down　the　trail；　following　the　tracks。　The　pressure　of　the　wall　buffeted　him　as　he　jogged　through　the　cool　mist。　When　the　tracks　turned；　switching　back　and　forth；　he　didn't　slow；　but　set　his　feet　to　one　side　or　the　other　to　throw　his　weight　the　other　way　down　the　path。
　
　Keeping　a　steady；　sustainable　pace；　he　was　able　to　traverse　the　span　of　the　Narrows　before　midmorning。　Twice；　he　had　e　across　a　shadow　floating　in　place　on　the　path。　They　didn't　move　or　seem　to　be　aware　of　him。　Richard　charged　through；　sword　first。　Even　without　faces；　they　had　seemed　surprised　as　they　howled　apart。
　
　Without　slowing　he　went　through　the　split　rock；　kicking　a　gripper　out　of　the　way。　On　the　other　side　he　stopped　to　catch　his　breath。　He　was　overwhelmed　with　relief　that　her　footprints　went　all　the　way。　Now；　back　on　the　forest　trail；　her　tracks　would　be　harder　to　see；　but　it　didn't　matter。　He　knew　where　she　was　going；　and　he　knew　she　was　safely　through　the　Narrows。　He　felt　like　crying　with　joy　in　the　knowledge　that　Kahlan　was　alive。
　
　He　knew　he　was　getting　closer　to　her；　the　mist　hadn't　yet　had　time　to　soften　the　sharp　edges　of　her　footprints；　the　way　it　had　when　he　had　first　found　them。　When　it　had　gotten　light；　she　must　have　followed　their　tracks　instead　of　using　the　walls　to　show　the　way；　or　else　he　would　have　caught　her　long　before　now。　Good　girl；　he　thought；　using　your　head。　He　would　make　a　woods　woman　of　her　yet。
　
　Richard　trotted　off　down　the　trail；　keeping　the　sword…and　his　anger…out。　He　didn't　waste　time　to　stop　and　look　for　signs　of　her　trail；　but　whenever　there　was　a　soft　or　muddy　patch；　he　looked　down；　checking；　as　he　slowed　a　little。　After　running　over　an　area　of　mossy　ground；　he　came　to　a　small　bare　patch　with　footprints。　He　gave　a　cursory　glance　as　he　went　by。　Something　he　saw　made　him　stop　so　suddenly　that　he　fell。　On　his　hands　and　knees；　he　peered　down　at　the　prints。　His　eyes　widened。
　
　Overlapping　part　of　her　footprint　was　a　man's　boot　print；　nearly　three　times　as　large　as　hers。　He　knew　without　a　doubt　who　it　belonged　to：　the　last　man　of　the　quad。
　
　Rage　brought　him　to　his　feet　scrambling　into　a　dead　run。　Branches　and　rock　flashed　by　in　a　blur。　His　only　concern　was　to　stay　on　the　trail　and　avoid　accidentally　running　into　the　boundary；　not　out　of　fear　for　himself；　but　because　he　knew　he　couldn't　help　Kahlan　if　he　got　himself　killed。　His　lungs　burned　for　air　as　his　chest　heaved　with　exertion。　The　anger　of　the　magic　made　him　ignore　his　exhaustion；　his　lack　of　sleep。
　
　Clambering　to　the　top　of　a　small　jut　of　rock；　he　saw　her　at　the　bottom　of　the　other　side。　For　an　instant；　he　froze。　Kahlan　stood　on　the　left；　feet　apart；　in　a　half　crouch；　a　rock　wall　at　her　back。　The　last　man　of　the　quad　stood　in　front　of　her；　to　Richard's　right。　Panic　slashed　through　his　anger。　The　man's　leather　uniform　glistened　in　the　wet。　The　hood　of　his　chain…mail　shirt　covered　his　head　of　blond　hair。　His　sword　rose　in　his　massive　fists；　and　muscles　stood　out　in　knots　along　his　arms。　He　howled　a　battle　cry。
　
　He　was　going　to　kill　her。
　
　Wrath　exploded　through　Richard's　mind。　He　screamed　〃No！〃　in　a　murderous　rage　as　he　leapt　off　the　rock。　With　both　hands　he　brought　the　Sword　of　Truth　up　while　still　in　midair。　When　he　hit　the　ground　he　recoiled；　swinging　it　around　from　behind；　in　an　arc。　The　sword　whistled　with　its　speed。　The　man　had　turned　as　Richard　hit　the　ground。　Seeing　Richard's　sword　ing；　he　brought　his　own　up　defensively　with　lightning　speed；　the　tendons　in　his　wrists　and　hands　making　a　popping　sound　as　he　did　so。
　
　Richard　watched　as　if　in　a　dream　as　his　sword　came　around。
　
　Every　ounce　of　his　strength　went　into　trying　to　make　the　sword　go　faster；　go　truer。　Be　deadlier。　The　magic　raged　with　his　need。　Richard　looked　from　the　man's　sword；　hard　into　the　steel　blue　eyes。　The　Seeker's　sword　followed　the　track　of　his　eyes。　He　heard　himself　still　screaming。　The　man　held　his　sword　straight　up；　to　deflect　the　blow。
　
　Everything　else　around　the　man　dissolved　in　Richard's　vision。　His　anger；　the　magic；　was　unleashed　like　never　before。　No　power　on　earth　could　deny　him　the　man's　blood。　Richard　was　beyond　all　reason。　Beyond　all　other　need。　Beyond　all　other　cause　for　living。　He　was　death；　brought　to　life
　
　Richard's　entire　life　force　focused　lethal　hatred　into　the　drive　of　his　sword。
　
　With　a　beat　of　his　heart　that　he　could　feel　in　the　straining　muscles　of　his　neck；　Richard　watched　out　of　his　peripheral　vision　with　expectant　elation　as　he　held　the　man's　blue　eyes；　watched　his　s