cacb.thefarkingdoms-第31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！


　All　of　us　crossed　fingers。　Eanes　gave　a　heavy　sigh。　〃It　is　so　bad；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　even　looking　forward　to　the　ocean；　where　I　will　be　forced　to　hold　Lord　Amahic's　head　over　the　side　when　he　pales；　and　inform　him　that　puking　to　windward　is　not　blessed。　Thanks　be　that　I　myself　have　a　stomach　of　the　most　solidly　cast　iron。〃　He　picked　up　the　bag　and　went　out。
　'To　the　best　of　my　knowledge；〃　I　said；　〃Chatterbox　Eanes　has　never　been　on　any　boat　in　his　life；　except　perhaps　one　in　a　garden　pond。〃
　Janos　smiled　a　bit。　〃He　reminds　me　of　my　own　nurse。　Scuffling；　whining；　plaining；　worrying；　but　always…〃
　A　scream　curdled　the　night。　Janos　and　I　were　out　the　door　onto　the　balcony。　His　sword　was　already　in　hand；　I　scrabbled　mine　out。　We　clattered　down　the　stairs　into　the　courtyard。　The　two　watch　soldiers　at　the　gate　were　peering　out；　their　weapons　ready。　Other　soldiers　pelted　out　from　their　chambers；　buckling　on　their　gear。
　〃Eanes；〃　one　of　the　soldiers　shouted；　pointing　down　the　street。　The　watch　had　been　ordered　to　let　nothing　lure　them　from　then…posts。　〃He　just　went…〃
　I　didn't　hear　the　rest；　as　we　rushed　out　into　the　street。　Janos　grabbed　one　of　the　torches　from　its　stanchion　as　we　went。　At　the　end　of　the　street；　I　saw　three　men　struggling。　We　hallooed　and　charged　forward。　One　of　them　broke　away　and　darted　off　into　the　blackness。　The　other　paused　long　enough　for　me　to　see　his　arm　strike　across　the　chest　of　the　third；　who　collapsed。　Then　there　was　no　one　in　the　cobbled　street　but　the　sagging　body　of　a　man。
　It　was　Eanes。　We　turned　him　over。　He'd　been　slashed　twice…　once　on　the　arm；　cutting　it　to　the　bone；　and　then　across　the　body；　deep　into　his　body　cavity。　But　he　still　lived。
　〃Call　Cassini；〃　I　ordered　to　Janos。　He　shouted　for　the　Evocator　and　his　healing　herbs。　I　could　hear　feet　running　toward　us。
　Eanes'　eyes　opened；　then　found　me。　〃They　。。。　didn't　get　it。　I　did　not　let　them；〃　he　gasped。　〃They　wanted　。。。〃
　〃Be　silent。〃　Janos　knelt　beside　me。　He　held　out　a　small　leather　bag…the　bag　carrying　my　hair　clippings。　My　bowels　clenched。　It　could　not　be。　They　thought　the　well…dressed　little　man　was　carrying　a　bag　of　coins。
　〃They　said　。。。　they　wanted　what　had　e　。。。　from　you　。。。　that　I　would　be　rewarded　if　I　yielded　it　over。　And　if　I　didn't　。。。〃　Eanes　sucked　in　air；　air　that　was　no　fort　to　his　ripped　lungs。
　〃Hold　on；〃　I　said。　〃Cassini　is　powerful。　He　has　potions　and　spells。　You'll　be　all　right。〃
　Eanes　shook　his　head。　〃No；〃　he　whispered。　〃One　boon；　master。　One　last　boon。〃　I　knew　he　was　dying。　〃Free　me；〃　he　managed。　〃Let　me　die　a　free　man。〃
　That　was　no　boon…it　was　my　fault　he　would　die　here　on　these　rough　cobblestones　in　this　damned　city。　But　that　was　all　I　could　do。　I　tried　to　find　words；　but　I'd　had　never　freed　a　slave　before。　Janos　spoke。
　〃Say　the　words　after　me；〃　he　ordered。　I　echoed　him。
　〃I　。。。　Lord　Amalric　Antero；　of　Orissa；　do　declare　this　slave　Eanes；　Eanes　of　。。。　of　。。。〃
　〃Of　Mangifera；〃　came　the　whisper。
　〃Of　Mangifera　。。。　a　free　man。　He　now　owes　no　man　homage　。。。　save　those　superior　to　him　by　station　or　duty　。。。　he　has　the　right　to　property　。。。　to　wife　。。。　to　children；　who　shall　be　free　as　well　。。。　he　has　the　right　to　his　own　life　。。。　to　his　own　death　。。。　I；　Lord　Amalric　Antero；　do　declare　。。。　willingly　and　openly　。。。　here；　under　the　sight　of　all　gods。。。　I　will　have　no　claims　。。。　now　or　forever　。。。　on　this　man；　his　children；　his　family；　or　his　soul。〃
　Eanes'　lips　parted；　in　what　might　have　been　intended　as　thanks　or　as　a　smile。　Then　his　gaze　changed；　and　he　saw　through　me；　saw　beyond　me。　Saw　nothing。　His　body　was　suddenly　quite　heavy。
　I　could　not　see　his　face　through　the　blur。　Someone　took　the　body　from　me。　Janos　helped　me　rise。　Then　I　remembered：　I　scraped　up　a　handful　of　dirt　from　between　the　cobbles　and　let　it　sift　down　on　Eanes'　body。　Now　his　ghost　would　not　wander　the　earth。　And；　I　promised；　I　would　fulfill　the　rest　of　the　duty；　so　that　he　would　be　blessed　by　the　Dark　Seeker；　and　avenge　his　murder。　But　at　the　time　I　felt　no　anger。　Just　a　great　sorrow；　and　a　great　shame；　for　in　all　those　years　of　service；　I　had　never　asked　my　most　faithful　servant；　and　my　truest　friend；　just　what　his　homeland　was。
　Janos　put　an　arm　around　my　shoulders。　〃We　mourn　later；〃　he　said；　his　voice　harsh。　〃We　sail　today。〃
　We　packed　hastily。　I　fumbled　with　my　possessions；　knowing　that　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；　I　had　no　one　to　remind　me　what　hairbrush　went　where；　which　tunic　should　be　folded　in　what　manner；　and　so　forth。　When　I　realized　my　thoughts；　I　cursed　myself　yet　again　for　selfishness。　A　man　had　just　died；　and　all　I　could　think　of　was　whether　my　pomade　had　been　corked　properly　and　packed　in　the　correct　trunk。　Sergeant　Maeen　detailed　one　of　his　soldiers　to　help；　but　I　fear　he　was　of　little　assistance。　At　least　I　had　the　courtesy　not　to　snarl。
　I　sought　out　the　innkeeper　and　paid　our　reckoning。　He　vowed　he　knew　someone　who　knew　the　Orissan　ceremonies；　and　that　he　would　have　Eanes'　body　burned　after　the　ritual；　as　our　beliefs　dictated；　so　no　magus　could　rouse　the　dead　earth　and　animate　it　to　be　serving　flesh。　Janos　had　said　he　was　to　be　trusted　in　this；　so　I　did　not　bother　mentioning　that　the　Antero　family　has　a　long　memory；　and　it　would　be　a　black　matter　indeed　if　he　did　not　keep　his　promise。　I　think　he　looked　into　my　eyes；　however；　and　knew。
　When　we　gathered　in　the　courtyard；　Janos　brought　us　into　line　and　gave　each　of　us　a　small　tooth；　gold　mounted　and　hung　on　a　chain。　He　told　us　they'd　e　from　ferrets　and　would　make　us　hard　to　kill。　I　remembered　my　pet　ferret　and　how　Halab　had　brought　it　to　life。　Perhaps　this　would　be　a　good　omen　on　a　journey　that　appeared　plagued　from　the　beginning。　Cassini　frowned…　any　charms　should　have　e　from　him；　rightly…but　did　not　say　a　word；　and　he　slipped　his　amulet　over　his　head　as　quickly　as　the　rest　of　us。
　Janos　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　courtyard；　staring　at　the　one　tooth　remaining。　Perhaps　he　was　wondering　if　it　would　have　saved　Eanes　if　he'd　given　it　to　him　two　hours　before。
　It　was　long　after　dawn　before　the　Kittiwake　sailed　out　of　Lycanth's　harbor。　It　took　time　to　raise　L'ur；　for　him　to　find　the　sailors　we'd　hired；　for　him　to　find　a　waterfront　witch　to　cast　an　evidently　satisfactory　prophecy　for　the　journey。　A　heavy　summer　fog　still　hung　across　the　harbor　when　we　finally　let　go　our　lines；　and　four　sailors　manned　the　sweeps　to　row　us　far　enough　out　to　rig　a　sail　for　the　light　breeze　ing　off　the　land。　Our　prow　pointed　toward　the　open　sea。　To　one　side　was　the　monstrous　sea　castle　of　the　Archons　and；　across　the　narrow　harbor　mouth；　the　watch　tower；　claws　on　the　curling；　grasping　rocky　hand　of　the　harbor　that　seemed　reluctant　to　let　us　go。
　I　turned　back　to　look　at　Lycanth　as　it　vanished　into　the　mist。　The　mist　lifted；　and　I　saw　the　dock　we'd　just　left。　There　was　someone　standing　there　。。。　so　motionless；　I　thought　him　at　first　to　be　just　one　of　the　pilings。　Then　I　recognized　him；　even　though　the　distance　should　have　been　too　great　for　my　eyes　to　make　out　such　detail。　But　I　knew。　I　knew。
　The　man　watching　our　departure　was　Greif。
　
　CHAPTER　SEVEN
　The　Archons'　Tempest
　IN　THE　DAYS　that　followed　I　had　rueful　revenge　on　Eanes。　The　sun　was　bright；　the　wind　brisk；　and　the　seas　high。　The　Kittiwake　charged　through　those　seas　like　a　living　thing；　great　sail　straining　for　more　speed。　For　once　one　of　Banes'　prophecies　didn't　e　true。　I　was　as　healthy　at　sea　as　on　land。　I　thought　of　him　often　as　waves　broke　over　the　ship；　wetting　us　all　to　the　skin。　The　soldiers　were　permanent　fixtures　at　the　sides；　heaving　their　guts　into　the　spume；　to　the　vast　amusement　of　Captain　L'ur　and　the　other　seamen。　Among　the　gut　spewers　was　Cassini；　which　gave　Janos　his　private　pleasure。　Seasickness；　Janos　laughed　in　my　ear；　did　not　seem　vulnerable　to　a　conjurer's　ways。　It　was　a　good　joke　at　the　time…for　I　had　never　felt　so　healthy　in　my　life。　My　strength　swelled　with　each　passing　league　as　we　beat　our　way　toward　the　port　of　Redond。　My　blood　was　alive　with　adventure；　and　all　thoughts　of　Greif　's　dark　figure　vanished。　As　for　Eanes：　I　promised　myself　I　would　learn　from　his　death；　although　I　was　not　sure　yet　what　lesson　should　be　drawn。　Privately；　I　dedicated　the　expedition　to　him…promising　a　f