cacb.thefarkingdoms-第59部分

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vision；　so　I　could　tell　there　were　striations　in　the　peaks　beyond　just　black　volcanic　rock。　But　by　all　that　is　holy；　I　thought；　we　had　found　the　Fist　of　the　Gods。　Beyond　lay　the　Far　Kingdoms。
　I　turned　to　Janos　as　he　looked　at　me。　Both　of　us　went　a　little　mad　for　the　next　few　moments：　mazed　shock；　imbecile　gape；　then　both　babbling；　neither　hearing　the　other。　
　Silence。
　〃We　found　it；〃　I　said。
　〃We　did。〃
　〃Did　you　really　believe　we　would？〃
　Neither　of　us　met　the　other's　gaze　or　made　an　answer…perhaps　there　had　been　too　much　sorcery　and　danger　and　disappointment　on　this　Finding　for　us　both　really　to　maintain　self…confidence。　Then　the　solemnity　was　broken　and　we　were　looning　around　like　a　pair　of　prize　fools。　Eventually　we　collected　ourselves。
　〃Damnation　and　ice；〃　I　said。　〃I　should　have　found　space　in　my　pack　for　a　flagon　to　celebrate。〃
　〃We　do　not　need　it；　Amalric；〃　Janos　said。　〃That　stream　up　ahead　will　taste　better　than　any　vintage。　We　can　make　camp　there；　and　I　estimate　we　are　no　more　than　three　or　four　honest　days'　travel　to　the　foot　of　the　pass。〃
　'Three　days　in　the　mountains　beyond　that；　perhaps；〃　I　murmured；　〃through　the　pass；　and　。。。〃
　〃And　the　Far　Kingdoms　will　lie　beneath　us；〃　Janos　finished。
　We　shouldered　our　gear　and　started　toward　that　stream。　I　could　have　flown　or　floated　the　distance。　No　longer　did　I　feel　where　the　wilderness's　thorns　had　snagged　my　skin　or　my　stubbed　toes　and　worn　soles。　We　had　done　it。　We　had　gone　where　no　Orissan　or　Lycanthian　had　ever　gone。　I　knew　in　that　moment　not　just　that　we　had　made　history；　but　we　had　changed　all　history　to　e。　Once　we　saw　the　Far　Kingdoms　on　the　far　side　of　that　pass；　and　if　we　returned　safely…which　I　was　certain　we　would…nothing　would　ever　be　the　same　again。
　I　noted　a　pair　of　Watchers　far　distant　to　the　side；　away　from　the　direction　we　would　travel　in；　but　paid　little　heed。
　We　were　less　than　a　dozen　yards　beyond　the　treeline　when　the　trumpet　blast　sounded。　From　a　copse　a　few　spearcasts　away　rode　three　horsemen。　Then　from　around　its　side　rode　another　twenty。　These　were　not　Watchers…we　could　hear　the　calloo　of　their　shouts…shouts　exactly　like　Orissan　hunters　yelp　when　the　boar　breaks　cover　and　they　couch　their　spears　and　go　after　it。　Nor　were　these　cavalrymen　dressed　in　the　immaculate　parade…ground　armor　of　the　Watchers；　but　instead　in　the　practical；　steel…reinforced　leather　of　earthly　soldiers。　I　saw　men　rise　up　in　their　stirrups；　drawing　bows。　Three　arrows　thudded　into　the　ground　just　yards　in　front　of　us；　and　we　turned　and　were　running。　We　darted　back　into　that　wilderness；　and　I　have　never　been　so　glad　to　see　brambles；　tangles；　vines；　and　strangling　bushes　as　in　that　moment。
　I　needed　no　guidance　from　Janos　now　to　think　like　a　startled　hare；　ground　squirrel；　hedgepig；　or　badger　being　run　by　hounds　or　hunters。　Behind　us；　as　we　tore　our　way　through　the　brush；　vines　trying　to　hold　us　back　as　if　we　were　in　a　small　child's　nightmare；　we　heard　horses　crashing　into　the　forest　fringes；　shouts；　orders；　and　mands。　Now　they　would　lose　time；　dismounting　and　following　us　afoot；　or　perhaps　going　back　out　and　riding　around　the　forest　to　lay　an　ambush。　Neither　course　mattered…the　two　of　us　could　hide　in　these　thickets　for　years；　until　they　brought　up　entire　armies　to　b　for　us。　And　we　could　outwait　them　here　in　these　woodlands；　which　were　now　as　precious　to　me　as　my　own　bedchamber　had　been　when　winter's　storms　roared。
　My　spirit　soared　and　sang。　We　had　seen　the　Fist　of　the　Gods。　Now　all　that　we　needed　to　do　was　lose　our　pursuers；　return　to　the　Rift；　and　then；　moving　with　great　cleverness；　reassay　the　journey。　Our　men　would　have　recovered　by　now；　and　Sergeant　Maeen　and　our　soldiers　were　more　than　able　to　stand　off　any　cavalry　patrol　we　were　unable　to　elude。
　There　was　nothing　that　could　stop　us。　We　would　enter　the　Far　Kingdoms　before　winter。
　Or　so　I　thought。　But　when　we　returned　to　the　Rift；　we　found　only　Deoce　and　Sergeant　Maeen　waiting。　The　others　had　abandoned　us。　Janos　and　I　had　traversed　the　foothills　and　the　rolling　country　without　real　incident。　There　had　been　patrols　on　the　land　looking　for　us。　All　of　them　were　posed　of　very　material；　very　real　soldiery。　They　were　petent；　Janos　assessed。　But　using　his　woodcraft　skills；　we　were　able　to　slip　past　them　easily。　Plus；　Janos　supposed；　they　were　seeking　a　much　larger　party…we　would　be　taken　as　the　party's　outriders　or　scouts。　We　refrained　from　using　the　talisman　for　a　back　plot；　instead　using　my　carefully　drawn　map　that　Janos　had　muttered　at　as　a　waste　of　time。
　Then；　safely　in　the　Rift；　I　felt　my　world　totter；　seeing　the　wreckage　that　bastard　Evocator　had　wrought。　No　one　said　anything　while　I　raged。　Janos　stalked　off；　black　faced；　toward　the　lake。
　I　found　control　and　asked　what　had　happened。　Just　two　days　after　Janos　and　I　had　left；　Sergeant　Maeen　had　fallen　ill。　Cassini　must　have　seen　that　as　his　chance。　That　night；　strange　smokes　and　colors　had　e　from　his　hut。
　The　next　dawn　he　had　announced；　somberly；　that　evil　had　struck　Janos　and　myself。　We　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　an　enemy。　He　was　not　even　sure　we　still　lived。
　I　cursed　Cassini　with　all　the　foul　oaths　I　could　think　of。　Then　I　said；　〃Deoce；　what　did　you　do？　I　am　sorry　he　brought　you　false　grief。〃
　Deoce　shook　her　head。　〃I　did　not　grieve；　Amalric。　I　knew　you　were　alive　and　unharmed。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃Believe　me　。。。　when　。。。　if　you　ever　pass　beyond　。。。　I　will　know。　I　will　know。〃
　I　did　not　ask　further。　〃So　after　Cassini　announced　his　lies？〃
　Deoce　had　tried　to　argue；　had　asked　Morning　Fog　to　cast　bones　to　confirm　her　own　feelings。　Morning　Fog　had　found　no　indication　we　had　e　to　harm。　But　neither　had　he　found　signs　of　our　well…being。　So；　Cassini　said；　the　party　must　immediately　retreat…　back　to　the　Pepper　Coast　。。。　and　then　Orissa。
　At　this　point　I　thought　Sergeant　Maeen；　who　was　nearly　recovered　from　his　bout　with　the　sickness；　would　burst　into　tears。　〃I　trained　them；〃　he　said　brokenly。　〃I　thought　I　knew　those　bastards。　I　thought　。。。　I　thought　they　would　stand　firm。〃
　They　did　not；　especially　when　Cassini　announced　that　his　spell　indicated　that　we　had　left　signs　。。。　signs　that　would　leave　a　trail　back　to　the　Rift　for　our　enemies。　No　matter　that　the　Rift　leaders　had　said　this　could　not　happen。　Panic　set　in…within　a　day　they　had　gathered　supplies；　packed　the　animals；　gone　up　the　stairs　and　out　of　the　Rift；　heading　west。
　〃I　cursed　them；〃　Deoce　said。　〃But　I　am　not　an　Evocator。　I　asked　Dawnhope　to　curse；　too；　but　she　said　her　people　could　not。　That　would　kill　the　big　spell；　and　they　would　be　as　naked　as　we　were；　out　in　that　waste。〃
　〃P'raps　th'　bastards'll　die　in　the　desert；〃　Maeen　growled。　〃Or　be　eaten　by　th'　pit　creatures。〃
　〃No。〃　It　was　Janos。　He　had　e　back　and　appeared　to　be　quite　under　control。　〃No；　that　will　not　happen。　I　have　my　own　prediction。　Anyone　fleeing　the　Far　Kingdoms　has　little　to　fear；　beyond　the　normal　treacheries　of　this　land。　Somehow　I　feel　Cassini　will　make　it　all　the　way　to　Orissa。〃
　〃Then　we　shall　deal　with　him　there；〃　I　said　grimly。
　〃If　we　are　able。　But　that　is　not　of　great　concern；〃　Janos　said；　and　I　saw　his　eyes　shining　like　they　did　when　he　first　told　me　of　his　grand　dream。　I　knew　his　meaning。　We　had　failed；　true。　But　this　was　only　the　first　time。　There　would　be　another；　and　another；　and　yet　another　if　needed。　I　extended　my　hand；　and　Janos　clasped　it。
　We　would　return；　by　the　gods…and　the　Far　Kingdoms　would　be　ours。
　
　The　Second　Voyage
　CHAPTER　THIRTEEN
　Heroes　and　Liars
　WE　SPED　INTO　Orissa's　main　harbor　two　months　later；　a　stiff；　late　morning　breeze　at　our　backs。　Despite　the　hour；　there　was　no　one　around　to　admire　L'ur's　skillful　handling　of　the　Kittiwake　Two　as　he　came　about　in　a　feisty　wind　and　brought　us　to　dock。　I　scanned　the　riverfront　for　familiar　faces；　but　there　was　only　a　derelict　or　two　to　return　my　gaze；　and　an　old　fisherman　repairing　a　net。
　〃I　see　you　have　only　slightly　exaggerated　the　grandeur　of　Orissa；　Amalric　my　love；〃　Deoce　said　dryly。　〃The　teeming　harbor；　the　broad　avenues；　the　hustle　bustle　of　the　marketplace。〃　She　glanced　about　the　empty　riverfront　again；　then　turned　to　Janos。　〃Tell　me；　Janos；　is　it　always　this　crowded；　or　did　I　only　arrive　on　a　particularly　bu