tw.togreenangeltower2-第137部分
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roke Naglimund…and we have lost much else since then。〃
Isgrimnur looked at the old knight。 Camaris was lost in thought； his eyes fixed on nothing visible； his lips moving。
The king was lurking in the passageway above the entrance to the forge。 The soldiers； already nervous； startled when they saw the cloaked shape lurch forward out of the shadows。 One of them even went so far as to draw his sword before Pryrates barked at him to put up； Elias； though； seemed oblivious to what would normally be a fatal error for a young guardsman。
〃Pryrates；〃 the king rasped。 〃I have been searching and searching。 Where is my cupbearer？ My throat is so dry。。。〃
〃I will help you； Majesty。〃 The priest turned his coal…black stare on the gawking soldiers； who quickly shifted their eyes sideways or down to their own chests。 〃The captain will take these men back to the walls。 We are finished here。〃 He waved them away with a flapping red sleeve。
When the noise of their footfalls grew faint in the corridor； Pryrates gently took the king's arm so that Elias could lean on him。 The king's staring face was parchment…white； and he licked at his lips constantly。
〃Did you say you had seen my cupbearer？〃
〃I will take care of you。 Majesty。 I think we will not see Hengfisk again。〃
〃Has he 。。。 has he run away to 。。。 them？〃 Elias cocked his head as though treachery might have a sound。 'They are all around the walls。 You must know。 I can feel them。 My brother； and those bright…eyed creatures 。。。〃 He pawed at his mouth。 〃You said they would be destroyed； Pryrates。 You said all that resisted me would be destroyed。〃
〃And so they will be； my king。〃 The priest induced Elias to walk down the hallway； heading him through the maze of corridors toward the residences。 They passed an open window where snow blew in and melted into puddles on the floor： outside； Green Angel Tower loomed against the swirling storm clouds。 〃You yourself will destroy them and usher in the Golden Age。〃
〃And then the pain will go away；〃 Elias wheezed。 〃I would not hate Josua so if he had not brought me such pain。 If he had not stolen my daughter； too。 He is my brother； after all 。 。 。〃 the king clenched his teeth as though something had stabbed him； 〃。。。 because family is blood。。。 〃
〃And blood is powerful magic；〃 Pryrates said； half to himself。 〃I know； my king。 But they turned against you。 That is why I found you new friends…powerful friends。〃
〃But you cannot replace a family；〃 said Elias； a little sadly。 He winced。 〃Ah； God； Pryrates； I am burning up。 Where is that cupbearer？〃
〃A little farther。 Majesty。 Just a little farther。〃
〃I can feel it； you know；〃 Elias panted。 He lay back on his mattress； which had rotted through in so many places that the horsehair stuck up all around him。 A stained goblet； now empty； was clutched in his hand。
Pryrates paused in the doorway。 〃Feel what； Majesty？〃
〃The star； the red star。〃 Elias pointed at the cobwebbed ceiling。 〃It is hanging overhead； staring at me like an eye。 I hear the singing all the time。〃
〃Singing？〃
〃The song it sings…or that the sword sings to the star。 I cannot tell which。〃 His hand fell and crawled like a white spider onto the long sheath。 〃It sings in my head。 'It is time； it is time；' the voices say； over and over。〃 He laughed； a cracked； jagged sound。 〃Sometimes I awaken to find myself walking through the castle and I cannot remember how I came there。 But I hear the song； and I feel the star burning into me whether it is day or night。 It has a fiery tail； like a dragon。。。。〃 He paused。 〃I will go out to them。〃
〃What！？〃 Pryrates returned to the king's bedside。
〃I will go out to them…Josua and the others。 Perhaps that is the time the sword means。 Time to show them that I am different than they know。 That their resistance is foolish。〃 He brought his hands to his face。 〃They are 。。。 they are my blood； Pryrates。〃
〃Your Highness； I 。。。〃 The priest seemed momentarily unsure。 'They are your enemies； Elias。 They wish you only harm。〃
The king's laugh was almost a sob。 〃And you mean me only well； is that right？ That is why every night since you took me to that hill I have suffered dreams that God would not visit upon sinners in Hell？ That is why my body aches and burns until I can barely keep from screaming out loud？〃
Pryrates frowned。 〃You have suffered； my king； but you know the reason。 The hour is ing fast。 Do not let your torments be for nothing。〃
Elias waved his hand。 〃Go away。 I do not wish to talk any more。 I will do what I think best。 I am the master of this castle…of this land。〃 He gestured violently。 〃Go away； damn you。 I am in pain。〃
The alchemist bowed。 〃I pray you can rest。 Majesty。 I will go。〃
Pryrates left the king staring up into the shadows of the ceiling。
After standing silently in the corridor for long moments； the priest returned to the closed door and passed his hand over hinges and frame and door latch several times； mouth working soundlessly。 When he had finished he nodded； then went briskly up the corridor； bootheels clicking。
Tiamak and Strangyeard walked close together as they made their way down the hillside。 Snow was no longer falling； but it was piled high on the ground； they made slow progress despite the paratively short distance between the Sithi camp and the fires of the prince's army。
〃I am going to turn to ice in a moment；〃 Tiamak said through clicking teeth。 〃How do your people live like this？〃
Strangyeard was shivering； too。 〃This is a terrible cold by any measurement。 And we have thick walls to hide behind； and fires…the lucky ones do； that is。〃 He stumbled and went down on his knees in a thick drift。 Tiamak helped him back up。 The bottom half of the priest's robe was covered in clinging snow。 〃I am tempted to curse；〃 Strangyeard said； and laughed unmerrily； his breath hovered as a cloud。
〃e； lean on me；〃 urged Tiamak。 The priest's disarranged hair and sad face tugged at his heart。 〃One day you must e see the Wran。 It is not all pleasant； but it is never cold。〃
〃Just n…now that sounds very n…n…nice。〃
The storm clouds had been borne away by the wind； and a salting of dim stars glimmered。 Tiamak stared upward。 〃It looks so close。〃
Strangyeard followed his gaze； stumbled for a moment； then righted himself。 The Conqueror Star seemed to hang almost directly over the Hayholt； a burning hole in the darkness with a tail like a smear of blood。 〃It is close；〃 the priest said。 〃I can feel it。 Plesinnen wrote that such stars spout bad air over the world。 Until n…now； I was never sure whether I believed him…but if there was ever a star that dripped p…pestilence； that is it。〃 He hugged himself。 〃I sometimes wonder if these are the final days； Tiamak。〃
The marsh man did not want to think about that。 〃All the stars here are a little strange。 I keep thinking that I recognize the Otter or the Sand Beetle； but they seem stretched and changed。〃
Strangyeard squinted his single eye。 〃The stars look odd to me； too。〃 He shivered and lowered his gaze to the knee…high snow。 〃I am frightened； Tiamak。〃
They staggered on toward the camp； side by side。
〃The worst of it；〃 said Tiamak； holding his hands close to the fire； 〃is that we have no better answer to our questions than we did when Morgenes sent the first sparrow to Jarnauga。 The Storm King's plan is a plete puzzle； and so is the one scheme we have to stop him。〃 The small tent was filling with smoke despite the opening near the top； but at this moment Tiamak did not care； as a matter of fact； it felt somewhat homelike。
〃That is not pletely true。〃 Strangyeard coughed and waved away some of the smoke。 〃We know a few things…that Minneyar is Bright…Nail； for one。〃
〃But that Hernystirman had to e tell us that；〃 Tiamak said crossly。 〃You need not feel bad； Strangyeard。 From what I heard； you did much to help them locate Thorn。 But I have done little to warrant being a member of the League of the Scroll。〃
〃You are too hard on yourself；〃 the archivist said。 〃You brought the page of Nisses' book that helped bring back Camaris。〃
〃Have you looked
