tw.togreenangeltower2-第47部分
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he heard the hollow echo of measureless caverns； the musical drip of slow…melting ice。 He could not understand the words； but the ageless magic of the song was unmistakable。 It drew him along like a subterranean stream； down； down into darkness。。。
Simon shook his head； trying to drive the grogginess away。 Neither of the captives dangling across the top of the rock was struggling now。 Beneath them； the Norns had spread out until they formed a rough triangle around the jut of stone。
Simon strained against the rope as hard as he could； wincing as the hemp bit into his wrists； it tormented his flesh as though he were bound in smoldering metal。 Miriamele saw the tears form in his eyes and leaned against him； pushing her head against his shoulder as though she could somehow force the pain away。 Simon strained； gasping for air。 At last； his fingers touched the cold edge。 Just the light contact sliced his skin； but the thin bright line of pain signaled victory。 Simon sighed in relief。
The Norns' song ended。 Maefwaru rose from his kneeling position and made his way forward to the stone。 〃Now is the time；〃 he cried。 〃Now the Master shall see our loyalty！ It is time to call forth His Third House！〃
He turned and said something to the Norns in a voice too low for Simon to hear； but Simon was paying little attention in any case。 He grasped the shard of crystal in his fingers； unmindful of shedding a little more of his own blood as long as it did not make his hold too slippery； then turned and began feeling blindly for Miriamele's bound wrists。
〃Don't move；〃 he said。
Maefwaru had been given a long knife that glinted in the wavering firelight like something from a nightmare。 He stepped to the rock； then reached up and grabbed Roelstan's hair； pulling it so hard that the captive's ankles were almost tugged loose from the grip of the Fire Dancers atop the rock。 Roelstan raised his hands as if to fight； but his movements were horribly slow： he might have been drowning in great depths。 Maefwaru pulled the blade across Roelstan's neck and stepped back； but could not avoid all the blood that spurted free； darkness spattered his face and white robe。
Roelstan thrashed。 Simon stared； sickened but fascinated； as streams of blood ran down the face of the pale rock。 Gullaighn； hanging upside down beside her dying husband； began to shriek。 Where the red liquid pooled at the base of the stone； the ground…hugging mist turned crimson； as though the blood itself had been rendered into fog。
〃Simon！〃 Miriamele bumped against him。 〃Hurry！〃 He reached out to find her fingers； then followed them up to the knots around her wrists。 He placed the slick fragment of crystal against the bristling rope and began to saw。
They still faced the bonfire and the bloody stone。 Miriamele's eyes were wide in her pale face。 〃Please hurry！〃
Simon grunted。 It was difficult enough just keeping the crystal in his lacerated； blood…dripping hand。 And what was happening in the center of the hilltop was making him even more frightened than he had been。
The red mist had spread until it surrounded and partially obscured the great stone。 The Fire Dancers were chanting now； cracked voices unpleasantly echoing the poison…sweet song of the Norns。
There was a movement in the mist； a pale bulky something that Simon at first thought was the stone itself given magical life。 Then it strode forward out of the reddened darkness on four huge legs and the earth seemed to shudder beneath its tread。 It was a great white bull； bigger than any Simon had ever seen； taller than a man at its shoulders。 Despite its solidity； it seemed oddly translucent； as though it had been sculpted from fog。 Its eyes burned like coals； and its bone…hued horns seemed to cradle the sky。 On its back； riding like a knight on a horse； sat a massive black…robed figure。 Terror beat out from this apparition like the heat of a summer sun。 Simon felt first his fingers； then his hands go nerveless； so that he could not tell if he was still holding the precious shard。 All he could think of was escaping from that terrible； empty black hood。 He wanted only to throw himself against the weight of his ropes until they burst； or gnaw them until he was free to run and run and run。。。。
The chanting of the Fire Dancers grew ragged； shouts of awe and terror intermixed with the ritualistic words。 Maefwaru stood before his congregation； waving his thick arms in horrified glee。
〃Veng'a Sutekh！〃 he shouted。 〃Duke of the Black Wind！ He is e to make the Master's Third House！〃
The great figure atop the bull stared down at him； then the hood turned slowly； surveying the hilltop。 Its invisible eyes passed across Simon like a freezing wind。
〃Oh； Usires on the T…T…Tree！〃 Miriamele moaned。 〃W…What is it？〃
Strangely； for a moment Simon's madness lessened； as though the fear had bee too great to sustain any longer。 He had never heard Miriamele so frightened； and her horrified voice pulled him back from the brink。 He realized that he still held the bit of crystal clutched between his stiffened fingers。
〃It is a bad 。。。 a bad thing；〃 he panted。 〃One of the Storm King's。。。〃 He caught at her wrist and began sawing away once more。 〃Oh； Miri； hold still。〃
She was gulping air。 〃I'll 。。。 try。。。。〃
The Norns had turned and were speaking to Maefwaru； who alone of his congregation seemed able to stand the sight of the bull and its rider： the rest of the Fire Dancers groveled in the tangled undergrowth； their chanting now entirely given way to sobs of almost ecstatic fear。 Maefwaru turned and gesticulated toward the tree where Simon and Miriamele were tied。
〃They're c…ing for us；〃 Simon stuttered。 As he spoke； the shard sliced through the last strands of Miriamele's ropes。 〃Cut mine； quick。〃
Miriamele half…turned； trying to use her fluttering cloak to hide what they were doing from their captors。 He could feel her vigorous movements as she dragged the edge of the crystal fragment back and forth across the thick hemp。 The Norns were making their way slowly across the hilltop toward them。
〃Oh； Aedon； they're ing！〃 Simon said。
〃I'm almost through！〃 she whispered。 He felt something gouge into his wrist； then Miriamele cursed。 〃I dropped it！〃
Simon hung his head。 So it was hopeless； then。 Beside him； he felt Miriamele hastily winding her own severed rope around her wrists once more so that it would appear she was still bound。
The Norns came on； their graceful walk and billowing robes making them almost seem to float over the rough ground。 Their faces were expressionless； their eyes black as the holes between stars。 They converged around the tree and Simon felt his arm caught in a cold； unbreakable grip。 One of the Norns severed the rope that had leashed the prisoners； then Simon and Miriamele were drawn stumbling across the hilltop toward the looming stone and the terrifying shape that had appeared from the red mist。
He felt his heart speeding as he neared the bull and its rider； racing faster with each step until he thought it would burst through the walls of his chest。 The Norns who held him were frighteningly alien； implacably hostile； but the fear they inspired was as nothing before the all…crushing terror of the Storm King's Red Hand。
The Norns flung him to the ground。 The bull's hooves； each wide as a barrel； were only a few cubits away。 He did not want to look； wanted only to keep his face pressed against the shielding vegetation； but something drew his head inexorably upward until he was staring at what seemed a shimmer of flame in the depths of the black hood。
〃We have e to raise the Third House；〃 the thing said。 Its stony voice rumbled both without and within Simon； shaking the ground and his bones as well。 〃What is。。。 this？〃
Maefwaru was so frightened and excited that his voice was a squeal。 〃I had a dream！ The Master wanted this one； great Veng'a Sutekh…I know that he did！〃
An invisible something abruptly grasped Simon's mind as a falcon's claws might seize a rabbit。 He felt his thoughts shaken and flung about with brutal abandon； so that
