jr.shapechangers-第27部分

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y　on　another　level。
　〃Will　you　suffer　to　ride　with　me？〃　he　asked。　〃I　cannot　waste　more　time　seeking　another　horse。　The　clan　has　need　of　me。〃
　Alix　walked　slowly　toward　him；　eyes　dwelling　on　every　visi…ble　wound　and　bruise。　A　strange　trembling　weakness　crept　into　her　limbs　as　his　yellow　gaze　remained　on　her　in　a　calm；　deliber…ate　perusal。　The　hawk…earring　glittered　in　the　strands　of　his　black　hair。
　She　halted　before　him。　〃It　was　Tynstar。〃
　〃I　saw　him。〃
　She　put　out　a　hesitant　hand　and　gently　touched　the　drying　Mood　on　his　arm。　〃Duncan；　I　did　not　mean　to　hurt　you。〃
　He　flinched　at　her　soft　touch　but　she　realized　it　was　not　from　pain。　Something　told　her　this　man　was　hers　to　hold；　to　keep；　and　the　enormity　of　it　stunned　her。
　〃Duncan。。。〃　She　swallowed　heavily　and　met　his　blazing　eyes。　〃Duncan；　please　hold　me　so　I　know　I　am　real。〃
　He　whispered　something　in　the　Old　Tongue　and　took　her　into　his　arms。
　Alix；　hair　spilling　down　her　back；　melted　against　his　firm
　warrior's　body　until　she　was　boneless。　The　strange　weakness　wag
　new　to　her；　but　she　weled　it
　Duncan　sank　a　hand　deep　in　her　hair　and　jerked　her　head　back。
　〃Do　you　deny　it？　Do　you　deny　the　tahlmorra　in　our　blood？〃
　She　did　not　answer。　She　caught　her　hands　in　the　thick　hair　curling　at　his　neck　and　dragged　this　mouth　down　on　hers。
　Chapter　Four
　Duncan　found　them　a　cave　in　the　hills　beyond　Mujhara　and　spread　furred　pelts　over　the　stone　floor。　Alix　sat　on　one；　pulling　his　red　blanket　around　her　shoulders；　and　watched　him　build　a　small　fire。　When　it　was　done　he　took　die　small　grouse　he　had　caught；　spitted　it；　and　set　it　over　the　fire。
　〃Does　your　arm　hurt？〃　she　asked。
　He　flexed　the　scabbing　forearm…　〃No。　The　men　were　not　skilled　with　their　weapons。〃
　〃Finn　has　said　you　can　heal。　Will　you　not　do　it？〃
　〃Not　for　myself；　or　for　so　trivial　a　wound。　The　healing　arts　are　used　only　in　great　need；　and　usually　only　on　others。〃
　〃Finn　healed　Carillon's　wrist。〃
　〃Because　Carillon　required　convincing　we　were　not　the　de…mons　he　believed。〃
　She　shifted；　easing　a　sore　hip。　Her　entire　body　ached　with　the　fall　from　the　horse。　〃What　did　you　mean　when　you　spoke　to　Carillon　as　we　left？　It　sounded　as　if　you　spoke　from　certain　knowledge。〃
　He　tended　the　sizzling　grouse　and　sipped　at　a　cup　of　honey　brew。　〃I　spoke　from　the　knowledge　of　the　prophecy。　Carillon　is　not　named　in　it＋no　man　is＋but　I　think　he　is　me　one。〃
　〃Speak　plainly　with　me。〃
　Duncan　smiled　crookedly　at　her。　〃I　cannot。　You　have　no　knowledge　of　the　prophecy。　That　will　be　given　to　you　by　the　shar　tahl；　and　then　you　will　know。〃
　〃Why　must　you　shroud　your　words　in　so　much　darkness？　You　would　have　me　think　it　is　some　sorcery　you　seek　to　do。〃
　〃it　is　no　sorcery　to　serve　Ac　gods。〃
　〃As　does　Tynstar？〃
　Hestiffened。　〃Tynstar　serves　me　dark　gods　of　the　netherworld。
　He　is　evil。　He　seeks　only　to　end　the　prophecy　before　its　time　is
　e。
　〃So　he　said。〃　Alix　sighed　and　rubbed　at　her　brow。　〃Where　did　you　go　when　my　horse　ran？〃
　〃First　1　dew　two　of　me　thieves。　The　third　ran。　I　went　to　find　you。〃
　〃Why　did　you　not　simply　send　Cai？　Or　seek　h'r…shape？〃
　〃I　could　not　take　fir…shape。　I　sensed　the　presence　of　an　Dilini；　though　I　did　not　know　who。　As　for　Cai。。。　him　I　sent　to　Homana…Mujhar。〃
　'Homana…Mujhar！〃
　〃I　thought　you　had　returned　to　Carillon。〃
　She　stared　at　him；　astonished；　then　felt　a　strange　bubble　of　laughter　welling　within。　〃You　will　have　me　think　you　are　Jeal…ous　of　him。〃
　He　scowled。　〃I　am　not　jealous。〃
　Alix　smiled　in　wonder；　then　laughed　outright。　〃So；　I　am　to　mink　me　Cheysuli　are　not　capable　of　such　a　Homanan　emotion？　Yet　your　brother＋who　is　also　mine＋seems　well　able　to　display　it。〃
　〃Finn　is　young。〃
　〃And　you　not　much　older。〃
　Color　came　into　his　face。　〃I　left　my　youth　behind　me　day　my　first　Keep　was　invaded　by　the　Mujhar's　men。　It　was　only　the　will　of　the　gods　I　was　not　slain；　as　so　many　others　were。〃
　〃Duncan＋〃
　〃You　will　see　when　we　have　reached　the　Keep。〃
　〃Are　so　few　left？〃
　〃Perhaps　fifty　women；　half　of　which　cannot　bear　children。　The　rest　are　old　men；　girls；　and　boys。　Of　warriors。。。　there　are　perhaps　sixty。〃
　The　horror　of　me　qu'mahlin　swept　into　her　for　the　first　time。
　〃Duncan。。。〃
　He　looked　old　suddenly。　〃Once　this　land　was　ours。　More　man　fifty　clans　ranged　Homana；　from　Hondarth　on　die　Idrian　Ocean　into　the　mountains　of　me　north；　across　toe　Bluetooth　River。　Now　they　are　all　slain；　leaving　only　my　own　clan。　And　we　are　not　so　strong　as　we　were。〃
　〃Shame's　doing。。。〃
　He　reached　out　and　caught　one　of　her　arms；　eyes　beseeching　her。　〃Do　you　see　it　now？　Do　you　understand　why　we　steal　women　and　force　them　to　bear　our　children？　Alix；　it　is　me　survival　of　a　race。　It　is　not　you　me　Council　will　see；　but　your　race　and　your　youth。　You　must　serve　your　race；　cheysula。〃
　She　sat　straight　upon　die　pelt。　〃And　will　they　hear　you　have　called　me　that？〃
　He　released　her　arm。　〃I　will　ask　for　you。　It　is　my　tahlmorra。〃
　103
　Duncao　gestured　slowly；　spreading　his　fingers。　〃You　are　Hate's　daughter　I　think　they　will　not　deny　me。〃
　She　felt　chilled。　〃But＋they　could？　They　could　refuse　you？〃
　His　hand　dropped。　〃Aye。　First　you　must　be　acknowledged　within　the　clan；　given　me　knowledge　in　the　old　fashion；　made　aware　ofyourbirthlines。　The　shar　tahi　will　say　if　you　are　truly　Cheysuli。〃
　〃But＋you　have　said！〃
　Duncan　smiled　sadly。　〃There　is　no　doubt；　small　one；　it　is　only　custom。　But　you　have　been　raised　Homanan。　In　the　eyes　of　me　Council；　you　are　tainted。　Until　the　shar　tahl　has　declared　you　free　of　it。〃
　Desolate；　she　closed　her　eyes。　Her　growing　security　in　him　was　destroyed　with　but　a　few　words。　Then　her　eyes　snapped　open。
　〃They　would　not　give　me　to　Finn！〃
　Duncan's　face　was　a　mixture　of　surprise　and　amusement；　men　consideration。　He　frowned。
　Alix　was　suddenly　frightened。　〃Duncan；　they　would　not！〃
　He　turned　the　spitted　bird　slowly。　〃I　am　clan…leader；　but　not　the　sole　power　in　the　clan。　It　is　Council　that　says　what　will　be。〃
　She　leaped　to　her　feet　and　stumbled　to　the　rock　wall　facing　her。　She　stared　at　it　blindly；　hugging　the　blanket　around　her　aching　body。　The　new　knowledge　of　what　Duncan　meant　to　her　twisted　in　her　entrails　like　a　serpent；　setting　jagged　teeth　into　her　spirit。
　To　lose　him　when　I　have　only　just　found　him。。。
　Duncan's　hands　settled　on　her　shoulders。　〃I　will　not　let　you　go　so　easily。〃
　Trembling；　she　turned　to　him。　〃Could　you　gainsay　it；　if　they　wished　to　give　me　to　another　man？〃
　Muscles　rolled　beneath　me　smooth　flesh　of　his　jaw。　〃No。〃
　〃Then　what　of　this　tahlmorra　you　prate　about？〃
　〃It　is　mine；　Alix；〃　he　said　somberly。　〃It　does　not　mean　it　is　the　clan's。〃
　She　whispered　his　name。　Then　she　lifted　her　face　and　touched　his　arm。　〃If　I　went　before　this　Council　already　carrying　your　chad。。。？〃
　His　eyes　flickered　in　surprise。　Then　he　smiled　faintly。　〃If　you　made　such　a　sacrifice；　small　one；　were　would　be　little　they　could　say　about　the　match。〃
　Alix　let　we　blanket　drop。　The　gown　beneath；　ungirdled；　hung　loosely。　Slowly　she　undid　the　fastenings　at　the　neck。　Duncan　watched　her　mutely；　held　by　the　strength　in　her　eyes。　His　breath　came　harsh。
　When　we　gown　was　undone　she　let　it　fall　to　her　feet。　Her　hair；　unbound；　streamed　over　her　shoulders　like　a　mantle。
　*'I　am　new　to　mis。。。〃　she　whispered；　trembling　with　some…thing　other　than　fear。　〃Duncan。。。　it　cannot　be　so　very　difficult　to　conceive。。。〃
　〃No；〃　he　breathed；　reaching　for　her。　〃It　is　not　so　very　difficult。〃
　He　took　her　from　Homana　into　Ellas；　the　realm　bordering　Horoana's　eastern　side。　Alix；　clasping　his　lean　waist　with　a　new　and　wonderful　possessiveness；　felt　regret　and　anger　stir　within　her　that　her　grandsire　could　so　malignantly　drive　her　race　from　their　homeland　into　a　strange　realm…When　at　last　Duncan　halted　Alix　saw　before　her　a　large　half…circle　wall　of　piled　stone。　The　wall　ran　a　distance　before　circling　back；　and　at　we　wide　opening　she　saw　three　warriors　with　weir　Ur。　They　waited　silently；　and　she　realized　they　were　guards。
　〃The　Keep；〃　Duncan　said；　and　rode　past　we　warriors。　Huge　oiled　pavilions　billowed　in　a　faint　breeze。　All　were　dyed　warm　colors；　dwarfing　the　small　tents　she　had　seen　at　the　raiding　camp。　Each　had　its　own　firepit　before　flapp