jr.shapechangers-第41部分

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　ing　him　flat　on　his　back　as　she　moved。　She　heard　his　scream　of　horror　as　she　drove　past　his　trembling　body　and　into　me　darkened　forest。
　She　paused　a　moment；　free　of　the　place；　and　sent　an　exultant　howl　soaring　to　me　dark　heavens。
　Then　she　went　on　in　tir…shape…
　The　wolf…bitch；　silvered　by　moonlight；　sifted　out　of　the　trees　into　the　Cheysuli　camp。　She　saw　me　huddled　forms　of　blanketed；　sleeping　warriors　and　the　shadowed　lumps　of　iir　scattered　through…out　the　camp。　She　sent　soothing　patterns　to　the　animals　so　they　would　not　give　me　alarm　and　moved　smoothly　toward　the　fire。　She　heard　Cai；　perched　in　a　tree；　send　a　single　word　to　his　Iir。
　Duncan　rolled　over　instantly　and　sat　up。　His　movement　awoke　Run；　next　to　him；　and　they　got　to　their　feet　in　silent　unison。　They　parted　smoothly；　unsheathing　knives；　watching　the　wolf…bitch　carefully。
　Alix；　realizing　they　thought　her　some　wild　creature；　laughed　within　her　mind。
　And　Duncan　named　me　helpless。。。
　She　sensed　his　attentiveness。　Finn*　moving　silently；　stepped　closer　to　her。　She　considered　leaping　at　him　mock　attack；　but　gave　it　up　as　she　realized　he　would　very　likely　slay　her。
　Instead；　she　blurred　herself　into　human　form。
　Duncan　blinked；　men　frowned。
　Finn　laughed。　〃Well；　rujho；　1　have　not　given　you　proper　credit。　You　are　powerful　indeed　if　she　cannot　even　part　with　you　for　two　days。〃
　Alix；　suddenly　chilled　and　wearied　by　the　exertion　and　tension　of　me　past　hours；　ignored　him　and　walked　to　the　glowing　bed　of　coals。　There　she　dropped　to　her　knees　and　stretched　her　hands　over　me　embers。
　Duncan　slid　his　knife　home　in　its　sheath。　He　said　nothing。
　Finn　laughed　again　and　gathered　up　his　blanket；　dropping　it　over　her　shoulders　as　be　moved　softly　to　her。　〃There；　rujholla^'　he　said　mockingly。　〃If　he　will　let　you　freeze；　at　least　I　will　not。〃
　She　slid　him　a　resentful　glance　and　gathered　the　folds　about　her。　Finn　shrugged　eloquently　and　returned　to　his　sleeping　place；　settling　himself　cross…legged　on　the　flattened　earth。
　Duncan　stepped　behind　her；　so　close　she　could　feel　his　knees　against　her　back。　*'I　suppose　you　will　tell　me　why。。。　eventually。〃
　〃it　was　not　what　Finn　said！〃
　〃WeH；〃　Duncao　said；　sighing；　〃it　was　too　much　to　expect　you　to　obey　me。　I　should　have　put　a　spell　on　you。〃
　She　jerked　around　so　hard　me　blanket　slid　off　a　shoulder。
　〃You　can　do　that？〃
　He　laughed　and　moved　next　to　her；　squatting　down。　He　took　a　stick　and　stirred　the　coals。　〃You　do　not　know　all　of　our　gifts　yet；　cheysula。　There　are　three。　The　Cheysuli　can　assume　ft'r…shape；　borrow　the　earth　magic　to　heal；　and　also　force　submission　on　any　save　an　Dilini。〃　He　smiled。　〃But　that　we　save　for　extremity。〃
　〃Duncan！〃
　He　grinned　at　the　coals。　〃I　would　not　truly　do　it；　cheysula。
　But　you　tempt　me；　with　your　forward　ways。〃
　She　scowled　at　him。　〃You　know　I　have　e　mostly　because　of　you；　Duncan。〃　She　took　a　breath。　〃But　also　because　of　Carillon。〃
　His　hand　stopped　stirring　me　coals。　〃Why？〃
　〃He　requires　our　help。〃
　〃How　would　you　know　that？　Or　can　you　also　read　the　minds　of　men　in　addition　to　the　/i'r？〃
　She　disliked　the　mocking　glint　in　his　eyes。　〃You　know　I　cannot。　But　I　met　a　man　who　says　he　saw　Fergus　slain　and　Carillon　taken　by　Thome；　Keough　of　Atvia's　son。　It　was　a　bloody　battle；　from　the　appearance　of　his　garments。〃
　〃War　is　often　bloody；　Alix。　Why　else　would　I　seek　to　keep　you　from　it？〃
　〃We　must　find　Carillon。〃
　〃The　prince　is　no　half…grown　boy；　Alix。　And　be　is　valuable。　His　captivity　may　well　be　unpleasant；　but　it　will　not　be　me　death　of　him。　Bellam＋perhaps　even　Tynstar＋will　want　him　alive；　for　a　time。〃
　She　stared　at　him。　〃I　begin　to　think　you　will　allow　this　jealousy　to　prevent　his　rescue。〃
　〃I　am　jealous　of　no　one！〃　he　snapped；　and　reddened　as　he　heard　Finn's　spurt　of　laughter。
　〃Duncan；　we　must　go　to　him。〃
　〃We　go　to　Mujhara；　to　fight　the　Mini…　They　are　a　bigger　threat　than　Keough。〃
　〃Then　you　sentence　Carillon　to　death！〃
　Duncan　sighed　heavily。　〃If　his　death　is　meant；　it　will　happen。
　Carillon　may　not　be　Cheysuli；　but　he　has　his　own　sort　of
　tahlmorra。
　〃Duncan！〃　she　cried　incredulously；　aware　the　others　watched　in　silent　interest。　〃You　cannot　mean　to　forsake　him　like　this！〃
　He　looked　at　her　harshly。　〃The　Ihlini　have　taken　Mujhara。　If
　the　palace　falls；　Homana　is　in　me　hands　of　Tynstar。　Do　you　not
　see？　Carillon　will　be　kept　alive　while　Bellam　wants　him；　but　if　Homana…Mujhar　falls　he　will　slay　aB　threats　to　his　control。　First　Shaine；　then　Carillon。〃　He　released　a　weary　breath。　**I　know　you　care　for　him；　cheysula；　but　we　cannot　seek　out　a　single　man　when　an　entire　city　may　be　destroyed。〃
　〃He　is　your　prince；〃　she　whispered。
　〃And　I　am　your　cheysul。〃
　She　scowled　at　him。　〃Do　you　send　me　back；　men？〃
　〃Would　you　go　if　I　did？〃
　〃No。〃
　He　grunted。　〃Then　I　will　save　my　breath。〃　He　raised　her；　removed　Finn's　blanket　and　led　her　over　to　his　pallet。　He　pressed　her　down　with　a　hand　on　her　shoulder。　〃Sleep；　cheysula　we　ride　earfy。〃
　〃Sleep？〃　she　inquired　impishly　as　he　lowered　himself　next　to　her　and　encircled　her　with　his　hard　arms。
　He　laughed　softly。　〃Sleep。　Would　you　give　my　rujholli　more　to　make　sport　of？〃
　〃It　is　ever　Finn；〃　she　said　grumpily；　pulling　a　blanket　over　mem　both。
　Duncan　settled　her　head　upon　his　shoulder。　After　a　moment　he　sighed。　〃If　it　pleases　you；　small　one；　I　will　send　Cai　to　the　prince。　He　can　bring　word　of　Carillon's　welfare。〃
　〃Well；〃　she　said　after　a　silence；　〃it　is　something。〃
　His　hand　tightened　threateningly　on　her　throat。　〃Can　you　never　be　satisfied；　Alix？〃
　〃If　I　told　you　aye；　you　would　cease　trying　to　please　me。〃　She　spread　her　fingers　against　the　hollow　of　his　throat；　feeling　its　pulse。　〃Duncan；〃　she　whispered　after　a　moment；　〃why　have　you　never　said　you　loved　me？〃
　He　was　very　still。　〃Because　tfae　Cheysuli　do　not　speak　of　love。〃
　Alix　sat　bolt　upright；　dragging　me　blanket　from　him。　〃What　do　you　say？〃
　His　hand　reached　out　and　caught　hers；　pulling　her　back　down　against　his　chest。　〃I　said　we　do　not　speak　of　love。　It　weakens　a　warrior；　who　should　think　of　other　matters。〃　He　smiled　into　the　darkness。　〃For　all　mat；　words　do　not　always　serve。〃
　〃Then　am　I　supposed　to　guess
　He　laughed　softly　and　settled　me　blanket　over　them　again。　〃There　is　no　need　for　you　to　guess。　I　have　given　you　answer　enough；　before。〃　His　hand　slid　down　to　rest　across　her　stomach　as　he　whispered。　〃You　bear　my　son。　Alix。　Is　mat　not　enough？〃
　She　stared　into　the　darkness。　〃For　now。。。**
　Chapter　Four
　Alix　spent　her　days　behind　Duncan　on　horseback；　clasping　his　lean　waist　and　anticipating　what　they　would　do　when　they　reached　Mujhara。　She　had　decided　not　to　bother　Duncan　with　entreaties　to　go　instead　to　Carillon；　for　he　had　sent　Cai　as　promised　four　days　before；　and　his　arguments　made　sense。　For　all　she　still　held　great　esteem　and　affection　for　Carillon；　she　knew　even　the　prince　would　be　more　concerned　with　the　welfare　of　Homana…Mujhar　men　himself。
　Duncan　was　unusually　solicitous　of　her；　so　much　so　that　Finn；　riding　next　to　them；　finally　demanded　an　explanation。　Alix；　looking　at　him　in　surprise；　realized　Duncan　had　said　nothing　of　the　child。
　〃Well　mei　jha！〃　he　asked。　〃Have　you　sickened；　or　does　my
　ruifw　simply　worry　himself　over　women's　things；　now　he　has　a
　cheysula
　She　felt　color　rise　in　her　face。　〃I　have　not　sickened。〃
　Duncan　shot　Finn　a　dark　glance。　〃Do　not　plague　her；　rujho。
　You　have　done　enough　of　that　in　the。past。〃
　Finn　kneed　his　horse　closer。　〃Do　you　seek　to　tell　me　some…thing　without　speaking？〃
　〃No；〃　ABx　said　quickly。
　Duncan　laughed　softly；　〃Perhaps　it　is　time；　cheysula。　You　will　not　be　able　to　be　silent　about　it　much　longer。〃
　〃Duncan。。。〃　she　protested。
　Finn　scowled　at　them。　〃What　do　you　say？〃
　〃Alix　has　conceived。　She　bears　me　a　son　in　six　months。〃
　She　waited　for　Finn's　mocking　words　and　twisted　mouth；　dreading　what　he　might　say。　But　he　said　nothing。　He　glanced　at　her　quickly；　men　away；　head　bent　as　if　he　studied　the　ground　beneath　his　horse's　hooves。　His　face　was　masklike；　as　if　he　feared　to　set　free　an　emotion　he　could　not　control。
　Duncan　frowned。　〃Finn？〃
　Finn　glanced　up　and　smiled　at　his　brother。　His　eyes　slid　to　Alix；　men　away。　〃I　wish　you　well