jr.shapechangers-第6部分

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　The　wolf　began　to　change。
　Cold；　primitive　fear　crawled　through　her　mind。　The　form　before　her　eyes　altered；　subtly　blurring　outline　and　color　into　a　shapeless　void。　And　then　Finn　stood　before　her。
　〃I　said　you　would　not　win　free　of　us；〃　he　told　her　calmly。
　〃Meijha；　you　must　stay。〃
　Alix　shivered。　Finn　was　whole　again；　a　man；　with　yellow　eyes　glinting　in　high　good　humor　and　heavy　gold　bands　gleaming　faintly　against　folded　bare　arms。
　She　gripped　the　tree。　〃You。。。〃
　He　spread　his　hands　slowly；　unaggressively。　〃Do　you　question　what　you　have　seen；　meijha　His　smite　was　mocking。　〃Do　not。　Your　eyes　have　not　deceived　you。〃
　Alix　felt　nausea　roil　her　stomach　and　send　bile　into　her　throat。
　She　choked　it　back　down。　〃You　were　a　wolf。〃
　〃Aye；〃　he　agreed；　unoffended　by　her　horror。　〃The　old　gods　gifted　us　with　the　ability　to　take　fir…shape；　once　property　bonded　with　an　animal。　We　can　assume　a　like　shape　at　will。〃　He　sounded　very　serious；　incongruous　in　him。　〃It　is　something　we　honor　the　gods　for。〃
　〃Shapechanger！〃
　Finn's　mouth　twisted　wryly。　〃Aye；　that　is　the　Homanan　name　for　us；　when　they　do　not　call　us　demons。　But　we　are　not　sorcerers；　mei　jha；　we　are　not　servants　of　the　dark　gods。　We　leave　that　to　the　Ihtini。〃　He　shrugged。　〃We　are　merely　men。。。　with　a　god…gift　in　the　blood。〃
　Alix　could　not　deal　with　it；　with　him。　She　stared　fixedly　at　him　a　moment；　still　stunned　by　the　enormity　of　what　she　had　seen。　Then　she　scraped　herself　around　the　tree　and　ran。
　Underbrush　tore　at　her　gown　and　welted　skin　already　prickling
　with　fright　as　she　raced　through　the　trees。　A　limb　slashed　across
　her　face。　Alix　ignored　it　all　in　her　panicked　flight；　seeking　only
　to　escape　the　man；　the　demon；　who　was　everything　Carillon　had
　said。
　She　could　hear　no　pursuit　over　the　noise　of　her　own　flight；　but　it　served　only　to　increase　her　fear。　A　shapechanger　would　hardly　make　noise　as　he　stalked　his　prey。
　Alix　stumbled　over　a　tog　and　fell　across　it；　stomach　driven　against　her　spine。　Breath　left　her　in　a　whooping　rush　but　she　tried　to　lift　herself　frantically。　Pinpricks　of　light　flashed　before　her　eyes　as　she　struggled　to　her　feet；　lungs　sucking　at　air　she　could　not　find。
　She　was　driven　down　again　by　a　hard　body　from　behind。
　Alix　lay　half…stunned；　still　out　of　breath。　Her　face　burned　from　a　bleeding　welt　on　her　cheek。　She　lay　pressed　against　the　cool　ground；　sobbing；　as　she　tried　to　regain　her　breath；　and　helpless　in　his　arms。
　Her　body　was　lifted　from　the　forest　floor　and　turned　over。　She　lay　very　still　as　he　set　her　on　her　back；　unable　to　close　her　eyes　as　he　knelt　over　her。　Faint　light　filtered　through　the　trees。　His　earring　winked　coldly。
　〃Have　I　not　already　said　escape　is　impossible？〃　he　asked。　〃I　am　Cheysuli。〃
　Her　chest　hurt；　but　air　was　beginning　to　creep　into　it　again。
　Alix　swallowed　painfully。　〃Please。。。　let　me　go。〃
　〃I　have　said　before　how　much　trouble　I　have　gone　to　get　you；　and　to　keep　you。　At　least　let　me　have　some　repayment　for　it。〃
　His　fingers　touched　the　cut　on　her　face　and　she　winced。　〃You　did　not　need　to　run　from　me；　mei　jha。〃
　She　shivered。　This　man　bees　a　wolf　at　will。　She　looked　at　his　hands　for　signs　of　the　wolf…mark。　Finn　grinned　at　her　with　a　man's　teeth　in　a　wolfish　leer。
　〃When　I　wear　a　man's　shape；　mei　jha；　I　am　all　man。　Shall　I　prove　it　to　you？〃
　Alix　stiffened　as　he　leaned　closer；　hands　spread　across　the　ground　on　either　side　of　her　shoulders。　If　she　pushed　upward　it　would　be　to　place　herself　directly　in　his　arms；　and　he　knew　it。
　〃No！〃　she　cried　as　he　leaned　closer。
　His　eyes；　oddly　feral；　looked　directly　into　hers。　〃I　have　watched　you　for　some　time；　mei　jha。　It　was　a　simple　raiding　mission　we　came　on　days　ago；　to　replenish　our　Keep。　But　I　found　prey　of　a　different　sort。〃
　She　closed　her　eyes。　〃Please。。。〃
　His　knees　were　on　either　side　of　her　thighs；　holding　her　prisoner。　He　bent　over　her　until　his　lips　were　nearly　touching　her　face。
　〃Shaine's　soldiers　have　slain　nearly　all　of　us；　mei　jha；　and
　they　have　not　spared　our　women。　What　is　a　proud　race　to　do
　when　it　sees　its　own　demise？　We　must　get　more　of　us　on　the
　women　we　have；　and　take　others　where　we　can；　even　if　they　be
　unwilling。*'
　Her　mind　flinched　from　his　words；　denying　them　even　as　she　heard　the　ring　of　truth　in　his　voice。　The　Mujhar's　purge　had　begun　twenty…five　years　before。　She　had　grown　up　knowing　the　Cheysuli　must　die；　for　all　she　believed　the　Mujhar's　actions　unfair　in　the　wake　of　what　her　father　had　said。　But　now　she　was　faced　with　a　shapechanger　who　spoke　of　force；　and　she　was　more　than　willing　to　forsake　her　principles　to　win　free　of　him。
　Her　fingers　on　his　arm　were　no　more　than　a　feather　touch；　instinctively　seductive。　She　saw　sudden　wariness　in　his　eyes　and　the　intensity　in　his　body　poised　over　her。
　〃Must　you　make　the　tales　of　your　savagery　and　bestial　appetites　true？〃　she　whispered。　〃Must　you　so　readily　prove　to　me　you　are　no　better　than　the　demon…spawn　others　name　you？〃
　Finn　scowled　at　her。　〃Soft　words　will　not　gainsay　me；　mei　jha。〃
　Her　fingers　tightened。　〃Please。。。　let　me　go　free。〃
　He　smelled　of　leather　and　gold　and　demand。　〃Mei　jha；〃　he　said　roughly；　〃I　cannot。。。〃
　She　opened　her　mouth　to　cry　out　as　he　pressed　a　knee　between　her　thighs。　But　before　she　could　make　a　sound　the　familiar　tone　she　associated　with　Storr　came　quietly　into　their　minds。
　Lir；　you　should　not。
　It　drove　Finn　from　Alix。　He　shoved　her　harshly　against　the　ground　as　she　hitched　up　on　one　arm；　cursing　violently　beneath　his　breath；　and　she　winced　against　the　force　of　his　hand　against　her　shoulder。　He　knelt　by　her；　stiff　with　tension；　and　she　saw　he　looked　at　the　wolf。
　Storr　waited　in　a　thick　copse　of　trees；　staring　unwaveringly　at　Finn。　Alix　could　only　bless　the　wolfs　timely　appearance　and　intervention；　for　all　she　could　not　prehend　it。　Slowly　she　eased　herself　onto　one　elbow。
　〃Storr！〃　Finn　hissed。
　She　is　not　for　you。
　Finn　turned　on　her；　furious。　〃Who　are　you？〃
　She　kept　her　voice　steady　with　effort…　〃I　have　said。〃
　He　settled　one　hand　around　her　vulnerable　throat。　It　rested　without　pressure；　promising　only；　but　she　felt　the　violence　in　his　body。
　〃You　have　said　nothing！　Who　are　you？〃
　〃I　am　a　croft…girl！　My　father　is　Torrin　and　my　mother　was　Leyda。　He　was　arms…master　to　Shaine　the　Mujhar　before　he　turned　to　the　land。〃　She　glared　at　him。　〃I　am　his　daughter。　Nothing　more。〃
　Finn's　eyes　narrowed。　〃Anns…master　to　the　Mujhar。　When？〃
　Alix　took　a　weary　breath。　〃I　am　seventeen。　He　left　the　Mujhar's　service　a　year　before　I　was　born；　and　took　a　valley　girl　to　wife…　But　I　cannot　say　how　long　he　served　Shaine。　He　does　not　speak　of　those　days。〃
　〃Does　he　not？〃　Finn　said　musingly；　taking　his　hand　from　her　throat。　He　sat　back　on　his　haunches　and　frowned　thoughtfully；　pushing　heavy　black　hair　from　his　face。
　Alix；　feeling　safe　for　the　moment；　sat　upright　and　straightened　her　twisted　gown。　The　welt　on　her　face　stung；　as　did　the　scratches　and　bruises　on　her　legs；　but　she　touched　none　of　them。　She　would　not　give　him　the　satisfaction。
　Finn　stared　at　her　impassively。　〃Do　you　know　the　story　of　the
　qu'mahlinT'
　〃There　are　two　of　them。〃　She　covered　her　legs　decorously。
　He　grinned。　〃Aye。　And　I　heard　you　speak　of　one　to　the　princeling；　even　when　he　would　dissuade　you　of　it。　Which　do　you　believe？〃
　His　change　in　attitude　made　her　wary；　but　also　relieved。　No　longer　did　she　fear　he　would　pounce　on　her　like　a　mountain　cat　taking　a　rabbit。　With　renewed　confidence　she　told　him。
　〃Shaine's　daughter　broke　the　betrothal　made　between　Homana
　and　Solinde。　It　would　have　allied　the　lands　after　centuries　of
　warfare；　but　she　would　have　none　of　Bellam's　son；　EUic。　She　went　instead　with　a　Cheysuli。〃
　〃Hale；〃　Finn　agreed。　〃Shaine's　sworn　liege　man。〃
　Alix　shrugged。　〃I　cannot　say。　I　only　overheard　my　father　speaking　of　it　once；　to　my　mother；　when　he　thought　I　could　not　hear。〃
　〃It　is　true；　meijha；〃　he　said　seriously…　〃Hale　took　Lindir　with　him　into　the　forests　of　Homana；　but　only　because　she　asked　him　to；　and　only　because　she　wanted　no　marriage　with　Ellic　of　Solinde。〃
　She　scowled　at　him；　strangely　confident　in　the　face　of　his　new　self。　〃What　was　this　to　do　with　me？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　he　t