rj.thepathofdaggers-第149部分

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　　　　　　　You　won't　win；　he　told　Lews　Therin。　If　I　die；　I'll　die　me！
　　　　　　　I　should　have　sent　Ilyena　away；　Lews　Therin　whispered　back。　She　would　have　lived。
　　　　　　　Pushing　the　voice　away　as　he　pushed　himself　from　the　wall；　Rand　slipped　along　the　Palace　corridors　with　all　the　stealth　he　could　muster；　stepping　lightly；　gliding　close　to　tapestry…hung　walls；　around　gold…worked　chests　and　gilded　cabinets　bearing　fragile　golden　porcelains　and　ivory　statuettes。　His　eyes　searched　for　his　attackers。　They　would　not　be　satisfied　short　of　finding　his　body；　but　they　would　be　very　careful　in　approaching　his　rooms　in　case　he　had　survived　by　some　ta'veren　swirl　of　fate。　They　would　wait；　to　see　whether　he　stirred。　In　the　Void；　he　was　as　near　one　with　the　Power　as　any　man　could　live　through。　In　the　Void；　as　with　a　sword；　he　was　one　with　his　surroundings。
　　　　　　　Frantic　shouts　and　clamor　rose　in　every　direction；　some　screaming　to　know　what　had　happened；　others　crying　that　the　Dragon　Reborn　had　gone　mad。　The　bundle　of　frustration　in　his　head　that　was　Alanna　provided　one　small　fort。　She　was　out　of　the　Palace；　as　she　had　been　all　morning；　maybe　even　outside　the　city　walls。　He　wished　Min　was；　too。　Sometimes　he　saw　men　and　women　down　one　hallway　or　another；　black…liveried　servants　mainly；　running；　falling　down　and　scrambling　up　to　run　again。　They　did　not　see　him。　With　the　Power　in　him；　he　could　hear　every　whisper。　Including　the　whisper　of　soft　boots　running；　light…footed。
　　　　　　　Backing　against　the　wall　beside　a　long　table　topped　with　porcelain；　he　quickly　wove　Fire　and　Air　around　himself　and　held　very　still　wrapped　in　Folded　Light。
　　　　　　　Maidens　appeared；　a　stream　of　them；　veiled；　and　ran　by　without　seeing　him。　Toward　his　apartments。　He　could　not　let　them　acpany　him；　he　had　promised；　but　to　let　them　fight；　not　to　lead　them　to　slaughter。　When　he　found　Demandred　and　Asmodean；　all　the　Maidens　could　do　was　die；　and　he　already　had　five　names　to　learn　and　add　to　his　list。　Somara　of　the　Bent　Peak　Daryne　was　already　there。　A　promise　he　had　had　to　make；　a　promise　he　had　to　keep。　For　that　promise　alone；　he　deserved　to　die！
　　　　　　　Eagles　and　women　can　only　be　kept　safe　in　cages；　Lews　Therin　said　as　though　quoting；　then　abruptly　began　weeping　as　the　last　of　the　Maidens　vanished。
　　　　　　　Rand　moved　on；　sweeping　back　and　forth　through　the　palace　in　arcs　that　slowly　moved　away　from　his　apartments。　Folded　Light　used　very　little　of　the　Power　…　so　little　no　man　could　have　felt　the　use　of　saidin　unless　right　on　top　of　it　…　and　he　used　it　whenever　anyone　seemed　about　to　see　him。　His　attackers　had　not　struck　at　his　rooms　on　the　chance　he　would　be　there。　They　had　eyes…and…ears　in　the　Palace。　Maybe　it　had　been　ta'veren　work　that　pulled　him　out　of　the　apartments；　if　a　ta'veren　could　work　on　himself；　and　maybe　just　happenstance；　but　perhaps　his　tugging　at　the　Pattern　could　bring　his　attackers　within　his　grasp　while　they　thought　him　dead　or　injured。　Lews　Therin　chuckled　at　the　thought。　Rand　could　almost　feel　the　man　rubbing　his　hands　in　anticipation。
　　　　　　　Three　more　times　he　had　to　hide　behind　the　Power　as　veiled　Maidens　rushed　by；　and　once　when　he　saw　Cadsuane　sweeping　along　the　corridor　ahead　with　no　fewer　than　six　Aes　Sedai　at　her　heels；　and　not　one　other　that　he　recognized　besides　her。　They　seemed　to　be　hunting。　He　was　not　afraid　of　the　gray…haired　sister；　precisely。　No；　of　course　not　afraid！　But　he　waited　until　she　and　her　friends　were　well　out　of　sight　before　letting　his　concealing　weave　go。　Lews　Therin　did　not　chuckle　over　Cadsuane。　He　was　deathly　silent　until　she　was　gone。
　　　　　　　Rand　stepped　away　from　the　wall；　a　door　opened　right　beside　him；　and　Ailil　peeked　out。　He　had　not　known　he　was　near　her　rooms。　Behind　her　shoulder　stood　a　dark　woman　with　fat　golden　rings　in　her　ears　and　a　medallion…filled　golden　chain　running　across　her　left　cheek　to　her　nose　ring。　Shalon；　Windfinder　to　Harine　din　Togara；　the　Atha'an　Miere　ambassador　who　had　moved　into　the　Palace　with　her　retinue　almost　as　Merana　informed　him　of　the　agreement。　And　meeting　with　a　woman　who　might　want　him　dead。　Their　eyes　popped　at　the　sight　of　him。
　　　　　　　He　was　as　gentle　as　he　could　be；　but　he　had　to　be　quick。　A　few　moments　after　the　door　opened；　he　was　tucking　a　somewhat　rumpled　Ailil　beneath　her　bed　alongside　Shalon。　Perhaps　they　were　not　part　of　what　was　happening。　Perhaps。　Safe　was　better　than　sorry。　Glaring　at　him　above　mouths　wadded　full　of　Ailil's　scarves；　the　two　women　writhed　against　the　torn　strips　of　bedsheet　he　had　used　to　bind　their　wrists　and　ankles。　The　shield　he　had　tied　off　on　Shalon　would　hold　her　for　a　day　or　two　before　the　knot　unraveled；　but　someone　would　find　them　and　cut　their　other　bonds　before　too　much　longer。
　　　　　　　Worrying　about　that　shield；　he　opened　the　door　enough　to　check　the　hallway；　and　hurried　out；　along　the　empty　corridor。　He　could　not　have　left　the　Windfinder　free　to　channel；　but　shielding　a　woman　was　not　a　matter　of　dribbles　of　the　Power。　If　one　of　his　attackers　had　been　close　enough。。。　But　he　saw　no　one　down　any　of　the　crossing　corridors；　either。
　　　　　　　Fifty　paces　beyond　Ailil's　rooms；　the　corridor　opened　into　a　square…railed　balcony　of　blue　marble　with　broad　stairs　at　either　end；　fronting　a　square　chamber　with　a　high；　vaulted　ceiling　and　the　same　sort　of　balcony　at　the　other　side。　Tapestries　ten　paces　long　hung　along　the　walls；　birds　soaring　to　the　skies　in　rigid　patterns。　Below；　Dashiva　stood　looking　about；　licking　his　lips　uncertainly。　Gedwyn　and　Rochaid　were　with　him！　Lews　Therin　chittered　of　killing。
　　　　　　　〃。。。　telling　you　I　felt　nothing；〃　Gedwyn　was　saying。　〃He's　dead！〃
　　　　　　　And　Dashiva　saw　Rand；　at　the　head　of　the　stairs。
　　　　　　　The　only　warning　he　had　was　the　sudden　snarl　that　contorted　Dashiva's　face。　Dashiva　channeled；　and　with　no　time　to　think；　Rand　wove　…　as　so　often；　he　did　not　know　what；　something　dredged　from　Lews　Therin's　memories；　he　was　not　even　sure　he　created　the　weave　entirely　himself；　or　whether　Lews　Therin　snatched　at　saidin　…　Air　and　Fire　and　Earth　woven　around　himself　just　so。　The　fire　that　leaped　from　Dashiva　erupted；　shattering　marble；　flinging　Rand　back　down　the　hallway；　bounding　and　rolling　in　his　cocoon。
　　　　　　　That　barrier　would　keep　out　anything　short　of　balefire。　Including　air　to　breathe。　Rand　released　it　panting；　scraping　along　the　floor；　with　the　crash　of　the　explosions　still　ringing　in　the　air；　dust　still　hanging　and　bits　of　broken　marble　tumbling。　As　much　as　for　breath；　though；　he　let　it　go　because　what　could　keep　the　Power　out；　kept　it　in。　Before　he　stopped　sliding；　he　channeled　Fire　and　Air；　but　woven　much　differently　than　for　Folded　Light。　Thin　red　wires　leaped　from　his　left　hand；　fanning　out　as　they　sliced　through　the　intervening　stone　toward　where　Dashiva　and　the　others　had　been　standing。　From　his　left　sped　balls　of　flame；　Fire　woven　with　Air；　faster　than　he　could　count；　and　they　burned　through　the　stone　before　exploding　in　that　chamber。　One　continuous　deafening　roar　made　the　Palace　tremble。　Dust　that　had　fallen　rose　up　again；　and　pieces　of　stone　bounced。
　　　　　　　Almost　immediately；　though；　he　was　up　and　running；　back　past　Ailil's　apartments。　The　man　who　struck　and　stayed　in　one　spot　was　asking　to　die。　He　was　ready　to　die；　but　not　yet。　Snarling　soundlessly；　he　sped　down　another　hall；　descended　narrow　servants'　stairs；　and　came　out　on　the　floor　below。
　　　　　　　He　took　care　making　his　way　back　to　where　he　had　seen　Dashiva；　deadly　weaves　ready　to　fling　at　so　much　as　a　glimpse。
　　　　　　　I　should　have　killed　them　all　in　the　beginning；　Lews　Therin　panted。　I　should　have　killed　them　all！
　　　　　　　Rand　let　him　rage。
　　　　　　　The　large　chamber　seemed　to　have　been　washed　in　fire。　Only　charred　fragments　licked　by　flames　remained　of　the　tapestries；　and　great　gouges　a　pace　across　had　been　burned　into　floor　and　walls。　The　stairs　Rand　had　been　about　to　descend　ended　in　a　ten…foot　gap　halfway　down。　Of　the　three　men；　there　was　no　sign。　They　would　not　have　been　consumed　pletely。　Something　would　have　remained。
　　　　　　　A　servant　in　a　black　coat　cautiously　poked　his　head　from　a　tiny　door　beside　the　stairs　on　the　other　side　of　the　chamber。　His　eyes　fell　on　Rand；　rolled　up　in　his　head；　and　he　fell　forward　in　a　heap。　Another　servant　peeped　out