rj.thepathofdaggers-第69部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　　　　That　was　a　lie；　but　a　very　believable　one；　so　it　came　as　a　shock　when　Moghedien　suddenly　channeled　and　every　lamp　in　the　room　went　out；　plunging　them　into　darkness。　Instantly　Graendal　flung　herself　from　the　chair　so　as　not　to　be　where　they　had　last　seen　her；　and　she　also　channeled　even　as　she　moved；　weaving　a　web　of　light　that　hung　to　one　side；　a　sphere　of　pure　white　that　cast　lurid　shadows　about　the　room。　And　revealed　the　pair　clearly。　Without　hesitation；　she　channeled　again；　drawing　the　full　strength　of　the　little　ring。　She　did　not　need　it　all；　or　even　most；　but　she　wanted　every　advantage　she　could　find。　Attack　her；　would　they！　A　net　of　pulsion　tightened　on　each　of　them　before　they　could　twitch。
　　　　　　　She　had　spun　the　nets　strong；　for　anger's　sake；　nearly　strong　enough　to　do　harm；　and　the　women　stood　staring　at　her　adoringly；　eyes　wide　and　mouths　hanging　open　in　adulation；　intoxicated　with　worship。　They　were　hers　to　mand；　now。　If　she　told　them　to　cut　their　own　throats；　they　would。　Suddenly　Graendal　realized　that　Moghedien　was　no　longer　embracing　the　Source。　This　much　pulsion　might　have　shocked　her　into　letting　go。　The　servants　by　the　door　had　not　moved；　of　course。
　　　　　　　〃Now；〃　she　said　a　touch　breathlessly；　〃you　will　answer　my　questions。〃　She　had　a　number；　including　who　was　this　Moridin　fellow；　if　there　was　such　a　man；　and　where　had　Cyndane　e　from；　but　one　piqued　her　more　than　the　rest。　〃What　did　you　hope　to　gain　by　this；　Moghedien？　I　may　decide　to　knot　those　webs　on　you。　You　can　pay　for　your　game　by　serving　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃No；　please；〃　Moghedien　groaned；　wringing　her　hands。　She　actually　began　to　weep！　〃You　will　kill　us　all！　Please；　you　must　serve　the　Nae'blis！　That　is　what　we　came　for。　To　bring　you　to　Moridin's　service！〃　The　silver…haired　little　woman's　face　was　a　shadowed　mask　of　terror　in　the　pale　light；　her　bosom　heaving　as　she　gulped　breath。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　uneasy；　Graendal　opened　her　mouth。　This　made　less　and　less　sense　by　the　moment。　She　opened　her　mouth；　and　the　True　Source　vanished。　The　One　Power　vanished　from　her；　and　blackness　swallowed　the　room　again。　Abruptly　the　caged　birds　broke　into　a　frenzy　of　chirruping；　their　wings　fluttered　frantically　against　the　bamboo　bars。
　　　　　　　Behind　her；　a　voice　rasped　like　rock　being　ground　to　dust。　〃The　Great　Lord　thought　you　might　not　take　their　word；　Graendal。　The　time　when　you　could　go　your　own　way　has　passed。〃　A　ball　of。。。　something。。。　appeared　in　the　air；　a　dead　black　globe；　but　a　silver　light　filled　the　room。　The　mirrors　did　not　shine；　they　seemed　to　dull　in　that　light。　The　birds　went　still；　silent；　somehow；　Graendal　knew　they　had　frozen　in　terror。
　　　　　　　She　gaped　at　the　Myrddraal　standing　there；　pale　and　eyeless　and　clothed　in　black　deeper　than　the　ball；　but　larger　than　any　she　had　ever　seen。　It　had　to　be　the　reason　she　could　not　sense　the　Source；　but　that　was　impossible！　Except。。。　Where　had　that　strange　sphere　of　black　light　e　from　if　not　from　it？　She　had　never　felt　the　same　fear　others　did　at　a　Myrddraal's　gaze；　not　to　the　same　degree；　yet　her　hands　rose　on　their　own；　and　she　had　to　snatch　them　down　to　keep　from　covering　her　face。　Glancing　toward　Moghedien　and　Cyndane；　she　flinched。　They　had　adopted　the　same　pose　as　her　servants；　crouching　on　their　knees；　heads　to　the　floor　toward　the　Myrddraal。
　　　　　　　She　had　to　work　moisture　into　her　mouth。　〃You　are　a　messenger　from　the　Great　Lord？〃　Her　voice　was　steady；　but　weak。　She　had　never　heard　of　such　a　thing；　the　Great　Lord　sending　a　message　by　Myrddraal；　and　yet。。。　Moghedien　was　a　physical　coward；　but　still　one　of　the　Chosen；　and　she　groveled　as　assiduously　as　the　girl。　And　there　was　the　light。　Graendal　found　herself　wishing　her　dress　were　not　cut　so　low。　Ridiculous；　of　course；　Myrddraal's　appetites　for　women　were　well　known；　but　she　was　one　of　the。。。　Her　eyes　drifted　to　Moghedien　once　more。
　　　　　　　The　Myrddraal　strode　by　her　sinuously；　seeming　not　to　pay　her　any　heed。　Its　long　black　cloak　hung　undisturbed　by　its　movements。　Aginor　had　thought　the　creatures　were　not　quite　in　the　world　in　the　same　way　everything　else　was；　〃slightly　out　of　phase　with　time　and　reality；〃　he　had　called　it；　whatever　that　meant。
　　　　　　　〃I　am　Shaidar　Haran。〃　Stopping　by　her　servants；　the　Myrddraal　bent　to　grip　them　by　the　backs　of　their　necks；　one　hand　to　each。　〃When　I　speak；　you　may　consider　that　you　hear　the　voice　of　the　Great　Lord　of　the　Dark。〃　Those　hands　tightened　to　the　surprisingly　loud　sound　of　cracking　bone。　The　young　man　spasmed　as　he　died；　kicking　out；　the　young　woman　merely　went　limp。　They　had　been　two　of　her　prettiest。　The　Myrddraal　straightened　from　the　corpses。　〃I　am　his　hand　in　this　world；　Graendal。　When　you　stand　before　me；　you　stand　before　him。〃
　　　　　　　Graendal　considered　carefully；　if　quickly。　She　was　afraid；　an　emotion　she　was　far　more　used　to　inspiring　in　others；　but　she　knew　how　to　control　her　fear。　While　she　had　never　manded　armies　as　some　of　the　others　had；　she　was　neither　a　stranger　to　hazard　nor　a　coward；　yet　this　was　more　than　a　mere　threat。　Moghedien　and　Cyndane　still　knelt　with　their　heads　to　the　marble　floor；　Moghedien　actually　trembling　visibly。　Graendal　believed　this　Myrddraal。　Or　whatever　it　truly　was。　The　Great　Lord　was　taking　a　more　direct　hand　in　events；　as　she　had　feared。　And　if　he　learned　of　her　scheming　with　Sammael。。。　If　he　chose　to　take　action；　that　was；　betting　that　he　did　not　know　was　a　foolish　wager　at　this　point。
　　　　　　　She　knelt　smoothly　before　the　Myrddraal。　〃What　would　you　have　me　do？〃　Her　voice　had　regained　its　strength。　A　necessary　flexibility　was　not　cowardice；　those　who　did　not　bend　for　the　Great　Lord　were　bent。　Or　snapped　in　two。　〃Should　I　call　you　Great　Master；　or　would　you　prefer　another　title？　I　would　not　feel　fortable　addressing　even　the　Great　Lord's　hand　as　I　would　him。〃
　　　　　　　Shockingly；　the　Myrddraal　laughed。　It　sounded　like　ice　crumbling。　Myrddraal　never　laughed。　〃You　are　braver　than　most。　And　wiser。　Shaidar　Haran　will　do　for　you。　So　long　as　you　remember　who　I　am。　So　long　as　you　do　not　let　bravery　overe　your　fear　too　far。〃
　　　　　　　As　it　issued　its　mands　…　a　visit　to　this　Moridin　was　first；　it　seemed；　she　would　need　to　be　on　her　guard　against　Moghedien；　and　perhaps　Cyndane　also；　taking　revenge　for　her　brief　use　of　pulsion；　she　doubted　the　girl　was　any　more　forgiving　than　the　Spider　…　she　decided　to　keep　to　herself　the　letter　she　had　sent　to　Rodel　Ituralde。　Nothing　she　was　told　indicated　that　her　actions　would　be　displeasing　to　the　Great　Lord；　and　she　still　had　to　consider　her　own　position。　Moridin；　whoever　he　was；　might　be　Nae'blis　today；　but　there　was　always　tomorrow。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Bracing　herself　against　the　rocking　of　Arilyn's　coach；　Cadsuane　moved　one　of　the　leather　window　curtains　far　enough　to　see　out。　A　light　rain　fell　on　Cairhien　from　a　gray　sky　full　of　blustering　clouds　and　rough；　swirling　winds。　Not　only　the　sky　was　full　of　wind。　Howling　gusts　rocked　the　coach　more　than　did　its　forward　motion。　Tiny　droplets　stung　her　hand；　cold　as　ice。　If　the　air　cooled　a　little　more；　there　would　be　snow。　She　drew　her　woolen　cloak　closer；　she　had　been　pleased　to　find　it；　shoved　to　the　bottom　of　her　saddlebags。　The　air　would　cool。
　　　　　　　The　city's　steep　slate　roofs　and　stone…paved　streets　glistened　wetly；　and　though　the　rain　was　not　hard；　few　were　willing　to　brave　the　strong　winds。　A　woman　guiding　an　ox…cart　with　taps　of　a　long　goad　moved　as　patiently　as　her　ox；　but　most　people　afoot　clutched　cloaks　tightly；　hoods　pulled　down；　and　stepped　quickly　as　the　bearers　of　a　sedan　chair　rushed　by；　its　stiff　con　fluttering。　Others　beside　the　woman　and　her　ox　saw　no　reason　for　haste；　though。　In　the　middle　of　the　street　a　towering　Aielman　stood　gaping　at　the　sky　in　disbelief　while　the　drizzle　soaked　him；　so　absorbed　that　a　daring　cutpurse　sliced　away　his　belt　pouch　and　darted　off　unnoticed　by　his　victim。　A　woman　whose　elaborately　curled；　high…piled　hair　marked　her　as　noble　walked　along　slowly；　her　cloak　flapping　wildly；　and　its　long　hood　as　well。　This　might　have　been　the　first　time　ever　that　she　had　actually　walked　in　the　streets；　but　she　was　laughing　as　the　rain　slicked　her　cheeks。　From　the　doorway　of　a　perfumer's　shop；　the　shopkeeper　stared　out　disconsolately；　she　would　do　little　business　toda