sheritepper.necromancer nine-第14部分
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〃Magicians；〃 he said cheerfully。 〃No。 I don't think I've heard of magicians。〃
〃Nor I before；〃 I babbled； all bibulous naivete。 〃But there in Betand they talk much of magicians。 Why is that； do you think？〃
〃Oh； well； it's a parochial place； after all。 Most of the people there are ignorant； superstitious。 They must talk of something； and it is amusing to talk of wonders； freaks； Gifters 。。。 yes； Gifters。 They talk much of Gifters； but has any one of them ever seen a Gifter？〃 His eyes watched me over the top of his cup。 I met them with a stare in which no glimmer of intelligence showed。
〃No； you know； you're right！〃 I slapped my knee； laughed。 〃No Gifters either； you think？ Wonderful。 Everyone lighting candles to something which doesn't exist 。。= 。 marvelous。〃 I laughed myself into a long stretching movement which let me see Izia。 Yes。 She still stroked her legs； still frowned into the fire as though in pain。 Well。 Cold certainty seeped into me。 The man meant me no good； no good at all。
I knew I was right when he came to my blanket to offer me a wineskin； saying； 〃Some of the vintage we carry to the cities away west。 Not that stuff we've been drinking。 No。 Something very special。 Thought you'd enjoy it。〃 Smile； smile； smile。 I smiled stuporously in return； took the wineskin and laid it beside me。
〃Generous of you； Trader。 Generous。 I'll have a sip of it in a bit。 Oh； yes； soon as this last bit settles。〃 I laughed a little； let my eyes close as though I were too drowsy to stay awake； watching him from beneath my lids。 The smiling mouth of him snarled； then took up its perpetual cheer。
〃Sleep well；〃 he wished me。 〃Drink deep； and sleep well。〃
〃Ah； yes； yes； I will。 I will； indeed。〃 If I drank his gift； I would probably not wake； I told myself。 How in the name of Towering Tamor was I to get out of this？ A little time went by。 Darkness settled。 I heard someone going by the place I lay and reached out to catch an ankle。 It was Izia； and she crouched beside me saying； 〃What would you； fool？〃
〃Izia； I may be a fool indeed to ask you； but…am I in danger？〃
〃Oh； poor fool； you are。 And I may not aid you unless I die in more agony than you have ever felt。〃 She took my hand and laid it upon her boot； high upon her leg； and held it there。 Long moments went by。 Then I heard Laggy Nap call from the wain； call her name； once； again； and beneath my hand the boot began to burn like fire。 I drew my hand away with a harsh exclamation。
〃I e；〃 she called in a clear voice； then knelt to hiss into my ear。 〃You see； fool。 We obey。 We obey； obey； obey。 Or we burn。〃
4。 Befriend the Shadows
When the camp came awake in the morning； I pretended a headache and staggering inpetence。 During the long waking hours I had decided that Laggy Nap was unsure of my powers； my Talents； and would therefore probably （though not certainly） decide not to attack me directly。 No； he would attempt something else； something sly and sneaking like the drugged wine I was sure he had already offered me or； if he wanted me dead； some sneaking murder。 So； I decided to appear no threat to him while I found a little time to design some strategy to protect my life。 I knew Izia would say nothing。 In this I was correct。 For the first time I was able to interpret the discipline around me correctly。 It was all fear and pain； simply that。 Laggy Nap had some mental link or some other control of the boots they wore。 The wearer of those boots did Nap's will or burned。 I was led to a remembrance of the devices which Nitch had sewn into my tunic the year before。 Were not these torture boots something of the same kind？ And were both not similar to the things Mandor had said were Huld's？
Well； the provenance of the things did not matter at the moment。 My life did。 Therefore I staggered and sweated and even managed to vomit in the bushes。 Truth to tell； I felt sick enough； though it was not winesickness but strain and fear。 Oh； yes； I was fearful。 In the night hours I had reached for Dorn。 He had e into my mind slowly； reluctantly； murmuring 〃Necromancer nine； Peter； Necromancer nine。〃 I could get nothing else out of him； and I bad not needed that warning that I was at grave risk。 I had already figured that out for myself。
It was not long until Nap confronted me with a false smile and prying questions。 Had I drunk the special wine he had given me last night？ I answered with vague noddings； sick grins； avowals that one more drop of anything would have killed me indeed。 He got no satisfaction； and I knew it would not be more than a few hours before he would try something again。 Let him think me an idiot。 I did not think much better of myself。
I needed some other Talent； and this made me fretful； weighing and discarding notion after notion。 I could shift into some other form if I left my horse and all belongings behind me。 I was reluctant to do that。 There was a great distance still to travel； I thought。 Instinct told me that Trandilar would not move Nap。 He was of a kind impervious to the beguilement of others。 He was also of a kind who would not be fearful of the dead。 Therefore some other Talent。 Not Elator； as that would lose me horse and gear； and Elators could only move themselves between known locations。 I knew no location forward on the journey； so any move would lose me leagues already traveled。 Armiger？ Again； horse and gear lost if I flew away。 The Talents of Fire？ Or Healing？ What good were these to me？ A Demon's Talent for Reading？ Perhaps； if that would let me know what was in Nap's mind。 Musing thus； I rode along beside the icy little wagon； seeing the mist rise from it like the mists far behind me in the Bright Demesne。 Nothing presented itself as a good strategy。 All seemed forced； difficult； possibly dangerous。 。
Then I saw the cliffs ahead of us； looming against the lowering sky； for it had been chill and rainy during the early hours and was only now clearing。 Cliffs； crumbly at the rim； trailing away in long talus slopes at their bases。 An idea began to form； slowly； only bones of thought still to bee fleshed and finished。 The sun came from behind the clouds； hot and impatient。 I reached into the pouch at my belt and found the little image of Shattnir； First Sorcerer； great lady of Power。 She did not speak to me as the others had done。 Instead； she flowed into my veins and across my skin； bound me around with her net； tied me into her being； and began to take the heat from the sun and place it somewhere within。 I could feel it building within me； a tightness； as though my skin were stretched and swollen。 I knew my eyes were bulging and my lips turning outward； puffed； but my reflection in the polished harness plate between the horse's ears showed no change in my appearance。 'Not too much；〃 I begged silently。 〃Enough； Shattnir； but not too much。〃 She did not listen but went on taking the power from the bright sky； more and more and more； until at last I gave up waiting to explode and let her find room for it all。 When I quit holding my breath； the swollen feeling abated slightly； and evidently there was room for it all for we rode so until the mountains rose across the sun to make a long； violet…gray shade for our stopping place。
The fires were lit； the silent pawns began their evening chores and routines。 Izia moved among the horses； examining their hooves； stroking their glossy hides； murmuring to them。 I excused myself to go away from the camp； unsurprised when one of the booted men followed me。 I did not go into the copse； however； but up the rocky slope against the cliff； stumbling a little on the scree； seeing loose bits of it slide and rattle beneath my feet with hopeful satisfaction。 There was a hollow there； a place where a piece of the cliff had broken away from the main mass leaving a narrow space behind it； no larger than a closet。 I eased myself within； watching my follower peering after me。 Well enough。
I reached into the pouch and took the image of Wafnor into my hand； first and greatest Tragamor。 I became a room into which a man with a cheerful face entered； laughing； grasping the hands of those there with a fond greeting。 Almost I could hear him； 〃Dorn； Trandilar； Shattnir； how well you all look。 Oh； it is good to s
