sheritepper.necromancer nine-第27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！


rinkled　caverns；　to　return　with　this　and　that　thing；　to　pump　and　build　and　stretch；　to　open　cell　walls　and　herd　things；　as　a　herdsman　his　flock；　which　twinkled　and　spun　like　stars；　to　clamp　upon　sparkling　nerves　so　that　no　hint　of　pain　could　move　past　the　place　it　originated。　I　watched；　sniffed。　tasted；　and　was　one　with　Dealpas。　I　learned。　I　would　have　to　have　been　witless　not　to　have　learned；　but　withal　that　learning　I　could　tell　there　was　a　universe　she　knew　and　I　never　would。
　Until；　after　a　long　time；　she　separated　herself　from　me　and　became　what　she　had　been；　a　withdrawing　presence；　a　mind　which　demanded　to　be　let　alone；　to　rest；　to　sleep；　never　to　be　wakened。
　The　others　let　her　go。　I　let　her　go。　Before　me　on　the　pallet；　Izia's　flesh　appeared　not　greatly　different　from　what　it　had　been　before；　but　my　hands　told　me　healing　was　begun。　Enough。　She　slept。　I　knew　she　would　sleep　long。　Her　face　had　relaxed　into　quiet；　and　she　lay　with　mouth　a　little　open；　faintly　snoring；　a　little　bubble　at　the　corner　of　her　mouth。　I　knew　with　unshakable　certainty　where　I　had　seen　that　face　before　and　why　it　was　I　had　been　so　drawn　to　her。
　〃She　is　so　like　Yarrel；〃　I　whispered。　〃So　like　that　she　can　be　no　one　other　than　his　sister；　his　lost　sister；　the　one　he　thought　dead；　gone　in　the　Game；　lost　to　a　Shifter。　He　hated　me　for　that。　But　she　is　not　dead。　No。〃
　〃Are　you　certain？〃　Mavin　asked。　Her　words　were　nonsense。　I　had　just　said　I　was　certain。
　I　stroked　the　hot　forehead；　pushed　the　dark　hair　back　from　her　face。　Yarrel　had　worn　his　so；　brushed　back　from　his　face。
　〃She　must　go　back　to　him；〃　I　said。　〃To　her　family。　As　soon　as　possible。〃
　〃So　long　ago。　Will　she　remember　her　family　at　all？〃
　〃No　matter。　What　she　cannot　remember；　she　will　relearn。　But　she　must　go　back；　at　once。〃
　〃You　can　take　her；〃　said　Mavin。　〃When　she　wakes。〃
　〃No。　Swolwys　may　take　her；　or　Dolwys；　or　both。　In　fact；　they　must；　for　she　must　be　kept　utterly　safe；　beyond　all　possibility　of　harm。　I　cannot　take　her　myself。　I　must　go　after　Windlow。〃
　For　if　anything　was　certain；　it　was　sure　that　I　could　not　fail　Windlow　and　Himaggery　again。　I　had　failed　them　once　in　the　Bright　Demesne；　once　in　the　Blot。　But　not　again。
　
　
　8。　The　Magicians
　I　was　surprised　when　Mavin　said　she　would　go　with　me。　I　had　always　thought　of　her；　when　I　thought　of　her；　as　elsewhere；　not　with　me。　When　I　had　met　her　on　the　pinnacle；　it　had　been　with　no　thought　that　she　would　acpany　me　anywhere。　If　I　had　had　any　expectations　of　that　meeting；　it　would　have　been　to　spend　some　time　with　her；　in　her　own　place；　and　learn　what　I　could　from　her　to　make　my　Shifterish　soul　more　fortable。　So；　when　she　said　very　calmly　that　the　twins　would　escort　Izia　to　her　childhood　home　and　she　would　e　with　me；　I　was　speechless　for　a　time。　Remnants　of　courtly　training　suggested　I　should　protect　her　by　refusing　her　pany。　Good　sense　told　me　how　silly　that　was。　Of　the　two　of　us；　she　was　probably　better　able　to　take　care　of　herself。　Certainly　she　had　had　far　more　experience　than　I。　At　the　end；　I　said　nothing；　not　even　thanks。
　〃I　would　have　gone　eventually　anyhow；〃　she　said；　over　Izia's　sleeping　form。　〃The　time　has　e　to　find　out　what　happens　beyond　the　Blot。　Many　of　us　have　known　for　a　long　time　that　strangeness　and　disturbance　es　from　there。　If　you　saw　Windlow's　body；　then　it　is　certain　Himaggery　is　there　as　well。　Do　you　think　they　are　alive？〃　She　did　not　wait　for　my　nod；　we　had　been　over　this　before。　〃Himaggery；　yes；　and　probably　Throsset　of　Dornes；　that　great　Sorcerer；　and　Mind…Healer　Talley；　one　of　the　few　Healers　ever　to　have　great　skill　in　healing　sick　minds；　and　who　knows…a　thousand　more　who　have　disappeared。　Pawns　as　well；　I　suppose。　I　have　seen　them　go　by　the　dozens　into　that　place　like　dazed　sheep。　Into　the　mumble　mouths；　riding　the　little　cars。　Many　of　us　know；　have　known；　but　we　have　not　been　organized　。。。　No。　We　have　simply　been　too　fearful　to　go　into　that　place。〃
　〃You？　Fearful？〃　I　doubted　this。
　〃Do　not　mistake　my　arrogance　for　courage；　my　son。　It　is　true　that　I　am　renowned　for　what　I　can　do。　But　I　am　afraid　of　the　unknown；　as　are　most　men；　Gamesmen　or　pawns　alike。　My　sisters　and　I　were　told　as　children　that　monsters　dwelt　in　the　West；　that　night　creatures　would　e　from　there　to　take　us　if　we　were　naughty；　that　all　darkdreams　came　from　the　West。　When　I　grew　older；　I　learned　that　there　was　truth　in　that。　Of　course　I　fear　it。　We　should　both　fear　it；　but　there　is　at　least　one　place　worse　than　this！〃
　〃And　we　will　go？〃
　〃Of　course。
　Swolwys　and　Dolwys　were　not　so　sure。　They　gave　her　arguments　which　extended　into　the　night；　all　the　while　that　Izia　slept。　I　went　now　and　then　to　see　that　she　was　covered　and　to　look　at　her　legs。　The　grayness　was　fading。　There　were　patches　of　smooth　skin　behind　her　knees　and　along　the　ankles。　I　gave　thanks　to　Dealpas　in　my　heart；　but　did　not　summon　her。　I　remembered　the　skipping　chant　which　the　children　of　Schooltown　used　to　sing　beneath　the　windows　of　Mertyn's　House；　as　they　sang　in　every　village　of　the　world。　〃Pain's　maid；　broken　leaf；　Dealpas；　heart's　grief。〃　There　was　a　verse　for　each　of　the　eleven；　so　familiar　to　all　children　that　we　did　not　even　think　of　it　as　anything　religious　or　special。　I　thought　of　others。　〃Mind's　mistress；　moon's　wheel；　cobweb　Didir；　shadow…steel。〃　That　one　was　right　enough；　a　web　of　adamant　woven　from　moonlight　and　shadow。　〃Only…free　and　sent…far；　trickiest　is　Thandbar。〃　I　hoped　that　one　was　right；　too；　for　we　two　of　Thandbar's　kindred。　From　what　Mavin　had　said　about　the　Blot；　we　would　need　to　be　tricky。　I　was　frightened；　too；　but　I　did　not　hesitate　except　to　stroke　Izia's　hair　and　touch　her　cheek。　I　knew　then　that　I　loved　her；　but　I　was　not　sure　whether　I　loved　her　because　she　was　Yarrel's　sister　or　because　she　was　herself。　It　did　not　matter。　I　might　never　see　her　again　after　the　morrow。
　When　she　woke；　I　sat　at　her　side　and　held　her　hands　in　mine；　though　she　cowered　and　tried　to　jerk　them　away。　I　made　her　look　at　her　legs；　at　the　places　which　were　healing；　made　her　listen　as　I　told　her　that　she　was　healing；　healing；　that　all　of　the　years　with　Laggy　Nap　were　past；　gone；　done　with；　forever　dissolved　in　time。　She　shivered　and　sobbed；　at　last　letting　her　hands　lie　in　mine。　Only　then　I　asked；　〃Do　you　remember　a　time　before　Laggy　Nap？　Do　you　remember　when　you　were　a　child？〃
　〃I　remember　horses；〃　she　said。
　I　laughed　to　myself。　Oh；　assuredly　this　was　Yarrel's　sister。
　〃Do　you　remember　a　boy；　your　own　age？　A　brother？〃　I　wanted　her　to　name　him。　Oh；　I　held　my　breath　wanting　her　to　name　him。
　〃I　remember　Dorbie；〃　she　said。　〃Dorbie　was　my　fusty。〃
　〃No；　Izia。　Not　a　fustigar。　A　boy。　A　brother。　What　was　his　name？〃
　Her　eyes　became　unfocused；　concentrating。　〃It　was　。　。　。　was　Yarry；〃　she　said　at　last。　〃Yarry　was　my　brother。　Twin。　Twins　we　were。〃　Years　welled　to　spill　down　her　cheeks。　〃I　lost　him。　I　lost　everything。〃
　〃No。〃　I　squeezed　her　hands；　kept　myself　from　hugging　her；　for　I　knew　it　would　only　frighten　her　and　remind　her　of　Laggy　Nap。　〃No；　Izia。　They　aren't　lost。　Tomorrow　you　will　travel　with　my　cousins　to　find　Yarry；　and　your　parents。〃　Later　I　cursed　myself　for　mentioning　her　parents。　I　had　not　heard　of　Yarrel's　family　in　a　year。　One　or　both　might　be　dead。　Well；　it　was　too　late　to　change　the　words。　〃Your　family　are　still　there；　Izia；　and　they　have　never　ceased　thinking　of　you。
　〃Oh；　fool；　fool；〃　she　said；　singsong。　〃They　sold　me　to　the　Shifter。　They　did　not　care　for　me。〃　The　sobbing　menced　again。
　〃Shhh。　Izia；　that　was　Laggy　Nap's　lies；　all　lies。　You　were　not　sold　to　the　Shifter。　He　took　you；　by　guile；　by　trickery。　Try　to　remember　how　he　took　you！　It　was　the　Shifter　who　did　it；　Izia；　no　one　else。〃
　She　subsided　onto　the　pallet；　and　I　gave　way　to　Mavin　who　brought　yet　another　cup　of　hot　broth　from　the　fire；　her　cure　for　all　ills；　to　be　spooned　down　the　girl's　throat　a　few　drops　at　a　time。　She　shook　her　head；　made　a　bitter　face　as　though　she　tasted　gall　when　she　saw　Izia　crying。　Later　she　said　much　to　me　about　Gamesmen　who　prey　upon　children。　She　needed　have　said　none　of　it。　I　already　had　my　opinions；　and　she　could　not　have　made　them　worse。
　By　noon　Izia　was　enough　recovered　to　finger　the　healing　places　on　her　legs　with　trembl