cspector.worldwithoutend-第27部分

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tion　Center。　He　pretended　that　his　wife　and　children　had　died　there；　then　deceived　the　tribal　elders　with　his　knowledge　of　Cascade　Crow　tribal　rituals。　The　treachery　of　it　astounds。
　
　Perhaps　I　am　letting　my　history　with　Caimbeui　color　my　ments；　for　his　and　Ehran's　relationship　is　a　bitter　one　from　long　ago。　The　enemy　of　my　friend　is　my　enemy。　Not　that　Ehran　had　the　slightest　idea　of　my　opinion　of　him；　of　course。　That　would　be　foolishness　of　the　first　water。
　
　Anyway；　eventually；　he　received　a　place　on　the　S…S　Council；　and　parlayed　that　into　his　final　plan。　He　encouraged　the　segregation　of　metahumans；　saying　that　Awakened　individuals　were　better　off　away　from　humanity　and　their　prejudices。　But；　at　the　same　time；　he　encouraged　the　Salish…Shidhe　and　the　other　Native　American　Nations　to　wele　metahumans　into　their　territories。
　
　This　brought　metahumans　into　NAN　and　the　Salish…Shidhe　territories　in　ever…increasing　numbers　over　the　years　just　before　the　establishment　of　the　Tir。　Before　Bright　Water　disappeared　（faking　his　death；　by　the　way。。　Something　I　know　he　is　quite　proficient　at）；　he　encouraged　the　metahuman　population　to　segregate　itself　into　the　southern　region　of　the　Amerindian　territories。　They　did　so；　and　this　was　the　beginning　of　what　would　later　bee　Tir　Tairn…giro。
　
　Of　course；　Aithne　and　the　others　hadn't　been　sitting　by　doing　nothing；　but　they　did　let　Ehran　have　all　the　fun。　After　〃Walter　Bright　Water's〃　death；　they　appeared　on　the　scene　and　began　to　lead　the　〃renaissance　in　the　south。〃　By　the　time　there　was　a　formal　declaration　of　independence　by　the　Tir；　the　Salish…Shidhe　was　no　longer　a　cohesive　power　and　there　was　nothing　NAN　or　any　other　nation　could　do　to　stop　them。
　
　By　this　time；　of　course；　Ehran　had　re…emerged　as　himself。　The　rest；　as　they　say；　is　history。　The　Tir　went　on　to　be　recognized　by　every　other　nation；　with　the　notable　exception　of　Aztlan。　But　then　they　are　both　special　cases　unto　themselves。
　
　Now　they　had　set　themselves　up　as　Princes；　no　less。　Of　course；　that　is　how　most　of　us　thought　of　ourselves。　After　all；　we　had　always　ruled；　whether　overtly　or　covertly。　The　hand　that　guides　the　puppets　does　not　have　to　seen。
　
　They　had　made　all　the　preparations；　but　I　sus…petted　they　still　didn't　believe　the　time　would　e　when　they　would　have　to　use　them。　Only　that　they　would　have　the　world　made　over　in　their　image　and　no　one　would　stop　them。
　
　None　but　those　who　had　always　stopped　us　before。
　
　Caimbeui　had　booked　us　into　the　best　hotel　in　Portland。　It　overlooked　the　Willamette　River　and　was　as　lush　and　palatial　as　any　Louis　the　XIV　wet　dream。　I'd　never　been　particularly　impressed　by　the　elver　fondness　for　royal　pomp　and　circumstance。　It　seemed　pretentious　and　ultimately　destructive　to　me。　But　then　no　one　had　ashed　my　opinion　on　the　matter；　had　they？
　
　I　wasn't　sure　what　influence　Caimbeui　wielded　here；　but　there　was　enough　bowing　and　scraping　to　make　even　Alachia　happy。　We　were　shown　to　the　uppermost　penthouse；　being　informed　along　the　way　that　the　High　Prince　had　resided　here　while　having　his　home　remodeled。
　
　Caimbeui　and　I　were　suitably　blase　about　the　whole　situation。　And　why　not？　We'd　seen　Versailles　at　its　height。　And　the　Taj；　that　jewel　of　a　building；　small　yet　almost　perfect。　How　could　any　hotel　room；　no　matter　how　sumptuous；　pare？
　
　Finally；　we　were　left　alone。　The　staff　would　have　to　be　spoken　to　about　the　hovering。　I　dropped　down　onto　one　of　the　brocade　sofas；　sinking　into　the　real　feather　cushions。
　
　〃Well；　what　now？〃　I　asked。　〃How　long　do　you　think　we　have　until　Aithne　finds　out　I'm　here？〃
　
　Caimbeui　went　to　the　French　doors　leading　out　to　the　terrace　and　pushed　them　open。　The　air　was　sweet　up　here；　with　none　of　the　sour；　acrid　smells　I　nor…malty　associated　with　cities。　I　knew　they'd　done　much　to　manipulate　the　land　in　the　Tir。　The　magical　energy　fairly　pulsed　in　the　air。　If　they'd　put　out　a　large　neon　sign　telling　the　Enemy　〃e　and　get　us；〃　they　couldn't　have　done　better。
　
　I　knew　there　were　now　old…growth　forests　where　only　a　few　years　before　there　had　been　fallow　land。　Extinct　species　populated　these　forests…how　they'd　managed　that　I　suspected　I　knew；　but　I　hoped　I　was　just　being　paranoid。
　
　〃Not　long；〃　Caimbeui　said。　〃Aithne　has　spies　everywhere。　Fortunately；　he's　away　from　Portland　right　now。　And　we　know　Alachia　was　in　Tir　na　n6g。　Though　I　suspect　after　our　visit　she　might　be　here　already。　But　I've　never　been　very　good　at　predicting　what　she　will　do　next。
　
　〃There's　a　celebration　planned　for　this　evening。　Something　to　do　with　The　Rite　of　Progression。〃
　
　I　got　up　from　the　couch　and　came　over　to　where　Caimbeui　stood　by　the　open　doors。　It　was　already　getting　dark。　The　gray　misting　sky　oppressive　and　bleak。
　
　〃You　don't　like　it　here；〃　I　said。
　〃No。〃
　
　〃Neither　do　I。　It　reminds　me　too　much　of　the　days　when　Alachia　was　Queen。　What　she　turned　so　many　of　us　into。　It　frightens　me　because　I　think　it　could　all　happen　again。　Especially　when　I　see　that　the　Enemy　is　ing　again。〃
　
　Caimbeui　stepped　behind　me；　then　wrapped　his　arms　about　my　waist。　It　was　very　forting　to　stand　there　in　the　slowly　falling　chill　night　with　him　warm　and　solid　against　my　back。　He　rested　his　chin　on　my　head。
　
　〃But　things　are　different　now；〃　he　said。　〃The　world　is　different。　We　can　keep　the　past　from　happening　again。〃
　〃I　hope　you're　right。〃　〃I　am；〃　he　said。　〃I　am。〃
　
　And　we　stayed　there　for　a　while；　in　the　darkness；　resting　against　each　other　for　support。
　
　〃Did　you　think　I　had　forgotten　you？〃　Ysrthgrathe　asks。
　
　She　freezes；　finding　herself　not　in　the　safety　of　Caimbeul's　arms；　but　embraced　by　her　enemy。　His　arms　are　thickly　muscled　and　hold　her　so　tight　that　even　though　she　struggles；　it's　as　if　she　has　never　moved。
　
　Then　his　mouth　is　at　her　ear；　breath　hot　against　the　tender　flesh。　〃I　have　been　waiting　for　you　so　patiently；　my　sweet。　This　delay　is　but　a　heartbeat　for　me。　The　blink　of　an　eye。　And　there　is　nothing　you　can　do　that　will　stop　me　this　time。　Not　running　to　your　precious　Aithne。　Not　dragging　that　clown　behind　you。　None　of　them　will　save　you　from　me　this　time。〃
　
　Somehow；　she　manages　to　slip　free　of　his　grasp；　but　then　he　laughs　and　she　knows　he's　let　her　go。
　
　〃This　isn't　the　past；　Ysrthgrathe；〃　she　says。　〃I'm　not　that　foolish　girl　anymore。　You　can't　frighten　me　like　you　did　then。〃
　
　〃Liar；〃　he　says。
　Caimbeui　had　insisted　we　bring　formal　attire。　I　had　wondered　at　this；　but　as　we　entered　the　grounds　of　Royal　Hill　where　Lugh　Surehand　occupied　the　Royal　Palace；　I　was　glad　of　his　foresight。　An　elf　attired　in　livery　opened　the　door　to　our　limo。
　
　I'd　also　wondered　at　Caimbeul's　choice　of　vehicle　until　I　saw　the　battery　of　armaments；　assault　weapon　controls；　and　other　trinkets　loaded　onto　the　seemingly　innocuous　luxury　car。　The　driver　was　a　nasty…looking　troll　who　seemed　to　know　Caimbeul。　Or　at　least　they　exchanged　those　knowing　sort　of　nods　that　men　think　are　very　casual　but　anyone　with　half　a　brain　can　see　right　through。
　
　I　wasn't　sure　whose　Rite　this　celebration　was　for；　but　Surehand　had　gone　all　out。　There　were　white　tents　scattered　across　the　manicured　lawns。　Pathways　between　the　tents　were　lit　by　magical　means…　nothing　so　mundane　as　electric　lights　for　Lugh　Surehand's　guests。　Garlands　of　flowers　were　draped　over　anything　that　stood　still。　Staff　dressed　in｜　Surehand's　colors　circulated　among　the　guests　carrying　tray　after　tray　of　wine　and　Epicurean　delights。　Even　the　weather　had　been　manipulated。　It　was　cool　but　not　chilly；　and　the　rain　that　had　plagued　us　all　day　was　finally　gone。
　
　I　noticed　that　all　the　servants　seemed　to　be　orks　and　dwarfs　and　almost　all　the　guests　elves。　I　knew　that　when　the　Tir　was　established　they'd　made　a　big　show　of　inviting　non…elver　metahumans；　but　I　sus…petted　that　it　was　more　the　desire　for　cheap　labor　than　altruism。
　
　Hanging　back　at　the　edge　of　the　party；　I　stayed　in　the　shadows；　pulling　Caimbeul　with　me。
　
　〃What　are　they？〃　I　hissed；　pointing　at　several　elves　dressed　in　solid…black　partial　body　armor　that　resembled　the　plate　mail　worn　by　knights　in　the　this…teenth　century。　Some　sported　SMGs；　others　more　lethal…looking　weap