cspector.worldwithoutend-第28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！


　mail　worn　by　knights　in　the　this…teenth　century。　Some　sported　SMGs；　others　more　lethal…looking　weapons。　Around　them　I　could　dis…corn　magical　auras。
　
　〃They're　Paladins；〃　he　replied。　〃Part　of　Surehand's　personal　guard。　He　takes　younger　sons　from　the　noble　families　and　makes　them　swear　fealty　to　him。　Ehran　started　the　whole　thing；　I　think。
　
　〃It　keeps　them　out　of　trouble。　Otherwise　they'd　be　brawling　among　themselves；　or　plotting　to　do　in　their　older　siblings。　Let's　face　it；　this　hierarchical　society　they've　reinstated　has　some　serious　drawbacks。〃
　
　I　nodded。　〃Only　so　many　can　be　on　top；　and　since　who　ends　up　there　is　already　decided；　it　leaves　everyone　else　with　any　ambition　pretty　much　hosed。　It's　actually　a　pretty　clever　solution。　Channel　all　that　brawn　and　energy　into　supporting　the　status　quo。
　
　〃But　why　would　Surehand　need　them　here？　I　know　he　has　some　sort　of　magical　wards　to　protect　this　place。　And　I'm　sure　there's　a　mundane　security　system　in　place。　Is　there　really　that　much　chance　for　assassination？〃
　
　Caimbeul　shrugged。　〃Probably　not；　but　would　you　want　our　bully　boys　to　think　they're　being　shirked　socially？　Much　better　to　keep　them　handy。〃
　
　〃And　you　wonder　why　I've　never　been　much　for　society；〃　I　said。　〃This　all　seems　like　such　a　waste　of　time　to　me。　I　don't　have　the　stomach　for　it。〃
　
　Caimbeul　reached　out　and　placed　his　hand　lightly　on　the　small　of　my　back。　I　was　wearing　a　gown　very　low　in　the　back。　The　contact　of　his　hand　against　my　naked　flesh　made　me　shiver。
　
　〃I　think　we'd　best　make　ourselves　known；〃　Caim…beui　said。　〃I　wouldn't　want　to　get　caught　lurking　here　in　the　shadows。〃
　
　We　moved　forward　then；　stepping　into　the　golden　wash　provided　by　the　floating　wisps　of　light。　Caimbeui　guided　us　from　one　group　to　the　next　with　the　practiced　grace　and　smoothness　I'd　forgotten　he　possessed。　After…all；　he'd　spent　time　both　in　Alachia's　court　as　well　as　the　courts　of　the　Northern　Kingdoms；　while　I　had　made　myself　an　outcast　from　society　many　times　over。
　
　With　each　group；　we　moved　closer　and　closer　to　Lugh　Surehand。　It　was　a　ballet　of　conversation；　pliments；　and　jockeying　for　position。　I　was　so　caught　up　in　admiring　Caimbeui's　easy　skills　as　a　courtier　that　I　forgot　for　a　moment　to　pay　attention　to　who　was　moving　toward　us。
　
　〃Aina；〃　came　a　deep　voice　to　my　left。　〃It　has　been　far　too　long。　How　are　you；　my　dear？〃
　
　I　found　myself　being　kissed　on　both　cheeks　by　a　tallish　man　dressed　in　an　exquisitely　cut　suit　of　black　worsted　wool。　His　long；　steel…colored　hair　hung　unbound　down　to　the　middle　of　his　back；　and　he　had　almond…shaped；　preternaturally　golden　eyes。
　
　〃Oh　e　now；　Aina。　Don't　you　recognize　me？〃
　
　I　blinked；　taken　aback　by　the　unexpected　intr…macy。　Then　I　looked　more　closely　at　him。　〃Lofwyr；〃　I　said。　〃I　didn't　expect　to　see　you　in　such　a　place。　Nor　in　this　guise。〃
　
　The　dragon　laughed。　〃When　in　Rome　and　all　that；〃　he　said。　〃But　what　about　you？　Sheep's　clothing？　Or　is　it　a　new　designer？　As　I　recall；　you　were　more　fond　of　Chanel　than　anything　else。　But　this　doesn't　look　like　anything　I've　seen　lately。〃
　
　I　smoothed　a　hand　over　the　gray　velvet　of　my　dress；　a　nervous　gesture　that　I　caught　and　made　myself　stop。
　
　〃I　had　no　idea　you　were　so　interested　in　fashion；〃　I　said。　〃A　new　hobby；　or　are　you　just　bored？〃
　
　〃Nothing　is　boring　for　long　here；〃　he　said。　〃And　now　you　have　appeared　after　such　a　long　time。　Have　you　e　to　be　reunited　with　your　people？〃
　
　I　gave　him　an　incredulous　look。　〃I　believe　my　position　on　'my　people'　was　made　long　ago；　Lofwyr。　And　you'd　best　not　forget　it。　It　makes　my　task　here　all　the　more　difficult。〃
　
　〃So；　you　have　e　to　play　Cassandra；〃　Lofwyr　said。　〃You'd　do　well　to　remember　what　happened　to　her。〃
　
　I　took　a　drink　of　my　champagne　to　keep　from　frowning　at　him。　At　least　it　was　Krystal　and　not　a　bad　vintage。　The　privileges　of　power。　Caimbeui　had　listened　to　pur　conversation　without　saying　anything。　I　glanced　at　him　to　judge　his　mood；　but　he　was　looking　past　Lofwyr。　I　turned；　following　his　gaze；　and'saw　that　a　young　man　was　staring　at　us。
　
　I　froze；　for　a　moment　thinking　that　I　was　seeing　Aithne　Oakforest；　but　this　elf　was　too　young　to　be　Aithne。　On　second　glance　I　saw　the　differences　between　them。　The　slightly　petulant　mouth。　The　spoiled　expression　on　his　face。　The　bored　gaze。　He　had　some　of　his　father's　coloring　and　bone　structure；　but　the　hair　was　too　light　and　the　eyes　darker。　Still；　there　was　no　doubt　in　my　mind　that　this　was　Glasgian；　Aithne's　oldest　son。　Or　at　least　the　oldest　surviving　one。
　
　The　thought　of　Aithne's　son　pushed　the　breath　from　me。　That　I　could　still　feel　the　pain　of　this　moment；　even　after　all　this　time；　astounded　me。　And　I　knew　that　my　hopes　for　Aithne's　forgiveness　were　in　vain。
　
　I　felt　Caimbeul's　hand　on　my　elbow　and　heard　his　voice　in　my　ear　as　though　it　were　ing　from　a　long　way　off；　like　an　old…fashioned　radio　broadcast。　〃I　know　seeing　him　is　a　bit　of　a　shock；　Aina；〃　Caimbeui　said。　〃But　don't　let　it　throw　you。　He　isn't　Aithne；　and　he's　not　the　ghost　of　Hebhel　e　back　to　haunt　you。　Remember　what's　important　now。〃
　
　I　turned　toward　Caimbeui；　pulling　my　gaze　from　Glasgian。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　I　said。　My　voice　was　reedy　and　thin　in　my　ears。　〃He　gave　me　such　a　start。〃
　
　〃Are　you　all　right；　Aina？〃　asked　Lofwyr。　〃You　look　positively　green。　Maybe　you　should　sit　down。〃
　〃No；〃　I　said；　more　firmly　this　time。　〃I　just　felt　a　little　strange　for　a　moment　there。〃
　
　Lofwyr　glanced　over　his　shoulder　at　Glasgian。　〃Ah；　he　does　look　quite　like　his　father；　doesn't　he？　No　wonder　it　gave　you　a　start。　There's　no　love　lost　between　you　and　Aithne。　Is　there？
　
　〃I've　always　wondered　about　that。　It　seemed　so　strange。。。〃
　〃Perhaps　some　other　time；〃　said　Caimbeui　as　he　led　me　away　from　the　dragon。
　
　He　steered　me　about　the　perimeter　of　the　party；　keeping　up　a　steady　flow　of　nods　and　polite　remarks　as　we　strolled。
　
　〃Surehand　is　just　ahead；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　think　you're　up　to　meeting　with　him？〃
　I　nodded。　〃Of　course；〃　I　said。　〃It　was　just　a　momentary　lapse。〃
　
　Tilting　my　glass　then；　I　drank　the　rest　of　the　champagne　with　one　large　gulp。　A　waiter　passed　close　by　and　I　grabbed　another　glass　from　him。　How　I　wished　it　were　something　stronger。
　
　〃You　don't　suppose　Surehand　has　a　supply　of　Taengele　lying　about；　do　you？〃　I　asked。
　
　Caimbeui　gave　a　little　frown。　I　returned　it　and　he　knew　better　than　to　go　over　that　old　ground　with　me。　Oh；　I　knew　that　particular　demon　was　never　far　away；　but　I　didn't　succumb　to　it　anymore。
　
　〃I'm　certain　there　is　little　that　Lugh　denies　himself；〃　Caimbeui　said。　〃But　we　haven't　time　to　indulge　that　particular　vice　of　yours　right　now。〃
　
　I　downed　the　second　glass　and　got　a　small　headache　from　the　bubbles。
　
　〃Very　well；〃　I　said；　giving　him　a　grand　wave　of　my　hand。　〃Lead　on；　MacDuff。〃
　
　He　rolled　his　eyes；　but　said　nothing　as　he　took　my　hand　and　led　me　to　the　small　circle　where　Lugh　Surehand　stood。
　
　〃May　I　present　Aina　Sluage；　Lugh；〃　said　Caimbeui。
　
　I　extended　my　hand　and　Lugh　Surehand　brought　it　UP　to　his　Ups　and　kissed　it。　He　was　much　taller　than　I。　with　a　slender　build。　His　hair　was　dark　red；　almost　the　color　of　newly　turned　maple　leaves　in　fall。　His　eyes　were　green　as　summer　grass。
　
　I　thought　he　might　have　looked　quite　at　home　in　Elizabethan　times　with　his　goatee　and　the　rakish　scar；　he　sported　on　his　neck。　I　knew　from　Caimbeui　that　it　was　an　old　injury；　one　that　ran　across　and　down　his　neck　and　across　his　shoulder。
　
　There　was　an　aura　of　mand　about　him；　though　？　I　thought　he　might　have　toned　it　down　somewhat　to　acmodate　the　temperaments　of　the　other　Elders。　I　suspected　that　Aithne；　Ehran；　and　the　others　would　never　tolerate　the　idea　that　they　were　being　led　by　anyone。
　
　〃Ah；　so　you　are　Aina；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　heard　so　many　things　about　you。　How　is　that　we　have　not　met　over　the　years？〃
　I　smiled　very　slowly　at　him。　〃My　misfortune；　no　doubt；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　always　been　cursed　with　bad　luck。〃
　〃No；　madam；　the　ill　fortune　was　mine；〃　he　murmured。　He　had　not　yet　released　my　hand。
　So　that　was　how　it　was　to　be。　All　so　very　polite　and　civilized；　until；　of　course；　the　knives　came　out