cspector.worldwithoutend-第4部分

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　〃Aina　has　a　dream　and　we're　all　supposed　to　tremble　in　our　boots。　Is　that　it？〃
　〃I　had　forgotten　this　charming　side　to　your　per…seriality；　Caimbeui。　I've　been　right　before。〃
　〃And　you've　been　wrong。〃
　〃Not　often。〃
　He　didn't　have　an　answer　for　that。
　〃I　thought　you　would　be　thrilled　at　this　news；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃You're　the　only　one　who　still　understands　what　it　was　like。　Back　then。　During　the　Scourge。〃
　I　shrugged。　〃There's　always　Alachia；〃　I　said。　〃And　Ehran。　Oh；　but　I　forgot　about　your　tiff　with　him。　Surely　they　remember。〃
　〃Alachia　sees　it　differently　than　we　do。　She　always　has。　And　Ehran　isn't　worth　a　pimple　on　a　troll's　butt。　As　for　the　others…〃
　〃Don't　hold　back；　Caimbeui；　how　do　you　really　feel？〃
　After　giving　me　a　nasty　look；　he　went　and　refilled　his　glass。
　〃Bring　me　some　water；〃　I　said。
　In　a　moment；　he　placed　a　tumbler　in　my　hand　and　settled　himself　opposite　me　again。　Another　long　silence　played　out　between　us。　The　water　was　cool　and　washed　the　strong　taste　of　the　whiskey　out　of　my　mouth。
　〃Tell　me　what　happened；〃　I　said　at　last。　〃The　first　time。〃
　He　didn't　answer　me　for　a　moment。　Then　he　spoke。
　〃They　were　constructing　a　bridge；　of　sorts；　using　the　energy　spike　from　the　Ghost　Dance　as　a　locator。　They　are　as　foul　as　I　remembered；　Aina。　No；　perhaps　worse；　for　it　has　been　so　long　since　I'd　seen　them　that　they'd　begun　to　blur　in　my　memory。
　〃I　had　to　test　the　runners　to　be　sure　they　had　what　it　took　to　stand　against　the　Enemy。　For　the　most　part　they　succeeded。　One　fell　during　the　trials；　but　they　acplished　what　I　set　them　to　do。　They　retrieved　the　Voice；　but　didn't　make　it　back　to　the　bridge　before　a　man　named　Darke　captured　me。　The　bastard　was　working　with　the　Enemy　and　had　been　following　me　across　the　metaplanes　the　whole　time。　And　I'd　thought　I　was　tracking　him。
　
　〃He　was　performing　blood　magic　to　corrupt　the　site。　How　many　children　were　sacrificed　I'll　never　know。　But　Thayla　sang　and　the　enemy　fell　back；　and　now　we're　safe。〃
　
　I　almost　choked　on　my　water。
　
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　I　said。　〃That　all　ties　up　a　little　too　neatly。　Thayla　may　be　able　to　keep　them　at　bay；　but　who　will　protect　her　from　people　like　Darke？〃
　〃Oh；　some　of　the　runners　stayed　with　her；〃　he　said　casually。
　〃But　you　didn't　volunteer　for　that　duty；〃　I　said。　
　〃Don't　be　ridiculous；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　far　too　valuable　to　be　tied　to　one　spot　like　that。　Besides；　as　long　as　she's　there；　they　can't　get　through。〃
　〃Not　there；　at　any　rate；〃　I　said。　〃And　you're　sure　the　creatures　were　driven　back　in　Maui？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　he　said。
　
　And　how　I　wanted　to　believe　him。
　
　I　stared　into　the　fire。　Long　ago；　according　to　our　legends；　Thayla's　voice　had　driven　the　Horrors　off。　She　had　sacrificed　herself　for　her　people；　like　any　great　monarch　would。　Perhaps　Caimbeui　was　right。　Maybe　he　had　acplished　it。　Maybe　he　had　driven　them　back。　For　now。
　
　I　relaxed　a　little。　Maybe　now　there　would　be　time　to　plan。　To　prepare。　To　warn　those　who　needed　to　know。
　
　The　tele　beeped；　startling　me　out　of　my　thoughts。
　〃Who　could　be　calling　at　this　hour？〃　I　wondered　aloud。
　〃It　might　be　for　me；〃　he　said。　〃I　left　this　number。〃
　Oh；　splendid；　I　thought。　Just　what　I　need；　Caimbeul's　little　friends　with　my　restricted　number。
　
　〃Hello；〃　I　said　into　the　old…fashioned　videoless　receiver　I'd　had　installed　in　this　room。
　There　was　a　long　pause；　then　a　loud　burst　of　static。　I　jerked　back；　dropping　the　receiver　onto　the　floor。
　〃Aina；〃　I　heard。　The　sound　filled　the　room。　An　impossibility。　And；　oh　sweet　mother；　I　knew　that　voice。
　〃Aina；〃　it　said。　〃I　have　e　back。　I　have　e　for　you。〃
　
　Then　the　line　went　dead。
　
　〃What　was　that？〃　Caimbeui　demanded。
　
　The　room　was　cold。　Colder　than　the　dead　of　winter。　Colder　than　the　grave。　For　I　knew　from　long　experience　that　there　were　things　worse　than　death。
　
　〃That；〃　I　said；　my　voice　shaking；　〃was　the　past　e　back　to　haunt　us。　Harlequin。　You　didn't　stop　them　from　ing　through　on　Maui；　my　dear。　One　of　them　is　here。　Now。　And　he's　ing　for　me。〃
　
　She　is　standing　on　a　cliff　overlooking　the　sea。　The　gulls　dive　for　fish；　crying　with　their　broken　voices。　Below　on　the　beach；　a　boy　and　girl　play。　They　chase　each　other；　leaving　footprints　in　the　sand　that　are　washed　away　by　the　ining　tide。
　
　The　children's　high…pitched　voices　float　up　to　her；　but　she　can't　make　out　what　they're　saying。　Then；　as　she　watches；　the　sea　turns　red　and　bleeds　onto　the　beach。
　
　〃Don't　be　ridiculous；〃　Caimbeui　said。
　〃Are　you　deaf？〃　I　asked。　〃You　were　here。　You　heard　it。〃
　〃A　prank；　perhaps；〃　he　said。
　〃That　was　no　prank　and　you　know　it；〃　I　said。　〃I　know　'that　voice。〃
　
　I　turned　away；　running　my　hands　over　my　arms　to　warm　them。　It　had　been　so　long。　A　time　out　of　mind。　Even　so；　I　would　never　forget　that　sound。　The　sound　of　Ysrthgrathe's　voice。
　
　Like　chalk　on　a　blackboard。　Like　the　whisper　of　a　child。　Like　breaking　glass。　Like　the　dear　departed。　Whatever　would　be　most　effective。
　
　A　fine；　cold　sweat　broke　out　on　my　back。　No；　I　thought；　I'll　not　give　way　to　that　so　fast。　I　clamped　down　on　the　panic。　He'd　be　expecting　that。　No；　I'd　have　to　be　careful　and　deliberate。
　
　〃It's　only　one；〃　Caimbeui　said。　〃We　can　deal　with　one。〃
　〃It's　not　just　one；〃　I　said　angrily。　〃Don't　you　remember　anything　I　told　you　then　about　him？　I　seem　to　recall　that　we　did　spend　some　time　talking　all　those　years　ago。　Or　is　your　memory　as　convenient　as　it　ever　was？〃
　〃I　thought　we　agreed　not　to　discuss　that　time；〃　he　said。　〃But　you　keep　bringing　it　up。〃
　〃I'm　not　discussing　that　time。　I'm　asking　you　if　you　remember　what　I　told　you　then　about　Ysrthgrathe。〃
　〃That's　a　roundabout　way　of　doing　it。〃
　〃Will　you　shut　up　and　listen？　Frag　it；　you　are　so　oblivious　to　everything　but　yourself。　Didn't　you　hear　a　word　I　said　then？　Oh；　I　give　up。〃
　
　I　spun　about　and　strode　from　the　room。　I　had　to　get　to　my　grimoire。　There　were　preparations　to　be　made。
　
　When　the　last　of　my　defenses　was　in　place；　I　began　to　relax　a　little。　It　concerned　me　that　I　might　be　making　even　more　of　a　target　of　myself。　Strong　magic　stuck　out　like　a　sore　thumb　these　days。　But　it　didn't　really　matter；　he'd　already　found　me。
　
　Caimbeui　knocked　on　the　door　to　my　study。
　
　〃Go　away；〃　I　said。
　〃Don't　be　difficult；　Aina；〃　he　said。　〃Let　me　in。〃　
　〃No；　no；　dear　Harlequin；〃　I　replied。　〃I　don't　wish　to　trouble　you。〃
　
　I　heard　him　sigh。　Loudly　and　dramatically　so　I　would　hear。
　
　〃Let　me　in；〃　he　said。
　
　I　walked　over　to　the　door　and　opened　it。
　
　〃Oh；　it's　the　great　Harlequin　e　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　poor　unenlightened　masses。　Oh；　please　show　us　your　bountiful　insight。　We　are　honored　by　your　presence。　May　we　kiss　your　hem？〃
　〃I　was　a　bit。。。　difficult；〃　he　began。
　〃No；　you　were　an　ass；〃　I　said。
　〃Very　well；　an　ass。　You　always　did　get　sarcastic　when　you　were　upset。〃
　〃How　insightful　of　you；〃　I　said。　〃But　you've　got　it　a　little　wrong。　I'm　not　upset。　I'm　scared。　And　if　you　had　a　bit　of　sense；　you'd　be　frightened　too。〃
　
　He　began　to　circle　my　study　slowly；　gently　touching　the　books；　totems；　scrolls；　and　other　bits　of　ar…cans　I'd　carefully　catalogued。　Some　was　only　theory；　some　was　practical。　I　knew　he　had　an　impressive　accumulation　of　his　own；　but　I　also　knew　that　I　had　been　at　this　longer。
　〃What's　this？〃　he　asked；　pulling　a　thick　tome　from　a　shelf。
　〃That；〃　I　said　as　I　walked　over　and　plucked　it　from　his　hand　arid　stuck　it　back　on　its　shelf；　〃is　none　of　your　concern。　I'm　certain　you　have　five　or　six　just　like　it　at　home。〃
　
　An　annoyed　and　interested　expression　crossed　his　face。
　
　〃I　don't　understand　why　you're　so　worried；〃　he　said。　〃You've　dealt　with　him　in　the　past。　As　I　recall；　Vistrosh　told　me　the　most　amazing　story　about　how　you　vanquished　him。〃
　
　Rubbing　my　eyes　with　the　heels　of　my　hands；　I　sighed。
　
　〃Did　he　tell　what　really　happened？〃　I　asked。　〃Or　was　it　turned　into　some　of　kind　of　ridiculous　tale？　Let　me　see　if　I　can　recount　his　version：　'And　then　Aina　threw　her　arms　wide　to　the　skies　and　caused　a　blast　of　heavenly　fire　to　consume　the　monster。　The　creature　gave　one　last　wail　of　angry　despair　and　vanished　into　the　void。'　〃
　Caimbeui　dropped　into　my　heavy　l