rj.acrownofswords-第12部分

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witches　with　their　tame　false　Dragon。　But　how　under　the　Light　could　he　fight　both？
　　　〃It。。。　it　seems　that　Queen　Tenobia　has　left　Saldaea；　my　Lord。　And　the。。。　the　Dragonsworn　are　burning　and　killing　across　Altara　and　Murandy。　I　have　heard　the　Horn　of　Valere　has　been　found；　in　Kandor。〃
　　　Still　half…distracted；　Niall　looked　up　to　find　Omerna　at　his　side；　licking　his　lips　and　wiping　sweat　from　his　forehead　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　No　doubt　he　hoped　for　a　glance　at　what　was　in　the　message。　Well；　everyone　would　know　soon　enough。
　　　〃It　seems　one　of　your　wilder　fancies　wasn't　so　wild　after　all；〃　Niall　said；　and　that　was　when　he　felt　the　knife　go　in　under　his　ribs。
　　　Shock　froze　him　long　enough　for　Omerna　to　pull　the　dagger　free　and　plunge　it　in　again。　Other　Lord　Captain　manders　had　died　this　way　before　him；　yet　he　had　never　thought　it　would　be　Omerna。　He　tried　to　grapple　with　his　killer；　but　there　was　no　force　in　his　arms。　He　hung　on　to　Omerna　with　the　man　supporting　him；　the　pair　of　them　eye　to　eye。
　　　Omerna's　face　was　red；　he　looked　ready　to　weep。　〃It　had　to　be　done。　It　had　to　be。　You　let　the　witches　sit　there　in　Salidar　unhindered；　and。。。　〃　As　if　suddenly　realizing　that　he　had　his　arms　around　the　man　he　was　murdering；　he　pushed　Niall　away。
　　　Strength　had　gone　from　Niall's　legs　now　as　well　as　his　arms。　He　fell　heavily　against　the　gaming　table；　turning　it　over。　Black　and　white　stones　scattered　across　the　polished　wooden　floor　around　him；　the　silver　pitcher　bounced　and　splashed　wine。　The　cold　in　his　bones　was　leaching　out　into　the　rest　of　him。
　　　He　was　not　certain　whether　time　had　slowed　for　him　or　everything　really　did　happen　so　quickly。　Boots　thudded　across　the　floor；　and　he　lifted　his　head　wearily　to　see　Omerna　gaping　and　wide…eyed；　backing　away　from　Eamon　Valda。　Every　bit　as　much　the　picture　of　a　Lord　Captain　as　Omerna　in　his　white…and…gold　tabard　and　white　undercoat；　Valda　was　not　so　tall；　not　so　plainly　manding；　but　the　dark　man's　face　was　hard；　as　ever；　and　he　had　a　sword　in　his　hands；　the　heron…mark　blade　he　prized　so　highly。
　　　〃Treason！〃　Valda　bellowed；　and　drove　the　sword　through　Omerna's　chest。
　　　Niall　would　have　laughed　if　he　could；　breath　came　hard；　and　he　could　hear　it　bubbling　in　the　blood　in　his　throat。　He　had　never　liked　Valda　…　in　fact；　he　despised　the　man　…　but　someone　had　to　know。　His　eyes　shifted；　found　the　slip　of　paper　from　Tanchico　lying　not　far　from　his　hand；　it　might　be　missed　there；　but　not　if　his　corpse　clutched　it。　And　that　message　had　to　be　read。　His　hand　seemed　to　crawl　across　the　floorboards　so　slowly；　brushing　the　paper；　pushing；　it　as　he　fumbled　to　take　hold。　His　vision　was　growing　misty。　He　tried　to　force　himself　to　see。　He　had　to。。。　The　fog　was　thicker。　Part　of　him　tried　to　shake　that　thought；　there　was　no　fog。　The　fog　was　thicker；　and　there　was　an　enemy　out　there；　unseen；　hidden；　as　dangerous　as　al'Thor　or　more。　The　message。　What？　What　message？　It　was　time　to　mount　and　out　sword；　time　for　one　last　attack。　By　the　Light；　win　or　die；　he　was　ing！　He　tried　to　snarl。
　　　
　　　Valda　wiped　his　blade　on　Omerna's　tabard；　then　suddenly　realized　the　old　wolf　still　breathed；　a　rasping；　bubbling　sound。　Grimacing；　he　bent　to　make　an　end　…　and　a　gaunt；　long…fingered　hand　caught　his　arm。
　　　〃Would　you　be　Lord　Captain　mander　now；　my　son？〃　Asunawa's　emaciated　face　belonged　on　a　martyr；　yet　his　dark　eyes　burned　with　a　fervor　to　unnerve　even　those　who　did　not　know　who　he　was。　〃You　may　well　be；　after　I　attest　that　you　killed　Pedron　Niall's　assassin。　But　not　if　I　must　say　that　you　ripped　open　Niall's　throat　as　well。〃
　　　Baring　teeth　in　what　could　pass　for　a　smile；　Valda　straightened。　Asunawa　had　a　love　of　truth；　a　strange　love；　he　could　tie　it　into　knots；　or　hang　it　up　and　flay　it　while　it　screamed；　but　so　far　as　Valda　knew；　he　never　actually　lied。　A　look　at　Niall's　glazed　eyes；　and　the　pool　of　blood　spreading　beneath　him；　satisfied　Valda。　The　old　man　was　dying。
　　　〃May；　Asunawa？〃
　　　The　High　Inquisitor's　gaze　burned　hotter　as　Asunawa　stepped　back；　moving　the　snowy　cloak　away　from　Niall's　blood。　Even　a　Lord　Captain　was　not　supposed　to　be　that　familiar。　〃I　said　may；　my　son。　You　have　been　oddly　reluctant　to　agree　that　the　witch　Morgase　must　be　given　to　the　Hand　of　the　Light。　Unless　you　give　that　assurance　…　〃
　　　〃Morgase　is　needed　yet。〃　Breaking　in　gave　Valda　considerable　pleasure。　He　did　not　like　Questioners；　the　Hand　of　the　Light　as　they　called　themselves。　Who　could　like　men　who　never　met　an　enemy　not　disarmed　and　in　chains？　They　held　themselves　apart　from　the　Children；　separate。　Asunawa's　cloak　bore　only　the　scarlet　shepherd's　crook　of　the　Questioners；　not　the　flaring　golden　sun　of　the　Children　that　graced　his　own　tabard。　Worse；　they　seemed　to　think　their　work　with　racks　and　hot　irons　was　the　only　true　work　of　the　Children。　〃Morgase　gives　us　Andor；　so　you　cannot　have　her　before　we　have　it。　And　we　cannot　take　Andor　until　the　Prophet's　mobs　are　crushed。〃　The　Prophet　had　to　be　first；　preaching　the　ing　of　the　Dragon　Reborn；　his　mobs　burning　villages　too　slow　to　proclaim　for　al'Thor。　Niall's　chest　barely　moved；　now。　〃Unless　you　want　to　trade　Amadicia　for　Andor；　instead　of　holding　both？　I　mean　to　see　al'Thor　hung　and　the　White　Tower　ground　to　dust；　Asunawa；　and　I　did　not　go　along　with　your　plan　just　to　see　you　toss　it　all　on　the　midden。〃
　　　Asunawa　was　not　taken　aback；　he　was　no　coward。　Not　here；　with　hundreds　of　Questioners　in　the　Fortress　and　most　of　the　Children　wary　of　putting　a　foot　wrong　around　them。　He　ignored　the　sword　in　Valda's　hands；　and　that　martyr's　face　took　on　a　look　of　sadness。　His　sweat　seemed　to　be　tears　of　regret。　〃In　that　case；　since　Lord　Captain　Canvele　believes　that　the　law　must　be　obeyed；　I　fear　…　〃
　　　〃I　fear　Canvele　agrees　with　me；　Asunawa。〃　Since　dawn　he　did；　since　he　realized　that　Valda　had　brought　half　a　legion　into　the　Fortress。　Canvele　was　no　fool。　〃The　question　is　not　whether　I　will　be　Lord　Captain　mander　when　the　sun　sets　today；　but　who　will　guide　the　Hand　of　the　Light　in　its　digging　for　truth。〃
　　　No　coward；　Asunawa；　and　even　less　a　fool　than　Canvele。　He　neither　flinched　nor　demanded　how　Valda　thought　to　bring　this　about。　〃I　see；〃　he　said　after　a　moment；　and　then；　mildly；　〃Do　you　mean　to　flout　the　law　entirely；　my　son？〃
　　　Valda　almost　laughed。　〃You　can　examine　Morgase；　but　she　is　not　to　be　put　to　the　question。　You　can　have　her　for　that　when　I　am　done　with　her。〃　Which　might　take　a　little　time；　finding　a　replacement　for　the　Lion　Throne；　one　who　understood　her　proper　relationship　to　the　Children　as　King　Ailron　did　here；　would　not　happen　overnight。
　　　Perhaps　Asunawa　understood　and　perhaps　not。　He　opened　his　mouth；　and　there　was　a　gasp　from　the　doorway。　Niall's　pinch…faced　secretary　stood　there；　purse…mouthed　and　knobby；　narrow　eyes　trying　to　stare　at　everything　except　the　bodies　stretched　out　on　the　floor。
　　　〃A　sad　day；　Master　Balwer；〃　Asunawa　intoned；　his　voice　sorrowful　iron。　〃The　traitor　Omerna　has　slain　our　Lord　Captain　mander　Pedron　Niall；　the　Light　illumine　his　soul。〃　Not　an　advance　on　the　truth；　Niall's　chest　no　longer　moved；　and　killing　him　had　been　treason。　〃Lord　Captain　Valda　entered　too　late　to　save　him；　but　he　did　slay　Omerna　in　the　full　depth　of　his　sin。〃　Balwer　gave　a　start　and　began　dry…washing　his　hands。
　　　The　birdlike　fellow　made　Valda　itch。　〃Since　you　are　here；　Balwer；　you　may　as　well　be　useful。〃　He　disliked　useless　people；　and　the　scribbler　was　the　very　form　of　uselessness。　〃Carry　this　message　to　each　Lord　Captain　in　the　Fortress。　Tell　them　the　Lord　Captain　mander　has　been　murdered；　and　I　call　for　a　meeting　of　the　Council　of　the　Anointed。〃　His　first　act　on　being　named　Lord　Captain　mander　would　be　to　boot　the　dried…up　little　man　out　of　the　Fortress；　boot　him　so　far　he　bounced　twice；　and　choose　a　secretary　who　did　not　twitch。　〃Whether　Omerna　was　bought　by　the　witches　or　the　Prophet；　I　mean　to　see　Pedron　Niall　avenged。〃
　　　〃As　you　say；　my　Lord。〃　Balwer's　voice　was　dry　and　narrow。　〃It　shall　be　as　you　say。〃　He　apparently　found　himself　able　to　look　on　Niall's　body　at　last；　as　he　bowed　himself　out　jerkily；　he　hardly　looked　at　anything　else。
　　　〃So　it　seems　you　will　be　our　next　Lord