tg.stone of tears-第154章

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t　now　blood。
　
　She　ignored　the　screams　and　sought　the　silence　within。
　
　The　wizard　stumbled　backward　and　fell。　He　came　to　his　feet　whirling　his　arms。　Fire　formed　in　the　air　at　the　arc　of　his　fingertips。
　
　Though　there　was　confusion　all　about；　only　one　thing　filled　her　vision。　The　wizard。
　
　She　couched　the　lance；　tucking　the　base　under　her　right　armpit；　jamming　her　grip　tight　against　the　leather　stop。　Gritting　her　teeth；　she　used　all　her　strength　to　lift　the　heavy　lance　over　Nick’s　bobbing　head；　to　the　left　side；　so　as　not　to　unbalance　herself　in　the　saddle。
　
　Nick　took　her　direction　as　if　he　could　read　her　mind。　She　steered　him　at　full　speed；　but　it　seemed　to　her　that　the　last　ten　yards　took　hours；　a　race　between　her　charge　and　the　wizard　calling　forth　fire。
　
　Wizard　Slagle　looked　up　to　direct　the　fire　just　as　her　lance　caught　him　in　the　chest。　The　impact　shattered　the　lance　to　splinters　at　midlength　and　nearly　tore　the　wizard　in　half。　She　and　her　horse　flew　through　a　spray　of　blood。
　
　Kahlan　swung　the　half　lance　at　a　man　lunging　for　her；　catching　him　across　the　head。　The　impact　tore　the　lance　from　her　grip。　She　wheeled　the　horse　and　leaned　forward　over　his　withers　as　she　galloped　at　full　speed　back　through　the　confusion　around　the　mand　tents。　Her　heart　pounded　as　fast　as　the　horse’s　hooves。
　
　One　of　the　D’Haran　officers　from　the　table　was　up　and　screaming　for　a　horse。　Men　leapt　onto　horses　bareback。　As　she　began　putting　distance　between　them；　she　could　hear　him　yell　that　if　they　failed　to　catch　her　they　would　be　drawn　and　quartered　to　a　man。　A　quick　glance　showed　a　good　three　dozen　riders　joining　the　chase。
　
　Away　from　the　mand　tents；　back　the　way　she　had　e；　men　didn’t　know　what　was　happening；　and　saw　a　galloping　rider　as　simply　part　of　the　drunken　festivities。　None　moved　to　stop　her。　Men；　tents；　fires；　polearms　and　lances　stuck　upright　in　the　snow；　stacks　of　pikes；　horses；　and　wagons　all　flashed　by　in　a　blur。
　
　Nick　jumped　anything　he　couldn’t　dodge。　The　threat　of　him　not　jumping　or　dodging　had　men　diving　for　cover。　Men　at　games　tumbled　out　of　the　way；　coin　and　dice　flying　into　the　air。　Tents　pulled　up　when　Nick’s　legs　caught　their　lines；　flew　up　and　billowed　in　a　tangle　behind；　snaring　her　pursuers。　Horses　and　riders　crashed　to　the　ground。　Others　ran　over　their　own　men　in　their　frenzied　attempt　to　keep　her　in　sight。
　
　Kahlan　spotted　a　sword　hanging　in　a　scabbard　that　was　fastened　to　the　side　of　a　wagon；　and　as　she　ran　past；　she　pulled　it　free。　Galloping　past　picket　lines；　she　swung　the　sword；　cutting　the　lead　lines。　She　hacked　the　rump　of　one　horse　as　she　charged　past。　He　kicked　and　screamed　in　fright　and　pain；　panicking　the　rest　of　the　horses。　They　bolted　headlong　in　every　direction。　Lanterns　on　poles　toppled　onto　tents；　setting　them　afire。
　
　The　horses　in　pursuit　balked　at　the　fires；　rearing　and　bucking；　throwing　their　riders　to　the　ground。　A　man　lunged　suddenly　into　her　path；　avoiding　Nick’s　flying　hooves　and　grabbing　for　her。　Kahlan　drove　the　sword　home　through　his　chest　as　she　flew　by。　The　hilt　tore　from　her　hand。　She　leaned　forward　and　held　on　as　Nick　raced　through　the　endless　camp。　The　men　chasing　weren’t　as　close；　but　they　were　still　ing。
　
　Suddenly；　she　was　free　of　the　camp；　galloping　through　the　open　snow。　Kahlan　followed　her　own　tracks　across　the　flat　by　the　waning　light　of　the　moon。　The　muscular　horse　plowed　through　the　snow　almost　as　if　it　weren’t　there。
　
　She　reached　the　trees　at　last；　and　before　plunging　in　and　ascending　the　steep　slopes；　she　checked　over　her　shoulder。
　
　A　good　fifty　men　were　not　three　minutes　behind。　She　would　be　able　to　open　the　lead　as　she　went　up　along　the　forest　trail；　but　they　would　still　catch　her。
　
　She　would　see　to　that。
　
　
　CHAPTER　39
　
　Easy　now；’　she　cautioned。　One　hesitant　hoof　slipped。　‘Back；　back；　back。　e　on　boy；　back。’
　
　From　down　the　slope　behind；　she　could　hear　the　sounds　of　the　chase；　a　man；　probably　one　of　the　D’Haran　officers；　yelling　angrily　at　the　top　of　his　lungs　not　to　let　her　get　away；　and　others　urging　their　horses　up　the　steep　trail。　When　they　reached　the　flat　where　she　was；　they　would　be　in　a　full　gallop　again。
　
　Kahlan　tugged　gently　on　the　reins。　Nick　lifted　his　hoof　from　the　ice　and　backed　up；　into　the　tight　gap　between　the　snow…crusted　pines；　back　along　his　trail。
　
　She　found　the　long　branch；　with　the　forked　end　she　had　whittled　to　a　pushing　pole；　stuck　upright　in　the　snow　where　she　had　left　it　beside　the　twin　trunked　spruce。　She　hefted　it　up；　and　started　pushing　the　heavy；　snow…laden　branches。　Her　shoulder　ached　from　having　the　lance　shattered　as　she　held　it　under　her　arm。
　
　As　she　backed　Nick　between　the　trees；　off　her　trail；　she　held　the　long　push…stick　out　over　his　head；　jostling　the　limbs。　Relieved　of　their　loads；　they　sprang　up；　partly　screening　the　gap　between　the　trees。　More　importantly；　the　snow　tumbled　to　the　ground；　piling　over　her　tracks。　She　pushed　at　a　branch　here；　another　there；　sprinkling　their　snow　over　Nick’s　backing　trail；　covering　it　in；　making　it　look　natural；　as　if　wind　had　simply　freed　the　branches　of　their　load。
　
　She　said　a　silent　thank…you　to　Richard；　for　teaching　her　about　tracks。　He　had　said　he　would　make　a　woods　woman　of　her。　She　ached　for　Richard。　She　was　sure　he　wouldn’t　approve　of　the　desperate　risk　she　was　undertaking　with　the　aid　of　what　he　had　taught　her。
　
　But　she　couldn’t　allow　these　men　to　track　her　back　to　the　Galean　boys。　There　was　a　chance　that　some　would　carry　word　of　what　they　had　seen　back；　and　then　the　Galeans　would　be　slaughtered。　If　none　of　these　men　returned；　it　would　be　a　long　while　before　any　more　were　sent；　if　ever。
　
　Even　if　they　were；　by　then　it　would　be　too　late；　she　would　have　long　been　up　and　over　the　passes　from　which　she　had　e；　where　the　wind　howled　and　drifted　the　snow　constantly；　and　her　tracks　would　be　lost　to　them。　They　would　not　know　where　she　had　gone。　From　there；　the　mountains　and　forests　went　on　in　endless　tracts；　and　her　trail　would　have　been　last　seen　leading　steadily　away　from　her　true　destination。　Those　back　at　camp　would　have　confidence　that　these　soldiers　would　have　her　sooner　or　later；　and　with　the　prospect　of　plunder　only　days　away；　they　would　turn　their　attention　to　it　instead。
　
　The　snow…muffled　thundering　of　hooves　brought　her　mind　back　to　what　she　was　doing。　The　men　had　reached　the　flat；　and　were　charging　at　full　speed　again。　Steadily；　she　worked　her　way　back　into　the　trees；　shaking　branches；　covering　her　trail；　backing　toward　the　way　she　had　e　on　her　way　to　the　army　of　the　Imperial　Order。　The　sounds　of　chase　were　almost　upon　her。
　
　Kahlan　leaned　almost　all　the　way　over；　stroking　an　arm　along　her　horse’s　neck。　She　whispered　toward　his　ears；　and　they　swiveled　back　to　the　sound　of　her　voice。
　
　‘Quiet　now；　Nick。　Please　don’t　move　or　make　a　sound。’　She　stroked　his　sweaty　neck　again。　‘Good　boy。　Quiet　now。’
　
　It　sounded；　to　her；　as　if　anyone　would　be　able　to　plainly　hear　her　heart　beating　in　her　chest。
　
　The　pursuers　had　reached　her。　As　they　charged　along　her　trail；　right　in　front　of　her；　they　broke　through　the　screen　of　trees　to　her　left；　not　ten　yards　away；　at　full　speed。　Kahlan　held　her　breath。
　
　She　heard　the　clop　of　hooves　as　they　hit　the　sloping　ice　hiding　in　the　moon　shadows　beyond　those　trees；　beyond　her　false　trail。　She　had　led　her　tracks　between　those　trees；　to　the　edge　of　a　steep；　rocky　stream；　where　its　water　would　tumble；　were　it　not　frozen；　over　a　cliff。
　
　It　was　a　small　stream；　but　as　it　froze；　more　water　had　bubbled　and　frothed　over　that　which　was　already　frozen；　growing　the　area　into　an　ice　palace。　Snow　had　been　washed　away　as　it　fell；　leaving　the　rounded；　downward…sloping　humps　of　ice　bare　and　slick。
　
　As　the　men　broke　through　the　trees；　they　had　not　twenty　feet　to　halt　their　headlong　rush　before　the　cliff’s　edge；　before　the　rock　and　ice　halted；　and　only　thin　air　lay　beyond。　And　they　had　to　do　it　on　cascading　mounds　of　ice。　Were　it　flat　ice；　like　a　lake；　the　horses　could　have　dug　their　iron　shoes　in；　and　tried　to　skid　to　a　halt。　But　this　was　not　flat；　it　was　water　slicked　tumble…down　ice；　and　as