tg.stone of tears-第178章

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ldren；　but　a　war　led　by　me　…　the　Mother　Confessor。　A　woman。　War　without　quarter。’
　
　She　sat　up　straight　in　her　saddle；　letting　his　eyes　linger　on　her　breasts。　‘I　have　a　message；　Karsh。　A　message　for　the　Keeper。　You　will　be　with　him　presently。　Tell　him　I　said　to　make　plenty　of　room；　I’m　sending　all　his　disciples　home。’
　
　Her　gaze　swept　down　the　line　of　men　holding　the　officers。　She　drew　her　finger　across　her　throat　in　a　quick　gesture。　The　response　was　just　as　quick。
　
　As　the　bodies　tumbled　forward；　she　cried　out；　her　hand　darting　to　her　neck。　A　stinging　pain　jolted　her。　It　was　in　the　exact　same　place　。。。
　
　It　was　the　pain　of　Darken　Rahl’s　lips　on　her　neck；　the　pain　she　had　felt　when　he　had　e　to　them　in　the　spirit　house；　when　he　had　burned　Richard　with　his　hand。　When　he　had　kissed　her　neck　and　silently　promised　her　unimaginable　horrors。
　
　Men　rushed　forward。　‘Mother　Confessor！　What　is　it！’
　
　She　took　her　hand　away。　Blood　coated　her　white　fingers。　She　couldn’t　say　how　she　knew；　but　she　knew　without　doubt　that　the　blood　was　drawn　by　the　perfect；　snow　white　teeth　of　Darken　Rahl。
　
　‘Mother　Confessor！　There’s　blood　on　your　neck！’
　
　‘It’s　nothing。　I’m　all　right。　I　must　have　just　been　nicked　by　an　arrow；　that’s　all。’　She　gathered　her　wits　and　courage。　‘Put　the　head　of　every　officer　on　a　pole；　for　all　their　men　to　see；　to　let　them　know　they　are　without　leaders。　And　hurry。’
　
　By　the　time　the　last　dripping　head　was　hoisted　up；　D’Ha…rans　were　pouring　in　from　all　sides。　Most　were　drunk；　laughing　as　if　it　were　nothing　more　than　a　drunken　brawl。　But　inefficient　and　clumsy　as　they　were；　their　numbers　were　alarming。　They　were　like　a　swarm　of　bees；　for　every　one　knocked　down；　ten　replaced　him。
　
　Her　men　fought　fiercely；　but　they　were　no　match　for　the　overwhelming　numbers　sweeping　in。　Men　she　had　talked　to；　reassured；　inspired；　yelled　at；　and　smiled　to　were　falling　with　cries　of　pain　and　terror。　They　had　been　here　too　long。
　
　Ahead；　a　pitched　battle　erupted。　The　Galeans　were　being　driven　back。　If　they　were　driven　back；　they　had　no　chance　of　escape。　They　couldn’t　go　back　the　way　they　had　e；　back　to　men　who　would　have　had　time　to　have　been　sobered　by　the　carnage　around　them；　to　gather　their　senses；　and　their　spirit。
　
　Without　surprise；　they　were　nothing　but　a　bunch　of　naked　boys　and　one　woman。　If　they　tried　a　second　time　what　had　worked　once；　they　would　all　die。　They　had　to　cleave　their　way　through　the　Order；　to　the　other　side　of　the　valley。　D’Harans　hacked　in　at　the　white　forms。　Her　ankle　was　grasped　by　a　powerful　hand。　She　hewed　it　off　and　shook　her　foot　to　shed　the　disembodied　hand。
　
　They　were　in　danger　of　being　swallowed　into　the　belly　of　this　beast。
　
　Disregarding　the　death　cries　of　her　men；　disregarding　her　promise　not　to　leave　the　protective　ring　of　the　fiercest　Galean　swordsmen；　disregarding　her　promise　not　to　deliberately　put　herself　into　peril；　Kahlan　charged　Nick　into　the　thick　of　the　battle；　and　beyond　…　into　the　enemy。
　
　Her　sword　stabbed　to　each　side；　into　any　enemy　close　enough。　Teeth　gritted；　she　swung　at　flesh　and　bone。　Her　wrist　tingled　from　the　jarring　impacts；　and　her　arm　was　so　weary　she　feared　she　would　not　be　able　to　lift　the　sword　much　longer。
　
　Frightened　that　she　would　be　taken　down；　her　men　poured　ahead；　toward　her；　with　renewed　resolve。　They　drove　the　dark　wave　back；　rolling　over　it　as　she　urged　her　horse　forward　into　the　sea　of　dark　leather　uniforms。
　
　She　stood　in　the　stirrups；　holding　her　sword　high。　‘For　Ebinissia！　For　her　dead！　For　her　spirit！’
　
　It　had　the　desired　effect。　Men　of　the　Order　who　were　confused　by　the　white　enemy；　but　were　nonetheless　determined　to　crush　them；　whatever　they　were；　stopped　and　stared　openly　at　a　white；　naked　woman　atop　a　horse　suddenly　in　their　midst。　Their　faith；　that　the　attack　was　from　men　and　not　spirits；　faltered。　They　gaped　in　open　astonishment。　She　swept　her　gaze　around　at　all　the　eyes　peering　up　at　her。
　
　She　swung　the　white　sword　in　a　circle　over　her　head　as　a　breeze　ruffled　her　white　hair　back　off　her　shoulders。　‘In　the　name　of　their　spirits；　I　have　e　to　avenge　them！’
　
　Leather…clad　men　fell　to　their　knees；　dropping　their　swords；　pressing　prayerful　hands　together。　They　held　those　hands　up　to　her。　They　wailed　for　protection。　They　called　for　her　mercy。　They　cried　for　forgiveness。　Had　they　been　sober；　she　wondered；　would　the　illusion　be　so　convincing？　As　it　was；　the　effect　was　apocalyptic。
　
　‘We　grant　no　quarter！’
　
　As　all　faces　stared　up　toward　her；　as　eyes　shed　tears　of　trepidation；　weapons　set　upon　them　from　behind。　The　sudden；　violent；　merciless　wave　of　hard　steel　terrified　them；　convinced　them　that　the　spirits　would　have　them　all。　They　broke　and　ran；　dropping　weapons；　screaming　in　fear　of　the　underworld。
　
　They　had　done　what　they　had　e　to　do。　Time　was　now　against　them。　They　needed　to　escape。
　
　They　charged　onward；　a　deadly；　swift　river　of　white　that　poured　over　and　around　the　tents　and　fires　and　wagons　and　men；　surprising　ever　more　of　the　lethargic　enemy；　killing　as　many　as　they　could　while　rolling　ahead。　White　death　moved　into　the　mist　once　again。
　
　Kahlan　glanced　behind；　and　saw　the　pairs　of　draft　horses；　their　riders　holding　the　chains　up　between　them。　She　waved　them　into　the　stream　of　white；　urging　them　to　move　faster。　They　started　unhooking　one　end　of　the　chains　from　the　hame　hooks　and　looping　the　chain　over　the　horn　on　the　other　horse；　to　give　each　horse　freedom；　now　that　they　needed　to　make　a　quick　escape。
　
　In　the　distance；　in　the　fog　to　the　right；　she　saw　a　line　of　picketed　horses。　She　saw　Brin　and　Peter　e　together；　snap　the　end　of　the　chain　over　the　other　hook　again　and　urge　Daisy　and　Pip　into　gallops。　She　thought　to　scream　at　them；　to　order　them　to　keep　with　the　others；　that　they　couldn’t　hope　to　get　them　all；　that　they　had　done　enough　and　must　leave　now；　that　it　was　too　late。　But　she　knew　they　wouldn’t　hear　her。
　
　Brin　dropped　the　loops　of　chain。　They　spread　the　horses　to　pull　the　steel　taut　as　they　peeled　away　toward　the　picket　line　of　horses。　The　hooves　of　the　big　horses　thundered　across　the　ground。　She　took　a　last　look　at　Brin　and　Peter；　knowing　it　would　be　the　last　time　she　ever　looked　upon　them　in　this　world；　and　then　turned　her　attention　ahead。
　
　She　pointed　with　her　sword。　‘There　are　the　rest　of　the　supply　wagons！’
　
　The　men　knew　what　to　do。　As　she　charged　the　column　past；　the　wagons　were　doused　with　lamp　oil。　Wheels　were　staved　in；　and　torches　thrown。　The　wagons　erupted　in　flame。　More　torches　set　fire　to　tents。　The　men　brought　awake　by　the　noise　and　fire　found　blades　sweeping　at　them。　The　fires　faded　into　an　orange　glow　in　the　mist　behind　as　they　plunged　onward　into　the　fog。
　
　Suddenly　they　broke　free　of　the　camp；　and　were　in　open　snow。　Now　that　they　were　away　from　the　camp；　and　its　fires；　the　darkness　pressed　around　them。　The　men　in　front　faltered；　looking　about　as　they　jogged。
　
　‘Scouts　forward！’　she　yelled。　‘Where　are　the　scouts！’
　
　Two　men　charged　through　the　ranks；　to　the　fore；　pointing　out　the　direction　of　the　pass　they　sought。　She　looked　for　the　others；　turning　from　side　to　side。　None　came。　She　galloped　Nick　to　the　van；　after　the　two　scouts。
　
　‘Where　are　the　others！　They　were　ordered　to　be　in　the　lead！’
　
　The　round；　wet　eyes　that　looked　up　at　her　answered　her　question　without　words。
　
　‘All　right；’　she　said；　‘you　two　know　the　way。　Get　us　out　of　here。’
　
　Fifty　men　had　scouted　the　pass　they　wanted。　Fifty；　to　be　sure　there　would　be　a　good　number　left　to　show　the　way。　Two　were　left。
　
　With　a　silent　growl　she　cursed　the　spirits。　Shamefaced；　she　called　the　curse　back。　They　had　at　least　left　her　those　two；　without　them；　they　would　be　left　to　wander　in　the　fog；　freezing　and　vincible　to　the　men　of　the　Order　chasing　them。
　
　She　pulled　Nick　to　a　halt　beside　the　stream　of　naked　men。　She　swooped　her　arm　frantically。
　
　‘Move　move　move！　Run；　curse　you；　run！　They’ll　be　on　top　of　us！’　The　men　on　the　draft　horses；　Brin　and　Peter　not　among　them；　came　abreast　of　her。　‘Drivers！　Watch　for　the　scout　ahead！　He’ll　show　you　the　stakes　to　follow。’