tg.stone of tears-第189章

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　Du　Chaillu　glanced　back　over　her　shoulder；　pulling　her　mass　of　black　hair　out　of　the　way　to　peer　at　him。　She　was　leading　her　horse。　Richard　had　grown　tired　of　her　plaints；　and　when　she　finally　refused　to　ride　any　longer；　he　decided　not　to　make　an　issue　of　it　and　let　her　walk。　Richard　had　decided　to　walk　for　a　while　himself。　Sister　Verna　rode　behind　them；　watching　Du　Chaillu　like　an　owl　from　atop　her　horse。
　
　‘Soon。’　Her　cool；　distant　expression　disturbed　him。　‘Very　soon。’
　
　Her　attitude　had　slowly　changed　since　they　had　left　the　Majendie　land；　as　they　went　deeper　into　hers。　She　was　no　longer　chatty　and　open；　but　had　grown　haughty　and　distant。　Sister　Verna　rarely　took　her　eyes　from　Du　Chaillu；　and　Du　Chaillu；　in　turn；　didn’t　miss　a　move　the　Sister　made。　They　were　like　two　cats　with　their　fur　standing　on　end；　silent　and　still；　but　ready　to　spring。　It　wouldn’t　have　surprised　him　if　soon　he　saw　their　teeth　bared。
　
　Richard　had　the　feeling　the　two　of　them　were　constantly　testing　each　other；　but　in　ways　he　couldn’t　see。　By　the　Sister’s　attitude；　he　didn’t　think　she　was　pleased　about　what　she　was　discovering。　Richard　could　tell；　from　experience；　when　the　Sister　was　touching　her　Han。　He　recognized　the　shroud　of　it　in　her　eyes。　She　was　touching　it　now。
　
　In　the　gathering　darkness；　Du　Chaillu　turned　abruptly　from　the　wide　forest　trail；　leading　them　on　a　narrow　path　through　the　thick；　tangled　growth。　Dark　water　holding　dense　thickets　of　reeds　and　broad…leafed　plants　with　pink　and　yellow　trumpet…shaped　flowers　lurked　to　the　sides。　Richard’s　eyes　scanned　the　shadows　among　the　trees。
　
　Du　Chaillu　came　to　a　halt　at　the　edge　of　a　sandy；　open　area。　She　lifted　the　reins　of　her　horse　to　Richard。　The　others　will　join　us　in　this　place。　Wait　here；　magic　man。’
　
　The　term　she　used　to　address　him　lifted　his　hackles。　He　took　the　reins。　‘Richard。　My　name　is　Richard。　I’m　the　one　who　saved　your　neck。　Remember？’
　
　Du　Chaillu　looked　at　him　thoughtfully。　‘Please　don’t　ever　think　I　do　not　appreciate　what　you　have　done　for　me；　for　my　people。　Your　kindness　will　be　always　in　my　heart。’　Her　eyes　seemed　to　go　out　of　focus；　and　her　voice　softened　with　regret。　‘But　you　are　still　a　magic　man。’　Her　back　straightened。　‘Wait　here。’
　
　She　turned　and　disappeared　into　the　forest　around　the　clearing。　Richard　stood　watching　her　vanish　as　Sister　Verna　dismounted。　She　took　the　reins　to　all　three　horses。
　
　‘She　is　going　to　try　to　kill　you　now；’　she　said；　as　if　telling　him　that　she　thought　it　would　rain　tomorrow。
　
　Richard　glared　at　her。　‘I　saved　her　life。’
　
　Sister　Verna　started　leading　the　horses　to　the　trees。　‘You　are　a　magic　man　to　these　people。　They　kill　magic　men。’
　
　Richard　didn’t　want　to　believe　her；　but　he　did。　Then　use　your　Han　to　prevent　it；　Sister；　to　preserve　life；　as　you　told　Du　Chaillu　she　should　do　with　her　new　child。’
　
　Sister　Verna　stroked　her　horse’s　chin。　‘She　has　use　of　her　Han；　too。　That’s　why　the　Sisters　have　always　avoided　these　people；　some　of　them　can　use　their　Han；　but　in　a　way　we　don’t　understand。
　
　‘I’ve　tried　little　things　on　her；　to　test　her。　The　spells　I　send　at　her　disappear　like　pebbles　dropped　down　a　well。　And　they　do　not　go　unnoticed。　Du　Chaillu　knows　what　I　try　to　do；　and　somehow　is　able　to　annul　it。　I　told　you　before；　these　people　are　dangerous。　I　have　fought　every　step　of　the　way　to　prevent　this。　I　warned　you　not　to　swing　the　axe。　You　saw　my　efforts　as　misguided。’
　
　Richard　gritted　his　teeth。　His　left　hand　gripped　the　hilt　of　the　sword。　He　could　feel　the　bumps　of　the　word　Truth　woven　into　the　wire；　and　through　it　the　heat　of　its　rage。
　
　‘I　have　no　intention　of　killing　anyone。’
　
　‘Good。　Keep　the　anger　of　the　sword　out。　You　are　going　to　need　it　if　you’re　to　survive。　They　are　surrounding　us　as　we　speak；　that　much　my　Han　can　tell　me。’
　
　Richard　felt　as　if　things　were　suddenly　spinning　out　of　his　control。　He　didn’t　want　to　hurt　anyone。　He　hadn’t　saved　Du　Chaillu　just　to　have　to　fight　her　people。　Then　I　suggest　you　call　on　your　Han；　Sister　Verna。　I　am　the　Seeker；　not　an　assassin。　I’m　not　going　to　kill　your　enemies　for　you。’
　
　She　took　a　few　strides　toward　him。　Her　voice　was　tight　and　controlled。　‘I　told　you；　my　Han　is　not　going　to　be　able　to　help。　I　would　end　the　threat　if　I　could；　but　I　can’t。　Du　Chaillu　has　power　against　magic。　I’m　begging　you；　Richard；　defend　yourself。’
　
　His　eyes　narrowed。　‘Perhaps　you　just　don’t　want　to　help。　You’re　angry　that　I　spoiled　the　arrangement　the　Sisters　had　with　the　Majendie。　You　plan　on　watching；　like　you　always　do；　just　to　see　what　I’ll　do。’
　
　She　slowly　shook　her　head　in　frustration。　‘Do　you　really　think；　Richard；　that　I　would　spend　half　my　life　in　my　duty　to　find　you　and　carry　you　safely　to　the　Palace　of　the　Prophets；　only　to　watch　you　killed　when　we’re　on　the　doorstep　of　my　home？　Do　you　actually　believe　that　I　wouldn’t　stop　this　if　I　could？　Is　your　opinion　of　me　that　low？’
　
　His　impulse　was　to　argue　with　her；　but　instead　he　considered　her　words。　What　she　said　made　sense。　Richard　gave　an　apologetic　shake　of　his　head；　then　quickly　glanced　into　the　shadows。　‘How　many　are　there？’
　
　‘Perhaps　thirty。’
　
　‘Thirty。’　In　frustration；　he　folded　his　arms。　‘How　am　I　to　defend　against　thirty；　by　myself？’
　
　She　looked　out　into　the　darkness　a　moment；　then　cast　her　hands　forward。　A　wind　rose；　carrying　a　veil　of　sand　and　dirt　outward　into　the　blackness。　That　will　slow　them　for　a　short　time；　but　not　stop　them。’
　
　She　turned　her　brown　eyes　on　him　once　more。　‘Richard；　I　have　used　my　Han　to　seek　an　answer。　The　only　thing　my　Han　tells　me　is　that　you　must　use　the　prophecy　to　survive。　You’ve　named　yourself　the　bringer　of　death；　as　the　prophecy　foretells。　The　prophecy　is　about　you。
　
　‘You　must　use　the　prophecy　if　you　are　to　defeat　that　many。　The　prophecy　says　the　holder　of　the　sword　is　able　to　call　the　dead　forth；　call　the　past　into　the　present。　Somehow；　that’s　what　you　must　do　in　order　to　survive　…　call　forth　the　dead；　call　the　past　into　the　present。’
　
　Richard　unfolded　his　arms。　‘We’re　about　to　be　overrun　by　thirty　people　you　say　are　going　to　try　to　kill　me；　and　you　give　me　riddles？　Sister；　I　told　you　before　that　I　don’t　know　what　it　means。　If　you　want　to　help；　then　tell　me　something　I　can　use。’
　
　She　turned　away；　walking　back　toward　the　horses。　‘I　have。　Sometimes　prophecies　are　meant　to　give　aid　to　the　one　named　by　sending　help　across　time；　providing　a　key　that　may　open　a　door　to　enlightenment。　I　believe　this　prophecy　is　such。　This　prophecy　is　about　you；　you　must　find　its　use。　I　don’t　know　its　meaning。’
　
　She　stopped　and　turned　to　look　back　over　her　shoulder。　‘You　forget；　I　tried　to　keep　us　out　of　the　hands　of　these　people。　You　said　that　in　this　matter；　you　were　not　my　student；　but　the　Seeker。　As　the　Seeker；　you　must　use　this　prophecy。　You　are　the　one　who　got　us　into　this。　Only　you　can　get　us　out。’
　
　Richard　stared　after　her　as　she　gentled　the　nervous　animals。　He　had　thought　about　this　prophecy　before；　wondering；　ever　since　she　had　told　it　to　him；　what　it　could　mean。　Sometimes　he　had　felt　as　if　he　was　on　the　verge　of　insight；　but　the　feeling　always　slipped　away　from　him　before　ing　to　fruition。
　
　He　had　used　the　sword　many　times；　and　knew　its　capabilities。　He　also　knew　his　own　limitations。　Against　one；　the　sword　was　virtually　invincible；　but　he　was　flesh　and　blood。　He　was　no　expert　swordsman；　in　the　past　he　had　always　depended　on　the　sword’s　magic　to　make　the　difference。　But　he　was　only　one　man；　and　they　were　many。　The　sword　could　only　be　in　one　place　at　one　time。
　
　‘Are　they　good　fighters？’　he　asked。
　
　The　Baka　Ban　Mana　are　without　peer。　They　have　special　fighters；　blade　masters；　who　train　from　sunup　to　sundown；　every　day。　And　then　they　train　by　the　light　of　the　moon。　Fighting　is　almost　a　religion　to　them。
　
　‘When　I　was　young；　I　saw　a　Baka　Ban　Mana　blade　master　who　had　gotten　into　the　garrison　in　Tanimura　kill　nearly　fifty　well…armed　soldiers　before　he　was　taken　down。　They　fight　like　they　are　invincible　spirits。　Some　people　believe　they　are。’
　
　That’s　just　great；’　he　said