tg.stone of tears-第218章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


wn。　Richard　was　relieved　to　learn　that；　he　didn’t　have　the　time　to　be　with　him　every　night。　Hungry　or　not；　Gratch　was　always　distraught　when　Richard　missed　a　night。
　
　Richard　was　worried　that　Pasha　would　know　where　he　went　all　the　time；　by　his　collar；　but　quite　by　accident　he　discovered　something　else　his　mriswith　cape　did　…　it　masked　from　Pasha　his　whereabouts。　When　he　wore　the　cape；　she　couldn’t　find　him　by　his　Rada’Han；　by　his　Han。
　
　She　was　puzzled　by　his　blanking　out　from　her　sense　of　where　he　was；　but　didn’t　seem　too　concerned；　offering　that　perhaps　it　had　an　explanation　that　she　would　e　to　figure　out　one　day。　She　seemed　to　think　it　was　a　deficiency　on　her　part。　Richard　never　offered　her　the　solution。
　
　He　realized　that　this　was　the　reason　none　with　the　gift　ever　knew　a　mriswith　was　ing。　Richard　wondered　why　he　had　been　able　to　see　the　beast　in　his　mind。　Maybe　it　was　as　Sister　Verna　said；　that　he　was　using　his　Han。　But　Sisters　and　wizards　knew　how　to　use　their　Han；　and　couldn’t　detect　the　mriswith。
　
　Richard　had　an　easier　time　when　he　could　go　where　he　pleased；　and　know　Pasha　would　not　know　where　he　was；　it　saved　thinking　up　explanations。　He　worried　that　if　she　ever　discovered　the　reason；　she　would　destroy　his　cape；　so　he　hid　a　second　for　that　contingency。
　
　Gratch　seemed　to　be　bigger　every　time　Richard　saw　him。　By　the　end　of　Richard’s　first　month　at　the　palace；　the　gar　was　a　head　taller　than　R’ichard；　and　significantly　stronger。　When　they　wrestled；　Gratch　learned　to　be　careful　not　to　hurt　him。
　
　Richard　also　spent　some　of　his　time　with　Warren；　getting　him　used　to　going　outside。　At　first；　he　took　Warren　out　into　the　courtyards　at　night。　Warren　told　him　that　the　size　of　the　sky　and　landscape　frightened　him；　so　Richard　reasoned　that　night　would　show　him　less　of　the　landscape；　at　least　to　start。
　
　Warren　said　that　the　Sisters　had　had　him　down　in　the　vaults　for　so　long　that　he　thought　he　just　became　used　to　being　closed　in；　but　he　was　tired　of　it。　Richard　felt　sorry　for　him；　and　wanted　to　help　him。　He　really　liked　Warren。　He　was　about　as　smart　as　anyone　Richard　had　ever　met。　There　didn’t　seem　to　be　anything　that　Warren　didn’t　know　at　least　a　little　about。
　
　Warren　was　nervous　about　being　away　from　the　safety　of　the　palace；　but　was　reassured　by　Richard’s　presence；　and　the　way　Richard　never　ridiculed　his　fears。　Richard　was　always　considerate；　never　taking　Warren　farther　than　he　felt　fortable。　Richard　told　him　that　it　was　just　like　after　you　were　injured　and　had　been　laid　up　for　a　while：　it　took　time　to　stretch　the　old　muscles。
　
　After　a　few　weeks　of　their　nighttime　forays；　Richard　started　taking　Warren　out　in　the　daylight；　first　just　up　onto　the　walls　to　look　at　the　vastness　of　the　sky　and　ocean。　Warren　was　always　close　to　a　stairway　that　led　back　into　the　palace；　so　he　was　reassured　by　having　an　escape　route　close　by　if　he　felt　he　had　to　go　back　inside。　A　few　times　he　did；　and　Richard　always　went　with　him；　and　talked　about　other　things　to　take　his　mind　away　from　the　unfortable　feeling。　Richard　had　Warren　bring　a　book　outside　with　him；　so　he　could　be　distracted　by　reading。　Letting　Warren　forget　about　the　size　of　the　sky　helped。
　
　On　a　bright；　sunny　day；　after　Warren　had　bee　fortable　out…of…doors；　Richard　decided　to　try　taking　him　out　into　the　hills。　Warren　was　a　bit　giddy　at　first；　but　as　they　sat　on　a　rock　high　in　the　hills；　overlooking　the　countryside　and　the　city；　Warren　said　that　he　felt　as　if　he　had　mastered　his　fear。　He　said　that　he　still　felt　unfortable；　but　he　felt　the　fear　was　under　control。
　
　He　grinned　at　the　vast　landscape　spread　out　below；　enjoying　the　sight　that　for　so　long　his　fears　denied　him。　Richard　told　him　that　he　was　happy　that　he　was　the　one　to　have　been　able　to　guide　him　out　of　his　mole　hole。　Warren　laughed。
　
　Warren　said　he　needed　adventure　in　his　life；　and　this　felt　like　the　beginning。
　
　As　far　as　Warren’s　search　for　information　was　going；　he　had　been　able　to　find　out　precious　little。　He　had　so　far　found　only　a　few　references　in　old　books　that　talked　about　the　Valley　of　the　Lost；　and　the　Baka　Ban　Mana；　but　what　he　found　was　intriguing。　The　information　made　reference　to　the　power　the　wizards　had　given　the　Baka　Ban　Mana　in　return　for　taking　their　land；　so　that　they　could　someday　have　their　land　restored。　It　said　that　when　the　pleting　link　was　joined　with　this　power　invested　in　their　spirit　woman；　the　towers　would　fall。
　
　Richard　thought　about　Du　Chaillu　saying　that　he　was　the　Caharin；　and　that　they　were　now　husband　and　wife。　That　was　a　linking　of　sorts。　He　wondered　if　over　the　intervening　time　the　meaning　of　this　joining　could　have　been　taken　to　mean　marriage；　instead　of　its　original　intent。
　
　As　they　sat　watching　the　vast　landscape；　Warren　said；　‘The　Prelate　has　been　reading　prophecies　and　histories　that　talk　about　‘the　pebble　in　the　pond。’’
　
　Richard’s　ears　perked　up。　He　remembered　Kahlan　singing　him　a　song　about　screelings　that　mentioned　‘the　pebble　in　the　pond。’　Warren　hadn’t　studied　those　prophecies　before；　and　hadn’t　been　able　to　piece　together　their　importance　as　of　yet。
　
　‘Do　you　know　what　the　Wizard’s　Second　Rule　is？’　Richard　asked。
　
　‘Second　Rule？　Wizards　have　rules？　What’s　the　first？’
　
　Richard　looked　over。　‘Do　you　remember　that　night　Jedidiah　broke　his　leg；　and　I　told　you　that　you　had　carpet　ash　on　you？　And　you　tried　to　brush　it　off？　I　was　using　the　Wizard’s　First　Rule。’　Warren　frowned。　‘You　think　on　it；　Warren；　and　let　me　know　what　you　figure　out。　In　the　meantime；　it’s　important　that　you　speed　up　the　search　for　the　information　I　asked　you　about。’
　
　‘Well；　it　will　be　a　little　easier；　now　that　Sister　Becky　is　sick　every　morning；　and　won’t　be　looking　over　my　shoulder。　She’s　pregnant；’　he　said　in　answer　to　Richard’s　questioning　frown。
　
　‘Do　many　of　the　Sisters　have　children？’
　
　‘Sure；’　Warren　said。　‘What　with　all　the　young　wizards　around　who　can　no　longer　go　to　the　city。　The　Sisters　help　out　with　their　needs；　so　they　can　study。’
　
　Richard　gave　Warren　a　suspicious　look。　‘Is　Sister　Becky’s　child　yours？’
　
　Warren　blushed　furiously。　‘No。’　He　kept　his　eyes　to　the　city。　‘I’m　waiting　for　the　one　I　love。’
　
　‘Pasha；’　Richard　said。
　
　Warren　nodded。　Richard　looked　down　at　the　Palace　of　the　Prophets；　and　the　city　that　surrounded　it。　Needs。
　
　‘Warren；　do　all　the　children　of　men　with　the　gift　inherit　it？’
　
　‘Oh　no。　It’s　said　that　many　thousands　of　years　ago；　before　the　Old　and　New　World　were　separated；　many　had　the　gift。　But　over　time　those　in　power　methodically　killed　off　young　ones　with　the　gift；　so　they　would　have　no　one　to　threaten　their　rule。　They　also　withheld　the　required　teaching。　It　used　to　be　that　fathers　taught　their　sons；　but　as　fewer　were　born　with　the　gift；　and　it　skipped　more　and　more　generations；　those　who　knew　the　way　jealously　guarded　their　knowledge。　That’s　the　reason　the　Palace　of　the　Prophets　was　created　…　to　help　those　with　the　gift；　who　had　no　teacher。
　
　‘As　time　went　on；　the　gift　was　bred　out　of　the　race　of　man；　the　way　you　breed　a　trait　out　of　an　animal。　This　gave　the　wizards　who　held　power　less　and　less　opposition　all　the　time。
　
　‘Now　that　the　trait　is　so　bred　out；　one　born　with　the　gift　is　exceedingly　rare。　Maybe　only　one　child　in　a　thousand　fathered　by　a　wizard　is　born　with　the　gift。　We’re　a　dying　breed。’
　
　Richard　looked　to　the　city　again；　then　to　the　palace。
　
　His　eyes　locked　on　the　palace；　Richard　slowly　rose　to　his　feet。　‘They’re　not　seeing　to　our　‘needs；’’　he　whispered；　‘they’re　using　us　as　breeding　stock。’
　
　Warren　stood。　His　brow　wrinkled。　‘What？’
　
　‘They’re　using　the　palace；　the　young　men　at　the　palace；　to　breed　wizards。’
　
　Warren’s　brow　furrowed　deeper。　‘Why？’
　
　Richard’s　jaw　muscles　flexed。　‘I　don’t　know；　but　I　intend　to　find　out。’
　
　‘Good；’　Warren　said　with　a　grin。　‘I　need　an　adventure。’
　
　Richard　gave　him　a　cold　look。　‘Do　you　know　what　adventure　is；　Warren？’
　
　Warren　nodded；　the　smile　still　on　his　face。　An　exciting　experience。’
　
　Adventure　is　being　scared　to　death；　and　not　knowing　if　you　will　l