tg.stone of tears-第27章

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　Kahlan　shared　a　long　look　with　Chandalen；　and　then　went　over　to　him。　‘I　appreciate　you　and　your　men　guarding　us。　Thank　you。’
　
　He　regarded　her　without　emotion。　‘I　am　not　standing　guard　for　you。　I　am　guarding　our　people　from　you。　From　what　you　may　bring　next。’
　
　Kahlan　brushed　dirt　from　her　shoulders。　‘Either　way；　if　something　else　es；　don’t　try　to　kill　it　yourself。　I　don’t　want　any　Mud　People　to　die。　That　includes　you。　If　something　es；　you　must　not　stand　still；　or　run。　If　you　do；　it　will　kill　you。　You　must　walk。　e　and　get　me。　Don’t　try　to　fight　it　by　yourselves。　Understand？　e　and　get　me。’
　
　He　still　showed　no　emotion。　‘And　you　will　call　down　more　lightning？’
　
　She　looked　at　him　coolly。　‘If　I　have　to。’　She　wondered　if　she　could；　she　had　no　idea　how　she　had　done　it。　‘Richard　With　The　Temper　is　not　well。　He　may　not　be　able　to　shoot　arrows　with　you　and　your　men　tomorrow。’
　
　He　looked　smug。　‘I　thought　he　would　think　of　an　excuse　to　back　out。’
　
　Kahlan　took　a　deep　breath　through　gritted　teeth。　She　didn’t　want　to　stand　here　and　trade　insults　with　this　fool。　She　wanted　to　go　back　inside　to　be　with　Richard。　‘Goodnight；　Chandalen。’
　
　Richard　was　still　on　his　back；　chewing　the　leaves。　She　sat　beside　him；　heartened　to　see　that　he　looked　more　alert。
　
　‘These　things　are　starting　to　taste　better。’
　
　Kahlan　stroked　his　forehead。　‘How　do　you　feel？’
　
　‘A　little　better。　The　pain　es　and　goes。　I　think　these　leaves　are　helping。　Except　they　are　making　my　head　spin。’
　
　‘But　better　to　spin　than　to　pound？’
　
　‘Yes。’　He　put　his　hand　on　her　arm　and　closed　his　eyes。　‘Who　were　you　talking　to？’
　
　That　fool；　Chandalen。　He’s　guarding　the　spirit　house。　He　thinks　we　may　bring　more　trouble。’
　
　‘Maybe　he’s　not　such　a　fool。　I　don’t　think　that　thing　would　have　been　here　without　us。　What　did　you　call　it？’
　
　‘A　screeling。’
　
　‘And　what　is　a　screeling？’
　
　‘I’m　not　sure。　Nobody　I　know　has　ever　seen　one；　but　I’ve　heard　them　described。　They’re　supposed　to　be　from　the　underworld。’
　
　Richard　stopped　chewing　and　opened　his　eyes　to　look　at　her。　The　underworld？　What　do　you　know　about　this　screeling　thing？’
　
　‘Not　much。’　She　frowned。　‘Have　you　ever　seen　Zedd　drunk？’
　
　‘Zedd？　Never。　He　doesn’t　like　wine。　Just　food。　He　says　that　drinking　interferes　with　thinking；　and　there　is　nothing　more　important　than　thinking。’　Richard　smiled。　‘He　says　that　the　worse　a　man　is　at　thinking；　the　better　he　is　at　drinking。’
　
　‘Well；　wizards　can　get　pretty　scary　when　they’re　drunk。　One　time　when　I　was　little；　I　was　in　the　Keep；　studying　my　languages。　They　have　books　of　languages　there。　Anyway；　I　was　studying；　and　four　of　the　wizards　were　reading　a　book　of　prophecy　together。　It　was　a　book　I　had　never　seen　before。
　
　They　were　leaning　over　it；　and　started　getting　all　worked　up。　They　were　talking　in　hushed　tones。　I　could　tell　they　were　frightened。　At　the　time　it　was　a　lot　more　fun　to　watch　wizards　than　to　read　my　languages。
　
　‘I　looked　up　and　they　had　all　turned　white　as　snow。　They　all　stood　up　straight　at　the　same　time；　and　flipped　the　cover　shut。　I　remember　it　banged　and　made　me　jump。　They　all　stood　there；　quiet　for　a　while；　and　then　one　went　away　and　came　back　with　a　bottle。　Without　saying　a　word；　he　passed　out　cups　and　poured　out　the　drink。　They　all　drank　it　down　in　one　swallow。　He　poured　more　and　they　did　the　same　thing　again。　They　sat　down　on　stools　around　the　table　the　big　book　was　on　and　kept　drinking　until　the　bottle　was　empty。　By　that　time　they　were　pretty　happy。　And　drunk。　They　were　laughing　and　singing。　I　thought　it　was　tremendously　interesting。　I　had　never　seen　anything　like　it。
　
　They　finally　saw　me　watching　them；　and　called　me　over。　I　didn’t　really　want　to　go；　but　they　were　wizards；　and　I　knew　them　pretty　well；　so　I　wasn’t　afraid　and　I　went　over　to　them。　One　set　me　up　on　his　knee　and　asked　if　I　wanted　to　sing　with　them。　I　told　them　that　I　didn’t　know　the　song　they　were　singing。　They　looked　at　each　other　and　then　said　they　would　teach　me。　So　we　sat　there　for　a　long　time　and　they　taught　me　the　song。’
　
　‘So；　do　you　remember　it？’
　
　Kahlan　nodded。　‘I’ve　never　forgotten　that　song。’　She　rearranged　herself　a　little　and　then　sang　it　for　him。
　
　The　screelings　are　loose　and　the　Keeper　may　win。
　His　assassins　have　e　to　rip　off　your　skin。
　Golden　eyes　will　see　you　if　you　try　to　run。
　The　screelings　will　get　you　and　laugh　like　it’s　fun。
　
　Walk　away　slow　or　they’ll　tear　you　apart；
　and　laugh　all　day　long　as　they　rip　out　your　heart。
　Golden　eyes　will　see　you　if　you　try　to　stand　still。
　The　screelings　will　get　you；　for　the　Keeper　they　kill。
　
　Hack　‘em　up；　chop　‘em　up；　cut　‘em　to　bits；
　or　else　they　will　get　you　while　laughing　in　fits。
　If　the　screelings　don’t　get　you　the　Keeper　will　try；
　to　reach　out　and　touch　you；　your　skin　he　will　fry。
　
　Your　mind　he　will　flail；　your　soul　he　will　take。
　You’ll　sleep　with　the　dead；　for　life　you’ll　forsake。
　You’ll　die　with　the　Keeper　till　the　end　of　time。
　He　hates　that　you　live；　your　life　is　the　crime。
　
　The　screelings　might　get　you；　it　says　so　in　text。
　If　screelings　don’t　get　you　the　Keeper　is　next；
　lest　he　who’s　born　true　can　fight　for　life’s　bond。
　And　that　one　is　marked；　he’s　the　pebble　in　the　pond。
　
　Richard　stared　at　her　when　she　finished。　‘Pretty　gruesome　song　to　teach　a　child。’　Finally；　he　resumed　chewing　the　leaves。
　
　Kahlan　nodded　with　a　sigh。　That　night；　I　had　terrible　nightmares。　My　mother　came　into　my　room　and　sat　on　my　bed。　She　hugged　me　and　asked　what　I　was　having　nightmares　about。　I　sang　her　the　song　the　wizards　had　taught　me。　She　climbed　into　my　bed　and　stayed　with　me　that　night。
　
　The　next　day　she　went　to　see　the　wizards。　I　never　knew　what　she　did　or　said　to　them；　but　for　the　next　few　months；　whenever　they　saw　her　ing　they　turned　and　hurried　off　the　other　way。　And　for　a　good　long　time　they　avoided　me　like　death　itself。’
　
　Richard　took　another　leaf　from　the　little　bag　and　put　it　in　his　mouth。　The　screelings　are　sent　by　the　Keeper？　The　Keeper　of　the　underworld？’
　
　That’s　what　the　song　says。　It　must　be　true。　How　could　anything　of　this　world　take　that　many　arrows　and　just　laugh？’
　
　Richard　thought　in　silence　a　moment。　‘What　is　‘the　pebble　in　the　pond’？’
　
　Kahlan　shrugged。　‘I’ve　never　heard　of　it　before　or　since。’
　
　‘What　about　the　blue　lightning？　How　did　you　do　that？’
　
　‘It’s　something　to　do　with　the　Con　Dar。　I　did　it　before　when　it　came　over　me　the　first　time。’　She　took　a　deep　breath　at　the　memory。　‘When　I　thought　you　were　dead。　I’d　never　felt　the　Con　Dar　before；　but　now　I　feel　it　there　all　the　time；　just　as　I　can　always　feel　the　Confessor’s　magic。　The　two　are　somehow　connected。　I　must　have　awakened　it。　I　think　it’s　what　Adie　warned　me　about　that　time　we　were　with　her。　But　Richard；　I　don’t　know　how　I　did　it。’
　
　Richard　smiled。　‘You　never　fail　to　amaze　me。　If　I　just　found　out　I　could　call　down　lightning；　I　don’t　think　I　would　be　sitting　there　so　calmly。’
　
　‘Well；　you　just　remember　what　I　can　do；’　she　warned；　‘if　some　pretty　girl　ever　bats　her　lashes　at　you。’
　
　He　took　her　hand。　There　are　no　other　pretty　girls。’
　
　The　fingers　of　her　other　hand　bed　through　his　hair。　‘Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you？’
　
　‘Yes；’　he　whispered。　‘Lie　down　next　to　me。　I　want　you　close。　I’m　afraid　of　never　waking；　and　I　want　to　be　close　to　you。’
　
　‘You　will　wake；’　she　promised　cheerfully。
　
　She　took　out　another　blanket　and　pulled　it　over　the　two　of　them。　She　cuddled　close；　her　head　on　his　shoulder　and　an　arm　over　his　chest；　and　tried　not　to　worry　about　what　he　had　said。
　
　
　CHAPTER　8
　
　When　she　woke；　her　back　was　against　the　warmth　of　him。　Light　was　seeping　in　around　the　edges　of　the　door。　She　sat　up；　rubbed　the　sleep　from　her　eyes；　and　looked　down　at　Richard。
　
　He　lay　on　his　back；　staring　up　at　the　ceiling；　taking　slow；　shallow　breaths。　She　smiled　at　the　familiar　pleasure　of　his　face。　He　was　so　handsome　it　made　her　ache。
　
　Suddenly　she　realized　with　a　jolt　what　it　was　about　hi