tg.stone of tears-第87章

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　She　could　just　see　his　wide　eyes　in　the　faint　light。　He　sagged　slightly　as　the　tension　went　out　of　his　muscles。　‘I’m　sorry。　You’re　right。　Forgive　me。　I　will　do　what　I　must；　I　promise。’
　
　Her　anger　cooled。　‘I’m　afraid；　too。　Touch　your　Han；　keep　a　firm　grip　on　it；　but　not　too　tight。　Hold　it　so　you　can　release　it　in　an　instant；　as　I’ve　taught　you。　If　anything　happens；　don’t　hold　back。　Don’t　be　afraid　of　how　much　you　might　hurt　them。　If　you　do　need　your　power；　anything　less　than　all　of　it　will　not　be　enough。　If　you　keep　your　head；　you’re　strong　enough　to　defend　yourself。　You　can　do　it；　Jedidiah。　Have　faith　in　what　I’ve　taught　you；　what　all　the　Sisters　have　taught　you。　Have　faith　in　the　Creator；　in　what　He　has　given　you。　You　have　it　for　a　reason；　we　all　do。　This　may　be　the　reason。　Tonight　may　be　what　you’ve　been　called　for。’
　
　He　nodded　again　and　she　turned　back　to　the　glowing　footprints；　following　them　into　the　thick　forest。　They　wandered　through　the　trees　toward　the　center　of　the　bowl；　toward　where　the　chanting　was　ing　from。　The　closer　they　got；　the　more　the　voices　made　her　skin　prickle。　The　voices　were　Sisters’。　She　thought　she　recognized　some　of　them。
　
　Dear　Creator；　she　prayed；　give　me　the　strength　to　do　what　I　must　to　help　you。　Give　Jedidiah　strength；　too。　Help　us　serve　you；　to　help　others。
　
　Little　flickers　of　light　came　through　the　leaves。　They　crept　closer。　The　trees　around　her　were　huge。　The　two　of　them　glided　from　one　trunk　to　another；　no　longer　following　the　footprints。　They　could　see　glimpses　now　of　something　through　openings　in　the　underbrush。　Slowly；　they　tiptoed　forward　across　the　open　forest　floor　beneath　large；　spreading　spruce　trees。　The　needles　were　soft　and　quiet　to　walk　on。　Shoulder　to　shoulder；　they　slid　behind　low；　heavy　brush　at　the　edge　of　woods。　It　was　as　close　as　they　could　go。　Beyond　lay　a　flat；　round；　open　area。
　
　At　least　a　hundred　candles　were　set　on　the　ground　in　a　ring；　like　a　fence；　or　boundary；　as　if　holding　back　the　dark　forest。　Inside　the　candles　was　a　circle　drawn　on　the　ground。　It　looked　to　be　made　of　white　sand　that　sparkled　with　little　points　of　prismatic　light。　It　looked　like　the　descriptions　of　sorcerer’s　sand　she　had　heard；　although　she　had　never　actually　seen　any。　It　stood　out　clearly　in　the　candlelight；　and　the　light　of　the　moon　overhead。
　
　Symbols　were　drawn　with　the　same　white　sand。　They　were　inside　the　circle；　points　of　them　touching　the　outer　boundary　of　the　circle　at　irregular　intervals。　Margaret　had　never　seen　the　symbols　before；　but　she　knew　some　of　the　elements　of　them　from　an　old　book。　They　spoke　to　the　underworld。
　
　About　halfway　in　from　the　outer　white　line　and　candles；　eleven　sisters　sat　in　a　circle。　Margaret　stared　harder；　trying　to　see　in　the　dim；　flickering　light。　It　looked　as　if　each　had　a　hood　over　her　head；　with　holes　cut　for　the　eyes。　They　chanted　in　unison。　Shadows　from　the　Sisters　extended　inward　to　a　point　in　the　center。
　
　In　the　center　lay　a　woman；　naked；　except　for　a　hood　like　the　others。　She　lay　on　her　back；　her　hands　crossed　over　her　breasts；　her　legs　pressed　together。
　
　Twelve。　With　the　one　in　the　center；　that　made　twelve。　She　searched　the　circle　of　Sisters　again。　Even　with　the　candles；　it　was　still　dark；　and　the　candles　were　to　the　Sisters’　backs。
　
　Her　eyes　stopped　on　a　form　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　circle。　Her　breath　caught　in　her　throat。　That　form　was　larger　than　the　rest。　It　was　hunched；　its　head　lowered；　and　without　a　hood。　It　sat　at　a　convergence　of　lines　in　the　symbols。
　
　It　was　not　a　Sister。　With　a　start；　she　saw　the　faint　orange　glow。　The　statue　with　the　quillion　was　resting　in　its　lap。
　
　She　and　Jedidiah　crouched；　frozen；　watching　the　circle　of　Sisters　as　they　chanted。　After　a　time；　one　of　them；　to　the　side　of　the　hunched　form；　stood。　The　chanting　stopped。　She　spoke　short；　sharp　words　in　a　language　Margaret　didn’t　know。　At　points　in　the　speech；　her　hand　shot　into　the　air；　flinging　sparkling　dust　over　the　naked　woman　in　the　center。　The　dust　ignited；　bathing　the　hooded　Sisters　with　brief；　harsh　light。　At　the　flash；　they　all　answered　with　odd；　rhyming　words。　She　and　Jedidiah　exchanged　looks；　her　own　confused；　frightened　feelings　reflected　in　his　eyes。
　
　The　standing　Sister　flung　both　hands　up；　calling　out　a　list　of　strange　words。　She　went　to　the　naked　woman；　stood　at　her　head；　and　threw　up　her　arms　again。　The　sparkling　dust　caught　fire　once　more。　This　time；　the　orange　glow　from　the　quillion　brightened。
　
　The　head　of　the　hunched　form　slowly　rose。　Margaret　made　a　silent　gasp　when　she　saw　the　face　of　the　beast。　Its　fanged　mouth　opened　with　a　low　growl。　The　Sister　drew　a　delicately　wrought　silver　scepter　from　her　cloak；　and　gave　it　sharp　shakes　as　she　chanted　again；　sprinkling　water　over　the　prone　woman。
　
　Something　was　happening　to　the　quillion。　It　brightened；　and　then　dimmed。　The　dark　eyes　of　the　beast　watched　the　naked　woman。　Margaret　stared；　wide…eyed。　Her　heart　pounded　so　hard　it　felt　as　if　it　would　tear　a　hole　in　her　chest。
　
　As　the　quillion　faded；　the　beast’s　eyes　began　to　glow　orange　…　the　same　color　orange　as　the　quillion。　As　the　quillion　dimmed；　the　glow　in　the　beast’s　eyes　intensified；　until　the　little　statue　was　dark；　and　the　thing’s　eyes　shined　bright。
　
　Two　more　Sisters　stood。　They　moved　to　each　side　of　the　first。
　
　The　first　knelt。　Her　hooded　head　lowered；　looking　down　to　the　naked　woman。　‘It　is　time；　if　you　are　sure。　You　know　what　must　be　done；　the　same　as　has　been　done　to　us。　You　are　the　last　to　be　offered　the　gift。　Do　you　wish　to　accept　it？’
　
　‘Yes！　I’m　entitled。　It’s　mine。　I　want　it。’
　
　Margaret　thought　she　knew　both　voices；　but　she　wasn’t　sure　because　the　hoods　muffled　their　words。
　
　‘Then　it　shall　be　yours；　Sister。’　The　other　two　knelt　beside　her　as　she　pulled　a　cloth　from　her　cloak；　twisting　it　between　her　fists。　‘You　must　pass　this　test　of　pain　to　gain　the　gift。　We　cannot　touch　you　with　our　magic　while　it　is　being　done；　but　we　will　help　you　as　best　we　can。’
　
　‘I　will　do　anything。　It’s　mine。　Let　it　be　done。’
　
　The　naked　woman　spread　her　arms。　The　sisters　to　each　side　leaned　with　all　their　weight　on　her　wrists。
　
　The　Sister　at　her　head　held　the　twisted　cloth　over　the　hooded　face。　‘Open　your　mouth；　and　bite　down　on　this。’　She　put　the　cloth　between　the　woman’s　teeth。　‘Now；　open　your　legs。　You　must　keep　them　open。　If　you　try　to　close　them；　it　will　be　a　rejection　of　what　you　are　being　offered；　and　you　will　lose　the　chance。　Forever。’
　
　The　naked　woman　stared　fixedly　up　at　nothing。　She　panted　with　fear；　her　breast　heaving。　Slowly；　she　spread　her　legs。
　
　The　beast　stirred；　giving　a　low　grunt。
　
　Margaret　gripped　Jedidiah’s　forearm；　her　fingers　digging　into　him。
　
　The　beast　sniffed　the　air。　As　it　slowly　unfolded　itself；　Margaret　saw　that　it　was　larger　than　it　had　looked　when　it　was　all　hunched　over。　It　was　powerfully　built；　looking　mostly　like　a　man。　Flickers　of　candlelight　reflected　off　sweat…slicked；　knotted　muscles　of　its　arms　and　chest。　Downy　hair　started　at　the　narrow　hips；　growing　coarser　farther　down　the　legs；　to　the　ankles；　where　it　was　the　longest；　thickest。　But　the　head　was　something　other　than　a　man。　It　was　a　horror　of　anger　and　fangs。
　
　A　long；　thin　tongue　flicked　out；　tasting　the　air。　The　eyes　glowed　orange　in　the　dim　light；　orange　with　the　power　of　the　gift　it　had　absorbed　from　the　quillion。
　
　As　it　stretched　out　on　its　hands　and　knees　toward　the　naked　woman；　Margaret　almost　gasped　aloud；　she　recognized　the　beast。　She　had　seen　a　drawing　of　it　in　an　old　book。　The　same　book　in　which　she　had　seen　drawings　of　some　parts　of　the　spells　before　her。　She　wanted　to　scream。
　
　It　was　a　namble。　One　of　the　Nameless　One’s　minions。
　
　Oh；　dear　Creator；　she　prayed　fervently；　please　protect　us。
　
　Growling　in　a　low　rumble；　its　powerful　muscles　flexing；　its　haunted　eyes　glowing　orange；　the　namble　edged　like　a　huge　cat　toward　the　woman　on　the　ground。　Head　low；　it　crawled　between　her　legs。　In　a　state　of　ragged　fear；　the　woman　still　stared　up　at　nothing。
　
　The　namble　sniffed　at　her　crotch。　Its　long　tongue　flicked　out；　running　over　her。　She　flinc