rh.royalassassin-第148部分

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he　questions　anymore。　By　focusing　on　what　you　will　say；　you　make　it　less　likely　you'll　say　that　which　you　don't　wish　to。〃
　　　　　　　But　his　theoretical　advice　might　not　do　much　for　me。　Regal　did　not　seem　to　have　any　questions　to　ask。
　　　　　　　Bolt　was　taller　than　I　was；　heavier　than　I　was。　He　looked　as　if　his　diet　included　a　lot　more　than　bread　and　water。　He　limbered　and　stretched　as　if　we　were　going　to　wrestle　for　a　Winterfest　purse。　I　stood　watching　him。　He　met　my　look　and　smiled　at　me　liplessly。　I　watched　him　pull　on　a　pair　of　fingerless　leather　gloves。　He'd　e　prepared　for　this。　Then　he　bowed　to　Regal；　and　Regal　nodded。
　　　　　　　What's　this？
　　　　　　　Be　silent！　I　ordered　Nighteyes。　But　as　Bolt　stepped　purposefully　toward　me　I　felt　a　snarl　twitch　at　my　upper　lip。　I　dodged　his　first　punch；　stepped　in　to　land　one　of　my　own；　and　then　moved　back　as　he　swung　again。　Desperation　lent　me　agility。　I　had　not　expected　a　chance　to　defend　myself；　I　had　expected　to　be　bound　and　tormented。　Of　course；　there　was　plenty　of　time　for　that。　Regal　had　all　the　time　he　needed。　Don't　think　of　that。　I　had　never　been　good　in　this　kind　of　a　fight。　Don't　think　of　that　either。　Bolt's　fist　grazed　my　cheek　stingingly。　Be　wary。　I　was　luring　him　to　open　up；　taking　his　measure；　when　the　Skill　wrapped　me。　I　reeled　in　Will's　onslaught；　and　Bolt　landed　his　next　three　blows　effortlessly。　Jaw；　chest；　and　high　on　my　cheek。　All　quick　and　solid。　The　style　of　a　man　who　did　this　a　lot。　The　smile　of　a　man　who　enjoyed　it。
　　　　　　　There　followed　a　timeless　period　for　me。　I　could　not　both　shield　myself　from　Will　and　defend　myself　from　Bolt　battering　me。　I　reasoned；　if　the　thinking　one　does　in　such　a　state　can　be　called　reasoning；　that　my　body　had　its　own　defenses　against　physical　pain。　I'd　pass　out；　or　die。　Dying　might　be　the　only　victory　I　could　hope　for　here。　So　I　chose　to　defend　my　mind　rather　than　body。
　　　　　　　I　veer　away　from　recalling　that　beating。　My　token　defense　was　to　move　away　from　his　blows　and　force　him　to　pursue　me；　to　keep　my　eyes　on　him；　to　block　where　I　could　as　long　as　it　did　not　distract　me　from　my　vigil　against　Will's　Skill　pressure。　I　heard　the　guards　jeer　at　my　supposed　lack　of　spirit　as　I　scarcely　fought　back。　When　one　of　his　blows　sent　me　staggering　back　against　the　soldiers　who　ringed　us；　their　shoves　and　kicks　drove　me　back　toward　Bolt　again。
　　　　　　　I　could　not　devote　my　thoughts　to　strategy。　When　I　swung；　I　swung　wildly；　and　the　few　times　my　fists　landed；　it　was　with　small　impact。　I　longed　to　release　myself；　to　tap　my　fury　and　just　fling　myself　at　Bolt　and　hammer　at　him　any　way　I　could。　But　that　would　have　left　me　wide　open　to　Will's　intentions。　No。　I　had　to　remain　cool　and　endure。　As　Will　increased　his　pressure　on　me；　Bolt　had　a　leisurely　time　of　it。　Eventually；　I　was　reduced　to　two　choices。　I　could　use　my　arms　to　shelter　either　my　head　or　my　body。　He　merely　shifted　targets。　The　horror　was　that　I　knew　the　man　was　holding　back；　striking　only　to　inflict　pain　and　minor　damage。　I　dropped　my　hands　once　and　met　Will's　gaze　face…on。　I　had　the　very　brief　satisfaction　of　seeing　the　sweat　that　streamed　down　his　face。　At　that　moment；　Bolt's　fist　connected　solidly　with　my　nose。
　　　　　　　Blade　had　once　described　to　me　the　sound　that　he　heard　as　his　nose　broke　in　a　brawl。　Words　did　not　do　it　justice。　A　sickening　sound　bined　with　incredible　pain。　Pain　so　intense　it　was　suddenly　the　only　pain　I　was　aware　of。　I　blacked　out。
　　　　　　　I　don't　know　how　long　I　was　out。　I　fluttered　to　the　edge　of　consciousness；　hovered　there。　Someone　had　flipped　me　over　onto　my　back。　Whoever　it　was　straightened　from　inspecting　me。　〃Nose　is　broke；〃　he　announced。
　　　　　　　〃Bolt；　I　said；　nothing　broken！〃　Regal　remonstrated　with　him　angrily。　〃I　have　to　be　able　to　show　him　intact。　Bring　me　some　wine；〃　he　added　irritably　in　an　aside　to　someone　else。
　　　　　　　〃Not　a　problem；　King　Regal；〃　someone　assured　him。　That　person　bent　over　me；　took　a　firm　grip　on　the　bridge　of　my　nose；　and　dragged　it　straight　again。　That　crude　setting　of　it　hurt　worse　than　the　breaking；　and　once　more　I　dipped　down　into　unconsciousness。　I　lingered　there；　hearing　the　voices　discuss　me　for　some　time　before　they　resolved　into　words　and　the　words　into　sense。
　　　　　　　Regal's　voice。　〃So　what　is　he　supposed　to　be　able　to　do？　Why　hasn't　he　done　it　yet？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know　only　what　Serene　and　Justin　told　me；　Your　Majesty。〃　Will's　voice　was　tired。　〃They　claimed　he　was　weary　from　Skilling；　and　Justin　was　able　to　force　his　way　into　him。　Then　the　Bastard　。。。　fought　back　in　some　way。　Justin　said　he　believed　himself　attacked　by　a　great　wolf。　Serene　said　she　actually　saw　the　marks　of　claws　on　Justin；　but　that　they　faded　shortly　afterward。〃
　　　　　　　I　heard　the　creak　of　wood　as　Regal　flung　himself　back　in　his　chair。　〃Well；　make　him　do　it。　I　wish　to　see　this　Wit　for　myself〃　A　pause。　〃Or　are　not　you　strong　enough？　Perhaps　Justin　was　the　one　I　should　have　held　in　reserve。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am　stronger　than　Justin　was；　Your　Majesty；〃　Will　asserted　calmly。　〃But　Fitz　is　aware　of　my　intent。　He　was　not　expecting　Justin's　attack。〃　More　quietly　he　added；　〃He　is　stronger　far　than　I　was　led　to　believe。〃
　　　　　　　〃Just　do　it！〃　Regal　manded　in　disgust。
　　　　　　　So　Regal　wanted　to　see　the　Wit？　I　drew　a　breath；　gathered　what　little　strength　was　inside　me。　I　tried　to　focus　my　anger　at　Regal；　to　repel　at　him　hard　enough　to　drive　him　through　the　wall。　But　I　could　not。　I　was　too　riddled　with　pain　to　concentrate。　My　own　walls　defeated　me。　All　Regal　did　was　start；　and　then　look　at　me　more　closely。
　　　　　　　〃He's　awake；〃　he　observed。　Again　his　finger　lifted　lazily。　〃Verde。　You　may　have　him。　But　have　a　care　to　his　nose。　Leave　his　face　alone。　The　rest　of　him　is　easily　covered。〃
　　　　　　　Verde　devoted　some　little　time　to　hauling　me　to　my　feet　so　he　could　knock　me　down　again。　I　wearied　of　that　repetition　long　before　he　did。　The　floor　did　as　much　damage　as　his　fists。　I　could　not　seem　to　keep　my　feet　under　me；　nor　lift　my　arms　to　shield　myself。　I　retreated　inside　myself；　smaller　and　smaller；　huddling　there　until　sheer　physical　pain　would　force　me　to　alertness　and　make　me　struggle　again。　Usually　just　before　I　passed　out　again。　I　became　aware　of　another　thing。　Regal's　enjoyment。　He　did　not　want　to　bind　me　and　cause　me　pain。　He　wanted　to　watch　me　struggle；　to　see　me　attempt　to　fight　back　and　fail。　He　watched　his　guard；　too；　noting；　no　doubt；　which　ones　turned　their　eyes　away　from　this　sport。　He　used　me　to　take　their　measure。　I　forced　myself　not　to　care　that　he　took　pleasure　from　my　pain。　All　that　truly　mattered　was　keeping　my　walls　up　and　keeping　Will　out　of　my　head。　That　was　the　battle　I　had　to　win。
　　　　　　　The　fourth　time　I　awoke；　I　was　on　the　floor　of　my　cell。　A　terrible　snuffling；　wheezing　sound　was　what　had　wakened　me。　It　was　the　sound　of　my　breathing。　I　remained　where　they　had　dumped　me。　After　a　time　I　lifted　a　hand　and　pawed　Brawndy's　cloak　down　from　the　bench。　It　fell　partially　atop　me。　I　lay　a　time　longer。　Regal's　guards　had　listened　to　him。　Nothing　was　broken。　Everything　hurt；　but　no　bones　were　broken。　All　they　had　given　me　was　pain。　Nothing　I　could　die　from。
　　　　　　　I　crawled　over　to　my　water。　I　will　not　enumerate　the　pains　it　cost　for　me　to　lift　it　and　drink。　My　initial　attempts　to　defend　myself　had　left　my　hands　swollen　and　sore。　I　tried　vainly　to　keep　the　edge　of　the　water　pot　from　bumping　against　my　mouth。　Finally；　I　managed　to　drink。　The　water　strengthened　me；　to　make　me　all　the　more　aware　of　everywhere　I　hurt。　My　half　loaf　of　bread　was　there　as　well。　I　stuck　the　end　of　it　in　what　was　left　of　my　water；　and　then　sucked　the　soaked　bread　from　the　loaf　as　it　softened。　It　tasted　like　blood。　Bolt's　initial　battering　of　my　head　had　loosened　teeth　and　cut　my　mouth。　I　was　aware　of　my　nose　as　an　immense　area　of　throbbing　pain。　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　touch　it　with　my　fingers。　There　was　no　pleasure　in　eating；　only　a　partial　relief　from　the　hunger　that　clawed　at　me　alongside　my　pain。
　　　　　　　After　a　time　I　sat　up。　I　dragged　the　cloak　around　me　and　considered　what　I　knew。　Regal　would　batter　at　me　physically　until　I　either　manifested　the　Wit　in　an　attack　his　guards　could　witness；　or　until　I　dropped　my　walls　enough　that　Will　could　get　in　my　mind　and　inspire　me　to　confess。　I　wondered　which　way　he　would　rather　win。　I　did　not　doubt　he　would　win。　My　sole　way　out　of　this　cell　was　by　dying。　Options。　To　try　to　make　them　beat　me　to　death　before　I　either　used　the　Wit　or　dropped　my　Skill　barrier　to　Will。　Or；　to　take　the　poison　I　had　made　for　Wallace。　I　would　die　from　it。　That　was　definite。　In　my　weakened　state；　it　would　probably　be　faster　than　I　had　planned　it　for　him。　Still　painful；　though。　Wretchedly　painful。
　　　　　　　One　kind　of　pain　seemed　as　good　as　another。　Laboriously　I　folded　back　my　bloodied　right　cuff。　The　hidden　pocket　was　secured　by　a　thread　that　should　have　e　loose　at　a　slight　tug。　But　blood　had　matted　it　closed。　I　picked　at　it　carefully。　Mustn't　spill　it。　I'd　need　to　wait　until　they　gave　me　more　water　to　get　it　down。　Otherwise　I'd　just　gag　and　retch　on　the　bitter　powder。　I　was　still　working　at　it　when　I　heard　voices　down　the　hallway。
　　　　　　　It　did　not　seem　fair　they　would　e　back　at　me　so　soon。　I　listened。　It　wasn't　Regal。　But　anyone　ing　down　here　meant　something　to　do　with　me。　A　deep　voic