rj.theshadowrising-第206部分

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t　fight　it。　That　is　the　reason　we　were　bound　to　the　Wheel。〃
　　　　　　　〃When　the　Horn　calls　us；　we　will　fight。　When　the　Wheel　weaves　us；　we　will　fight。　Not　until　then！〃　He　glowered　at　her。　〃Have　you　forgotten　what　Moghedien　promised　you　when　we　followed　Lews　Therin？　I　saw　her；　Birgitte。　She　will　know　you　here。〃
　　　　　　　Birgitte　turned　to　Nynaeve。　〃I　will　aid　you　as　I　can；　but　do　not　expect　too　much。　Tel'aran'rhiod　is　the　whole　of　my　world；　and　I　can　do　less　here　than　you。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　blinked；　the　dark；　heavy　man　had　not　moved　that　she　had　seen；　but　he　suddenly　stood　two　paces　away；　drawing　a　honing　stone　along　one　of　his　swords　with　a　soft；　silky　rasp。　Plainly；　as　far　as　he　was　concerned；　Birgitte　was　speaking　to　the　air。
　　　　　　　〃What　can　you　tell　of　Moghedien；　Birgitte？　I　must　know　what　I　can；　to　face　her。〃
　　　　　　　Leaning　on　her　bow；　Birgitte　frowned　thoughtfully。　〃Facing　Moghedien　is　difficult；　and　not　only　because　she　is　Forsaken。　She　hides　and　takes　no　risks。　She　attacks　only　where　she　sees　weakness；　and　moves　only　in　shadows。　If　she　fears　defeat；　she　will　run；　she　is　not　one　to　fight　to　the　last；　even　when　doing　so　has　the　chance　of　victory。　A　chance　is　not　enough　for　Moghedien。　But　do　not　take　her　lightly。　She　is　a　serpent　coiled　in　high　grass；　waiting　her　own　moment　to　strike；　with　less　passion　than　the　snake。　Especially　here　do　not　take　her　lightly。　Lanfear　always　claimed　Tel'aran'rhiod　for　her　own；　but　Moghedien　could　do　things　here　far　beyond　Lanfear；　though　she　has　not　Lanfear's　strength　in　the　world　of　flesh。　I　think　she　would　not　take　the　risk　of　confronting　Lanfear。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　shivered；　fear　warring　with　the　anger　that　let　her　contain　the　Power。　Moghedien。　Lanfear。　This　woman　spoke　so　casually　of　the　Forsaken。　〃Birgitte；　what　did　Moghedien　promise　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃She　knew　what　I　was；　even　though　I　did　not。　How；　I　do　not　know。〃　Birgitte　glanced　at　Cain；　he　appeared　absorbed　in　his　sword；　but　she　lowered　her　voice　anyway。　〃She　promised　to　make　me　weep　alone　for　as　long　as　the　Wheel　turns。　She　said　it　as　a　fact　that　simply　had　not　happened　yet。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　yet　you　are　willing　to　help。〃
　　　　　　　〃As　I　can；　Nynaeve。　Remember　that　I　told　you　not　to　expect　too　much。〃　Once　more　she　looked　at　the　man　sharpening　his　sword。　〃We　will　meet　again；　Nynaeve。　If　you　are　careful；　and　survive。〃　Hefting　her　silver　bow；　she　went　to　put　an　arm　around　Cain's　shoulders　and　murmur　in　his　ear。　Whatever　she　said；　Cain　was　laughing　as　they　vanished。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　shook　her　head。　Careful。　Everybody　was　telling　her　to　be　careful。　A　legendary　hero　who　said　she　would　help；　only　there　was　not　much　she　could　do。　And　one　of　the　Forsaken　in　Tanchico。
　　　　　　　The　thought　of　Moghedien；　of　what　the　woman　had　done　to　her；　strengthened　her　anger　until　the　One　Power　pulsed　in　her　like　the　sun。　Abruptly　she　was　back　in　the　great　hall　where　she　had　been　standing　before；　almost　hoping　the　woman　had　returned。　But　the　hall　was　empty　of　life　except　for　herself。　Fury　and　the　Power　roared　through　her　till　she　thought　her　skin　would　crisp　and　blacken。　Moghedien；　or　any　of　the　Black　sisters；　could　sense　her　far　more　easily　holding　the　Power　than　without；　but　she　held　it　anyway。　She　almost　wanted　them　to　find　her；　so　she　could　strike　at　them。　Temaile　was　very　likely　still　in　Tel'aran'rhiod。　If　she　went　back　up　to　that　bedchamber；　she　could　settle　Temaile　once　and　for　all。　She　could　settle　Temaile　…　and　warn　the　rest。　It　was　enough　to　make　her　growl。
　　　　　　　What　had　Moghedien　been　smiling　at？　Striding　out　to　the　case；　a　wide　glass　box　atop　a　carved　table；　she　peered　in。　Six　mismatched　figurines　stood　in　a　circle　beneath　the　glass。　A　foot…tall　nude　woman　balanced　on　the　toes　of　one　foot；　dancing；　all　flowing　lines；　and　a　shepherd　less　than　half　as　large；　playing　the　pipes　with　his　crook　on　his　shoulder　and　a　sheep　at　his　feet；　were　as　similar　as　any　two。　She　had　no　doubt　what　had　attracted　the　Forsaken's　smile；　though。
　　　　　　　In　the　center　of　the　circle　a　red…lacquered　wooden　stand　held　a　disc　as　big　as　a　man's　hand；　divided　into　halves　by　a　sinuous　line；　one　side　gleaming　whiter　than　snow；　the　other　blacker　than　pitch。　It　was　made　of　cuendillar；　she　knew；　she　had　seen　its　like；　and　only　seven　had　ever　been　made。　One　of　the　seals　on　the　Dark　One's　prison；　a　focus　for　one　of　the　locks　that　held　him　away　from　the　world　in　Shayol　Ghul。　This　was　perhaps　as　important　a　discovery　as　whatever　it　was　that　threatened　Rand。　This　had　to　be　gotten　away　from　the　Black　Ajah。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　she　became　aware　of　her　reflection。　The　top　of　the　case　was　the　finest　glass；　without　bubbles；　and　gave　an　image　as　clear　as　a　mirror；　if　fainter。　Dark　green　folds　of　silk　draped　her　body　so　they　showed　every　curve　of　breast　and　hip　and　thigh。　Long　honey　braids　full　of　jade　beads　framed　a　face　with　big　brown　eyes　and　a　pouting　mouth。　The　glow　of　saidar　did　not　show；　of　course。　Disguised　so　she　did　not　even　know　herself；　she　walked　about　carrying　a　painted　sign　that　screamed　Aes　Sedai。
　　　　　　　〃I　can　be　careful；〃　she　muttered。　Yet　she　held　on　a　moment　longer。　The　Power　filling　her　was　like　life　bubbling　along　her　limbs；　all　the　pleasures　she　had　ever　known　seeping　through　her　flesh。　In　the　end；　feeling　foolish　took　enough　edge　from　her　anger　to　allow　her　to　let　go。　Or　maybe　it　dulled　her　anger　to　where　she　could　no　longer　hold　on。
　　　　　　　Whatever　the　reason；　it　did　not　help　her　search。　What　she　was　after　had　to　be　somewhere　in　this　huge　hall　among　all　these　displays。　Pulling　her　eyes　away　from　what　looked　like　the　bones　of　a　toothy　lizard　ten　paces　long；　she　closed　them。　Need。　Danger　to　the　Dragon　Reborn；　to　Rand。　Need。
　　　　　　　Shift。
　　　　　　　She　was　standing　inside　the　white　silk　rope　along　the　walls；　the　edge　of　a　white　stone　pedestal　touching　her　dress。　What　lay　on　top　did　not　look　very　dangerous　at　first　glance　…　a　necklace　and　two　bracelets　of　jointed　black　metal　…　but　she　could　e　no　closer　to　anything　than　this。　Not　without　sitting　on　it；　she　thought　wryly。
　　　　　　　She　stretched　her　hand　out　to　touch　it　…　Pain。　Sorrow。　Suffering　…　and　jerked　it　back；　gasping；　the　raw　emotions　still　echoing　in　her　head。　Even　her　faint　doubts　vanished。　This　was　what　the　Black　Ajah　was　hunting。　And　if　it　still　sat　on　this　pedestal　in　Tel'aran'rhiod；　it　sat　there　in　the　waking　world；　too。　She　had　beaten　them。　This　white　stone　pedestal。
　　　　　　　Whirling　around；　she　stared　toward　the　glass　case　that　held　the　cuendillar　seal；　located　the　place　she　had　been　standing　where　she　first　saw　Moghedien。　The　woman　had　been　looking　at　this　pedestal；　at　the　bracelets　and　collar。　Moghedien　had　to　know。　But。。。
　　　　　　　Everything　around　her　spun　and　blurred；　fading。
　
　　　　　　　〃Wake　up；　Nynaeve；〃　Elayne　muttered；　suppressing　a　yawn　as　she　shook　the　sleeping　woman's　shoulders。　〃It　has　to　be　an　hour　by　now。　I　want　some　sleep；　too。　Wake　up；　or　I'll　see　how　you　like　your　head　in　a　bucket　of　water。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve's　eyes　popped　open；　staring　up　at　her。　〃If　she　knows　what　it　is；　why　hasn't　she　given　it　to　them？　If　they　know　who　she　is；　why　does　she　have　to　look　at　it　in　Tel'aran'rhiod！　Is　she　hiding　from　them；　too？〃
　　　　　　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　　　　　　　Braids　tossing　about　as　she　wriggled　up　to　sit　with　her　back　against　the　head　of　the　bed；　Nynaeve　jerked　her　silk　shift　down。　〃I　will　tell　you　what　I　am　talking　about。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne's　mouth　fell　open　as　Nynaeve　unfolded　the　tale　of　what　her　meeting　with　Egwene　had　bee。　Searching　with　need。　Moghedien。　Birgitte　and　Gaidal　Cain。　The　black　metal　necklace　and　bracelets。　Asmodean　in　the　Waste。　One　of　the　seals　on　the　Dark　One's　prison　in　the　Panarch's　Palace。　Elayne　sank　down　weakly　onto　the　side　of　the　mattress　long　before　Nynaeve　came　to　Temaile　and　the　Panarch；　thrown　in　almost　as　an　afterthought。　And　changing　her　appearance；　masquerading　as　Rendra。　If　Nynaeve's　face　had　not　been　grimly　serious；　Elayne　could　have　thought　it　one　of　Thom's　wilder　stories。
　　　　　　　Egeanin；　sitting　up　cross…legged　in　her　linen　shift；　hands　on　knees；　looked　close　to　disbelieving。　Elayne　hoped　Nynaeve　did　not　start　a　row　because　she　had　loosed　the　woman's　wrists。
　　　　　　　Moghedien。　That　was　the　most　horrifying　part。　One　of　the　Forsaken　in　Tanchico。　One　of　the　Forsaken　weaving　the　Power　around　the　two　of　them；　making　them　tell　her　everything。　Elayne　could　not　remember　a　bit　of　it。　The　thought　was　enough　to　press　both　her　hands　to　a　suddenly　queasy　stomach。　〃I　don't　know　whether　Moghedien〃　…　Light；　could　she　really　have　just　walked　in　and　made　us。。。　？　…　〃is　hiding　from　Liandrin　and　the　others；　Nynaeve。　It　sounds　like　what　Birgitte〃　…　Light；　Birgitte　giving　her　advice！　…　〃said　of　her。〃
　　　　　　　〃Whatever　Moghedien　is　up　to；〃　Nynaeve　said　in　a　tight　voice；　〃I　mean　to　pick　a　bone　clean　with　her。〃　She　slumped　back　against　the　flower…carved　headboard。　〃In　any　case；　we　have　to　get　the　seal　away　from　them　as　well　as　this　necklace　and　bracelets。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　shook　her　head。　〃How　can　jewelry　be　dangerous　to　Rand？　Are　you　sure？　Are　they　a　ter'angreal　of　some　sort？　What　did　they　look　like　exactly？〃
　　　　　　　〃They　looked　like　a　necklace　and　bracelets；〃　Nynaeve　snapped　in　exasperation。　〃Two　jointed　bracelets　made　of　some　black　metal；　and　a　wide　necklace　like　a　black　collar。。。〃　Her　eyes　darted　to　Egeanin；　bu