rj.theshadowrising-第216部分
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Amathera nodded slightly； held up as she was。 Egeanin made an approving sound。
Elayne loosed the flows； the woman's heels dropped to the carpet。 〃Now let's see if we can find you something to wear that is suitable for sneaking。〃 Amathera nodded again； but her mouth was set at its sulkiest。 Elayne hoped Nynaeve was having an easier time of it。
Nynaeve entered the great exhibition hall with its multitude of thin columns； feather duster already moving。 This collection must always need dusting； and surely no one would look twice at a woman doing what was needed。 She looked around； eyes drawn to wired…together bones that looked like a long…legged horse with a neck that pushed its skull up twenty feet。 The vast chamber stretched emptily in all directions。
But someone could e in at any moment； servants who actually had been sent to clean； or Liandrin and all of her fellows e to search。 Still holding the duster prominently； just in case； she hurried down to the white stone pedestal that had held the dull black collar and bracelets。 She did not realize she had been holding her breath until she exhaled on seeing the things still there。 The glass…sided table holding the cuendillar seal lay another fifty paces on； but this came first。
Climbing over the wrist…thick white silk rope； she touched the wide； jointed collar。 Suffering。 Agony。 Woe。 They rolled through her； she wanted to weep。 What kind of thing could absorb all that pain？ Pulling her hand back； she glared at the black metal。 Meant to control a man who could channel。 Liandrin and her Black sisters meant to use it to control Rand； turn him to the Shadow； force him to serve the Dark One。 Someone from her village； controlled and used by Aes Sedai！ Black Ajah； but Aes Sedai as surely as Moiraine with her scheming！ Egeanin； making me like a filthy Seanchan！
The sudden incongruity of the last thought hit her； abruptly she realized she was deliberately making herself angry； angry enough to channel。 She embraced the Source； the Power filled her。 And a serving woman with the tree…and…leaf on her shoulder entered the columned hall。
Quivering with the urge to channel； Nynaeve waited； even lifting the duster； running the feathers over the collar and bracelets。 The serving woman started down the pale floorstones； she would go in a moment； and Nynaeve could。。。 What？ Slip the things into her belt pouch and take them； but。。。
The serving woman would go？ Why did I think she'll leave instead of staying to work？ She glanced sideways up the room at the woman ing toward her。 Of course。 No broom or mop； no feather duster； not even a rag。 Whatever she's here for； it cannot take lo…
Suddenly she saw the woman's face clearly。 Sturdily handsome； framed by dark braids； smiling in an almost friendly fashion but not really paying her any mind。 Certainly not threatening in any way。 Not quite the same face； but she knew it。
Before thought she struck out； weaving a hammer…hard flow of Air to smash that face。 In an instant the glow of saidar surrounded the other women； her features changed … somehow more regal now； prouder； Moghedien's face remembered； and startled as well； surprised that she had not approached unsuspected … and Nynaeve's flow was sliced razor clean。 She staggered under the whiplash recoil； like a physical blow； and the Forsaken struck with a plex weave of Spirit streaked by Water and Air。 Nynaeve had no idea what it was meant to do； frantically she tried to cut it as she had seen the other woman do； with a keen…edged weave of Spirit。 For a heartbeat she felt love； devotion； worship for the magnificent woman who would deign to allow her to。。。
The intricate weave parted； and Moghedien missed a step。 A tinge remained in Nynaeve's mind； like a fresh memory of wanting to obey； to grovel and please； what had happened at their first meeting all over again； it heated her rage。 The knife…sharp shield that Egwene had used to still Amico Nagoyin sprang into being； more weapon than shield； lashed at Moghedien … and was blocked； woven Spirit straining against woven Spirit； just short of severing Moghedien from the Source forever。 Again the Forsaken's counterblow came； slashing like an axe； intended to cut Nynaeve off in the same way。 Forever。 Desperately Nynaeve blocked it。
Suddenly she realized that under her anger she was terrified。 Holding off the other woman's attempt to still her while trying to do the same to her took everything she had。 The Power boiled in her till she thought she must burst； her knees quivered with the effort of standing。 And all went into those two things； she could not spare enough to light a candle。 Moghedien's axe of Spirit waxed and waned in sharpness； but that would not matter if the woman managed to drive it home； Nynaeve could not see any real difference in oute between being stilled by the woman and merely … merely！ … being shielded and at her mercy。 The thing brushed against the flow of Power from the Source into her； like a knife hovering over a chicken's stretched neck。 The image was all too apt； she wished she had not thought of it。 In the back of her mind a tiny voice gibbered at her。 Oh； Light； don't let her。 Don't let her！ Light； please； not that！
For a moment she considered letting go her own attempt to cut Moghedien off … for one thing； she had to keep forcing it back to a razor edge； the woven flows did not want to hold the keenness … letting go and using that strength to force Moghedien's attack further back； maybe sever it。 But if she tried； the other woman would not need to defend； she could add that strength to her own attack。 And she was one of the Forsaken。 Not just a Black sister。 A woman who had been Aes Sedai in the Age of Legends； when Aes Sedai had been able to do things undreamed of now。 If Moghedien threw her whole strength at her。。。
A man who came in then； or any woman unable to channel； would have seen only two women facing each other across the white silk rope from a distance of less than ten feet。 Two women staring at one another in a vast hall full of strange things。 They would have seen nothing to say it was a duel。 No leaping about and hacking with swords as men would do； nothing smashed or broken。 Just two women standing there。 But a duel all the same； and maybe to the death。 Against one of the Forsaken。
〃All my careful planning ruined；〃 Moghedien said abruptly in a tight； angry voice； white…knuckled hands gripping her skirts。 〃At the very least I shall have to go to untold effort to put everything back as it was。 It may not be possible。 Oh； I do mean to make you pay for that； Nynaeve al'Meara。 This has been such a cozy hiding place； and those blind women have a number of very useful items in their possession even if they do not …〃 She shook her head； lips peeling back to bare her teeth in a snarl。 〃I think I will take you with me this time。 I know。 I shall keep you for a live mounting block。 You will be brought out to kneel on all fours so I can step from your back to my saddle。 Or perhaps I shall give you to Rahvin。 He always repays favors。 He does have a pretty little queen to amuse him now； but pretty women were always Rahvin's weakness。 He likes to have two or three or four at once dancing attendance on him。 How will you like that？ To spend the rest of your life peting for Rahvin's favors。 You will want to； once he has his hands on you； he has his little tricks。 Yes； I do believe Rahvin shall have you。〃
Anger welled up in Nynaeve。 Sweat streamed down her face； and her legs shook as if they might give way； but anger gave her strength。 Furious； she managed to push her weapon of Spirit a hair closer to severing Moghedien from the Source before the woman halted it again。
〃So you discovered that little gem behind you；〃 Moghedien said in a moment of precarious balance。 Surprisingly； her voice was almost conversational。 〃I wonder how you did that。 It does not matter。 Did you e to take it away？ Perhaps to destroy it？ You cannot destroy it。 That is not metal； but a form of cuendillar。 Even balefire cannot destroy cuendillar。 And if you mean to use it； it does have。。。 drawbacks； shall we say？ Put the collar on a man who channels； and a woman wearing the bracelets can make him do whatever she wishes； true； but it will not stop him going mad； and there is a flow the other way； too。 Eventually he will begin to be able to control you； too； so you end with a struggle at every hour。 Not very palatable when he is going mad。 Of course； you can pass the bracelets around； so no one has too much exposure； but that does mean trusting someone else with him。 Men are always so good at violence； they make wonderful weapons。 Or two women can each wear one bracelet； if you have someone you trust enough； that slows the seepage considerably； I understand； but it also lessens your control； even if you work in perfect unison。 Eventually； you will find yourselves in a struggle for control with him； each of you needing him to remove your bracelet as surely as he needs you to remove the collar。〃 She tilted her head； lifted a quizzical eyebrow。 〃You are following this； I trust？ Controlling Lews Therin … Rand al'Thor as he is called now … would be most
