rj.eyeoftheworld-第131部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　could　no　longer　hear　the　guards　make　their　exchange；　but　they　might　have　heard　her　if　they　were　in　the　right　place。　If　they　were　ing　to　see　what　the　noise　had　been；　the　wind　would　keep　her　from　hearing　them　until　they　were　right　on　top　of　her。　Time　to　go。　With　four　horses　out　of　five　running　loose；　they　won't　be　chasing　anyone。
　　　　　　　But　she　did　not　move。　She　could　imagine　Lan's　eyes　when　he　heard　what　she　had　done。　There　would　be　no　accusation　in　them；　her　reasoning　was　sound；　and　he　would　not　expect　any　more　of　her。　She　was　a　Wisdom；　not　a　bloody　great　invincible　Warder　who　could　make　himself　all　but　invisible。　Jaw　set；　she　moved　to　the　last　picket…line。　The　first　horse　on　it　was　Bela。
　　　　　　　There　was　no　mistaking　that　squat；　shaggy　shape；　for　there　to　be　another　horse　like　that；　here　and　now；　was　too　big　a　coincidence。　Suddenly　she　was　so　glad　that　she　had　not　left　off　this　last　line　that　she　was　shaking。　Her　arms　and　legs　trembled　so　that　she　was　afraid　to　touch　the　picket…rope；　but　her　mind　was　as　clear　as　the　Winespring　Water。　Whichever　of　the　boys　was　in　the　camp；　Egwene　was　there；　too。　And　if　they　left　riding　double；　some　of　the　Children　would　catch　them　no　matter　how　well　the　horses　were　scattered；　and　some　of　them　would　die。　She　was　as　certain　as　if　she　were　listening　to　the　wind。　That　stuck　a　spike　of　fear　into　her　belly；　fear　of　how　she　was　certain。　This　had　nothing　to　do　with　weather　or　crops　or　sickness。　Why　did　Moiraine　tell　me　I　can　use　the　Power？　Why　couldn't　she　leave　me　alone？
　　　　　　　Strangely；　the　fear　stilled　her　trembling。　With　hands　as　steady　as　if　she　were　grinding　herbs　in　her　own　house　she　slit　the　picket…rope　as　she　had　the　others。　Thrusting　the　dagger　back　into　its　sheath；　she　untied　Bela's　lead…rein。　The　shaggy　mare　woke　with　a　start；　tossing　her　head；　but　Nynaeve　stroked　her　nose　and　spoke　forting　words　softly　in　her　ear。　Bela　gave　a　low　snort　and　seemed　content。
　　　　　　　Other　horses　along　that　line　were　awake；　too；　and　looking　at　her。　Remembering　Mandarb；　she　reached　hesitantly　to　the　next　lead…rein；　but　that　horse　gave　no　objection　to　a　strange　hand。　Indeed；　it　seemed　to　want　some　of　the　muzzle…stroking　that　Bela　had　received。　She　gripped　Bela's　rein　tightly　and　wrapped　the　other　around　her　other　wrist；　all　the　while　watching　the　camp　nervously。　The　pale　tents　were　only　thirty　yards　off；　and　she　could　see　men　moving　among　them。　If　they　noticed　the　horses　stirring　and　came　to　see　what　caused　it　。。。
　　　　　　　Desperately　she　wished　for　Moiraine　not　to　wait　on　her　return。　Whatever　the　Aes　Sedai　was　going　to　do；　let　her　do　it　now。　Light；　make　her　do　it　now；　before。。。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　lightning　shattered　the　night　overhead；　for　a　moment　obliterating　darkness。　Thunder　smote　her　ears；　so　hard　she　thought　her　knees　would　buckle；　as　a　jagged　trident　stabbed　the　ground　just　beyond　the　horses；　splashing　dirt　and　rocks　like　a　fountain。　The　crash　of　riven　earth　fought　the　thunderstroke。　The　horses　went　mad；　screaming　and　rearing；　the　picket…ropes　snapped　like　thread　where　she　had　cut　them。　Another　lightning　bolt　sliced　down　before　the　image　of　the　first　faded。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　was　too　busy　to　exult。　At　the　first　clash　Bela　jerked　one　way　while　the　other　horse　reared　away　in　the　opposite　direction。　She　thought　her　arms　were　being　pulled　out　of　their　sockets。　For　an　endless　minute　she　hung　suspended　between　the　horses；　her　feet　off　the　ground；　her　scream　flattened　by　the　second　crash。　Again　the　lightning　struck；　and　again；　and　again；　in　one　continuous；　raging　roar　from　the　heavens。　Balked　in　the　way　they　wanted　to　go；　the　horses　surged　back；　letting　her　drop。　She　wanted　to　crouch　on　the　ground　and　soothe　her　tortured　shoulders；　but　there　was　no　time。　Bela　and　the　other　horse　buffeted　her；　eyes　rolling　wildly　till　only　whites　showed；　threatening　to　knock　her　down　and　trample　her。　Somehow　she　made　her　arms　lift；　clutched　her　hands　in　Bela's　mane；　pulled　herself　onto　the　heaving　mare's　back。　The　other　rein　was　still　around　her　wrist；　pulled　tight　into　the　flesh。
　　　　　　　Her　jaw　dropped　as　a　long；　gray　shadow　snarled　past；　seeming　to　ignore　her　and　the　horses　with　her；　but　teeth　snapping　at　the　crazed　animals　now　darting　in　every　direction。　A　second　shadow　of　death　followed　close　behind。　Nynaeve　wanted　to　scream　again；　but　nothing　came　out。　Wolves！　Light　help　us！　What　is　Moiraine　doing？
　　　　　　　The　heels　she　dug　into　Bela's　sides　were　not　needed。　The　mare　ran；　and　the　other　was　more　than　happy　to　follow。　Anywhere；　so　long　as　they　could　run；　so　long　as　they　could　escape　the　fire　from　the　sky　that　killed　the　night。

Chapter　38
Rescue
　
　　　　　　　Perrin　shifted　as　best　he　could　with　his　wrists　bound　behind　him　and　finally　gave　up　with　a　sigh。　Every　rock　he　avoided　brought　him　two　more。　Awkwardly　he　tried　to　work　his　cloak　back　over　him。　The　night　was　cold；　and　the　ground　seemed　to　draw　all　the　heat　out　of　him；　as　it　had　every　night　since　the　Whitecloaks　took　them。　The　Children　did　not　think　prisoners　needed　blankets；　or　shelter。　Especially　not　dangerous　Darkfriends。
　　　　　　　Egwene　lay　huddled　against　his　back　for　warmth；　sleeping　the　deep　sleep　of　exhaustion。　She　never　even　murmured　at　his　shifting。　The　sun　was　long　hours　below　the　horizon；　and　he　ached　from　head　to　foot　after　a　day　walking　behind　a　horse　with　a　halter　around　his　neck；　but　sleep　would　not　e　for　him。
　　　　　　　The　column　did　not　move　that　fast。　With　most　of　their　remounts　lost　to　the　wolves　in　the　stedding；　the　Whitecloaks　could　not　push　on　as　hard　as　they　wanted；　the　delay　was　another　thing　they　held　against　the　Emond's　Fielders。　The　sinuous　double　line　did　move　steadily；　though　…　Lord　Bornhald　meant　to　reach　Caemlyn　in　time　for　whatever　it　was　…　and　always　in　the　back　of　Perrin's　mind　was　the　fear　that　if　he　fell　the　Whitecloak　holding　his　leash　would　not　stop；　no　matter　Lord　Captain　Bornhald's　orders　to　keep　them　alive　for　the　Questioners　in　Amador。　He　knew　he　could　not　save　himself　if　that　happened；　the　only　times　they　freed　his　hands　were　when　he　was　fed　and　for　visits　to　the　latrine　pit。　The　
halter　made　every　step　momentous；　every　rock　underfoot　potentially　fatal。　He　walked　with　muscles　tense；　scanning　the　ground　with　anxious　eyes。　Whenever　he　glanced　at　Egwene；　she　was　doing　the　same。　When　she　met　his　eyes；　her　face　was　tight　and　frightened。　Neither　of　them　dared　take　their　eyes　off　the　ground　long　enough　for　more　than　a　glance。
　　　　　　　Usually　he　collapsed　like　a　wrung…out　rag　as　soon　as　the　Whitecloaks　let　him　stop；　but　tonight　his　mind　was　racing。　His　skin　crawled　with　dread　that　had　been　building　for　days。　If　he　closed　his　eyes；　he　would　see　only　the　things　Byar　promised　for　them　once　they　reached　Amador。
　　　　　　　He　was　sure　Egwene　still　did　not　believe　what　Byar　told　them　in　that　flat　voice。　If　she　did；　she　would　not　be　able　to　sleep　no　matter　how　tired　she　was。　In　the　beginning　he　had　not　believed　Byar　either。　He　still　did　not　want　to；　people　just　did　not　do　things　like　that　to　other　people。　But　Byar　did　not　really　threaten；　as　if　he　were　talking　about　getting　a　drink　of　water　he　talked　about　hot　irons　and　pincers；　about　knives　slicing　away　skin　and　needles　piercing。　He　did　not　appear　to　be　trying　to　frighten　them。　There　was　never　even　a　touch　of　gloating　in　his　eyes。　He　just　did　not　care　if　they　were　frightened　or　not；　if　they　were　tortured　or　not；　if　they　were　alive　or　not。　That　was　what　brought　cold　sweat　to　Perrin's　face　once　it　got　through　to　him。　That　was　what　finally　convinced　him　Byar　was　telling　the　simple　truth。
　　　　　　　The　two　guards'　cloaks　gleamed　grayly　in　the　faint　moonlight。　He　could　not　make　out　their　faces；　but　he　knew　they　were　watching。　As　if　they　could　try　something；　tied　hand　and　foot　the　way　they　were。　From　when　there　had　still　been　light　enough　to　see；　he　remembered　the　disgust　in　their　eyes　and　the　pinched　looks　on　their　faces；　as　though　they　had　been　set　to　guard　filth…soaked　monsters；　stinking　and　repellent　to　look　at。　All　the　Whitecloaks　looked　at　them　that　way。　It　never　changed。　Light；　how　do　I　make　them　believe　we　aren't　Darkfriends　when　they're　already　convinced　we　are？　His　stomach　twisted　sickeningly。　In　the　end；　he　would　probably　confess　to　anything　just　to　make　the　Questioners　stop。
　　　　　　　Someone　was　ing；　a　Whitecloak　carrying　a　lantern。　The　man　stopped　to　speak　with　the　guards；　who　answered　respectfully。　Perrin　could　not　hear　what　was　said；　but　he　recognized　the　tall；　gaunt　shape。
　　　　　　　He　squinted　as　the　lantern　was　held　close　to　his　face。　Byar　had　Perrin's　axe　in　his　other　hand；　he　had　appropriated　the　weapon　as　his　own。　At　least；　Perrin　never　saw　him　without　it。
　　　　　　　〃Wake　up；〃　Byar　said　emotionlessly；　as　if　he　thought　Perrin　slept　with　his　head　raised。　He　acpanied　the　words　with　a　heavy　kick　in　the　ribs。
　　　　　　　Perrin　gave　a　grunt　through　gritted　teeth。　His　sides　were　a　mass　of　bruises　already　from　Byar's　boots。
　　　　　　　〃I　said；　wake　up。〃　The　foot　went　back　again；　and　Perrin　spoke　quickly。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　awake。〃　You　had　to　acknowledge　what　Byar　said；　or　he　found　ways　to　get　your　attention。
　　　　　　　Byar　set　the　lantern　on　the　ground　and　bent　to　check　his　bonds。　The　man　jerked　roughly　at　his　wrist；　twisting　his　arms　in　their　sockets。　Finding　those　knots　still　as　tight　as　he　had　left　them；　Byar　pulled　at