tg.wizardfirstrule-第139章

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　〃You　are　sure　it　was　Darken　Rahl？〃　Kahlan　asked。
　
　Zedd　shrugged。　〃Who　else？　Darken　Rahl　is　the　only　one　who　would　have　been　unharmed　by　a　Wizard's　Life　Fire。　Besides；　this　cut　is　his　signature。　Look　here。　See　the　end　of　the　opening？　See　the　way　it　starts　to　turn？〃
　
　Kahlan　turned　her　face　away。　〃What　of　it？〃
　
　〃That's　the　hook。　At　least　it　should　be。　It　should　turn　back　in　a　hooked　cut。　While　incantations　are　spoken；　the　hook　is　cut；　binding　the　questioned　to　the　questioner。　The　hook　forces　them　to　give　up　the　answer　to　the　question　asked。　But　see　here？　The　hook　is　begun；　but　it　is　not　finished。〃　Zedd　gave　a　sad　grin。　〃That　is　when　Giller　gave　his　life　to　the　fire。　He　waited　until　Rahl　was　almost　done；　then；　at　the　last　instant；　denied　him　what　he　sought。　Probably　the　name　of　who　has　the　box。　Without　life　in　them；　his　entrails　could　tell　Rahl　nothing。〃
　
　〃I　never　thought　Giller　capable　of　such　a　selfless　act；〃　Kahlan　whispered。
　
　〃Zedd；〃　Richard　asked　fearfully；　〃how　could　Giller　have　done　it；　taken　the　pain　of　having　this　done　to　him；　and　manage　to　leave　a　smile　on　his　face？〃
　
　Zedd　gave　him　a　hard　look　that　ran　a　chill　up　Richard's　spine。　〃Wizards　must　know　about　pain。　They　must　know　it　very　well；　indeed。　It　is　to　spare　you　that　lesson　that　I　would　happily　accept　your　choice　not　to　be　a　wizard。　It　is　a　lesson　few　survive。〃
　
　Richard　wondered　at　the　mysterious；　secret　things　Zedd　must　know；　but　had　never　shared　with　him。
　
　Tenderly；　Zedd　cupped　a　hand　to　the　side　of　Giller's　face。　〃You　have　done　well；　my　student。　Honor　in　the　end。〃
　
　〃I　bet　Darken　Rahl　was　livid；〃　Richard　said。　〃Zedd；　I　think　we　had　better　get　out　of　here。　This　looks　a　little　too　much　like　bait　on　a　hook　to　me。〃
　
　Zedd　nodded。　〃Wherever　the　box　is；　it　is　not　here。　At　least　Rahl　does　not　have　it…yet。〃　He　put　his　hands　out。　〃Give　me　the　boy。　We　need　to　leave　as　we　came　in。　We　don't　want　to　tell　them　why　we　were　really　here。〃
　
　Zedd　whispered　something　in　Siddin's　ear；　and　the　boy　giggled；　hugging　the　wizard's　neck。
　
　Queen　Milena　was　still　white；　fumbling　with　the　corner　of　her　cape；　as　Kahlan　strode　purposefully　but　calmly　up　to　her。
　
　〃Thank　you　for　your　hospitality；〃　Kahlan　said。　〃We　will　be　leaving　now。〃
　
　The　Queen　bowed　her　head。　〃Always　a　pleasure　to　see　the　Mother　Confessor。〃　Her　curiosity　overcame　her　fear。　〃What　of　。　。　。　Giller？〃
　
　Kahlan　appraised　her　coolly。　〃I　regret　you　have　beaten　me　to　him。　I　only　wish　I　had　had　the　pleasure　of　doing　it　myself；　or　at　least　witnessed　it　being　done。　But；　the　results　are　all　that　matter。　Disagreement；　was　it？〃'
　
　The　color　returned　to　the　Queen's　face。　〃He　stole　something　that　belonged　to　me。〃
　
　〃I　see。　Well；　I　hope　you　got　it　back。　Good　day。〃　She　started　to　move；　then　stopped。　〃And　Queen　Milena；　I　will　be　back　to　check；　and　make　sure　you　have　brought　your　overly　ambitious　manders　back　in　line；　and　that　they　are　not　mistakenly　executing　innocent　people。〃
　
　Richard　and　Zedd；　holding　Siddin；　fell　in　behind　Kahlan　as　she　turned　and　left。
　
　Richard's　thoughts　swirled　desperately　through　his　head　as　he　walked　woodenly　next　to　Zedd；　following　Kahlan　through　all　the　bowing　people　and　out　of　the　city。　What　were　they　going　to　do　now？　Shota　had　warned　him　that　the　Queen　wouldn't　have　the　box　for　long。　She　had　been　right。　Where　could　it　be　now？　He　certainly　couldn't　go　back　and　ask　Shota　where　it　was。　Who　could　Giller　have　given　the　box　to？　How　were　they　going　to　find　it？　He　felt　desperately　depressed。　He　felt　like　giving　up。　He　could　tell　by　the　slump　in　Kahlan's　shoulders　that　she　felt　the　same　way。。　Neither　of　them　spoke。　The　only　one　talking　was　Siddin；　and　Richard　couldn't　understand　him
　
　〃What's　he　saying？〃　he　asked　Zedd。
　
　〃He　says　he　has　been　being　brave；　just　as　Kahlan　had　told　him；　but　he　is　glad　that　Richard　With　The　Temper　has　e　to　take　him　home。〃
　
　〃I　guess　I　know　how　he　feels。　Zedd；　what　are　we　going　to　do　now？〃
　
　Zedd　gave　him　a　puzzled　look。　〃　IOW　should　I　know？　You're　the　Seeker。〃
　
　Great。　He　had　just　done　his　best；　and　they　still　didn't　have　the　box；　but　he　was　expected；　somehow；　to　find　it。　He　felt　as　if　he　had　run　square　into　a　wall　he　hadn't　known　was　there。　They　kept　walking；　but　he　didn't　know　where　to　go　next。　；
　
　The　setting　sun　was　golden　among　golden　clouds。　Richard　thought　he　could　see　something　ahead　in　the　distance。　He　moved　up　and　walked　next　to　Kahlan。　She　was　watching　it；　too。　All　the　people　had　disappeared　from　the　road　for　the　night。
　
　It　wasn't　long　before　he　knew　what　it　was。　It　was　four　horses　galloping　toward　them。　Only　one　had　a　rider
　
　CHAPTER　40
　RICHARD　TOUCHED　THE　HILT　of　the　sword　for　reassurance　as　he　watched　the　four　horses　raising　a　cloud　of　dust　that　turned　golden　in　the　setting　sun。　Soon　the　sound　of　thundering　hooves　reached　him。　The　lone　rider　bent　over　his　mount；　urging　him　on。　Richard　lifted　the　sword　a　little　in　its　scabbard；　checking　that　it　was　clear；　then　let　it　drop　back。　As　the　darkly　clad　rider　approached；　Richard　realized　he　looked　familiar。
　
　〃Chase！〃
　
　The　boundary　warden　brought　the　horses　to　a　skidding　halt　in　front　of　them。　He　looked　down　as　the　dust　drifted　away。　〃You　all　look　to　be　well。〃
　
　〃Chase；　is　it　ever　good　to　see　you！〃　Richard　grinned。　〃How　did　you　find　us？〃
　
　He　looked　insulted。　〃I'm　a　boundary　warden。〃　He　thought　that　was　explanation　enough。　〃Find　what　you　were　after？〃
　
　〃No；〃　Richard　admitted　with　a　sigh。　He　saw　little　arms　clutching　at　Chase's　sides。　A　little　face　peeked　around　the　black　cloak。　〃Rachel？　Is　that　you？〃
　
　Her　face　came　farther　out；　a　grin　spreading　on　it。　〃Richard！　I'm　so　happy　to　see　you　again。　Isn't　Chase　wonderful？　He　fought　a　gar　and　saved　me　from　being　eaten。〃
　
　〃Didn't　fight　him；〃　Chase　grumbled。　〃Just　put　a　bolt　through　his　head；　that's　all。〃
　
　〃But　you　would　have。　You're　the　bravest　man　I　ever　saw。〃
　
　With　a　pained　frown；　Chase　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Isn't　she　just　about　the　ugliest　child　you　have　ever　seen？〃　He　leaned　around　and　looked　at　her。　〃I　can't　believe　a　gar　would　even　want　to　eat　you。〃
　
　Rachel　giggled　and　hugged　her　arms　to　his　sides。　〃Look；　Richard。〃　She　put　a　foot　out　toward　him；　showing　off　a　shoe。　〃Chase　brought　down　a　buck。　He　said　it　was　a　mistake；　because　it　was　too　big；　so　he　traded　it　to　a　man；　but　all　the　man　had　to　trade　were　these　shoes；　and　this　cloak。　Aren't　they　wonderful？　And　Chase　says　I　can　keep　them。〃
　
　Richard　grinned　at　her。　〃Yes；　that　is　indeed　wonderful。〃　He　noticed　Rachel's　doll　and　the　bundle　with　the　bread　nestled　between　her　and　Chase。　He　also　noticed　her　eyes　going　to　Siddin；　as　if　she　had　seen　him　before。
　
　Kahlan　put　a　hand　on　Rachel's　leg。　〃Why　did　you　run　off？　You　scared　us　with　worry　for　you。〃
　
　Rachel　flinched　at　Kahlan's　touch。　She　hugged　one　arm　to　Chase　and　thrust　a　hand　in　her　pocket。　She　didn't　answer　Kahlan's　question；　but　looked　instead　toward　Siddin。　〃Why　do　you　have　him？〃
　
　〃Kahlan　rescued　him；〃　Richard　said。　〃The　Queen　had　him　locked　up　in　the　dungeon。　That's　no　place　for　a　child；　so　she　took　him　out。〃
　
　Rachel　looked　down　at　Kahlan。　〃Wasn't　the　Queen　mad？〃
　
　〃I　don't　allow　anyone　to　hurt　children；〃　Kahlan　said。　〃Not　even　a　queen。〃
　
　〃Well；　don't　just　stand　there　staring。　I　brought　you　all　horses。　Mount　up。　I　figured　I'd　catch　you　today。　I　have　a　wild　boar　roasting　back　at　the　place　you　stayed　last　night；　just　this　side　of　the　Callisidrin。〃
　
　With　one　hand　on　the　saddle　and　the　other　arm　holding　Siddin；　Zedd　leapt　to　a　horse。　〃Wild　boar！　What　kind　of　fool　are　you？　Leaving　a　wild　boar　roasting　unprotected！　Anyone　could　just　e　along　and　take　it！〃　〃Why　do　you　think　I　want　you　to　hurry？　The　place　is　filthy　with　wolf　tracks；　though　I　doubt　they'd　e　near　a　fire。〃
　
　〃Don't　you　dare　hurt　that　wolf；〃　Zedd　warned。　〃He's　a　friend　of　the　Mother　Confessor。〃
　
　Chase　cast　an　eye　to　Kahlan；　then　to　Richard；　before　turning　his　horse　and　leading　them　into　the　setting　sun。　Richard　was　heartened　by　having　Chase　back。　It　made　him　feel；　once　again；　that　anything　was　possible。　After　she　had　mounted；　Kahlan　took　Siddin；　the　two　of　them　talking　and　laughing　as　they　rode。
　
　At　the　camp；　Zedd　wasted　no　time　before　checking　the　roasting　boar；　and　pronounced　it　fit　to　eat。　He　shifted　his　robes　and　sat　down；　waiting　with　a　grin　on　his　wrinkled　face　for　someone　with　a　knife　to　carve　dinner。　Siddin；　with　a　grin　frozen　on　his　face；　too；　leaned　against　Kahlan　after　she　sat　down。　Richard　and　Chase　started　carving　up　the　boar。　Rachel　sat　close　to　Chase's　side；　watching　him；　keeping　an　eye　to　Kahlan；　her　doll　in　her　lap；　and　the　loaf　of　bread；　wrapped　in　the　cloth；　at　her　hip。
　
　Richard　cut　a　big　piece　and　handed　it　to　Zedd。　〃So；　what　happened？　With　my　brother；　I　mean。〃
　
　Chase　grinned。　〃When　I　told　him　the　things　you　told　me　to　tell　him；　he　said　that　if　you　were　in　trouble；　he　was　going　to　help。　He　pulled　together　the　army；　and　we　sent　most　of　them　into　defensive　positions　along　the　boundary；　with　the　wardens　manding　them。　After　the　boundary　came　down　he　refused　to　wait　behind。　He　led　a　thousand　of　his　best　men　into　the　Midlands。　They're　all　bivouacked　up　in　the　Rang'