tg.wizardfirstrule-第145章

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　〃Now；　get　on　your　knees；　and　ask　for　my　forgiveness。〃
　
　When　he　didn't　move　quick　enough　for　her；　she　laid　the　Agiel　on　his　shoulder；　pushing　him　down　with　it。　His　right　arm　went　numb　with　hurt。
　
　〃Please；　Mistress　Denna；　forgive　me。〃
　
　〃That's　better。〃　She　smiled　at　last。　〃Stand　up。〃　She　watched　him　e　to　his　feet。　〃You　have　your　sword　and　knife　because　they　are　no　danger　to　me；　and；　perhaps　someday　you　will　use　them　to　protect　your　Mistress。　I　prefer　my　pets　to　keep　their　weapons；　so　it　can　be　a。　constant　reminder　that　they　are　helpless　against　me。〃
　
　She　turned　her　back　to　him；　removing　her　glove。　Richard　knew　she　was　right　about　the　sword：　it　had　magic；　and　she　controlled　that。　But　he　wondered　if　that　was　the　only　way。　He　had　to　know。　His　hands　reached　for　her　throat。
　
　She　continued　to　slowly　remove　the　glove　as　he　fell　to　his　knees；　crying　out　with　the　pain　of　the　magic。　Desperately；　he　brought　his　mind　to　the　picture　of　the　Hartland　Woods。　The　pain　eased；　and　he　returned　to　his　feet　when　she　told　him　to　do　so。
　
　Denna　gave　an　impatient　look。　〃You're　going　to　make　this　hard；　aren't　you？〃　Her　face　softened；　the　smooth　smile　returning。　〃But　then；　I　enjoy　it　when　a　man　makes　it　hard。　Now；　you're　doing　it　wrong。　I　told　you　that　to　make　the　pain　stop；　you　should　think　something　pleasant　about　me。　That's　not　what　you're　doing。　You're　thinking　about　some　boring　trees。　This　is　your　last　warning。　Either　think　something　pleasant　about　me；　to　stop　the　pain　of　the　magic；　or　I　will　leave　you　in　the　agony　of　it　all　night。　Do　you　understand？〃
　
　〃Yes；　Mistress　Denna。〃
　
　Her　smile　widened。　〃That　was　very　good。　See？　You　can　be　trained。　Just　remember；　something　pleasant　about　me。〃　She　took　his　hands　and　gazed　into　his　eyes　as　she　pressed　his　hands　to　her　breasts。　〃。I　find　most　men　seem　to　focus　their　pleasant　thoughts　here。〃　She　leaned　closer；　still　holding　his　hands　against　her；　her　voice　being　airy。　〃But　if　there's　anything　you　like　better；　please　feel　free　to　let　your　mind　go　there　instead。〃　Richard　decided　that　he　thought　her　hair　was　pretty；　and　that　that　was　the　only　place　on　her　his　mind　was　going　to　go　to　think　anything　pleasant。　The　pain　unexpectedly　took　him　to　his　knees；　tightening　its　grip　until　he　couldn't　breathe。　His　mouth　opened；　but　he　could　get　no　air。　His　eyes　bulged。
　
　〃Now；　show　me　you　can　do　as　you　were　told。　Shut　the　pain　off　any　time　you　wish；　but　do　it　in　the　way　I　told　you。〃
　
　He　looked　up　at　her；　at　her　hair。　His　vision　was　blurring。　With　concentration；　he　thought　about　how　attractive　he　thought　her　braid　was。　He　forced　himself　to　think　of　it　as　beautiful。　The　pain　lifted；　and　he　collapsed　to　his　side；　gasping　for　air。
　
　〃Stand　up。〃　He　did　as　he　was　told；　still　struggling　to　breathe。　〃That　was　the　proper　way　to　do　it。　See　to　it　that　is　the　only　way　you　dare　to　remove　the　pain　in　the　future；　or　I　will　change　the　magic　so　you　will　be　unable　to　remove　it　at　all。　Understand？〃
　
　〃Yes；　Mistress　Denna。〃　He　was　still　catching　his　breath。　〃Mistress　Denna；　you　said　someone　betrayed　me。　Who　was　it？〃
　
　〃One　of　your　own。〃
　
　〃None　of　my　friends　would　do　that。　Mistress　Denna。〃
　
　She　regarded　him　contemptuously。　〃Then　I　would　guess　they　aren't　really　your　friends；　now；　are　they？〃
　
　He　looked　at　the　floor；　a　lump　in　his　throat。　〃No；　Mistress　Denna；　but　who　was　it？〃
　
　She　shrugged。　〃Master　Rahl　didn't　think　it　important　enough　to　tell　me。　The　only　thing　that　is　important　for　you　to　know；　now；　is　that　no　one　is　going　to　rescue　you。　You　are　never　going　to　be　free　again。　The　sooner　you　learn　that；　the　easier　it　will　go　for　you；　the　easier　your　training　will　be。〃
　
　〃And　what　is　the　purpose　of　my　training；　Mistress　Denna？〃
　
　The　smile　returned　to　her　face。　〃To　teach　you　the　meaning　of　pain。　To　teach　you　that　your　life　is　no　longer　yours；　that　it　is　mine；　and　I　can　do　anything　I　want　with　it。　Anything。　I　can　hurt　you　in　any　way　I　want；　for　as　long　as　I　want；　and　no　one　is　going　to　help　you　but　me。　I'm　going　to　teach　you　that　every　moment　you　have　without　pain　is　a　moment　only　I　can　grant　you。　You　are　going　to　learn　to　do　as　I　say　without　question；　without　hesitation；　no　matter　what　it　is。　You　are　going　to　learn。　to　beg　for　anything　you　get。
　
　〃After　a　few　days　of　training　here；　and　I　think　you　have　made　enough　progress；　then　I　will　take　you　to　another　place；　where　there　are　other　Mord…Sith；　and　I　will　continue　training　you　there　until　I'm　finished；　no　matter　how　long　it　takes。　I　will　let　some　of　the　other　Mord…Sith　play　with　you；　so　you　can　see　how　lucky　you　are　to　have　me。　I　rather　like　men。　Some　of　the　others　hate　them。　I　will　let　some　of　them　have　you　for　a　while；　so　you　can　see　how　gentle　I　really　am。〃
　
　〃And　what　is　the　purpose　of　this　training；　Mistress　Denna？　To　what　end？　What　is　it　you　want？〃
　
　She　seemed　to　genuinely　enjoy　telling　him　these　things。　〃You　are　someone　special。　Master　Rahl　himself　wants　you　trained。〃　Her　smiled　widened。　〃He　asked　for　me。　I　would　guess　he　has　something　he　wants　to　ask　you。　I　will　not　let　you　embarrass　me　in　his　eyes。　When　I'm　done　with　you；　you　will　beg　to　tell　him　anything　he　wants　to　know。　When　he　is　finished　with　you；　then　you　are　to　be　mine；　for　life。　However　long　that　may　be。〃
　
　Richard　had　to　concentrate　on　her　hair；　had　to　fight　to　keep　the　anger　down。　He　knew　what　Darken　Rahl　wanted　to　know；　he　wanted　to　know　about　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows：　The　box　was　safe。　Kahlan　was　safe。　Nothing　else　mattered。　Denna　could　kill　him；　for　all　he　cared。　In　fact；　it　would　be　doing　him　a　favor。
　
　Denna　walked　around　him；　looking　him　up　and　down。　〃If　you　prove　to　be　a　good　pet；　I　may　even　choose　you　for　my　mate。〃　She　stopped　in　front　of　him；　put　her　face　close　to　his；　gave　him　a　coy　smile。　〃Mord…Sith　mate　for　life。〃　Her　smile　showed　her　teeth。　〃I've　had　many　mates。　But　don't　get　yourself　too　excited　by　the　prospect；　my　pet；〃　she　breathed。　〃I　doubt　you　will　find　it　to　be　an　experience　you　enjoy；　if　you　live　through　it。　None　of　the　others　have。　They　all　died　after　a　short　time　as　my　mate。〃
　
　Richard　didn't　think　that　was　anything　he　had　to　worry　about。　Darken　Rahl　wanted　the　book。　If　he　didn't　find　a　way　to　escape；　Darken　Rahl　was　going　to　kill　him；　in　the　same　way　he　had　killed　Richard's　father；　and　Giller。　The　most　he　would　learn　from　reading　Richard's　entrails　was　where　that　place　was…inside　Richard's　head…and　there　was　no　way　any　amount　of　the　reading　of　his　entrails　was　going　to　read　the　book　out　to　him。　Richard　only　hoped　he　could　live　long　enough　to　see　the　look　of　surprise　on　Darken　Rahl's　face　when　he　realized　he　had　made　a　fatal　mistake
　
　No　book。　No　box。　Darken　Rahl　was　a　dead　man。　That　was　all　that　mattered。
　
　As　for　the　question　of　him　being　betrayed；　he　decided　that　he　didn't　believe　it。　Darken　Rahl　knew　the　Wizard's　Rules；　and　he　was　just　using　the　first；　trying　to　make　him　afraid　of　the　possibility。　The　first　step　to　believing。　Richard　decided　that　he　was　not　going　to　be　tricked　by　the　Wizard's　First　Rule。　He　knew　Zedd　and　Chase　and　Kahlan。　He　would　not　believe　Darken　Rahl　over　his　friends。
　
　〃By　the　way；　where　did　you　get　the　Sword　of　Truth？〃
　
　He　looked　right　into　her　eyes。　〃I　bought　it　from　the　last　man　who　had　it。　Mistress　Denna。〃
　
　〃Is　that　so？　What　did　you　have　to　give　for　it？〃
　
　Richard　held　her　eyes。　〃Everything　I　had。　It　would　appear　it　is　to　also　cost　me　my　freedom；　and　probably　my　life。〃
　
　Denna　laughed。　〃You　have　spirit。　I　love　breaking　a　man　with　spirit。　Do　you　know　why　Master　Rahl　picked　me？〃
　
　〃No；　Mistress　Denna。〃
　
　〃Because　I　am　relentless。　I　may　not　be　as　cruel　as　some　of　the　others；　but。　I　enjoy　breaking　a　man　more　than　any　of　them。　I　love　hurting　my　pets　more　than　anything　else　in　life。　I　live　to　do　it。〃　She　arched　an　eyebrow　and　smiled。　〃I　don't　give　up；　I　don't　tire　of　it；　and　I　don't　ease　up。　Ever。〃
　
　〃I　am　honored；　Mistress　Denna；　to　be　in　the　hands　of　the　best。〃
　
　She　put　the　Agiel　against　the　cut　on　his　lip　and　held　it　there　until　he　was　on　his　knees　and　tears　ran　from　his　eyes。　〃That　is　the　last　flippant　thing　T　ever　want　to　hear　from　you。〃　She　took　the　Agiel　away　and　kneed　him　in　his　mouth；　knocking　him　sprawling　on　his　back。　She　pressed　the　Agiel　against　his　stomach。　Before　he　passed　out；　she　pulled　it　away。　〃What　do　you　have　to　say？〃
　
　〃Please；　Mistress　Denna；〃　he　managed　with　the　greatest　of　effort；　〃forgive　me。〃
　
　〃All　right；　get　up。　It's　time　to　begin　your　training。〃
　
　She　went　to　the　table　and　retrieved　something。　She　pointed　to　a　spot　on　the　floor。　〃Stand　there。　Now！〃
　
　Richard　moved　as　fast　as　he　could。　He　couldn't　straighten　himself；　the　pain　wouldn't　allow　it。　He　stood　on　the　spot；　breathing　hard；　sweating。　She　handed　him　something　with　a　thin　chain　attached。　It　was　a　collar　made　of　leather；　the　same　color　as　she　wore。
　
　Her　voice　lost　its　pleasant　quality。　〃Put　it　on。〃
　
　Richard　was　in　no　condition　to　ask　questions。　He　realized　that　he　was　starting　to　believe　he　would　do　anything　to　avoid　the　touch　of　the　Agiel。　He　buckled　the　collar　around　his　neck。　Denna　picked　up　the　chain。　The　end　of　it　had　a　loop　of　metal；　which　she　slipped　over　the　post　on　the　back　of