tg.wizardfirstrule-第2章

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nied　him　the　view　he　needed。　His　breath　was　fast；　ragged；　sweat　ran　cold　against　his　face；　and　he　could　feel　his　heart　pounding　as　he　ran　carelessly　down　the　hillside。　At　last　he　stumbled　out　of　the　trees　onto　the　path；　almost　falling。
　
　Searching　the　sky；　he　spotted　the　thing；　far　away　and　too　small　for　him　to　tell　what　it　was；　but　he　thought　it　had　wings。　He　squinted　against　the　blue　brightness　of　the　sky；　shielded　his　eyes　with　his　hand；　trying　to　see　for　sure　if　there　were　wings　moving。　It　slipped　behind　a　hill　and　was　gone。　He　hadn't　even　been　able　to　tell　if　it　really　was　red。
　
　Winded；　Richard　slumped　down　on　a　granite　boulder　at　the　side　of　the　trail；　absently　snapping　off　dead　twigs　from　a　sapling　beside　him　while　he　stared　down　at　Trunt　Lake　below。　Maybe　he　should　go　tell　Michael　what　had　happened；　tell　him　about　the　vine　and　the　red　thing　in　the　sky。　He　knew　Michael　would　laugh　at　the　last　part。　He　had　laughed　at　the　same　stories　himself。
　
　No；　Michael　would　only　be　angry　with　him　for　being　up　near　the　boundary；　and　for　going　against　his　orders　to　stay　out　of　the　search　for　the　murderer。　He　knew　his　brother　cared　about　him　or　he　wouldn't　always　be　nagging　him。　Now　that　he　was　grown；　he　could　laugh　off　his　brother's　constant　instructions；　though　he　still　had　to　endure　the　looks　of　displeasure。
　
　Richard　snapped　off　another　twig　and　in　frustration　threw　it　at　a　flat　rock。　He　decided　he　shouldn't　feel　singled　out。　After　all；　Michael　was　always　telling　everyone　what　to　do；　even　their　father。
　
　He　pushed　aside　his　harsh　judgments　of　his　brother；　today　was　a　big　day　for　Michael。　Today　he　was　accepting　the　position　of　First　Councilor。　He　would　be　in　charge　of　everything　now；　not　just　the　town　of　Hartland　anymore；　but　all　the　towns　and　villages　of　Westland；　even　the　country　people。　Responsible　for　everything　and　everyone。　Michael　deserved　Richard's　support；　he　needed　it；　Michael　had　lost　a　father；　too。
　
　That　afternoon　there　was　to　be　a　ceremony　and　big　celebration　at　Michael's　house。　Important　people　were　going　to　be　there；　e　from　the　farthest　reaches　of　Westland。　Richard　was　supposed　to　be　there；　too。；　At　least　there　would　be　plenty　of　good　food。　He　realized　he　was　famished：
　
　While　he　sat　and　thought；　he　scanned　the　opposite　side　of　Trunt　Lake；　far　below。　From　this　height　the　clear　water　revealed　alternating　patches　of　rocky　bottom　and　green　weed　around　the　deep　holes。　At　the　edge　of　the　water；　Hawkers　Trail　knitted　in　and　out　of　the　trees；　in　some　places　open　to　view；　in　some　places　hidden。　Richard　had　been　on　that　part　of　the　trail　many　times。　In　the　spring　it　was　wet　and　soggy　down　by　the　lake；　but　this　late　in　the　year　it　would　be　dry。　In　areas　farther　north　and　south；　as　the　trail　wound　its　way　through　the　high　Ven　Forests；　it　passed　unfortably　close　to　the　boundary。　Because　of　that；　most　travelers　avoided　it；　choosing　instead　the　trails　of　the　Hartland　Woods。　Richard　was　a　woods　guide；　and　led　travelers　safely　through　the　Hartland　forests。　Most　were　traveling　dignitaries　wanting　the　prestige　of　a　local　guide　more　than　they　wanted　direction。
　
　His　eyes　locked　on　something。　There　was　movement。　Unsure　what　it　had　been；　he　stared　hard　at　the　spot　on　the　far　side　of　the　lake。　When　he　saw　it　again；　on　the　path；　where　it　passed　behind　a　thin　veil　of　trees；　there　was　no　doubt；　it　was　a　person。　Maybe　it　was　his　friend　Chase。　Who　else　but　a　boundary　warden　would　be　wandering　around　up　here？
　
　He　hopped　down　off　the　rock；　tossing　the　twigs　aside；　and　took　a　few　steps　forward。　The　figure　followed　the　path　into　the　open；　at　the　edge　of　the　lake。　It　wasn't　Chase；　it　was　a　woman；　a　woman　in　a　dress。　What　woman　would　be　walking　around　this　far　out　in　the　Ven　Forest；　in　a　dress？　Richard　watched　her　making　her　way　along　the　lakeshore；　disappearing　and　reappearing　with　the　path。　She　didn't　seem　to　be　in　a　hurry；　but　she　wasn't　strolling　slowly　either。　Rather；　she　moved　at　the　measured　pace　of　an　experienced　traveler。　That　made　sense；　no　one　lived　anywhere　near　Trunt　Lake。
　
　Other　movement　snatched　his　attention。　Richard's　eyes　searched　the　shade　and　shadows。　Behind　her；　there　were　others。　Three；　no；　four　men；　in　hooded　forest　cloaks；　following　her；　but　hanging　back　some　distance。　They　moved　with　stealth；　from　tree　to　rock　to　tree。　Looking。　Waiting。　Moving。　Richard　straightened；　his　eyes　wide；　his　attention　riveted。
　
　They　were　stalking　her。
　
　He　knew　immediately：　this　was　the　third　child　of　trouble
　
　CHAPTER　2
　AT　FIRST；　RICHARD　STOOD　frozen；　not　knowing　what　to　do。　He　couldn't　be　sure　the　four　men　really　were　stalking　the　woman；　at　least　not　until　it　was　too　late。　What　business　was　it　of　his　anyway？　And　besides；　he　didn't　even　have　his　knife　with　him。　What　chance　did　one　man　with　no　weapon　have　against　four？　He　watched　the　woman　making　her　way　along　the　path。　He　watched　the　men　follow。
　
　What　chance　did　the　woman　have？
　
　He　crouched；　muscles　tight　and　hard。　His　heart　raced　as　he　tried　to　think　of　what　he　could　do。　The　morning　sun　was　hot　on　his　face；　his　breathing　was　shallow。　Richard　knew　there　was　a　small　cutoff　from　Hawkers　Trail　somewhere　ahead　of　the　woman。　Hurriedly；　he　tried　to　remember　exactly　where。　The　main　fork　to　her　left　continued　around　the　lake　and　up　the　hill　to　his　left；　to　where　he　stood　and　watched。　If　she　stayed　on　the　main　trail　he　could　wait　for　her；　then　tell　her　about　the　men。　Then　what？　Besides；　that　was　too　long。　The　men　would　be　on　her　before　then。　An　idea　began　to　take　shape。　He　sprang　up　and　started　running　down　the　trail
　
　If　he　could　reach　her　before　the　men　caught　her；　and　before　the　cutoff；　he　could　take　her　up　the　right　fork。　That　trail　led　up　out　of　the　trees　onto　open　ledges；　away　from　the　boundary；　and　toward　the　town　of　Hartland；　toward　help。　If　they　were　quick；　he　could　hide　their　tracks。　The　men　wouldn't　know　that　the　two　of　them　had　taken　the　side　trail。　They　would　think　she　was　still　on　the　main　trail；　at　least　for　a　while；　long　enough　to　fool　them　and　lead　her　to　safety。
　
　Still　winded　from　the　earlier　run；　Richard　panted　in　labored　breaths；　running　down　the　trail　as　fast　as　he　could　go。　The　path　had　quickly　turned　back　in　to　the　trees；　so　at　least　he　didn't　have　to　worry　about　the　men　being　able　to　see　him。　Shafts　of　sunlight　flashed　by　as　he　raced　along。　Old　pine　trees　lined　the　path；　leaving　a　soft　mat　of　needles　to　cushion　his　footfalls。
　
　After　a　time；　driving　himself　headlong　down　the　path；　he　started　looking　for　the　side　trail。　He　couldn't　be　sure　how　far　he　had　gone；　the　forest　offered　no　view　for　a　fix；　and　he　didn't　remember　exactly　where　the　cutoff　was。　It　was　small　and　would　be　easy　to　miss。　With　every　bend　bringing　new　hope　that　this　would　be　the　place　he　found　the　cutoff；　he　pushed　himself　on。　He　tried　to　think　of　what　he　would　say　to　the　woman　when　he　finally　reached　her。　His　mind　raced　as　fast　as　his　legs。　She　might　think　he　was　with　her　pursuers；　or　be　frightened　by　him；　or　not　believe　him。　He　wouldn't　have　much　time　to　convince　her　to　go　with　him；　that　he　wanted　to　help。
　
　ing　over　the　top　of　a　small　rise；　he　looked　anew　for　the　fork；　but　didn't　see　it　and　kept　running。　Now　his　breath　came　in　ragged　gasps。　He　knew　that　if　he　didn't　reach　the　split　before　she　did；　they　would　be　trapped；　and　their　only　options　would　be　to　outrun　the　men；　or　to　fight。　He　was　too　winded　for　either。　That　thought　drove　him　on　harder。　Sweat　ran　down　his　back；　making　his　shirt　stick　to　his　skin。　The　coolness　of　the　morning　had　turned　to　choking　heat；　though　he　knew　it　was　only　his　exertion　that　made　it　seem　that　way。　The　forest　passed　in　a　blur　to　each　side　as　he　ran。
　
　Just　before　a　sharp　bend　to　the　right；　he　came　at　last　to　the　cutoff；　almost　missing　it。　He　made　a　quick　search　for　tracks　to　if　she　had　been　there　and　taken　the　small　path。　There　were　none。　Relief　washed　over　him。　He　dropped　to　his　knees　and　sat　back　on　his　heels　in　exhaustion；　trying　to　catch　his　breath。　The　first　part　had　worked。　He　had　beaten　her　here。　Now　he　had　to　make　her　believe　him　before　it　was　too　late。
　
　Holding　his　right　hand　over　a　painful　stitch　in　his　side　and　still　trying　to　catch　his　breath；　he　started　to　worry　that　he　was　going　to　look　silly。　What　if　it　was　just　a　girl　and　her　brothers　playing　a　game？　He　would　be　the　fool。　Everyone　but　him　would　have　a　good　laugh。
　
　He　looked　down　at　the　bite　on　the　back　of　his　hand。…It　was　red　and　throbbed　painfully。　He　remembered　the　thing　in　the　sky。　He　thought　about　the　way　she　had　been　walking；　with　a　sense　of　purpose；　not　like　a　child　at　play。　It　was　a　woman；　not　a　girl。　He　remembered　the　cold　fear　he　had　felt　when　he　saw　the　four　men。　Four　men　warily　shadowing　a　woman：　the　third　strange　thing　to　happen　this　morning。　The　third　child　of　trouble。　No…he　shook　his　head…this　was　no　game；　he　knew　what　he　had　seen。　It　was　no　game。　They　were　stalking　her。
　
　Richard　came　partway　to　his　feet。　Waves　of　heat　rolled　from　his　body。　Bent　over　at　the　waist　with　his　hands　braced　on　his　knees；　he　took　a　few　deep　breaths　before　straightening　to　his　full　height。
　
　His　eyes　fell　on　the　young　woman　as　she　came　around　the　bend　in　front　of　him。　His　breath　caught　for　an　instant。　Her　brown　h