tg.wizardfirstrule-第55章

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fire。　He　was　tired。　Richard　turned　toward　Kahlan；　his　elbow　on　the　floor　and　his　head　propped　in　his　hand。　She　stared　up　at　the　ceiling；　turning　the　bone　on　the　necklace　between　her　finger　and　thumb。　He　watched　her　breast　rise　and　fall　with　her　breathing。
　
　〃Richard；〃　she　whispered　while　continuing　to　stare　at　the　ceiling；　〃I'm　sorry　we　have　to　leave　them　behind。〃
　
　〃I　know；〃　he　whispered　back。　〃Me　too。〃
　
　〃I　hope　you　do　not　feel　I　forced　you　to　do　it；　because　of　what　I　said　when　we　were　in　the　swamp。〃
　
　〃No。　It　was　the　right　decision。　Every　day　brings　winter　closer。　It　will　do　us　no　good　to　wait　with　them；　while　Rahl　gets　the　boxes。　Then　we　will　all　be　dead。　The　truth　is　the　truth。　I　can't　be　angry　at　you　for　saying　it。〃
　
　He　listened　to　the　fire　snap　and　hiss　as　he　watched　her　face；　the　way　her　hair　lay　across　the　floor。　He　could　see　a　vein　in　her　neck　pulsing　with　her　heartbeat。　He　thought　that　she　had　the　most　delicious…looking　neck　he　had　ever　seen。　Sometimes　she　looked　so　beautiful；　he　could　hardly　stand　to　look　at　her；　and　at　the　same　time；　could　not　look　away。　She　still　held　the　necklace　in　her　fingers。
　
　　〃Kahlan？〃　She　turned　to　his　eyes。　〃When　Adie　told　you　the　necklace　would　protect　you　and　someday　your　child；　what　did　you　say　to　her？〃
　
　She　gazed　at　him　a　long　moment。　〃I　thanked　her；　but　I　told　her　I　did　not　think　I　would　live　long　enough　to　have　a　child。〃
　
　Richard　felt　bumps　rise　on　the　skin　of　his　arms。　〃Why　would　you　say　that？〃
　
　Her　eyes　moved　in　little　flicks　as　she　studied　different　places　on　his　face。　〃Richard；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃madness　is　loose　in　my　homeland；　madness　you　cannot　imagine。　I　am　but　one。　They　are　many。　I　have　seen　people　better　than　me　go　against　it　and　be　slaughtered。　I。　am　not　saying　I　think　we　will　fail；　but　I　do　not　think　I　will　live　to　know。〃
　
　Even　if　she　wasn't　saying　it；　Richard　knew　she　didn't　think　he　would　live　either。　She　was　trying　not　to　frighten　him；　but　she　thought　he　would　die　in　the　effort；　too。　That　was　why　she　hadn't　wanted　Zedd　to　give　him　the　Sword　of　Truth；　to　make　him　Seeker。　He　felt　as　if　his　heart　were　ing　up　into　his　throat。　She　believed　she　was　leading　them　to　their　death。
　
　Maybe　she　was　right；　he　mused。　After　all；　she　knew　more　about　what　they　were　up　against　than　he　did。　She　must　be　terrified　to　go　back　to　the　Midlands。　But　then；　there　was　no　place　to　hide。　The　night　wisp　had　said　that　to　run　was　a　sure　death。
　
　Richard　kissed　the。　end　of　his　finger　and　then　touched　it　against　the　bone　on　the　necklace。　He　looked　back　up　into　her　soft　eyes。
　
　〃I　add　my　oath　of　protection　to　the　bone；〃　he　said　in　a　whisper。　〃To　you　now　and　to　any　child　you　may　bear　in　the　future。　I　would　trade　no　day　I　spend　with　you　for　a　life　of　safe　slavery。　I　accepted　the　post　of　Seeker　of　my　own　free　will。　And　if　Darken　Rahl　takes　the　whole　world　into　madness；　then　we　will　die　with　a　sword　in　our　hands；　not　chains　on　our　wings。　We　will　not　allow　it　to　be　easy　for　them　to　kill　us；　they　will　pay　a　high　price。　We　will　fight　with　our　last　breath　if　need　be；　and　in　our　death；　let　us　inflict　a　wound　on　him　that　will　fester　until　it　claims　him。〃
　
　A　smile　spread　across　her　face；　until　her　eyes　were　caught　up　in　it。　〃If　Darken　Rahl　knew　you　as　I　do；　he　would　have　reason　to　lose　sleep。　I　thank　the　good　spirits　the　Seeker　has　no　cause　to　e　after　me　in　anger。〃　She　laid　her　head　down　on　her　arm。　〃You　have　an　odd　talent　for　making　me　feel　better；　Richard　Cypher；　even　when　telling　me　of　my　death。〃
　
　He　smiled。　〃That's　what　friends　are　for。〃
　
　Richard　watched　her　for　a　while　after　she　closed　her　eyes；　until　sleep　gently　took　him。　His　last　thoughts　before　it　came；　were　of　her。
　
　…＋…
　
　The　first　hint　of　morning　was　damp　and　dreary；　but　the　rain　had　stopped。　Kahlan　had　given　Adie　a　parting　hug。　Richard　faced　the　old　woman；　looking　into　her　white　eyes。
　
　〃I　must　ask　you　to　do　an　important　task。　You　must　give　Chase　a　message　from　the　Seeker。　Tell　him　he　is　to　go　back　to　Hartland　and　warn　the　First　Councilor　that　the　boundary　will　be　down　soon。　Have　him　tell　Michael　to　gather　the　army　to　protect　Westland　from　Rahl's　forces。　They　must　be　prepared　to　fight　at　any　invasion。　They　must　not　let　Westland　fall　as　did；　the　Midlands。　Any　forces　that　e　across　must　be　deemed　invaders。　Have　him　tell　Michael　that　Rahl　is　the　one　who　killed　our　father　and　those　who　e；　do　not　e　in　peace。　We　are　at　war；　and　I　am　already　joined　in　battle。　If　my　brother　or　the　army　fails　to　heed　my　warning；　then　Chase　is　to　abandon　the　service　of　the　government　and　gather　the　boundary　wardens　to　stand　against　Rahl's　legions。　His　army　was　virtually　unopposed　when　they　took　the　Midlands。　If　they　have　to　shed　blood　freely　to　take　Westland；　maybe　they　will　lose　their　spirit。　Tell　him　to　show　no　mercy　to　the　enemy；　take　no　prisoners。　I　take　no　joy　in　giving　these　orders；　but　it's　the　way　Rahl　fights；　and　either　we　meet　him　on　his　terms　or　we　die　on　them。　If　Westland　is　taken；　I　expect　the　wardens　to　extract　a　terrible　price　before　they　fall。　After　Chase　has　the　army　and　wardens　in　place；　he　is　free　to　e　to　my　aid；　if　he　chooses　to　do　so；　as　above　all　else　we　must　stop　Rahl　from　getting　all　three　boxes。〃　Richard　looked　down　at　the　ground。　〃Have　him　tell　my　brother　that　I　love　him　and　I　miss　him。〃　He　looked　up　and　gauged　Adie's　expression。　〃Can　you　remember　all　that？〃
　
　〃I　do　not　think　I　could　forget　if　I　wanted　to。　I　will　tell　the　warden　your　words。　What　would　you　have　me　tell　the　wizard？〃
　
　Richard　smiled。　〃That　I'm　sorry　we　couldn't　wait　for　him；　but　I　know　he　will　understand。　When　he　is　able；　he　will　find　us　by　the　night　stone。　I　hope　by　then　to　have　found　one　of　the　boxes。〃
　
　〃Strength　to　the　Seeker；〃　Adie　said　in　a　rasp；　〃and　you　too；　child。　Grim　times　lie　ahead。〃　
　
　CHAPTER　18
　THE　TRAIL　was　WIDE　enough　to　allow　Richard　and　Kahlan　to　walk　side　by　side　after　they　left　Adie's　place。　Clouds　hung　thick　and　threatening；　but　the　rain　held　off。　Both　wrapped　their　cloaks　tight。　Damp；　brown　pine　needles　matted　the　path　through　the　forest。　There　was　little　brush　among　the　big　trees；　allowing　an　open　view　for　a　good　distance。　Ferns　covered　the　ground　in　feathery　swaths　through　the　trees；　and　dead　wood　lay　in　it　here　and　there　as　if　asleep　in　a　bed。　Squirrels　scolded　the　two　of　them　as　they　hiked　along；　while　birds　sang　with　monotonous　conviction。
　
　Richard　picked　at　the　branch　of　a　small　balsam　fir　as　they　walked　past；　stripping　the　needles　between　his　thumb　and　the　crook　of　his　first　finger。
　
　〃Adie　is　more　than　she　seems；〃　he　said　at　last。
　
　Kahlan　looked　up　at　him　as　they　walked。　〃She　is　a　sorceress。〃
　
　Richard　glanced　sideways　at　her　in　surprise。　〃Really？　I　don't　know　exactly　what　a　sorceress　is。〃
　
　〃Well；　she　is　more　than　us；　but　less　than　a　wizard。〃
　
　Richard　smelled　the　aromatic　fragrance　of　the　balsam　needles；　then　cast　them　aside。　Maybe　she　was　more　than　he；　Richard　thought；　but　he　wasn't　at　all　sure　she　was　more　than　Kahlan。　He　remembered　the　look　on　Adie's　face　when　Kahlan　had　grabbed　her　by　the　wrist。　It　had　been　a　look　of　fear。　He　remembered　the　look　on　Zedd's　face　when　he　had　first　seen　her。　What　power　did　she　have　that　could　frighten　a　sorceress　and　a　wizard？　What　had　she　done　that　had　caused　thunder　without　sound？　She　had　done　it　twice　that　he　knew　of；　once　with　the　quad；　and　once　with　Shar；　the　night　wisp。　Richard　remembered　the　pain　that　had　followed。　A　sorceress　greater　than　Kahlan？　He　wondered。
　
　〃What's　Adie　doing　living　here；　in　the　pass？〃
　
　Kahlan　pushed　some　of　her　hair　back　over　her　shoulder。　〃She　became　tired　of　people　ing　to　her　all　the　time；　wanting　spells　and　potions。　She　wanted　to　be　left　alone　to　study　whatever　it　is　a　sorceress　studies；　some　sort　of　higher　summons；　as　she　called　it。〃
　
　〃Do　you　think　she　will　be　safe　when　the　boundary　fails？〃
　
　〃I　hope　so。　I　like　her。〃
　
　〃Me　too；〃　he　added　with　a　smile。
　
　The　trail；　climbing　sharply　in　places；　forced　them　to　go　single　file　at　times　as　it　twisted　along　steep　rocky　hillsides　and　over　ridges。　Richard　let　Kahlan　go　first　so　he　could　keep　an　eye　on　her；　make　sure　she　didn't　wander　off　the　path。　At　times　he　had　to　point　out　the　trail；　his　experience　as　a　guide　making　it　plain　to　him；　but　not　to　her　unpracticed　eye。　Other　times　the　trail　was　a　well…defined　rut。　The　woods　were　thick。　Trees　grew　from　splits　in　the　rock　that　pushed　up　above　the　leaf　litter。　Mist　drifted　among　the　trees。　Roots　bulging　from　cracks　provided　handholds　as　they　climbed　the　abrupt　inclines。　His　legs　ached　from　the　effort　of　descending　extreme　drops　in　the　dark　trail。
　
　Richard　wondered　what　they　were　going　to　do　once　they　reached　the　Midlands。　He　had　depended　on　Zedd　to　let　him　know　the　plan　once　they　crossed　the　pass；　and　now　they　were　without　Zedd；　without　a　plan。　He　felt　kind　of　foolish　to　be　charging　into　the　Midlands。　What　was　he　going　to　do　once　they　crossed　over？　Stand　there　and　look　around；　divine　where　the　box　was　and　then　be　off　after　it？　Didn't　sound　like　a　good　plan　to　him。　They　didn't　have　time　to　wander　about　aimlessly；　hoping　they　would　e　across　something。　No　one　was　going　to　be　waiting　for　him；　waiting　to　tell　him　where　to　go　n