tg.wizardfirstrule-第79章

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rowd　began　creeping　back；　the　Bird　Man　had　not　moved。　Kahlan　feared　Richard's　anger；　and　understood　it；　too。　She　decided　not　to　interfere；　but　to　do　what　was　necessary　to　protect　the　Seeker；　whatever　he　did　next。　Not　even　a　whisper　was　uttered；　the　only　sound　in　the　dead　silence　was　the　distinctive　ringing　of　steel。　With　his　teeth　gritted；　Richard　pointed　the　glinting　sword　at　the　elders；　its　tip　inches　from　their　faces。
　
　〃Have　the　courage　to　do　one　last　thing　for　your　people。〃　Richard's　tone　sent　a　chill　through　her。　Kahlan　translated　out　of　reflex；　too　transfixed　to　do　anything　else。　Then；　unbelievably；　he　turned　the　sword　around；　holding　it　by　the　point；　holding　the　hilt　out　to　the　elders。　〃Take　my　sword；〃　he　manded。　〃Use　it　to　kill　the　women　and　children。　It　will　be　more　merciful　than　what　Darken　Rahl　will　do　to　them。　Have　the　courage　to　spare　them　the　torture　they　will　suffer。　Give　them　the　charity　of　a　quick　death。〃　His　countenance　withered　their　expressions
　
　Kahlan　could　hear　women　starting　to　cry　softly　as　they　clutched　their　children。　The　elders；　in　the　grip　of　a　terror　they　hadn't　expected；　did　not　move。　At　last　their　eyes　fled　from　Richard's　glare。　When　it　was　clear　to　all　they　did　not　have　the　courage　to　take　the　sword；　Richard　painstakingly　slid　it　back　into　its　scabbard；　as　if　slowly　extinguishing　their　last　chance　at　salvation…an　unequivocal　gesture　that　the　elders　had　forfeited　forever　the　aid　of　the　Seeker。　The　finality　of　it　was　frightening。
　
　Then　at　last　he　broke　his　hot　glare　at　them　and　turned　to　her；　his　face　changing。　When　she　saw　the　look　in　his　eyes；　she　swallowed　hard。　It　was　a　look　of　heartache　for　a　people　he　had　e　to　love；　but　could　not　help。　All　eyes　stayed　on　him　as　he　closed　the　distance　between　them　and　took　her　gently　by　the　arm。
　
　〃Let's　collect　our　things　and　get　moving；〃　he　said　softly。　〃We've　wasted　a　lot　of　time。　I　only　hope　it　wasn't　too　much。〃　His　gray　eyes　were　wet。　〃I'm　sorry；　Kahlan　。。。　that　I　chose　wrong。〃
　
　〃You　did　not　choose　wrong；　Richard；　they　did。〃　Her　anger　at　the　elders　had　a　finality　to　it；　too；　a　door　closing　on　any　hope　for　these　people。　She　cut　off　her　concern　for　them；　they　were　the　walking　dead。　They　had　been　offered　a　chance；　and　had　chosen　their　own　fate。
　
　When　they　passed　Savidlin；　the　two　men　locked　arms　for　a　moment　without　looking　at　each　other。　No；　one　else　made　a　move　to　leave；　they　stayed　and　watched　the　two　outsiders　walk　quickly　among　them。　As　they　passed；　a　few　reached　out　and　touched　Richard；　he　returning　the　wordless　sympathy　with　a　squeeze　of　his　hand　on　their　arms；　unable　to　bear　meeting　their　eyes。
　
　They　gathered　up　their　things　from　Savidlin's　house；　stuffing　their　cloaks　into　the　packs。　Neither　spoke。　Kahlan　felt　empty；　drained。　When　their　eyes　met　at　last；　they　suddenly　came　together　in　a　wordless　embrace；　a　shared　grief　for　their　new　friends；　for　what　they　both　knew　would　happen　to　them。　They　had　gambled　with　the　only　thing　they　had…time。　And　lost。
　
　When　they　separated；　Kahlan　put　the　last　of　her　things　in　the　pack　and　closed　the　flap。　Richard　pulled　his　cloak　back　out。　She　watched　as　he　pushed　his　hand　inside　and　rummaged　around；　an　urgency　to　his　search。　He　went　to　the　doorway　for　light；　and　looked　inside　as　he　moved　items　roughly　about。　The　arm　holding　the　pack　lowered　and　his　face　came　up　to　hers；　alarm　in　his　expression。
　
　〃The　night　stone　is　gone。〃
　
　The　way　he　said　it　frightened　her。　〃Maybe　you　left　it　out　somewhere　。　。　。　。〃
　
　〃No。　I　never　took　it　out　of　my　pack。　Never。〃
　
　Kahlan　didn't　understand　why　he　seemed　so　panicked　about　it。　〃Richard；　we　don't　need　it　now；　we　are　through　the　pass。　I'm　sure　Adie　will　forgive　its　loss。　We　have　more　important　things　to　worry　about。〃
　
　He　took　a　step　closer　to　her。　〃You　don't　understand。　We　have　to　find　it。〃
　
　〃Why？〃　she　frowned。
　
　〃Because　I　think　that　thing　can　wake　the　dead。〃　Her　mouth　fell　open。　〃Kahlan；　I've　been　thinking　about　it。　Do　you　remember　how　nervous　Adie　was　when　she　gave　it　to　me；　how　she　kept　looking　around　until　it　was　put　away？　And　when　did　the　shadow　things　in　the　pass　start　ing　for　us？　After　I　took　it　out。　Remember？〃
　
　Her　eyes　were　wide。　〃But；　even　if　someone　else　used　it；　she　said　it　would　only　work　for　you。〃
　
　〃She　was　talking　about　it　giving　off　light。　She　said　nothing　about　waking　the　dead。　I　can't　believe　Adie　wouldn't　warn　us。〃
　
　Kahlan　looked　away；　thinking。　Her　eyes　closed　as　a　wave　of　realization　swept　over　her。　〃Yes；　she　did；　Richard。　She　warned　you　with　a　sorceress's　riddle。　I'm　sorry；　I　never　gave　it　a　thought。　That　is　the　way　of　a　sorceress。　She　will　not　always　e　right　out　with　what　she　knows；　with　a　warning。　She　will　sometimes　put　it　in　the　form　of　a　riddle。〃
　
　Richard　turned　to　the　door；　glaring　out。　〃I　can't　believe　it。　The　world　is　being　sucked　into　oblivion；　and　that　old　woman　gives　us　riddles。〃　He　pounded　his　fist　against　the　doorframe。　〃She　should　have　told　us！〃
　
　〃Richard；　maybe　she　had　a　reason；　maybe　it　was　the　only　way。〃
　
　He　stared　out　the　door；　thinking。　〃If　you　have　need　enough。　That's　what　she　said。　Like　water。　It　is　valuable　only　under　the　right　conditions；　that　to　a　drowning　man　it　is　of　little　worth　and　great　trouble。　That　was　how　she　was　trying　to　warn　us。　Great　trouble。〃　He　turned　back　to　the　room；　picking　up　the　pack　again；　taking　another　look　inside。　〃It　was　here　last　night；　I　saw　it。　What　could　have　happened　to　it？〃　Together　they　looked　up；　their　eyes　meeting。　〃Siddin；〃　they　both　said　at　once
　
　CHAPTER　26
　DROPPING　THEIR　PACKS；　THEY　both　ran　out　the　door；　heading　for　the　open　area　where　they　had　last　seen　Savidlin。　Both　screamed　out　Siddin's　name。　As　they　ran；　splashing　through　the　mud；　people　scattered　out　of　the　way。　By　the　time　they　reached　the　open　area；　the　crowd　was　in　a　panic；　not　knowing　what　was　happening；　and　were　sweeping　back　for　the　shelter　of　the　buildings。　The　eiders　retreated　on　the　platform。　The　Bird　Man　stretched　up；　trying　to　see。　The　band　of　hunters　behind　him　nocked　arrows　to　their　bowstrings。
　
　She　saw　Savidlin；　frightened　and　confused　that　they　were　calling　out　his　son's　name。
　
　〃Savidlin！〃　Kahlan　screamed。　〃Find　Siddin！　Don't　let　him　open　the　pouch　he　has！〃
　
　Savidlin　paled；　whirled　around；　searching；　then　ran　off　in　a　half　crouch；　looking　for　his　son；　his　head　darting　among　the　running　people。　Kahlan　didn't　see　Weselan　anywhere。　Richard　and　Kahlan　separated；　widening　their　search。　The　area　was　turning　to　mass　confusion；　she　had　to　push　people　out　of　her　way。　Kahlan's　heart　was　in　her　throat。　If　Siddin　opened　the　pouch　。　。　
　
　And　then　she　saw　him。
　
　As　people　cleared　the　center　of　the　village；　there　he　was；　paying　no　attention　to　the　panic　all　around　him　as　he　sat　in　the　mud；　shaking　the　leather　pouch　in　his　little　fist；　trying　to　get　the　stone　out。
　
　〃Siddin！　No！〃　she　yelled　at　him　over　and　over；　running　toward　him。
　
　He　couldn't　hear　her　screams。　Maybe　he　wouldn't　be　able　to　get　it　out。　He　was　just　a　defenseless　little　boy。　Please；　she　begged　in　her　mind；　let　the　fates　be　kind　to　him。
　
　The　stone　dropped　from　the　pouch　and　plopped　into　the　mud。　Siddin　smiled　and　picked　it　up。　Kahlan　felt　her　skin　go　cold。
　
　Shadow　things　began　to　materialize　all　around。　They　turned　like　wisps　of　mist　in　the　damp　air；　as　if　looking　about。　Then　they　floated　for　Siddin。
　
　Richard　ran　for　him；　screaming　over　at　her；　〃Get　the　stone！　Put　it　back　in　the　pouch！〃
　
　His　sword　flashed　through　the　air；　cutting　through　the　shadows　as　he　ran　in　a　straight　line　for　Siddin。　When　the　sword　sliced　through　them；　they　howled　in　agony　and　spun　apart。　Upon　hearing　the　terrifying　wails　Siddin　looked　up　and　froze；　wide…eyed。
　
　Kahlan　yelled　at　him　to　put　the　stone　back　in　the　pouch；　but　he　could　not　move。　He　was　hearing　other　voices。　She　ran　faster　than　she　had　ever　run；　weaving　back　and　forth　around　the　dense　knots　of　shadows　as　they　floated　toward　the　boy。
　
　Something　dark　and　small　zipped　past　her；　making　her　breath　catch　in　her　throat。　Then　another；　behind　her。　Arrows。　The　air　suddenly　became　thick　with　arrows；　the　Bird　Man　having　ordered　his　hunters　to　bring　down　the　shadows。　Every　one　went　true　and　found　its　mark；　but　they　simply　passed　through　the　shadow　things　as　if　they　were　whizzing　through　smoke。　Poison　tipped　arrows　were　flying　wildly　everywhere。　She　knew　that　if　one　even　nicked　her　or　Richard；　they　were　dead。　Now　she　had　to　dodge　the　arrows　as　well　as　the　shadows。　She　heard　another　whistle　past　her　ear　as　she　ducked　at　the　last　second。　One　skipped　in　the　mud　and　flew　past　her　leg。
　
　Richard　had　reached　the　boy；　but　couldn't　grab　the　stone。　All　he　was　able　to　do　was　frantically　strike　down　the　advancing　shadows。　He　couldn't　pause　to　try　for　the　stone
　
　Kahlan　was　still　a　long　way　off；　not　able　to　run　in　as　Richard　had；　cutting　through　them。　She　knew　that　if　she　inadvertently　touched　a　shadow；　she　was　dead。　There　were　so　many　materializing　around　her　the　very　air　was　like　a　gray　maze。　Richard　fought　around　the　boy　in　a　circle　that　got　smaller　all　the　time。　He　held　the　sword　in　both　hands；　swinging　it　wildly。　He　dared　not　slow　for　an　instant　or　they　would　close　over　him。　The