tg.stone of tears-第158章
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D’Harans everywhere； but cut down those they could if it didn’t slow their pace。 Where necessary； they engaged the sporadic resistance。
The large mand tents were surrounded by her white Galeans。 They held a small group of about fifteen men at swordpoint。 Before them lay a neat row of at least thirty bodies on their backs in the snow。
Others of her men were throwing battle standards and flags atop a large pile already smoldering and burning in the fire。 Empty casks lay scattered in the snow。 When their army had e under attack； the manders had issued no orders。 The army of the Imperial Order was without benefit of direction。
Lieutenant Sloan pointed with his sword to the line of bodies。 These officers were already dead。 The poison did its work。 These others were still alive； although not in the best of health。 They were all lying about in their tents。 We could hardly get them up。 They asked us for rum； if you can believe it。 We’ve held them； like you said。’
Kahlan surveyed the faces of the bodies in the snow。 She didn’t see what she wanted。 She looked to the faces of the captured officers。 He wasn’t there either。
She directed her Confessor’s face to a Keltish officer at the end of the line。 ‘Where’s Riggs？’
He glared at her； and then spat。 Kahlan lifted her gaze to the man holding him。 She drew her finger across her throat。 He didn’t hesitate。 The officer went down in a heap。
She looked to the next officer。 ‘Where’s Riggs？’
His eyes darted about。 ‘I don’t know！’
Kahlan drew her finger across her throat。 As he went down； she looked to the next man； a D’Haran mander。
‘Where’s Riggs？’
His eyes were wide； but not at the two bleeding bodies beside him。 His horror was for her。 A spirit before him。 He wet his lips。
‘He was hurt； by the Mother Confessor。 I mean； by you。 Before。’ His voice trembled。 ‘When you were 。。。 alive。’
‘Where is he！’
He winced； shaking his head vigorously。 ‘I don’t know； great spirit！ He was hurt； his face was cut by the horse。 He is being tended to by the surgeons。 I don’t know where their tents are。’
‘Who knows where the surgeon’s tents are？’
Most trembled and shuddered as they shook their heads。 Kahlan stepped her horse down the line of officers。 She stopped before one she knew。
‘General Karsh。 I am very pleased to see you again。 Where’s Riggs！’
‘Wouldn’t tell you if I knew。’ He grinned as he leered up at her。 ‘You look better naked than I fancied。 Why are you whoring with this lot？ We could do you better than these boys。’
The man holding him twisted his arm until he cried out。 ‘Show respect for the Mother Confessor； you Keltish pig！’
‘Respect！ For a whore holding a sword？ Never！’
Kahlan leaned toward him。 These ‘boys’ have you under their blades。 Every one is a better man than you； I would say。
‘You wanted war； Karsh。 You have your wish。 You have war； now。 A real war； not a slaughter of women and children； but a war led by me … the Mother Confessor。 A woman。 War without quarter。’
She sat up straight in her saddle； letting his eyes linger on her breasts。 ‘I have a message； Karsh。 A message for the Keeper。 You will be with him presently。 Tell him I said to make plenty of room； I’m sending all his disciples home。’
Her gaze swept down the line of men holding the officers。 She drew her finger across her throat in a quick gesture。 The response was just as quick。
As the bodies tumbled forward； she cried out； her hand darting to her neck。 A stinging pain jolted her。 It was in the exact same place 。。。
It was the pain of Darken Rahl’s lips on her neck； the pain she had felt when he had e to them in the spirit house； when he had burned Richard with his hand。 When he had kissed her neck and silently promised her unimaginable horrors。
Men rushed forward。 ‘Mother Confessor！ What is it！’
She took her hand away。 Blood coated her white fingers。 She couldn’t say how she knew； but she knew without doubt that the blood was drawn by the perfect； snow white teeth of Darken Rahl。
‘Mother Confessor！ There’s blood on your neck！’
‘It’s nothing。 I’m all right。 I must have just been nicked by an arrow； that’s all。’ She gathered her wits and courage。 ‘Put the head of every officer on a pole； for all their men to see； to let them know they are without leaders。 And hurry。’
By the time the last dripping head was hoisted up； D’Ha…rans were pouring in from all sides。 Most were drunk； laughing as if it were nothing more than a drunken brawl。 But inefficient and clumsy as they were； their numbers were alarming。 They were like a swarm of bees； for every one knocked down； ten replaced him。
Her men fought fiercely； but they were no match for the overwhelming numbers sweeping in。 Men she had talked to； reassured； inspired； yelled at； and smiled to were falling with cries of pain and terror。 They had been here too long。
Ahead； a pitched battle erupted。 The Galeans were being driven back。 If they were driven back； they had no chance of escape。 They couldn’t go back the way they had e； back to men who would have had time to have been sobered by the carnage around them； to gather their senses； and their spirit。
Without surprise； they were nothing but a bunch of naked boys and one woman。 If they tried a second time what had worked once； they would all die。 They had to cleave their way through the Order； to the other side of the valley。 D’Harans hacked in at the white forms。 Her ankle was grasped by a powerful hand。 She hewed it off and shook her foot to shed the disembodied hand。
They were in danger of being swallowed into the belly of this beast。
Disregarding the death cries of her men； disregarding her promise not to leave the protective ring of the fiercest Galean swordsmen； disregarding her promise not to deliberately put herself into peril； Kahlan charged Nick into the thick of the battle； and beyond … into the enemy。
Her sword stabbed to each side； into any enemy close enough。 Teeth gritted； she swung at flesh and bone。 Her wrist tingled from the jarring impacts； and her arm was so weary she feared she would not be able to lift the sword much longer。
Frightened that she would be taken down； her men poured ahead； toward her； with renewed resolve。 They drove the dark wave back； rolling over it as she urged her horse forward into the sea of dark leather uniforms。
She stood in the stirrups； holding her sword high。 ‘For Ebinissia！ For her dead！ For her spirit！’
It had the desired effect。 Men of the Order who were confused by the white enemy； but were nonetheless determined to crush them； whatever they were； stopped and stared openly at a white； naked woman atop a horse suddenly in their midst。 Their faith； that the attack was from men and not spirits； faltered。 They gaped in open astonishment。 She swept her gaze around at all the eyes peering up at her。
She swung the white sword in a circle over her head as a breeze ruffled her white hair back off her shoulders。 ‘In the name of their spirits； I have e to avenge them！’
Leather…clad men fell to their knees； dropping their swords； pressing prayerful hands together。 They held those hands up to her。 They wailed for protection。 They called for her mercy。 They cried for forgiveness。 Had they been sober； she wondered； would the illusion be so convincing？ As it was； the effect was apocalyptic。
‘We grant no quarter！’
As all faces stared up toward her； as eyes shed tears of trepidation； weapons set upon them from behind。 The sudden； violent； merciless wave of hard steel terrified them； convinced them that the spirits would have them all。 They broke and ran； dropping weapons； screaming in fear of the underworld。
They had done what they had e to do。 Time was now against them。 They needed to escape。
They charged onward； a deadly； swift river of white that poured over and around the tents and fires and wagons and men； surprising ever more of the lethargic enemy； killing as many as they could while rolling ahead。 White death moved into the mist once again。
Kahlan glanced behind； and saw the pairs of draft horses； their riders holding the chains up between them。 She waved them into the stream of white； urging them to move faster。 They started unhooking one end of the chains from the hame hooks and looping the chain over the horn on the other horse； to give each horse freedom； now that they needed to make a quick escape。
In the distance； in the fog to the right； she saw a line of picketed horses。 She saw Brin and Peter e together； snap the end of the chain over the other hook again and urge Daisy and Pip into gallops。 She thought to scream at them； to order them to keep with the others； that they couldn’t hope to get them all； that they had done enough and must leave now； that it was too late。 But she knew they wouldn’t hear her。
Brin dropped the loops of chain。 They spread the horses to pull the steel taut as they peeled away toward the picket line of horses。 The hooves of the big horses thundered across the ground。 S
