tg.stone of tears-第87章

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　into　the　air。　It　cannot　be　seen；　but　it　be　there。　Something　like　that　with　the　skrin。
　
　‘On　rare　occasions；　in　their　duty　to　repel　all　from　the　cusp　where　the　world　of　the　living　and　the　world　of　the　dead　touch；　they　be　pulled　into　this　world。　Few　people　know　of　them　because　it　so　rarely　happens。’　Zedd　was　frowning。　‘It　be　very　plex。　I　will　explain　it　better　another　time。　The　important　thing　be　that　this　bone　from　the　skrin　hides　you　from　them。’
　
　Adie　took　a　sip　of　her　tea　while　Zedd　pulled　his　necklace　out　of　his　robes；　taking　a　new　look　at　it。　‘And　it　must　hide　you　from　other　beasts；　too；　to　get　through　the　pass？’　She　nodded。　‘How　did　you　know　about　the　pass？　I　put　the　boundary　up；　and　I　didn’t　know　the　pass　existed。’
　
　She　turned　the　teacup　around　and　around　in　her　fingers。　‘After　I　left　my　grandmother；　I　sought　out　women　with　the　gift；　women　who　could　teach　me　things　about　the　world　of　the　dead。　After　Mathrin　died；　I　studied　harder；　with　more　urgency。　Each　woman　could　tell　me　only　what　small　bit　she　knew；　but　they　usually　knew　one　who　knew　more。　I　traveled　the　Midlands；　going　among　them；　gathering　knowledge。　I　collected　all　those　bits　of　knowledge；　piecing　them　together。　In　this　manner；　I　learned　a　little　of　how　the　worlds　interact。
　
　‘By　putting　up　a　boundary　across　parts　of　this　world；　it　be　a　little　like　stoppering　up　a　teakettle　and　then　putting　it　on　the　fire。　Without　a　vent；　something　will　blow　off。　I　knew　that　if　there　be　magic　wise　enough　to　know　how　to　bring　the　underworld　into　this；　it　must　have　a　way　to　equalize　each　side　of　the　boundary。　A　vent　of　some　sort。　A　pass。’
　
　Zedd　lifted　an　eyebrow；　staring　off　into　his　thoughts；　as　he　drew　his　thumb　down　his　chin。　‘Of　course。　That　makes　sense。　Balance。　All　force；　all　magic；　must　be　balanced。’　He　focused　his　eyes　on　her。　‘When　I　brought　up　the　boundary；　I　was　using　magic　I　didn’t　fully　understand。　It　was　in　an　ancient　book；　from　the　wizards　of　old；　who　had　more　power　than　I　can　fathom。　Using　their　instructions　to　bring　up　the　boundary　was　an　act　of　desperation。’
　
　‘It　be　hard　for　me　to　imagine　you　being　desperate。’
　
　‘Sometimes；　that’s　all　life　is：　one　desperate　act　after　another。’
　
　Adie　nodded。　‘Perhaps　you　be　right。　I　was　desperate　to　hide　from　the　Keeper。　I　remembered　what　Mathrin　had　said：　he　be　hiding　right　under　my　nose。　I　reasoned　that　the　safest　place　for　me　to　hide　from　the　Keeper　would　be　where　he　wouldn’t　look：　right　under　his　nose；　right　at　the　edge　of　his　world。　So　I　came　to　the　pass。
　
　‘The　pass　did　not　be　this　world；　yet　it　did　not　be　the　underworld　either。　It　be　a　mix　of　both。　A　place　where　both　worlds　boiled　together　a　little　bit。　With　the　bones；　I　be　able　to　hide　from　the　Keeper。　He　and　the　beasts　from　his　world　could　not　see　me。’
　
　‘Hide？’　The　woman　had　more　iron　in　her　than　the　kettle　hanging　on　the　fire。　If　he　knew　Adie；　there　was　more　to　it。　Zedd　gave　her　a　stern　stare。　‘You　came　here；　simply　to　hide？’
　
　She　averted　her　eyes　as　she　fingered　the　small；　round　bone　on　her　necklace；　and　then　at　last　tucked　it　back　into　her　robes。　There　be　another　reason。　I　made　an　oath。　To　myself。　I　swore　I　would　find　a　way　to　contact　my　Pell；　to　tell　him　I　did　not　betray　him。’　She　took　a　long　swallow　of　tea。　‘I　have　spent　most　of　my　life　here；　in　the　pass；　trying　to　find　a　way　to　reach　into　the　world　of　the　dead；　to　tell　him。　The　pass　be　part　of　that　world。’
　
　Zedd　pushed　at　his　cup　with　a　finger。　‘The　boundary；　the　pass；　is　gone；　Adie。　I　need　your　help　in　this　world。’
　
　She　laid　her　arms　on　the　table。　‘When　you　grew　my　foot　back　for　me；　it　brought　back　everything　that　had　happened；　made　it　fresh；　as　if　I　be　reliving　it。　It　made　me　remember　some　things　I　had　forgotten　for　a　long　time。　It　made　me　remember　hurts　that　still　be　there；　though　time　had　dimmed　them。’
　
　‘I’m　sorry；　Adie；’　he　whispered。　‘I　should　have　taken　your　past　into　consideration；　but　I　didn’t　suspect　you　had　lived　through　that　much　pain。　Forgive　me。’
　
　There　be　nothing　to　forgive。　You　gave　me　a　gift　by　giving　me　my　foot　back。　You　did　not　know　the　things　I　have　done。　It　not　be　your　fault　I　did　them。　You　did　not　know　I　be　a　baneling。’
　
　He　cast　her　a　harsh　glare。　‘You　think　that　because　you　have　fought　back　against　wickedness；　you　have　bee　wicked？’
　
　‘I　have　done　worse　than　a　man　like　you　can　understand。’
　
　Zedd　nodded　slightly。　‘Is　that　so。　Let　me　tell　you　a　little　story。　I　had　a　love　once；　like　your　Pell。　Her　name　was　Erilyn。　My　time　with　her　was　like　your　time　with　Pell。’　A　slow　smile　came　to　his　lips；　as　his　memory　touched　the　mist　of　those　pleasant　times。　The　smile　withered。　‘Until　Panis　Rahl　sent　a　quad　after　her。’
　
　Adie　reached　out　and　laid　a　hand　on　his。　‘Zedd；　you　do　not　need　to　。。。’
　
　Zedd　brought　his　other　fist　down　on　the　table；　making　the　cups　jump。　‘You　can’t　imagine　what　the　four　of　them　did　to　her。’　He　leaned　forward；　his　face　standing　out　red　against　his　white　hair。　He　ground　his　teeth　together。　‘I　hunted　them　down。　What　I　did　to　each　of　them　would　make　whatever　you　did　to　Mathrin　seem　a　lark。　I　went　after　Panis　Rahl；　but　couldn’t　reach　him；　so　I　went　after　his　armies。　For　every　man　you　killed；　Adie；　I　killed　a　thousand。　Even　my　own　side　feared　me。　I　was　the　wind　of　death。　I　did　what　was　needed　to　stop　Panis　Rahl。　And　maybe　more。’
　
　He　settled　his　weight　back　in　the　chair。　‘If　there　is　such　a　thing　as　a　man　of　virtue；　you　do　not　sit　with　him　now。’
　
　‘You　did　only　what　you　had　to。　That　does　not　diminish　your　virtue。’
　
　He　arched　an　eyebrow。　‘Wise　words；　spoken　by　a　wise　woman。　Perhaps　you　should　listen　to　them。’　She　remained　silent。　He　put　his　elbows　on　the　table　and　idly　picked　up　the　cup；　rolling　it　in　his　palms　as　he　went　on。　‘In　a　way；　I　was　luckier　than　you。　I　had　more　time　with　my　Erilyn。　And　I　didn’t　lose　my　daughter。’
　
　‘Panis　Rahl　did　not　try　to　kill　your　daughter；　too？’
　
　‘Yes。　Indeed；　he　thought　he　had。　I　。。。　cast　a　death　spell。　To　make　them　think　they　had　seen　her　death。　It　was　the　only　way　to　protect　her；　to　keep　them　from　trying　until　they　succeeded。’
　
　A　death　spell　。。。’　Adie　whispered　a　benediction　in　her　native　tongue。　That　be　a　dangerous　web。　I　would　not　reproach　you　for　doing　such　a　thing；　you　had　cause；　but　such　a　thing　does　not　go　unnoticed　by　the　spirits。　You　be　lucky　it　worked；　and　it　saved　her。　You　be　very　fortunate　the　good　spirits　be　with　you　on　that　day。’
　
　‘I　guess　sometimes　it’s　hard　to　tell　which　side　of　luck　you’re　looking　at。　I　raised　her　without　a　mother。　She　had　grown　into　a　fine　young　woman　when　it　happened。
　
　‘Darken　Rahl　had　been　standing　next　to　his　father　when　I　sent　the　Wizard’s　Fire　through　the　boundary。　He　was　standing　next　to　his　father　when　my　fire　found　him。　Some　of　it　burned　Darken　Rahl。　He　spent　his　growing　years　learning；　so　he　could　finish　what　his　father　had　started；　and　extract　his　vengeance。　He　learned　how　to　cross　the　boundary；　he　was　ing　into　the　Midlands；　and　I　never　knew。
　
　‘He　raped　my　daughter。
　
　‘He　didn’t　know　who　she　was　…　everyone　thought　my　daughter　was　dead　…　or　he　would　have　killed　her　sure。　But　he　hurt　her。’　He　pressed　his　palms　together。　The　cup　shattered。　He　turned　his　hands　up；　to　see　if　they　had　been　cut；　and　was　a　little　surprised　they　weren’t。　Adie　said　nothing。
　
　‘After　that；　I　took　her　to　Westland；　to　hide；　to　protect　her。　I　never　knew　if　it　was　more　of　that　bad　luck；　or　if　somehow　wickedness　found　her；　but　she　died。　Burned　to　death　in　her　house。　Though　I　always　suspected　the　irony　was　more　than　coincidence；　I　never　found　proof　it　was　so。　Perhaps；　after　all；　the　good　spirits　hadn’t　been　with　me　on　the　day　I　cast　her　death　spell。’
　
　‘I　be　sorry；　Zedd；’　Adie　said　in　a　soft　rasp。
　
　He　waved　off　her　pity　with　a　flourish　of　his　hand。　‘I　still　had　her　boy。’　With　the　side　of　his　finger；　he　pushed　the　shards　of　the　cup　into　a　little　pile　in　the　center　of　the　wooden　tabletop。　‘Darken　Rahl’s　son。　The　spawn　of　an　agent　of　the　Keeper。　But　my　daughter’s　son　too；　and　my　grandson。　Innocent　of　the　crimes　that　brought　him　to　be。　A　fine　boy。’
　
　He　looked　up　at　her　from　under　his　bushy　eyebrows。　‘I　believe　you　know　him。　His　name　is　Richard。’
　
　Adie　lurched　forward　in　her　chair。　‘Richard！　Richard　is　your　。。。’　She　leaned　back；　shaking　her　head。　‘Wizards　and　their　secrets。’　She　scowled　a　little；　but　then　softened　her　expression。　‘Perhaps　you　had　just　cause　for　a　secret　such　as　this。　Does　Richard　have　the　gift？’
　
　Zedd　lifted　his　eyebrows　as　he　nodded。　‘Indeed　he　does。　That　was　one　reason　I　hid　him　in　Westland。　I　feared　he　had　the　gift；　though　I　wasn’t　sure；　and　I　wanted　him　to　be　safe　from　danger。　As　you　said；　the　Keeper　lusts　for　those　with　the　gift　more　than　any　other。　I　knew　that　if　I　began　teaching　him；　used　magic　very　much　myself；　the　gaze　of　danger　would　settle　on　him。
　
　‘I　wanted　to　let　him　grow；　bee　strong　of　character；　before　I　tested　him；　and　if　he　had　the　gift；　taught　him。　I　had　always　suspected　he　had　the　gift。　Sometimes；　I　hoped　he　did　not。　But　I　now　know　he　does。　He　used　it　to　stop　Darken　Rahl。　Used　magic。’
　
　He　leaned　forward。　‘I　suspec