jr.shapechangers-第14部分

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t　the　dark　magic。　But　we　also　suffer；　for　though　the　Ihlini　cannot　overe　us　with　their　arts；　neither　can　we　take　fir…shape　before　them；　or　hear　our　/ir。　We　are　as　other　men　before　them。〃
　Alix；　stunned　by　his　words；　said　nothing。　All　her　life　she　had　known　the　Cheysuli　had　awesome　arts　at　their　call；　though　she　could　not　have　named　what　they　did；　to　hear　Duncan　speak　of　the　Ihlini　as　the　demons　she　had　ever　thought　a　Cheysuli　charac…teristic　upset　her　preconceived　notions　of　the　order　of　things。　Already　Finn　had　destroyed　her　innocently　confident　childhood。　Duncan　had　further　shaken　her　foundations　by　speaking　of　a　prophecy　and　the　future　she　faced　with　his　clan。　Now；　to　think　of　the　Ihlini　as　a　real　threat　to　the　land　she　loved；　Alix　felt　a　desperation　building　in　her　soul。
　Too　much　is　being　shattered。。。　she　thought　abstractedly。　They　are　taking　too　much　of　me；　twisting　me；　promising　things　I　have　ever　feared。。。
　〃Here；〃　Duncan　said　gently；　〃you　have　suffered　long　enough。〃
　She　dragged　her　eyes　from　the　fire；　blinking　at　the　residue　of　flames　that　overlay　his　dark　face。　He　held　something　in　his　hand；　offering　it　to　her。　She　saw　it　was　a　silver　b；　gleaming　in　the　firelight。　Slowly　she　put　out　a　hand　and　took　it；　fingering　the　intricate　runic　devices　that　leaped　and　twisted　in　the　flickering　shadows。
　〃You　may　have　it；〃　Duncan　said。　〃I　carried　it　for　a　girl　in
　the　Keep。　But　you　have　more　need　of　it。*'
　Alix　hesitated；　staring　at　him。　She　could　not；　even　as　she　tried；　view　him　as　her　enemy。　Finn's　threat　was　very　real；　substantial；　Duncan's　was　not。
　Or　else　he　hides　it　from　me。。。
　〃Use　it；〃　he　urged　gently。
　After　a　moment　she　set　the　b　down　and　began　to　undo　her　tangled　braid。　Duncan　stirred　the　fire　with　a　stick；　coaxing　life　back　to　me　rosy　coals。
　She　picked　twigs　and　leaves　from　the　heavy　plait；　gritting　her
　teeth　at　the　pain　of　snarls　set　so　deeply　she　would　have　to　rip　most　of　them　out。　To　cover　her　grimaces　she　spoke　to　Duncan。
　〃You　have　a　wife？〃
　〃No；　I　have　no　cheysula。〃
　She　dragged　the　b　through　her　hair。　〃Then　you　have　a
　。。。　mei　jhaT1
　He　glanced　at　her　briefly；　face　closed。　〃No。〃
　She　scowled　at　him　as　she　ripped　at　a　tangle。　〃Why　did　you　go　to　such　effort　to　explain　the　freedom　of　your　race。　if　you　do　not　subscribe　to　it　yourself？〃
　Duncan　continued　to　stir　the　fire；　though　it　did　not　particularly　require　it。　〃I　am　clan…leader。　It　came　on　me　eight　months　ago；　when　Tieman　died。　With　it　es　much　responsibility；　and　I　chose　not　to　divide　myself　between　a　cheysuta　and　the　leadership　this　year。〃　He　waved　the　stick　idly。　〃Perhaps　next　year。〃
　Alix　nodded　absently　as　she　freed　the　last　tangle　from　her　hair。　Her　attention　was　not　really　focused　on　Duncan；　but　she　sensed　an　odd　tension　in　him　as　he　watched　her　silently。　His　eyes　followed　her　hands　as　she　pulled　the　silver　b　through　the　heavy　length　of　her　dark　hair。
　The　exercise　improved　her　disposition　and　her　feelings　toward　the　clan…leader。　No　man；　did　he　want　to　sacrifice　her　to　some　unspeakable　god；　would　allow　her　the　amenities　mon　to　courtesy。　She　was　grateful　to　him。
　〃My　thanks；〃　she　said　gravely；　then　smiled　warmly　at　him　across　the　fire。
　Duncan　was　on　his　feet　in　one　movement；　muttering　some…thing　in　the　lyrical　Old　Tongue。　His　lips　pressed　into　a　thin　line　and　his　eyes　were　suddenly　hostile　as　he　stared　at　her；　transfixed。
　〃What　have　I　done？〃　she　cried；　aghast。
　〃Can　you　not　feel　it？〃　he　demanded。　〃Can　you　not　hear　the　tahlmorra　in　you？〃
　Alix　dropped　the　b。　〃What　do　you　say？〃
　He　swore　and　turned　from　her；　hands　curling　into　fists。　Then　he　gathered　up　a　bundled　blanket　and　tossed　it　at　her　violently。
　Alix　caught　it　before　it　could　fall　into　the　fire；　recoiling　from　his　cold　anger　until　she　felt　a　tree　against　her　back。　As　he　continued　to　stare　at　her　with　an　unwavering；　bestial　glare；　Alix　pushed　herself　to　her　feet　and　hugged　the　blanket　as　if　it　would　protect　her。
　〃What　do　you　say？〃　she　whispered。
　〃Tahlmorra。。。　and　you　know　nothing　of　it；〃　he　snapped。
　〃No！〃　she　cried；　illogically　angry　when　she　should　be
　frightened。　〃I　do　not！　And　do　not　mutter　to　me　of　it　when　I
　cannot　prehend　what　it　is。　How　am　I　to　conduct　myself　if　you　tell　me　nothing？〃
　Duncan　took　a　trembling　breath　and　visibly　controlled　himself；　as　if　he　knew　he　had　frightened　her。　〃I　had　forgot；〃　he　admitted　quietly。　〃You　cannot　know　it。　But　I　question　that　you　feel　nothing。〃
　〃Feel　wW？〃
　〃We　serve　the　prophecy；〃　he　said　with　effort；　〃but　we　cannot　know　it　perfectly。　The　shar　tahls　tell　us　what　they　can；　but　even　they　cannot　know　everything　that　the　gods　intend。　The　tahlmorra；　as　a　whole；　is　unknown　to　us。　But　we　feel　it。　Sense　it。〃　He　sighed　constrictedly　and　ran　a　stiff　hand　through　raven　hair。　〃I　have　e　to　face　a　part　of　my　tahlmorra　I　did　not　know。　I　should　wele　it。。。　but　I　cannot。　1　cannot　accept　it。　And　that；　in　itself；　is　a　denial　of　my　heritage。〃
　Alix　felt　a　measure　of　his　pain；　amazed　at　the　depth　of　his　turmoil。　His　solemnity　had　vanished；　the　man　she　had　thought　so　controlled　and　implacable　was　no　different　from　herself。　But　she　did　not　understand；　and　said　so。
　Duncan　relaxed　minutely。　〃No。　You　cannot。　You　are　too　young。。。　and　too　Homanan。〃　His　eyes；　focused　on　the　heavy　curtain　of　her　hair；　were　bleak。　〃And　Carillon　has　already　won　your　heart。〃
　〃Carillon！〃
　He　gestured　to　the　blanket　still　clasped　in　her　arms。　〃Sleep。
　We　ride　early。〃
　Alix　watched　him　walk　into　the　shadows；　disappearing　as　easily　as　if　he　were　a　part　of　the　night。　She　wondered；　as　she　shook　out　the　blanket　and　lay　it　by　the　tree；　if　he　were。
　The　gods　sent　her　a　dreamless　sleep。
　Chapter　Eight
　Alix　rode　with　Duncan　the　next　day；　hands　clasping　the　saddle　and　body　held　carefully　upright　so　she　would　not　touch　his　back。
　With　Finn　she　had　kept　herself　from　him　because　of　his　undisguised
　interest　in　her；　Duncan's　dignity　seemed　to　demand　such　behav…
　ior　on　her　part。　She　could　not　imagine　hanging　onto　him　or
　otherwise　interfering　with　anything　he　did。　And　he　had　closed
　himself　to　her　since　their　conversation　of　the　evening　before。　For　all　he　was　still　courteous；　he　was　also　cool　toward　her。
　When　evening　came　and　the　band　of　Cheysuli　stopped　to　set　up　camp；　Alix　found　herself　delegated　to　tend　Duncan's　fire　as　if　she…were　a　servant。　She　disliked　the　sensation。　It　made　her　feel　a　true　prisoner；　even　though　she　was　treated　mostly　like　a　visitor。
　Alix　dumped　a　tree　limb　onto　the　fire　and　scowled　at　it　blackly；　angry　with　herself　for　remaining　so　acquiescent　to　orders　and　angry　with　the　circumstances　in　general。　When　she　sensed　a　presence　on　the　outer　fringes　of　the　firelight　she　straightened；　then　gasped　and　stumbled　back　a　step　as　she　saw　the　baleful　gleaming　eyes　of　a　ruddy　wolf。
　It　came　closer；　into　the　light；　and　blurred　itself　before　her。　Alix　released　her　breath　and　gritted　her　teeth　as　she　saw　the　form　shape　itself　into　Finn。
　〃Do　you　seek　to　frighten　me　to　death？〃
　Finn　laughed　at　her　and　squatted　to　pour　himself　a　cup　of　honey　brew　from　the　pot　Duncan　had　set　over　the　fire。　After　several　restorative　swallows　he　fixed　her　with　a　bright　gaze　and　scratched　idly　at　his　cheek。
　〃Well；　I　have　returned　your　princeling　to　safety。〃
　Alix　knelt　down　on　a　thick　dark　pelt；　disgruntled　enough　to　speak　rudely　even　to　him。　〃You　did　not　slay　him？〃
　〃Carillon　is　meant　for　a　death；　like　all　men；　but　it　will　not　e　at　my　hands。〃
　She　shot　him　a　dubious　glance。　〃You　would　do　whatever　you　could　in　this　personal　war　you　wage　against　the　Mujhar。　Even　to　slaying　his　heir；　were　you　given　the　chance。〃
　〃But　Duncan　would　not　let　me　do　it。〃　He　laughed　at　her　startled　glance。　〃No；　I　would　not　slay　Carillon。　He　has　a　part　in　our　own　prophecy；　if　we　are　to　believe　he　is　the　one　the　runes　show　us。　There　is　no　name；　only　his　deeds　are　written　down。　The　prophecy　does　not　foretell　the　prince's　death　so　soon；　so　you　may　take　fort　in　that。　First　he　must　be　Mujhar。〃　Finn　studied　her　over　the　cup　as　he　drank　from　it；　still　squatting　by　the　fire。　〃You　do　not　seem　to　fret　for　him；　mei　jha。　Have　you　retrieved　your　heart　from　him　so　soon？〃
　Alix　lifted　her　chin　defiantly…　〃I　will　be　with　him　soon　enough；　when　he　returns　for　me。〃
　〃Your　place　is　with　us；〃　he　said　seriously。　〃We　are　your　people。　You　do　not　belong　with　valley　crofters　or　the　majesty　of　the　Mujhar　and　his　heir。〃
　She　knelt　on　me　thick　fur；　leaning　forward　in　supplication。
　〃You　took　me　from　my　people。　You　stole　me；　as　the　Homanans
　say　Hale　did　to　Lindir。　Can　you　not　understand　how　I　feel　about
　the　race　you　say　is　mine？　By　the　gods；　Finn；　you　even　threatened　to　force　me！〃
　〃I　did　not　think　you　would　have　me　willingly。〃
　Alix　released　a　breath　in　frustration。　〃Why　will　you　not　hear　me？　Are　you　ever　so　witless　as　you　seem？〃
　〃Witless！〃
　〃Do　you　do　anything　with　any　thought　put　to　the　conse…quences？〃
　〃The　qu'mahlin　has　left　us　little　time　for　thought。　Most　of　die　time　we　act　because　we　must。〃
　〃You　use　that　as　an　excuse！〃　she　cried。　〃You　prate　about　the　qu'mahlin　as　if　only　you　have　suffered。　Yet　you　leave　me　no　room　to　think　perhaps　your　race　has　the　right　to　curse　Shaine；　because　you　behave　as　if　you　are　free　to　do　what　you　wish。　Duncan　would　h