df.therunelords-第36节

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　take　endowments　from　wolves；　and　thus　became　known　as　Wolf　Lords。
　Men　who　desired　an　uncanny　sense　of　smell　or　hearing　often　took　endowments　from　pups；　for　dogs　gave　them　willingly　and　required　little　in　the　way　of　support　thereafter。　Even　stamina　or　brawn　were　taken　from　mastiffs；　bred　for　just　that　purpose。
　Yet　men　who　took　endowments　from　dogs　became　subhuman；　part　animal　themselves。　Thus　the　euphemism　Wolf　Lord　became　a　term　of　derision　used　for　any　man　of　low　morals；　including　men　like　Raj　Ahten；　who　might　never　have　taken　an　endowment　from　a　dog。
　No　king　of　the　North　would　follow　Raj　Ahten。　Men　who　earned　the　title　Wolf　Lord　became　outcasts。　Honorable　lords　were　duty　bound　to　fund　the　Knights　Equitable　in　their　wars　and　assassinations。　Like　wolves　caught　in　the　sheep　fold；　Wolf　Lords　were　accorded　no　mercy。
　〃It　doesn't　have　to　be　this　way；〃　Sylvarresta　said。　〃There　are　other　ways　to　prosecute　this　war。　A　tithe　of　knights　from　each　kingdom。。。〃
　〃It　does　have　to　be　this　way；〃　Raj　Ahten　corrected。　〃Would　you　dare　dispute　me　on　this　point？　I　have　a　thousand　endowments　of　wit；　to　your。。。〃　He　gazed　into　King　Sylvarresta's　eyes　a　flickering　second；　studying　the　intelligence　there。　〃。。。two。〃
　It　could　have　been　a　guess；　Iome　thought；　but　she　knew　better。　There　was　a　saying：　〃A　wise　king　does　not　garner　all　wit；　instead　he　also　allows　his　counselors　to　be　wise。〃　In　the　North；　it　was　considered　wasteful　to　take　more　than　four　endowments　of　wit。　A　lord　who　did　so　remembered　everything　he　ever　heard；　all　he　ever　saw　or　thought　or　felt。　Sylvarresta　would　not　have　taken　more　than　four。　Yet　how　had　Raj　Ahten　recognized　that　Iome's　father　had　but　two　endowments　active？
　Raj　Ahten's　declaration；　that　he'd　taken　wit　from　a　thousand；　took　the　breath　from　Iome。　She　could　not　prehend　such　a　thing。　Some　lords　swore　that　a　few　more　endowments　of　wit　granted　a　Runelord　some　benefitextra　creativity；　deeper　wisdom。
　Raj　Ahten　folded　his　hands。　〃I've　studied　the　reavershow　they　are　spreading　into　our　kingdoms　in　tiny　pockets；　each　with　a　new　queen。　The　infestation　is　wide。
　〃Now；　Sylvarresta；　despite　your　peaceable　assurances；　I　require　more　from　you。　Lay　bare　your　flesh。〃
　Clumsy　from　nervousness；　with　all　the　grace　of　a　trained　bear；　King　Sylvarresta　untied　the　sash　of　his　robe；　shrugged　off　the　midnight　blue　silk；　till　his　hairy　chest　lay　bare。　The　red　scars　of　forcibles　showed　beneath　his　right　nipple；　like　the　mark　of　a　lover's　teeth。　Raj　Ahten　read　Sylvarresta's　strengths　in　a　glance。
　〃Your　wit；　Sylvarresta。　I　will　have　your　wit。〃
　Iome's　father　seemed　to　cave　in　on　himself；　dropped　to　both　knees。　He　knew　what　it　would　be　like；　to　pee　his　own　pants；　not　knowing　his　name；　not　recognizing　his　wife　or　children；　his　dearest　friends。　In　the　past　day　he'd　already　felt　keen　pain　as　memories　were　lost　to　him。　He　shook　his　head。
　〃Do　you　mean　you　will　not　give　it；　or　cannot？〃　Raj　Ahten　asked。
　Lord　Sylvarresta　spread　both　hands　wide；　shaking　his　head；　unable　to　speak。
　〃Will　not？　But　you　must〃　Raj　Ahten　said。
　〃I　can't！〃　Iome's　father　cried。　〃Take　my　life　instead。〃
　〃I　don't　want　your　death；〃　Raj　Ahten　said。　〃What　value　is　that　to　me？　But　your　wit！〃
　〃I　can't！〃　Sylvarresta　said。
　To　give　an　enemy　an　endowment　was　one　thing；　but　Raj　Ahten　would　take　more　than　just　Sylvarresta's　wit。　Because　Sylvarresta　was　already　endowed；　Raj　Ahten　would　make　King　Sylvarresta　his　vector。
　A　man　could　only　grant　one　endowment　in　his　life；　and　when　that　endowment　was　granted；　it　created　a　magic　channel；　a　bond　between　lord　and　vassal　that　could　only　be　broken　by　death。　If　the　lord　died；　the　endowment　returned　to　its　giver。　If　the　vassal　died；　the　lord　lost　the　attributes　he　had　gained。
　But　if　a　man　like　Sylvarresta　granted　his　wit　to　Raj　Ahten；　he　would　give　not　only　his　own　wit；　but　also　all　the　wit　he　received　from　his　Dedicates；　plus　all　wit　he　might　ever　receive　in　the　future。　As　a　vector；　Sylvarresta　became　a　living　conduit。　He　would　give　Raj　Ahten　the　wit　he　had　taken；　and　might　even　be　used　to　channel　the　wit　of　hundreds　to　Raj　Ahten。
　〃You　can　give　it　me；　with　the　proper　incentive；〃　Raj　Ahten　assured　him。　〃What　of　your　people？　You　care　for　them；　don't　you。　You　have　trusted　friends；　servants；　among　your　Dedicates？　Your　sacrifice　could　save　them。　If　I　have　to　kill　you；　I　won't　leave　your　Dedicates　alivemen　and　women　who　can　no　longer　offer　endowments；　men　and　women　who　might　seek　vengeance　against　me。〃
　〃I　can't！〃　Sylvarresta　said。
　〃Not　even　to　buy　the　lives　of　a　hundred　vassals；　a　thousand？〃
　Iome　hated　this；　hated　the　pregnant　silence　that　followed。　Raj　Ahten　had　to　get　the　endowment　willingly。　Some　lords　sought　to　assure　the　necessary　degree　of　longing　through　love；　others　by　offering　lucre。　Raj　Ahten　used　blackmail。
　〃What　of　your　beautiful　wifemy　cousin？〃　Raj　Ahten　asked。　〃What　of　her　life？　Would　you　give　the　endowment　to　buy　her　life？　To　buy　her　sanity。　You　would　not　want　to　see　such　a　lovely　thing　ill…used。〃
　〃Don't　do　it！〃　Iome's　mother　said。　〃He　can't　break　me！〃
　〃You　could　save　her　life。　Not　only　would　she　keep　it；　but　she　would　remain　on　the　throne；　ruling　as　regent　in　my　stead。　The　throne　she　loves　so　much。〃
　King　Sylvarresta　turned　to　his　queen；　jaw　quivering。　He　nodded；　hesitantly。
　〃No！〃　Venetta　Sylvarresta　cried。　In　that　moment；　she　spun　and　ran。　Iome　thought　she　would　hit　the　wall；　but　realized　too　late　that　she'd　not　headed　for　the　wall；　but　for　the　full…length　windows　behind　the　Days。
　Suddenly；　faster　than　sight　could　account；　Raj　Ahten　was　at　her　side；　holding　her　right　wrist。　Venetta　struggled　in　his　grasp。
　She　turned　to　him；　grimacing。　〃Please！〃　she　said；　grasping　Raj　Ahten's　own　wrist。
　Then；　suddenly；　she　squeezed；　digging　her　nails　into　the　Wolf　Lord's　wrist　until　blood　flowed。　With　a　victorious　cry；　she　looked　Raj　Ahten　in　the　eyes。
　Venetta　shouted　to　her　husband；　〃Now　you　see　how　to　kill　a　Wolf　Lord；　my　sweet！〃
　Iome　suddenly　remembered　the　clear　lacquer　on　the　nails；　and　she　understoodthe　Queen's　distress　had　been　a　ruse；　a　plot　to　get　Raj　Ahten　near　so　that　she　could　plunge　her　poisoned　fingernails　into　his　flesh。
　Venetta　stepped　back；　holding　her　bloodied　nails　high；　as　if　to　display　them　for　Raj　Ahten　before　he　collapsed。
　Raj　Ahten　raised　his　right　arm；　stared　at　the　wrist　in　dismay。　The　blood　in　it　blackened；　and　the　wrist　began　to　swell　horribly。
　He　held　it　up；　as　if　in　defiance；　and　gazed　into　Venetta's　eyes　for　a　long　moment；　several　heartbeats；　until　Venetta　paled　with　fear。
　Iome　glanced　at　the　arm。　The　bloody　cuts　in　Raj　Ahten's　wrist　had　healed　seamlessly　in　a　matter　of　seconds；　and　now　the　blackened　arm　began　to　regain　its　natural　color。
　How　many　endowments　of　stamina　did　the　Wolf　Lord　have？　How　many　of　metabolism？　Iome　had　never　seen　such　healing　power；　had　heard　of　it　only　in　legend。
　Raj　Ahten　smiled；　a　terrifying；　predatory　smile。
　〃Ah；　so　I　cannot　trust　you；　Venetta；〃　he　whispered。　〃I　am　a　sentimental　man。　I　had　hoped　family　could　be　spared。〃
　He　slapped　her　with　the　back　of　his　fist；　the　slap　of　Runelord。　The　side　of　Venetta's　face　caved　in　under　the　force　of　the　blow；　splattering　blood　through　the　air；　and　her　neck　snapped。　The　blow　knocked　her　back　a　dozen　feet；　so　that　she　hit　the　glass　of　the　oriel。
　She　crashed　through；　the　weight　of　her　dead　body　pulling　at　the　long　red　drapes　as　she　did；　and　for　half　a　second　she　seemed　to　stand　still　in　the　night　air；　before　she　plummeted　the　five　stories。
　Her　body　splatted　against　the　broad　paving　stones　in　the　courtyard　below。
　Iome　stood　in　shock。
　Her　father　cried　out；　and　Raj　Ahten　stared　at　the　splintered　panes　of　colored　glass；　the　red　drapes　waving　in　the　stiffening　breeze；　annoyed。
　Raj　Ahten　said；　〃My　condolences；　Sylvarresta。　You　see　that　I　had　no　other　choice。　Of　course；　there　are　always　those　who　think　it　easier　to　kill　or　die；　than　to　live　in　service。　And　they　are　correct。　Death　requires　no　effort。〃
　Iome　felt　as　if　a　hole　had　ripped　in　her　heart。　Her　father　only　sat　on　bended　knees；　shaking。　〃Now；〃　Raj　Ahten　continued；　〃we　were　about　to　conclude　a　bargain。　I　want　your　wit。　A　few　more　endowments　of　it　benefits　me　little。　But　it　gains　much　for　you。　Give　me　your　wit；　and　your　daughter；　Iome；　will　rule　in　your　stead；　as　regent。　Agreed？〃
　Iome's　father　sobbed；　nodded　dumbly；　〃Bring　your　forcibles　then。　Let　me　forget　this　day；　my　loss；　and　bee　as　a　child。〃
　He　would　give　the　endowment　to　keep　his　daughter　alive。
　In　that　moment；　Iome　knelt　again；　terrified。　She　could　not　think；　could　not　think　what　to　do。　〃Remember　who　you　are〃　her　mother　had　said。　But　what　did　that　mean？　I　am　a　princess；　a　servant　of　my　people；　she　thought。　Should　I　strike　at　Raj　Ahten；　follow　my　mother　through　the　window？　What　does　that　buy？
　As　regent　she　would　have　some　power。　She　could　still　fight　Raj　Ahten　subtly；　so　long　as　she　lived。　She　could　give　her　people　some　measure　of　happiness；　of　freedom。
　Certainly；　that　was　why　her　father　still　lived；　why　he　didn't　choose　to　fight　to　the　death；　as　her　mother　had。
　Iome's　heart　hammered；　and　she　could　think　of　nothing　to　do；　could　formulate　no　worthwhile　plan；　but　remembered　Gaborn's　face　earlier　in　the　day。　The　promise　on　his　lips。　〃I　am