df.therunelords-第37节
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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 your Protector。 I will return for you。
But what could Gaborn do？ He couldn't fight Raj Ahten。
Yet Iome had to hope。
Raj Ahten nodded to a guard。 〃Call the facilitators。〃
In moments； Raj Ahten's facilitators entered the room； cruel little men in saffron robes。 One bore a forcible on a satin pillow。
Raj Ahten's facilitators were well practiced； masters of their craft。 One began the incantation； and the other held King Sylvarresta； coached him through it。 〃Watch your daughter； sirrah；〃 he said in a thick Kartish accent。 〃This you do for her。 Do for her。 She everything。 She the one you love。 You do for her。〃
Iome stood before him； dazed； listened to her father's cries as the forcible heated。 She daubed the sweat from his brow as the metal suddenly twisted like something alive。 She gazed into his clear gray eyes as the forcible drew away the endowment； sucked the intelligence from him； until she could tell that he no longer remembered her name； but only cried in stupid agony。
She sobbed herself when he gave his final scream of pain； and collapsed at her feet。
Then the facilitator went to Raj Ahten； bearing the white…hot forcible trailing a ribbon of light； and Raj Ahten pulled off his helm； so that his long dark hair fell around his shoulders； then pulled off his scale mail； opened his leather jerkin to expose his muscular chest。 It was a mass of scars； so marked by forcibles that Iome could see only a few faint traces of unmarked flesh。
As he took the endowment； Raj Ahten sat back on the throne； eyes glazed in satisfaction； watching Iome narrowly。
She wanted to rage against him； to pummel him with her fists； but dared do nothing but sit at her father's head； smoothing back his hair； trying to fort him。
The King opened his eyes； regaining consciousness for half a second； and he stared up at Iome； his mouth open； as if wondering what strange and beautiful creature he beheld。 〃Gaaagh；〃 he bawled； then a pool of urine began to spread on the red carpets beneath him。
〃Father； Father；〃 Iome whispered softly； kissing him； hoping that in time he would at least learn that she loved him。
Finished with their incantations； the facilitators left。 Raj Ahten reached over to his sword； pulled it from the Queen's throne。
〃e； take your place beside me；〃 he said。 Once again； she saw that undisguised lust in his face； and did not know if he lusted for her body or for her endowments。
Iome found herself halfway to the throne before she realized that he'd used his Voice to order her。 To be manipulated this way angered her。
She sat on the throne； tried not to look at Raj Ahten's face； at his incredibly handsome face。
〃You understand why I must do this； don't you？〃 he asked。
Iome didn't answer。
〃Someday you will thank me。〃 Raj Ahten studied her frankly。 〃Have you studied in the House of Understanding； or have you read the chronicles？〃
Iome nodded。 She'd read the chroniclesat least selected passages。
〃Have you heard the name of Daylan Hammer？〃
Iome had。 〃The warrior？〃
〃The chroniclers called him 'the Sum of All Men。' Sixteen hundred and eighty…eight years ago； he defeated the Toth invaders and their magicians； here on Rofehavan's own shores。 He defeated them almost single…handedly。 He had so many endowments of stamina that when a sword passed through his heart； it would heal up again as the blade exited。 Do you know how many endowments that takes？〃
Iome shook her head。
〃I do；〃 Raj Ahten said； pulling back his shirt。 〃Try it； if you like。〃
Iome had her poniard strapped under her skirts。 She hesitated just a moment。 It seemed ghoulish； yet she might never have another chance to stab the man。
She pulled it； looked into his eyes。 Raj Ahten watched her； confident； Iome plunged the dagger up between his ribs； saw the pain in his eyes； heard him give a startled gasp。 She twisted the blade； yet no blood flowed down the runnel。 Only a slight red film oozed where the blade met flesh。 She pulled the blade free。
The wound closed as the bloody blade exited。
〃You see？〃 Raj Ahten asked。 〃Neither your mother's poison nor your own dagger can hurt me。 Among Runelords； there has never been another of Daylan's equal。 Until now。
〃It is said in my country that when he'd received enough endowments； he no longer needed to take them。 The love of his people supported him； it flowed to him。 When his Dedicates died； his powers remained； undiminished。〃
She'd never read that。 It defied her understanding of the art of the Runelords。 Yet she hoped it was true。 She hoped that such a thing could be； that Raj Ahten would someday quit draining people like her father。
〃I think；〃 Raj Ahten said softly； 〃that I am nearly there。 I think I shall be his equal； and that I shall defeat the reavers without the loss of fifty million human lives； as would happen under any other plan。〃
Iome looked into his eyes； wanting to hate him for what he'd done。 Her father lay in his own urine on the floor at her feet。 Her mother was dead on the paving stones outside the keep。 Yet Iome looked into Raj Ahten's face； and she could not hate him。 He seemed。。。so sincere。 So beautiful。
He reached out； stroked her hand； and she dared not pull away。 She wondered if he would try to seduce her。 She wondered if she'd have the strength to fight him if he did。
〃So sweet。 If you were not my kin； I'd take you as a wife。 But I'm afraid propriety forbids it。 Now； Iome； you too must do your part to help me defeat the reavers。 You will give me your glamour。〃
Iome's heart pounded。 She imagined how it would be； with skin as rough as leather； the cobwebs of her hair falling from her head； the way the veins would stick out on her legs。 The dry smell of her breath。 To look； to smell； to be repulsive。
Yet that was not half the horror of it。 Glamour was more than beauty； more than physical loveliness。 It could be recognized partly as form； but just as much was manifest in the color of one's skin； the glossiness of one's hair； the light that shone in one's eyes。 It could be seen in posture； in poise； in determination。 The heart of it often lay somewhere in a person's confidence in and love of self。
So； depending on the ruthlessness of the facilitator involved； all these could be drawn away； leaving the new Dedicate both ugly and filled with self…loathing。
Iome shook her head。 She had to fight him； had to fight Raj Ahten any way she could。 Yet she could think of nothing； no way to strike back。
〃e； child；〃 Raj Ahten said smoothly。 〃What would you do with all your beauty； if I left it to you？ Lure some prince to your bed？ What a petty desire。 You could do it。 But afterward you would only spend your life in regret。 You've seen how men look at you with lust in their eyes。 You've seen how they stare； always wanting you。 Certainly you must tire of it。〃
When he put it that way； in such a silky voice； Iome felt wretched。 It seemed vile and selfish to want to be beautiful。
〃In the desert near where I was born；〃 Raj Ahten said； 〃a great monument； a statue； stands three hundred feet tall； half tilted in the sand。 It is the statue of a king； long forgotten； his face scoured away by wind。 A banner at his feet； written in an ancient language； says； 'All bow to the Great Ozyvarius； who rules the earth； whose kingdom shall never fail！'
〃Yet all the scribes in the world cannot tell me who that king is； or how long ago he reigned。
〃We have always been such fleeting creatures；〃 Raj Ahten whispered。 〃We have always been so temporary。 But together； Iome； we can bee something more。〃
The craving in his voice； the hunger； almost drove all reason from Iome's mind。 Almost she felt willing to give him her beauty。 But a wiser voice in the back of her mind nagged。 〃No； I would die； I would be nothing。〃
〃You would not die；〃 Raj Ahten said。 〃If I bee the Sum of All Men； your beauty would live on in me。 Some part of you would always remain； to be loved； to be admired。〃
〃No；〃 Iome said in horror。
Raj Ahten glanced at the floor； where King Sylvarresta still lay in a foul heap。 〃Not even to save his life？〃
Then Iome knew； she knew； that her father would tell her not to make this bargain。 〃No；〃 Iome shuddered。
〃It is a horrible thing； to put an idiot among the torturers。 All that pain your father would have to endure； never understanding why； never knowing that there is such a thing as death that could bring him release； with the torturers repeating your name each time they put the hot irons to him； so that in time； even at the mention of your name； he would cry out in pain。 It would be truly horrible。〃
The cruelty inherent in such an idea left Iome numb。 She looked at Raj Ahten； her heart breaking。 She could not say yes。
The Wolf Lord nodded to one of his men。 〃Bring in the girl。〃
The guard left the chamber； returned quickly with Chemoise。 Chemoise； who should have been in the Dedicates' Keep； forting her father。 Chemoise； who had already suffered so much this week； lost so much to Raj Ahten。
How had Raj Ahten known what Iome felt for her dear friend？ Ha
