df.therunelords-第80节
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At Castle Sylvarresta； someoneBorenson； she suspectedhad begun to slaughter her Dedicates。
Chapter 32
A HIGH PRICE FOR HOSPITALITY
The army of Raj Ahten came to Hayworth after midnight； as King Orden had said it would。
The innkeeper Stevedore Hark woke in his cot beside his wife to the sound of hoofbeats on the far side of the river。 It was an odd trick of sound that let one hear them so clearly here on the promontory above the water。 The stone cliffs on the hillside above the road caught the sounds of hoof…beats； sent them echoing down over the flood。
Stevedore Hark had taught himself years ago to wake at the sound of such hoofbeats； for more often than not； if a man was riding abroad at night； it meant Hark would have to find the traveler a bed。
His inn was small； with but two rooms； so often his guests were obliged to sleep four or five on a straw mat。 A stranger ing in the middle of the night meant that Hark might have guests to waken and placate； as he stuffed a new customer in their bedall kinds of such worries。
So when he heard hoofbeats； Stevedore Hark lay abed trying to count the number of riders。 A thousand； two？ his sleepy mind wondered。 Which bed shall I put them in？
Then he recalled that the bridge was out； and that he'd promised King Orden to send these men south to Boar's Ford。
He jumped up； still in his bedclothes； and struggled quickly to pull on some socks； for it grew cold here at night； so near the mountains。 Then he rushed from his inn； looked out over the river。 He'd left a lantern posted under the eaves of his roof； just for this moment； but he did not need his own light。
The soldiers stood there； across the river。 Knights in full armor； the four lead men carrying guttering torches to light their road。 Torchlight reflected off brass shields； and off water。 The sight of the warriors frightened himthe white wings engraved on the helms of the Invincibles； the crimson wolves on their surcoats。 Mastiffs and giants and darker things could be seen； too。
〃Hail； friends； what do you want？〃 Hark called。 〃The bridge is out。 You cannot pass。 The closest place is upstream； at the Boar's Ford。 Twenty miles！ Follow the trail。〃
He nodded encouragingly； pointing the way。 A little…used trail led up…river to the ford。 The night air smelled heavy…laden of rain； and the wind swirled about Hark's head； carrying the scent of pine。 The dark waters of the river lapped softly at their banks。
The soldiers studied him quietly。 Tired； it seemed。 Or perhaps they did not speak his tongue。 Stevedore Hark knew a few words of Muyyatinish。
〃Chota。 Chota！〃 he shouted； pointing toward the ford。
Among the horsemen； a shadowy figure suddenly pushed its way forward。 A small dark man with glittering eyes； and no hair。 He gazed across the river toward Hark and smiled broadly； as if sharing a private joke。
He shrugged off his robe and stood naked。 For one brief moment； his eyes seemed to glow； then a blue flame licked the side of his face； rising into the night。
〃The darkness of a deceptionI can see it in you！〃 the small man cried。
He raised a fist； and the blue flame shot along his arm； came skipping across the surface of the river like a stone； and bounced toward Stevedore Hark。
Hark shouted in terror as the thing touched the side of his inn。 The ancient timbers screamed as if in pain； then burst into flame。 The oil in the lamp posted under the eaves exploded all along the wall。
The small blue light then went racing back across the river； to rest in the small man's eyes。
Stevedore Hark shouted and rushed into his inn to fetch his wife and guests before the whole building burst into a conflagration。
By the time he'd dragged his wife and guests from their beds； the roof of the inn was afire； orange flames writhing up in great sheets。
Stevedore Hark raced from the inn； gasping from smoke； and looked out across the river。 The dark man stood watching； smiling broadly。
He waved toward Hark with a little flourish； then turned and headed along the roaddownstream； toward Power's Bridge； some thirty miles to the east。 It would take Raj Ahten's army far out of their way； but the Wolf Lord's soldiers would circumvent Orden's ambush。
Stevedore Hark found his heart pounding。 It was a long way for a fat old innkeeper to ride to get to Longmont； and there were no force horses in town。 He couldn't warn Orden that his ambush would fail。 He'd never make it riding through the woods at night。
Silently； he wished Orden well。
Chapter 33
TREACHERY
King Mendellas Draken Orden toured the defenses of Longmont in the failing light； considering how best to defend the rock。 It was an odd castle； with outer walls exceptionally tall； carved of granite from the hill Longmont squatted upon。 The fortress had no secondary or tertiary walls； as one found in a larger castle； such as at Sylvarresta。 It had no fine merchants' quarter； held only two defensible manors for minor barons； along with the keeps for the Duke； his soldiers； and his Dedicates。
But the walls were solid； protected by earth runes of bonding。
The tallest building in the keep was the graaks' aeriea merely functional building on a rock pinnacle that could nest up to six of the large reptiles。 One reached the aerie by means of narrow stone stairs that zigzagged along the east wall of the pinnacle。 The aerie was not meant to be defended。 It had no merlons archers could hide behind； no landings on the stairs where swordsmen had room to swing。 It held only a wide landing field atop the pinnacle for graaks； then six circular openings in nests above the field。
The dukes of Longmont had not raised graaks here in generations。 King Orden thought it a shame。 A hundred and twenty years past； several harsh winters came； and here in the north the graaks had frozen from cold。 During those same winters the Frowth giants had traveled from the north over the snow。 But when the winters warmed and the wild graaks flew up again from the south； the kings of Heredon hadn't tamed them； as their forefathers had。 When they sent messages； they trusted riders on force horses。
It seemed a shame to Orden。 A rich tradition had been lost。 In some small way； the nation became poorer for it。
The aeries were badly kept。 Stone watering troughs lay empty。 Gnawed bones lay about； leftovers from past feedings。
Over the years； Orden had sent messages north by graak； and some graaks had stopped here。 No one had ever cleaned the dung from the floors； now lime liberally covered the stone。 The stairs leading to the aerie were age…worn。 Vines of morning glory climbed from cracks in the rock； their blue flower petals open now to the evening sun。
But Orden found that one could see well from the landing field on the aerieeven down to the roofs of the Dedicates' Keep and Duke's Keep。 So he secreted six archers with steel bows there； ordering them to hide and watch； shooting only if Raj Ahten's forces made it through the gates。 He added a single swordsman to guard the steps。
In the semidarkness； he waited for his body servant to light a lantern； then by its light he toured the Dedicates' Keep。 From the outside； it looked to be an austere； grim keepa round tower that could hold a thousand Dedicates。 For windows； it had a handful of small slits in the stone。 Orden imagined few Dedicates ever stood in the full sunlight once they gave endowments。 To bee a Dedicate for the Duke； one virtually had to consign one's self to a prison。
But the interior of the Dedicates' Keep was surprisingly plush。 The walls were painted white； with images of blue roses or daisies stenciled along the small windowsills。 Each level in the tower had its own mon room； with beds arranged around the outer walls； and a fine hearth in the center。 Such rooms were devised so that at night a pair of caretakers might watch over a hundred or more Dedicates at once。 The rooms each had chessboards； fortable chairs to sit in； fresh rushes mingled with lavender on the floors。
King Orden worried for his son。 He still had no word of Gaborn's whereabouts。 Had the boy been killed？ Did he sit in Sylvarresta's keep； a Dedicate to Raj Ahten？ Perhaps he rested beside a warm fire； weak as a kitten； playing chess。 One could only hope。 One had to hope。 But Orden's hope was waning。
The Duke's Keep now cloistered less than a hundred Dedicates； all in a single room。 Orden calculated that it should have held at least five hundred to serve the fortress defenders。 But at least four hundred Dedicates had died in the fight to win back the castle。
The battle for freedom claimed that many victims。
Fortifications for the tower concentrated at its lowest level。 With great thoroughness； Orden inspected these defenses； for he hoped to fight Raj Ahten here； where he might have some advantage。
A portcullis opened to a guardroom where a dozen pikemen might keep watch。 The gears to the portcullis were kept some eighty feet back； in a separate room。 A pair of guards could be housed in the gear room。
Off from the gear room lay an armory and the Duke's treasury。 The armory was well stocked with arrows and ballista boltsmore than Orden would have imagined。 The arrows were bound into bundles of a hundre
