tg.stone of tears-第97节

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ng　you。　We　can’t　know　if　he　would　recognize　any　of　these；　too。　We　must　leave　them；　but　we　can’t　risk　having　someone　else　taking　them；　they　must　be　destroyed。’
　
　Her　mouth　worked　for　a　moment　before　she　found　words。　‘I　will　not　leave　them。　They　be　important。　They　were　extremely　difficult　to　obtain。　It　took　me　years　to　find　some　of　them。　The　Keeper　could　not　have　marked　them。　He　could　not　know　the　trouble　I　went　to。’
　
　Zedd　patted　her　hand。　Adie；　he　wouldn’t　have　placed　one　he　wanted　you　to　have；　to　mark　you；　right　in　your　path。　He　would　have　made　you　struggle　for　it；　so　you　would　value　it　and　keep　it　close。’
　
　She　yanked　her　hand　back。　‘Then　he　could　have　marked　anything！’　She　pointed。　‘How　do　you　know　this　horse　was　not　given　by　a　baneling？’
　
　Zedd　gave　her　a　level　look。　‘Because　it　was　not　the　one　offered。　I　took　another。’
　
　Tears　welled　up　in　her　eyes。　‘Please；　Zedd；’　she　whispered。　‘They　be　mine。　They　be　how　I　was　going　to　reach　my　Pell。’
　
　‘I　will　help　you　get　your　message　to　your　Pell。　I　have　given　you　my　word；　but　this　is　not　the　way　to　do　it；　it　hasn’t　worked　yet。　I’ll　help　you　find　a　new　way。’
　
　She　limped　a　step　closer　to　him。　‘How？’
　
　He　regarded　her　stricken　face　with　sympathy。　‘I　have　a　way　to　bring　spirits　through　the　veil　for　a　brief　time；　to　speak　with　them。　Even　if　I　can’t　bring　Pell　through；　I　might　be　able　to　get　a　message　to　him。　But　Adie；　you　must　listen　to　me；　we　can’t　do　it　now。　We　must　wait　until　the　veil　is　closed。’
　
　Her　trembling　fingers　touched　his　arm。　‘How？　How　can　such　a　thing　be　done？’
　
　‘It　can　be　done。　That　is　all　you　must　know。’
　
　‘Tell　me。’　Her　ringers　tightened　on　his　arm。　‘I　must　know　you　speak　the　truth。　I　must　know　it　can　be　done。’
　
　He　weighed　the　decision　a　long　moment。　He　had　used　the　wizard’s　rock　his　father　had　given　him　to　call　the　spirits　of　his　father　and　mother　to　himself；　but　they　had　told　him　explicitly　not　to　call　them　again　until　this　was　finished；　or　they　would　risk　tearing　the　veil　apart。　Using　the　rock　in　such　a　fashion　was　dangerous　even　in　the　best　of　times；　and　he　had　been　cautioned　not　to　do　it　except　in　the　gravest　circumstances。
　
　Opening　a　path　to　the　spirits　was　always　a　great　risk。　You　never　knew　what　you　could　be　letting　through；　unintended。　Enough　dark　things　were　getting　through　without　his　helping　them。
　
　Even　though　Adie　was　a　sorceress；　this　use　of　the　wizard’s　rock　was　not　for　her　to　know。　It　was　a　secret；　like　many　others；　that　wizards　must　keep。　His　heart　felt　heavy　with　that　responsibility。
　
　‘You　will　have　to　trust　my　word　that　it　can　be　done。　I’ve　given　my　word　that　I’ll　help　you；　and　when　it　is　safe；　I’ll　try。’
　
　Her　fingers　still　dug　urgently　into　his　arm。　‘How　can　such　a　thing　be？　Are　you　sure？　How　could　you　know　such　a　thing？’
　
　He　straightened　his　shoulders。　‘I’m　a　wizard　of　the　First　Order。’
　
　‘But　are　you　sure？’
　
　‘Adie；　you　must　take　my　word。　I　don’t　give　it　lightly。　I’m　not　sure　it　will　work；　but　I　believe　it　may。　Right　now　the　important　thing　is　to　use　what　we　know；　what　you　and　I　know；　to　stop　the　Keeper　from　tearing　the　veil。　It　would　be　wrong　to　use　what　I　know　for　selfish　reasons　and　thus　endanger　the　safety　of　everyone　else。　Maintaining　the　veil　requires　a　delicate　balance　of　forces；　this　could　disturb　it。　It　could　even　be　that　such　a　use　would　tear　the　veil。’
　
　She　took　her　hand　from　his　arm　and　wiped　a　stray　strand　of　gray　hair　from　her　face。　‘Forgive　me；　Zedd。　You　be　right。　I　have　studied　the　cusp　between　the　worlds　for　most　of　my　life。　I　should　know　better。　Forgive　me。’
　
　He　smiled　as　he　hugged　her　around　her　shoulders。　‘I’m　gratified　that　you　hold　your　vows　to　be　so　important。　It　means　that　you　are　a　person　of　honor。　There’s　no　better　ally　than　a　person　of　honor。’
　
　She　looked　around　her　shattered　home。　‘It　just　be　that　。。。　I　have　spent　my　life　gathering　these　things。　I　have　been　their　caretaker　for　so　long。　Others　have　entrusted　them　to　me。’
　
　Zedd　walked　her　out　of　the　rubble。　‘Others　have　invested　their　trust　in　you　to　use　the　gift　you　were　given　to　protect　those　without　power。　They　are　the　ones　who　wrote　the　prophecies。　You　have　been　brought　to　this　point　for　a　reason。　That’s　the　trust　you　must　keep。’
　
　She　nodded；　rubbing　a　thin　hand　on　his　back　as　they　walked　away　from　the　remains　of　her　home。
　
　‘Zedd；　I　think　several　other　bones　be　missing；　too。’
　
　‘I　know。’
　
　They　be　dangerous　in　the　wrong　hands。’
　
　‘I　know　that　too。’
　
　‘Then　what　do　you　plan　to　do　about　it？’
　
　‘I　plan　to　do　what　the　prophecies　say　is　the　only　thing　that　gives　us　a　chance　at　closing　the　veil。’
　
　‘And　what　be　that；　old　man？’
　
　‘Helping　Richard。　We　must　find　a　way　to　help　him；　for　the　prophecies　say　he　is　the　only　one　who　can　close　the　veil。’
　
　Neither　looked　back　as　fire　roared　to　life；　roiling　and　racing　through　the　ruins；　dancing　through　the　bones。
　
　
　CHAPTER　26
　
　Queen　Cyrilla　held　her　head　high。　She　refused　to　acknowledge　how　much　the　coarse　fingers　of　the　brutes　who　held　her　were　hurting　her　arms。　She　didn’t　resist　as　they　walked　her　down　the　filthy　corridor。　Resistance　was　hopeless；　anyway；　and　would　bring　her　no　aid。　She　would　conduct　herself　now　as　always：　with　dignity。　She　was　the　queen　of　Galea。　She　would　endure　with　dignity　what　was　to　e。　She　would　not　show　her　terror。
　
　Besides；　it　was　not　what　was　being　done　to　her　that　mattered。　It　was　what　was　going　to　happen　to　the　Galean　people　that　grieved　her。
　
　And　what　had　already　happened。
　
　Nearly　one　hundred　score　of　the　Galean　guard　had　been　murdered　before　her　eyes。　Who　could　have　foreseen　that　they　would　be　set　upon　in　this；　of　all　places：　on　neutral　ground？　That　a　few　had　escaped　was　no　solace。　They；　too；　would　probably　be　hunted　down　and　killed。
　
　She　hoped　that　her　brother；　Prince　Harold；　had　been　among　those　who　had　escaped。　If　he　had　gotten　away；　perhaps　he　could　rally　a　defense　against　the　worse　slaughter　that　was　yet　to　e。
　
　The　brutal　hands　on　her　arms　brought　her　to　a　halt　next　to　a　hissing　torch　set　in　a　rust…encrusted　bracket。　The　fingers　twisted　so　painfully　that　a　small　cry　escaped　her　lips　despite　her　will　to　stifle　it。
　
　‘Are　my　men　hurting　you；　my　lady？’　came　a　mocking　voice　from　behind。
　
　She　coolly　denied　Prince　Fyren　the　satisfaction　of　an　answer。
　
　A　guard　worked　keys　at　a　rusty　lock；　sending　a　sharp；　metallic　sound　echoing　down　the　stone　corridor　when　the　bolt　finally　drew。　The　heavy　door　groaned　on　its　hinges　as　it　was　pulled　open。　The　viselike　hands　forced　her　on；　through　the　doorway　and　down　another　long；　low　passageway。
　
　She　could　hear　the　swish　of　her　satin　skirts；　and　to　the　sides　and　behind；　the　men’s　boots　on　the　stone　floor；　splashing　occasionally　through　stagnant；　foul…smelling　water。　The　dank　air　felt　cold　on　her　shoulders；　which　were　unaccustomed　to　being　uncovered。
　
　Her　heart　threatened　to　race　out　of　control　when　she　thought　about　where　she　was　being　taken。　She　prayed　to　the　dear　spirits　that　there　wouldn’t　be　rats。　She　feared　rats；　their　sharp　teeth；　their　clutching　claws；　and　their　cunning；　black　eyes。　When　she　was　very　little　she　had　nightmares　about　rats；　and　would　wake　screaming。
　
　It　an　effort　to　bring　her　heart　back　under　control；　she　tried　to　think　of　other　things。　She　thought　about　the　strange　woman　who　had　sought　a　private　audience　with　her。　Cyrilla　wasn’t　at　all　sure　why　she　had　granted　it；　but　she　now　wished　she　had　paid　more　heed　to　the　insistent　woman。
　
　What　was　her　name？　Lady　something。　A　glimpse　of　her　hair　beneath　the　concealing　veil　had　shown　it　to　be　too　short　for　someone　of　her　standing。　Lady　。。。　Bevinvier。　Yes；　that　was　it：　Lady　Bevinvier。　Lady　Bevinvier　of　。。。　someplace。　She　couldn’t　will　her　mind　to　remember。　It　didn’t　matter　anyway；　it　was　not　where　the　woman　was　from；　but　what　she　had　said；　that　mattered。
　
　Leave　Aydindril；　Lady　Bevinvier　had　warned。　Leave　at　once。
　
　But　Cyrilla　had　not　e　all　this　way；　in　the　teeth　of　winter；　to　leave　before　the　Council　of　the　Midlands　had　heard　her　grievance；　and　acted　upon　it。　She　had　e　to　demand　that　the　council　do　its　duty　to　bring　an　immediate　halt　to　the　transgressions　against　her　land　and　people。
　
　Towns　had　been　sacked；　farms　burned；　and　people　murdered。　The　armies　of　Kelton　were　massing　to　attack。　An　invasion　was　imminent；　if　not　already　under　way。　And　for　what？　Nothing　but　naked　conquest。　Against　an　ally！　It　was　an　outrage！
　
　It　was　the　council’s　duty　to　e　to　the　defense　of　any　land　being　attacked；　no　matter　by　whom。　The　whole　point　of　the　Council　of　the　Midlands　was　to　prevent　just　such　treason。　It　was　their　duty　to　direct　all　the　lands　to　e　to　the　aid　of　Galea；　and　put　down　the　aggression。
　
　Though　Galea　was　a　powerful　land；　it　had　been　gravely　weakened　by　its　defense　of　the　Midlands　against　D’Hara；　and　was　not　prepared　for　another　costly　war。　Kelton　had　been　spared　the　brunt　of　the　D’Haran　conquest；　and　had　reserves　aplenty。　Galea　had　paid　the　price　of　resistance　in　their　stead。
　
　The　night　before；　Lady　Bevinvier　had　e　to　her；　and　had　begged　that　she　l