tw.togreenangeltower2-第122部分

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When　the　noise　of　their　footfalls　grew　faint　in　the　corridor；　Pryrates　gently　took　the　king's　arm　so　that　Elias　could　lean　on　him。　The　king's　staring　face　was　parchment…white；　and　he　licked　at　his　lips　constantly。　
　　　　　　　〃Did　you　say　you　had　seen　my　cupbearer？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　take　care　of　you。　Majesty。　I　think　we　will　not　see　Hengfisk　again。〃
〃Has　he　。。。　has　he　run　away　to　。。。　them？〃　Elias　cocked　his　head　as　though　treachery　might　have　a　sound。　'They　are　all　around　the　walls。　You　must　know。　I　can　feel　them。　My　brother；　and　those　bright…eyed　creatures　。。。〃　He　pawed　at　his　mouth。　〃You　said　they　would　be　destroyed；　Pryrates。　You　said　all　that　resisted　me　would　be　destroyed。〃
〃And　so　they　will　be；　my　king。〃　The　priest　induced　Elias　to　walk　down　the　hallway；　heading　him　through　the　maze　of　corridors　toward　the　residences。　They　passed　an　open　window　where　snow　blew　in　and　melted　into　puddles　on　the　floor：　outside；　Green　Angel　Tower　loomed　against　the　swirling　storm　clouds。　〃You　yourself　will　destroy　them　and　usher　in　the　Golden　Age。〃　
　　　　　　　〃And　then　the　pain　will　go　away；〃　Elias　wheezed。　〃I　would　not　hate　Josua　so　if　he　had　not　brought　me　such　pain。　If　he　had　not　stolen　my　daughter；　too。　He　is　my　brother；　after　all　。　。　。〃　the　king　clenched　his　teeth　as　though　something　had　stabbed　him；　〃。。。　because　family　is　blood。。。　〃
〃And　blood　is　powerful　magic；〃　Pryrates　said；　half　to　himself。　〃I　know；　my　king。　But　they　turned　against　you。　That　is　why　I　found　you　new　friends…powerful　friends。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　you　cannot　replace　a　family；〃　said　Elias；　a　little　sadly。　He　winced。　〃Ah；　God；　Pryrates；　I　am　burning　up。　Where　is　that　cupbearer？〃
　　　　　　　〃A　little　farther。　Majesty。　Just　a　little　farther。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　can　feel　it；　you　know；〃　Elias　panted。　He　lay　back　on　his　mattress；　which　had　rotted　through　in　so　many　places　that　the　horsehair　stuck　up　all　around　him。　A　stained　goblet；　now　empty；　was　clutched　in　his　hand。
　　　　　　　Pryrates　paused　in　the　doorway。　〃Feel　what；　Majesty？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　star；　the　red　star。〃　Elias　pointed　at　the　cobwebbed　ceiling。　〃It　is　hanging　overhead；　staring　at　me　like　an　eye。　I　hear　the　singing　all　the　time。〃
　　　　　　　〃Singing？〃
〃The　song　it　sings…or　that　the　sword　sings　to　the　star。　I　cannot　tell　which。〃　His　hand　fell　and　crawled　like　a　white　spider　onto　the　long　sheath。　〃It　sings　in　my　head。　'It　is　time；　it　is　time；'　the　voices　say；　over　and　over。〃　He　laughed；　a　cracked；　jagged　sound。　〃Sometimes　I　awaken　to　find　myself　walking　through　the　castle　and　I　cannot　remember　how　I　came　there。　But　I　hear　the　song；　and　I　feel　the　star　burning　into　me　whether　it　is　day　or　night。　It　has　a　fiery　tail；　like　a　dragon。。。。〃　He　paused。　〃I　will　go　out　to　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃What！？〃　Pryrates　returned　to　the　king's　bedside。　
　　　　　　　〃I　will　go　out　to　them…Josua　and　the　others。　Perhaps　that　is　the　time　the　sword　means。　Time　to　show　them　that　I　am　different　than　they　know。　That　their　resistance　is　foolish。〃　He　brought　his　hands　to　his　face。　〃They　are　。。。　they　are　my　blood；　Pryrates。〃
　　　　　　　〃Your　Highness；　I　。。。〃　The　priest　seemed　momentarily　unsure。　'They　are　your　enemies；　Elias。　They　wish　you　only　harm。〃
　　　　　　　The　king's　laugh　was　almost　a　sob。　〃And　you　mean　me　only　well；　is　that　right？　That　is　why　every　night　since　you　took　me　to　that　hill　I　have　suffered　dreams　that　God　would　not　visit　upon　sinners　in　Hell？　That　is　why　my　body　aches　and　burns　until　I　can　barely　keep　from　screaming　out　loud？〃
　　　　　　　Pryrates　frowned。　〃You　have　suffered；　my　king；　but　you　know　the　reason。　The　hour　is　ing　fast。　Do　not　let　your　torments　be　for　nothing。〃
　　　　　　　Elias　waved　his　hand。　〃Go　away。　I　do　not　wish　to　talk　any　more。　I　will　do　what　I　think　best。　I　am　the　master　of　this　castle…of　this　land。〃　He　gestured　violently。　〃Go　away；　damn　you。　I　am　in　pain。〃
The　alchemist　bowed。　〃I　pray　you　can　rest。　Majesty。　I　will　go。〃
　　　　　　　Pryrates　left　the　king　staring　up　into　the　shadows　of　the　ceiling。
After　standing　silently　in　the　corridor　for　long　moments；　the　priest　returned　to　the　closed　door　and　passed　his　hand　over　hinges　and　frame　and　door　latch　several　times；　mouth　working　soundlessly。　When　he　had　finished　he　nodded；　then　went　briskly　up　the　corridor；　bootheels　clicking。

　　　　　　　Tiamak　and　Strangyeard　walked　close　together　as　they　made　their　way　down　the　hillside。　Snow　was　no　longer　falling；　but　it　was　piled　high　on　the　ground；　they　made　slow　progress　despite　the　paratively　short　distance　between　the　Sithi　camp　and　the　fires　of　the　prince's　army。
　　　　　　　〃I　am　going　to　turn　to　ice　in　a　moment；〃　Tiamak　said　through　clicking　teeth。　〃How　do　your　people　live　like　this？〃
　　　　　　　Strangyeard　was　shivering；　too。　〃This　is　a　terrible　cold　by　any　measurement。　And　we　have　thick　walls　to　hide　behind；　and　fires…the　lucky　ones　do；　that　is。〃　He　stumbled　and　went　down　on　his　knees　in　a　thick　drift。　Tiamak　helped　him　back　up。　The　bottom　half　of　the　priest's　robe　was　covered　in　clinging　snow。　〃I　am　tempted　to　curse；〃　Strangyeard　said；　and　laughed　unmerrily；　his　breath　hovered　as　a　cloud。
〃e；　lean　on　me；〃　urged　Tiamak。　The　priest's　disarranged　hair　and　sad　face　tugged　at　his　heart。　〃One　day　you　must　e　see　the　Wran。　It　is　not　all　pleasant；　but　it　is　never　cold。〃
　　　　　　　〃Just　n…now　that　sounds　very　n…n…nice。〃
　　　　　　　The　storm　clouds　had　been　borne　away　by　the　wind；　and　a　salting　of　dim　stars　glimmered。　Tiamak　stared　upward。　〃It　looks　so　close。〃
　　　　　　　Strangyeard　followed　his　gaze；　stumbled　for　a　moment；　then　righted　himself。　The　Conqueror　Star　seemed　to　hang　almost　directly　over　the　Hayholt；　a　burning　hole　in　the　darkness　with　a　tail　like　a　smear　of　blood。　〃It　is　close；〃　the　priest　said。　〃I　can　feel　it。　Plesinnen　wrote　that　such　stars　spout　bad　air　over　the　world。　Until　n…now；　I　was　never　sure　whether　I　believed　him…but　if　there　was　ever　a　star　that　dripped　p…pestilence；　that　is　it。〃　He　hugged　himself。　〃I　sometimes　wonder　if　these　are　the　final　days；　Tiamak。〃
　　　　　　　The　marsh　man　did　not　want　to　think　about　that。　〃All　the　stars　here　are　a　little　strange。　I　keep　thinking　that　I　recognize　the　Otter　or　the　Sand　Beetle；　but　they　seem　stretched　and　changed。〃
Strangyeard　squinted　his　single　eye。　〃The　stars　look　odd　to　me；　too。〃　He　shivered　and　lowered　his　gaze　to　the　knee…high　snow。　〃I　am　frightened；　Tiamak。〃
　　　　　　　They　staggered　on　toward　the　camp；　side　by　side。
〃The　worst　of　it；〃　said　Tiamak；　holding　his　hands　close　to　the　fire；　〃is　that　we　have　no　better　answer　to　our　questions　than　we　did　when　Morgenes　sent　the　first　sparrow　to　Jarnauga。　The　Storm　King's　plan　is　a　plete　puzzle；　and　so　is　the　one　scheme　we　have　to　stop　him。〃　The　small　tent　was　filling　with　smoke　despite　the　opening　near　the　top；　but　at　this　moment　Tiamak　did　not　care；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　it　felt　somewhat　homelike。
〃That　is　not　pletely　true。〃　Strangyeard　coughed　and　waved　away　some　of　the　smoke。　〃We　know　a　few　things…that　Minneyar　is　Bright…Nail；　for　one。〃
〃But　that　Hernystirman　had　to　e　tell　us　that；〃　Tiamak　said　crossly。　〃You　need　not　feel　bad；　Strangyeard。　From　what　I　heard；　you　did　much　to　help　them　locate　Thorn。　But　I　have　done　little　to　warrant　being　a　member　of　the　League　of　the　Scroll。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are　too　hard　on　yourself；〃　the　archivist　said。　〃You　brought　the　page　of　Nisses'　book　that　helped　bring　back　Camaris。〃
　　　　　　　〃Have　you　looked　into　his　eyes；　Strangyeard？　Was　that　anything　other　than　a　curse　to　him？　And　now　it　seems　he　is　losing　those　wits　all　over　again。　We　should　have　left　him　alone。〃
The　priest　stood。　〃Forgive　me；　but　this　smoke　。。　。〃　He　pulled　the　tent　flap　open　and　fanned　vigorously。　A　blast　of　cold　air　pushed　much　of　the　smoke　back　inside　and　set　them　both　to　shivering　anew。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said　miserably。
　　　　　　　Tiamak　gestured　for　him　to　sit　down。　〃It　is　a　little　better。　My　eyes　are　not　stinging　so。〃　He　sighed。　〃And　this　talk　of　a　Fifth　House…did　you　see　how　worried　the　Sithi　looked？　They　may　have　said　they　did　not　know　what　it　meant；　but　I　believe　they　knew　something。　They　did　not　like　it。〃　The　Wrannaman　shrugged　his　thin　shoulders；　he　had　already　learned　from　Aditu　that　what　the　Sithi　did　not　want　to　discuss　remained　a　secret。　They　were　polite；　but　could　be　stubbornly　vague　when　they　wished。　〃It　matters　little；　I　suppose。　The　siege　begins　tomorrow　morning；　and　Camaris　and　the　others　will　try　to　make　their　way　inside；　and　whatever　They　Who　Watch　and　Shape　decide　will　happen　。。。　it　will　happen。〃
　　　　　　　Strangyeard　stared　at　him；　his　unpatched　eye　red…rimmed　and　watery。　〃You　do　not　seem　to　get　much　solace　from　your　Wran　gods；　Tiamak。〃
〃They　are　mine；〃　the　marsh　man　said。　〃I　doubt　yours　would　bring　me　any　greater　peace。〃　He　looked　up；　and　was　startled　by　the　archivist's　pained　expression。　〃Oh！　I　am　sorry；　Strangyeard。　I　did　not　mean　to　be　insulting。　I　am　just　angry　。。。　and　frightened；　like　you。〃　Please；　let　me　not　lose　my　friends。　Then　I　would　have　nothing　at　all！
〃Of　course；〃　the　archivist　said；　then　sighed。　〃And　I　am　no　different　than　you。　I　cannot　escape　the　feeling　that　something　important　is　just　before　me…some　simple　thing；　as　you　mentioned。　I　can　feel　its　presence；　but　I　cannot　grasp　it。〃　He　stared　at　his　knit　hands。　〃It　is　infuriating。　There　is　some　obvious　mistake　we　have　made；　or　will　make；　I　am　certain。　It　is　as　though　I　looked　back　and　forth　through　a　wel