amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第88节

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　　〃Yes；　that's　a　good　idea；〃　F'lessan　said　in　an　even　voice　and　unscrewed　the　jar。　With　the　tip　of　a　delicately　poised　finger；　he　applied　the　gel。　〃Now　close　that　lid　and　I'll　do　the　other。〃
　　〃Swimming　would　be　very　good　for　you；〃　Tai　repeated　when　he　had　finished　that　ministration。　〃Your　wounds　are　closed。　Going　between　won't　affect　them。　I'm　sure　we　can　get　you　on　Zaranth's　back。　The　sea　would　do　you　good。　Getting　away　from　here　would　do　you　good。〃
　　F'lessan　leaned　back　in　the　chair；　regarding　her　steadily　just　as　Keita　approached。
　　〃What's　this　about　the　sea？〃　the　healer　asked。
　　〃It'd　be　excellent　therapy；　Keita；　you　know　that。　The　dolphins　will　assist。〃
　　There　was　considerably　more　discussion　about　swimming。　Basically　Keita　had　no　objection　but　she　wanted　a　healer　to　acpany　them；　even　offering　to　go　herself；　with　perhaps　T'lion　and　his　Gadareth　as　support　while　F'lessan　insisted　that　Tai　and　Zaranth　would　be　more　than　adequate　panions。　Somewhat　reluctantly　Keita　admitted　that　the　presence　of　dolphins　would　suffice　if　Tai　were　certain　they'd　appear。　F'lessan　and　Tai　both　reassured　her。
　　〃He　doesn't　need　to　get　out　of　the　water；〃　Tai　insisted；　remaining　firm　but　not　pleading。　〃He　can　swim　off　and　on　Zaranth　without　requiring　help　or　getting　sand　on　him。　We　won't　do　much　today；　but　the　water　is　so…so　buoyant。〃
　　〃Let　them　have　some　time　to　themselves；　Master　Keita；〃　Sagassy　said　firmly；　giving　Tai　a　wink。　〃The　change　would　do　them　good　and　they'd　be　back　in　time　for　lunch　and　hungry　for　it。　Golanth　here　won't　be　out　of　touch　with　them　for　a　moment。　Will　you；　bronze　dragon？〃
　　Not　many　non…riders　were　bold　enough　to　ask　a　dragon's　opinion　but　Sagassy　had　bee　quite　fortable　with　the　bronze。　He　nodded　and　the　remaining　facets　on　his　left　eye　began　to　exhibit　whirls　of　enthusiasm。
　　That　first　excursion…short　though　it　was…marked　a　decided　turn　in　F'lessan's　recuperation。　And　that　night　they　shared　a　bed。
　　
LANDING…3。21。31
　　On　that　last　tack　into　Monaco　Bay；　Shankolin　saw　Landing　once　again　ahead　of　him　on　its　hill；　the　three　volcanoes　in　the　distance。　He　had　had　no　warning　from　Lord　Toric　about　the　current　size　of　the　facility。　Now　he　understood　why　the　Lord　Holder　had　advised　him　to　e　here　and　survey　the　area　with　the　view　of　bringing　total　destruction　to　the　Abomination；　and　all　its　adjuncts。　Then　the　view　was　hidden　as　the　ship　tacked　again；　closing　with　the　wharf　where　it　would　moor。
　　Even　during　their　conversation　at　Telgar　Hold；　Shankolin　was　wary　of　ing　to　Landing　but　Toric　had　said　that　there　would　be　no　trouble　at　all　to　arrange　entry　into　the　Admin　Building　itself　so　that　Shankolin　could　estimate　just　what　method　would　serve　their　mutual　purpose。　Toric　gave　him　a　substantial　number　of　marks　and　observed　that　he　had　best　journey　from　one　of　the　smaller　seaholds　on　Nerat's　Foot。　Toric　knew　of　a　fisherman　whose　captain　owed　him　a　favor　or　two　and　would　sail　him　directly　to　Monaco　Bay。　He　remarked　that　gloves　on　Shankolin's　hand　would　disguise　the　missing　joint　and　a　cap　pulled　down　on　the　forehead　would　hide　the　scar。
　　〃Someone　saw　you　and　the　Harper　Hall　has　passed　a　rough　sketch　of　you　around。　You'd　best　cover　what　you　can　and　change　what　you're　wearing　now。〃
　　Shankolin　suppressed　a　smile　at　the　Lord　Holder's　disgust　but　smell　was　as　much　a　disguise　as　clothing。　To　most　observers；　Shankolin　was　a　hill　man　whom　few　would　approach　for　several　reasons；　one　of　them　being　the　body　odor。
　　Just　before　Shankolin　reached　Loscar　port；　he　washed　both　himself　and　his　stinking　clothes　in　a　stream。　In　the　port；　it　was　easy　to　buy　good　secondhand　clothing；　suitable　for　a　sea　voyage。　He　found　the　captain　Toric　had　remended　and　presented　him　with　the　first　of　the　hastily　scribbled　notes　Toric　had　provided。　He　gave　his　name　as　Glasstol　from　Crom　and　no　one　challenged　it。　He　spent　most　of　the　journey　either　asleep　or　eating。　One　of　the　more　sociable　crewmen　explained　how　much　the　Flood　had　improved　the　Loscar　harbor；　and　was　answered　by　an　uncivil　grunt。　So　no　one　tried　again　to　enter　conversations　with　a　passenger　who　clearly　wished　to　keep　to　himself。
　　On　his　arrival　at　Monaco　Bay；　Shankolin　was　struck　by　the　repairs　already　made；　even　its　shipbuilding　facilities　were　back　in　place。　He　had　heard　that　the　area　had　been　inundated　by　five　major　tsunami　waves　and　significant　smaller　ones　to　extend　the　sea　inland　as　far　as　a　man　could　walk　in　a　day。　That　the　wharf　was　new…and　the　reek　of　its　wood　preservative　dominated　even　the　smell　of　fish…was　inescapable。　A　weathered　metal　pylon　with　a　bell　at　its　apex　had　been　erected。　The　captain　pointed　out　the　new　floats　on　the　seaward　side　where　shipfish　would　e　when　the　bell　was　rung。　Sometimes；　the　shipfish　would　summon　the　Portmaster。　Shankolin　had　been　raised　inland　and　doubted　this　unlikely　story。
　　As　he　had　once　before；　he　found　a　carter　who　was　taking　supplies　from　the　harbor　to　Landing　and；　for　a　half　mark；　allowed　him　to　climb　into　one　of　the　wagons。　It　was　slow。　He　helped　with　the　burden　beasts　pulling　the　heavy　loads　and　the　carter；　not　a　curious　man　by　nature；　spoke　more　to　them　than　to　his　passenger。
　　By　the　time　Shankolin　was　left　off　by　the　carter　at　the　edge　of　the　widely　expanded　Landing；　he　was　glad　of　the　map　Toric　had　given　him　so　he　could　make　contact　with　the　Southern　Holder's　contact　in　Landing：　a　man　called　Esselin　who　could　be　found　in　the　Archives。　He　also　owed　Lord　Toric　favors；　which　was　why　Esselin　would　oblige　Shankolin　by　escorting　him　into　the　Admin　Building　and　the　Aivas　chamber。　Shankolin　found　Master　Esselin　about　to　leave　the　main　Archive　Building；　which　had　far　too　many　windows。　Perhaps　that　design　shed　light　into　the　room　and　the　shelving　on　which　masses　of　books　were　visible；　but　all　that　glass　would　splinter　so　easily　and　destroy　the　contents。　Shankolin　began　to　assess　how　much　explosives　he　would　need。　Perhaps　Lord　Toric　knew　of　a　man　who　could　supply　him。
　　Master　Esselin　was　not　happy　to　see　the　handwriting　on　the　envelope　Lord　Toric　addressed　to　him。　He　was　even　unhappier　when　he　read　the　message；　his　sallow　plexion　turning　paler　and　his　fat　face　showing　how　irritated　he　was。
　　〃Lord　Toric　felt　that　only　you；〃　and　Shankolin　knew　how　to　flatter　subtly；　〃would　be　able　to　grant　my　deep　and　abiding　desire　to　see　where　the　Aivas　was　housed。〃
　　That　sentiment　had　the　ring　of　truth　and　Shankolin　infused　his　tone　with　reverent　respect　and　awe。
　　〃Just　the　briefest　look　would　fulfill　my　life's　ambition；〃　Shankolin　went　on。
　　〃Well；　well；　it　is　Lord　Toric；〃　Esselin　said；　as　he　tore　the　message　into　the　smallest　parts　his　thick　fingers　could　manage。
　　At　this　hour；　when　most　would　be　going　to　their　homes　for　the　evening；　there　were　few　on　the　neatly　kept　paths。　However；　Esselin　made　absolutely　certain　that　no　one　else　was　nearby　as　he　kicked　a　small　hole　in　the　nearest　garden　bed。　The　pieces　of　paper　fluttered　from　his　fingers　into　the　hole　and　he　stamped　hard；　looking　all　about　him　as　he　did　so。　One　last　look　at　his　feet　and　he　could　see　that　not　even　a　white　corner　was　visible。
　　〃Follow　me；〃　he　said；　straightening　the　lapels　of　his　coat。　〃A　brief　look　is　all。　I　have　work　awaiting　me　in　my　quarters。　As　always。〃　Esselin's　tone　was　long…suffering　as　he　waddled　as　quickly　as　he　could　pump　his　fat　legs　in　the　direction　of　the　Admin　Building。
　　Shankolin　jumped　as　the　lights　illuminating　the　pathway　blinked　on　in　the　twilight。　He　felt　sullied　by　so　much　abomination　around　him。　The　sooner　he　could　demolish　all　this；　the　better。　There　was；　however；　far　more　to　Landing　now　than　he　had　anticipated。　It　would　make　his　ambition　to　destroy　all　the　Abomination's　work　much　harder　but　there　should　be　a　way。　He　might　have　to　recruit　more　helpers。　He　wondered　how　deeply　indebted　the　fat　little　man　was　to　Southern's　Lord　Holder。
　　He　was　surprised　when　he　saw　that　Esselin　was　leading　him；　not　around　the　bulky　building　to　the　front　door；　but　to　a　back　entrance。　Shankolin　saw　the　guard　seated　inside；　saw　a　look　of　dislike　cross　his　features　as　he　recognized　the　little　Master；　but　he　rose　immediately　to　let　them　in。
　　〃We'll　just　e　through　this　way　and　go　out　the　front　door；〃　Esselin　said；　waving　Shankolin　to　follow　him。
　　The　guard　stepped　back　to　allow　the　portly　man　to　pass。　His　expression　was　totally　blank　as　if　he　was　just　as　happy　to　avoid　any　conversation　with　Esselin　and　scarcely　looked　at　Shankolin。
　　They　continued　down　the　corridor；　and　doors　closed　on　either　side。　Probably　he　could　peer　in　through　the　windows　once　he　was　again　outside　on　the　path。　Perhaps。　Then　they　reached　the　wider　hallway　that　Shankolin　remembered；　part　of　the　entrance　he　had　used　before。　No　one　of　those　talking　among　themselves　did　more　than　glance　at　Esselin　and　quickly　look　away。
　　The　rooms　to　the　left　would　have　to　be　inspected。　Perhaps　burning　pitch　from　an　outside　window？　No；　an　explosive　would　be　needed　to　achieve　the　most　destruction。　Fire　would　never　damage　enough。
　　Then；　there；　at　the　end　of　the　hall；　was　the　softly　lit　Aivas　Chamber。　Shankolin　felt　no　reverence　at　all；　but　an　intense　thrill　of　pleasure。　He　had　never　thought　he　could　gain　entrance　to　the　facility　so　easily。
　　When　he　had　pla