tw.togreenangeltower2-第127节

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called。　He　has　gone！　Gone！〃　He　struggled　to　control　himself。　〃I　have　left　my　men　without　a　leader…deserted　my　people！　Can　you　take　me　back？〃　He　looked　imploringly　around　the　circle　of　Sithi。
　　　　　　　〃The　mortal　Duke　Isgrimnur　is　performing　ably　in　your　place；〃　said　Likimeya。　〃We　cannot　afford　the　time　to　return　you；　nor　any　of　our　number；　and　you　could　not　find　your　way　back　alone。〃
　　　　　　　Josua　lowered　his　head；　bowed　by　shame。　〃I　have　done　a　foolish　thing；　and　failed　those　who　trusted　me。　It　was　all　to　find　Camaris　。。。　but　he　has　gone。　And　he　has　taken　Thorn　with　him。〃
〃Do　not　worry　yourself　over　what　is　done；　Prince　Josua。〃　Aditu　spoke　with　surprising　gentleness。　〃As　for　Camaris；　do　not　fear。　We　will　find　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃How？〃
　　　　　　　Likimeya　stared　at　Josua　for　a　moment；　then　turned　her　glance　up　the　passageway。　〃If　the　sword　is　being　drawn　toward　Sorrow　and　the　other　blade；　as　seems　true　from　what　you　have　told　us；　then　we　know　where　he　is　bound。〃　She　looked　at　Chiya；　who　nodded。　〃We　will　go　there　by　the　straightest　route；　or　close　to　it。　Either　we　will　find　him；　or　we　will　reach　the　upper　levels　before　him　and　can　wait。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　he　could　wander　down　here　forever！〃　Josua　said　unhappily；　and　Tiamak　remembered　his　own　earlier　thought。
〃I　do　not　think　so；〃　said　Likimeya。　〃If　some　convergence　of　power　is　drawing　the　swords　together…which　may　be　our　greatest　hope；　for　it　will　bring　Bright…Nail；　too…then　he　will　find　his　way；　even　with　his　wits　as　troubled　as　you　say　they　were。　He　will　be　like　a　blind　man　searching　for　the　fire　in　a　cold　room。　He　will　find　his　way。〃
Jiriki　extended　his　hand　to　the　prince。　〃e；　Prince　Josua。　I　have　some　food　and　water。　Take　some　nourishment；　then　we　will　find　him。〃
　　　　　　　As　the　prince　looked　at　him　some　of　the　hard　edge　of　worry　softened。　〃Thank　you。　I　am　grateful　you　found　me。〃　He　took　Jiriki's　hand　and　stood；　then　laughed；　mocking　himself。　〃1　thought　。。。　I　thought　I　heard　voices。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　no　doubt　you　did；〃　said　Jiriki。　〃And　you　will　hear　more。〃
Tiamak　could　not　help　noticing　that　even　the　impassive　Sithi　did　not　look　entirely　fortable　with　Jiriki's　remark。
　　　　　　　Slowly；　almost　imperceptibly；　Tiamak's　surroundings　began　to　change。　As　he　and　Josua　followed　the　immortals　through　the　twisting　passages；　he　first　noticed　that　the　floors　seemed　more　level；　the　tunnels　a　little　more　regular。　Soon　he　began　to　see　the　undeniable　marks　of　intelligent　shapers；　hard　angles；　arches　of　stone　that　braced　the　wider　crossings；　even　a　few　patches　in　the　rock　walls　that　seemed　to　have　been　carved；　although　the　decorations　were　little　more　than　repetitive　patterns　like　waves　or　twining　grass　stems。
〃These　outermost　reaches　were　never　finished；〃　Aditu　told　him。　〃Either　they　were　built　too　late　in　Asu'a's　life；　or　were　abandoned　in　favor　of　more　useful　paths。〃
　　　　　　　〃Abandoned？〃　Tiamak　could　not　imagine　such　a　thing。　〃Who　would　do　all　the　work　of　gouging　through　this　stone　and　then　abandon　it？〃
　　　　　　　〃Some　of　these　passages　were　built　by　my　people；　with　the　help　of　the　Tinukeda'ya…the　dwarrows　as　mortals　call　them；〃　she　explained。　〃And　that　stone…loving　folk　carved　some　just　for　themselves；　unconcerned　with　finishing　or　keeping；　as　a　child　might　make　a　basket　of　grass　stems　and　then　toss　it　away　when　it　is　time　to　run　home。〃
The　marsh　man　shook　his　head。
　　　　　　　Mindful　of　their　mortal　panions；　the　Sithi　stopped　at　last　for　a　rest　in　a　wide　grotto　whose　roof　was　covered　with　a　tracery　of　slender　stalactites。　In　the　mellow　light　of　the　globes；　Tiamak　thought　it　looked　entirely　magical；　for　a　moment；　he　was　glad　he　had　e。　The　world　below；　it　seemed；　was　full　of　wonders　as　well　as　terrors。
　　　　　　　As　he　sat　eating　a　piece　of　bread　and　a　savory　but　unfamiliar　fruit　the　Sithi　had　brought；　Tiamak　wondered　how　far　they　had　e。　It　seemed　they　had　walked　most　of　a　day；　but　the　full　distance　on　the　surface　between　where　they　had　begun　and　the　walls　of　the　Hayholt　would　not　have　taken　a　fourth　of　that　time。　Even　with　the　circuitous　track　of　the　tunnels；　it　seemed　they　should　have　reached　something；　but　they　were　still　wandering　through　largely　featureless　caverns。
　　　　　　　It　is　like　the　spirit…hut　of　Buayeg　in　the　old　story；　he　decided；　only　half　in　jest。　Small　outside；　big　inside。
　　　　　　　He　turned　to　ask　Josua　if　he　had　noticed　the　same　oddity；　the　prince　was　staring　at　his　own　piece　of　bread　as　though　he　was　too　tired　or　distraught　to　eat。　Abruptly；the　cavern　shuddered…or　seemed　to：　Tiamak　felt　a　sensation　of　movement；　of　sudden　slippage；　but　neither　Josua　nor　the　Sithi　seemed　to　move　in　response　to　it。　Rather；　it　was　as　though　everything　in　the　grotto　had　slid　to　one　side；　but　the　people　inside　had　slid　effortlessly　with　it。　It　was　a　frightening　wrench；　and　for　a　long　moment　after　it　had　passed　Tiamak　felt　as　though　he　occupied　two　places　at　the　same　time。　A　thrill　of　terror　ran　up　his　spine。
　　　　　　　〃What　is　happening！？〃　he　gasped。
The　obvious　uneasiness　of　the　Sithi　did　nothing　to　make　him　feel　better。　〃It　is　that　which　I　spoke　of　before；〃　said　Aditu。　〃As　we　draw　closer　to　Asu'a's　heart；　it　is　getting　stronger。〃
Likimeya　stood　and　slowly　looked　around；　but　Tiamak　felt　sure　that　she　was　using　more　than　her　eyes。　〃Up；〃　she　said。　〃Time　is　short；　I　think。〃
　　　　　　　Tiamak　scrambled　to　his　feet。　The　look　on　Likimeya's　stern　face　frightened　him　badly。　He　suddenly　wished　he　had　kept　his　mouth　closed；　that　he　had　stayed　above　ground　with　the　rest　of　his　mortal　panions。　But　it　was　far　too　late　to　turn　back。

　　　　　　　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　Miriamele　gasped。　Yis…hadra；　who　had　replaced　her　wounded　husband　as　leader；　turned　to　stare。　〃Going？〃　said　the　dwarrow。　〃We　are　fleeing。　We　run　to　escape。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　stopped；　bending　over　to　catch　her　breath。　The　Norns　had　attacked　them　twice　more　as　they　fled　through　the　tunnels；　but　without　archers　they　had　been　unable　to　overe　the　terrified　dwarrows。　Still；　two　more　of　the　stone…tenders　had　fallen　in　the　fighting；　and　the　white…skinned　immortals　had　by　no　means　given　up。　Since　the　last　struggle；　Miriamele　had　already　spotted　the　pursuers　once　when　she　had　entered　a　passageway　long　and　straight　enough　to　permit　a　backward　look；　in　that　glimpse　they　had　truly　seemed　creatures　of　the　lightless　depths…pale；　silent；　and　remorseless。　The　Norns　seemed　in　no　hurry；　as　if　they　were　merely　trailing　Miriamele　and　her　panions　until　more　of　their　kind　came　bearing　bows　and　long　spears。　It　had　been　as　much　as　she　could　do　not　to　sink　to　the　ground　in　surrender。
She　knew　that　they　had　been　lucky　to　escape　the　dwarrows'　cavern　at　all。　If　the　White　Foxes　had　anticipated　any　resistance；　they　had　doubtless　expected　it　to　be　close　bat　in　a　narrow　corner。　Instead；　the　dwarrows'　desperate　attack　in　the　dark　and　the　avalanches　of　falling　stone　they　had　engineered　had　caught　the　immortals　by　surprise；　permitting　Miriamele　and　her　panions　to　flee。　But　she　had　no　illusions　they　could　trick　the　cunning　Norns　twice。
　　　　　　　〃We　could　be　forced　to　run　this　way　forever；〃　she　told　Yis…hadra。　〃Perhaps　you　can　outlast　them；　but　we　can't。　In　any　case；　our　people　are　in　danger　up　above。〃
　　　　　　　Binabik　nodded。　〃She　speaks　truth　to　you。　Escaping　is　not　enough　for　us。　We　have　need　of　finding　our　way　out　from　this　place。〃
　　　　　　　The　dwarrow　did　not　reply；　but　looked　to　her　husband　who　was　limping　up　the　passageway　toward　them；　trailed　by　the　last　of　the　dwarrows　and　Cadrach。　The　monk's　face　was　ashen；　as　though　he　had　been　wounded；　but　Miriamele　saw　no　injuries。　She　turned　away；　unwilling　to　waste　sympathy　on　him。
〃They　are　a　distance　behind　us；　now；〃　said　Yis…fidri　wearily。　〃They　seem　full　content　to　let　us　run　ahead。〃　He　leaned　back　against　the　wall；　letting　his　head　rest　against　the　stone。　Yis…hadra　went　to　him　and　probed　gently　with　her　wide　fingers　at　the　arrow　wound　in　his　shoulder。　〃Sho…vennae　is　dead；　and　three　others；〃　he　groaned；　then　fluted　a　few　words　to　his　wife；　who　gave　a　cry　of　grief。　〃Smashed　like　delicate　crystals。　Gone。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　we　had　not　run；　they　would　all　be　dead　anyway…　and　you　and　the　rest　of　us　would　be；　too。〃　Miriamele　paused　to　fight　back　her　anger　and　her　horror　of　the　pursuing　Norns。　〃Forgive　me；　Yis…fidri。　I　am　sorry　about　your　people。　I　am　truly　sorry。〃
　　　　　　　Sweat　beaded　on　the　dwarrow's　brow；　glimmering　in　the　light　of　the　batons。　〃Few　mourn　for　the　Tinukeda'ya；〃　he　replied　softly。　〃They　make　us　their　servants；　they　steal　from　us　the　Words　of　Making；　they　even　beg　our　help　when　they　are　in　need…but　they　seldom　mourn　us。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　was　ashamed。　Surely　he　meant　that　she　was　as　guilty　of　using　the　dwarrows…and　Niskies；　too；　she　thought；　remembering　Gan　Itai's　sacrifice…as　even　their　one…time　masters；　the　Sithi。
〃Take　us　to　where　we　can　reach　the　world　above；〃　she　said。　〃That　is　all　I　ask。　Then　go　with　our　blessing；　Yis…fidri。〃
　　　　　　　Before　the　dwarrow　could　reply；　Binabik　suddenly　spoke　up。　〃The　Words　of　Making。　Were　all　the　Great　Swords　being　forged　with　these　Making…Words？〃　
　　　　　　　Yis…fidri　looked　at　him　with　more　than　a　little　suspicion；　then　winced　at　something　his　wife　was　doing　to　his　shoulder。　〃Yes。　It　was　needful　to　bind　their　substance…to　bring　their　being　within　the　Laws。〃
〃What　laws　are　these？〃
〃Those　Laws　that　cannot　be　chang