tw.togreenangeltower2-第155节

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gesture　of　regret。　〃She　was　correct。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　held　her　off　a　long　while；〃　Simon　pointed　out。　〃And　at　a　great　price；　from　what　I　heard。　Who　knows　what　might　have　happened　if　the　Storm　King　hadn't　been　forced　to　wait？〃
Jiriki　smiled　thinly。　〃Of　all　of　who　fought　beside　the　Pool；　Likimeya　understood　the　most　in　the　short　time　we　touched　Utuk'ku's　thoughts。　My　mother　is　recovering　very　slowly　from　the　battle　with　her　ancestor；　but　she　has　confirmed　much　that　the　rest　of　us　suspected。
　　　　　　　〃The　swords　were　almost　living　things。　That　will　e　as　no　surprise　to　anyone　who　bore　one　of　them。　A　large　part　of　their　might　was；　as　Binabik　of　Mintahoq　suspected；　the　unwordly　forces　bound　by　the　Words　of　Making。　But　almost　as　much　of　their　power　was　in　the　effect　those　Words　had。　Somehow；　the　swords　had　life。　They　were　not　creatures　like　us…they　had　nothing　in　them　that　humans　or　even　Sithi　can　fully　understand…yet　they　lived。　This　was　what　made　them　greater　than　any　other　weapons；　but　it　was　also　what　made　them　difficult　for　anyone　to　rule　or　control。　They　could　be　called…their　hunger　to　be　together　and　to　release　their　energies　would　eventually　draw　them　to　the　tower…but　they　could　not　be　pelled。　Part　of　the
terrible　magic　the　Storm　King　needed　for　his　plan　to　succeed；　perhaps　the　most　important　part；　was　that　the　swords　must　e　to　the　summoning　themselves　at　the　proper　time。　They　must　choose　their　own　bearers。〃
Isgrimnur　watched　Simon　think　carefully　before　speaking。　〃But　Binabik　also　told　me　that　the　night　Miriamele　and　I　left　Josua's　camp；　the　Norns　tried　to　kill　Camaris。　But　the　sword　had　already　chosen　him…chosen　him　a　long　time　ago！　So　why　would　they　want　him　dead？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　may　have　the　beginning　of　the　answer　to　that；〃　Strangyeard　spoke　up。　He　was　still　nearly　as　diffident　as　when　Isgrimnur　had　first　met　him　years　before；　but　a　little　boldness　had　begun　to　show　through　in　recent　days。　〃When　we　fled　Naglimund；　the　Norns　who　pursued　us　behaved　very　strangely。　Sir　Deornoth　was　the　first　to　realize　that　they　were　。。。　oh！〃　The　archivist　looked　up；　startled。
　　　　　　　A　gray　shape　had　rushed　into　the　throne　room。　It　bounded　up　onto　the　steps　before　the　dais；　knocking　Simon　onto　his　side。　The　young　man　laughed；　tangling　his　fingers　in　the　wolf's　hackles；　trying　to　keep　the　probing　muzzle　and　long　tongue　from　his　face。
　　　　　　　〃She　is　full　of　gladness　to　see　you；　Simon！〃　Binabik　called。　He　was　just　ing　through　the　doorway；　trotting　in　a　futile　effort　to　keep　pace　with　Qantaqa。　〃She　has　been　waiting　long　to　bring　you　greeting。　I　was　keeping　her　away　before；　while　your　wounds　were　new…bandaged。〃　The　troll　hurried　forward；　distractedly　greeting　the　rest　of　the　pany　as　he　wrestled　Qantaqa　to　the　stone　floor　beside　the　dais。　She　yielded；　then　stretched　out　between　Binabik　and　Simon；　huge　and　content。　〃You　will　be　pleased　for　knowing　I　have　found　Homefinder　this　afternoon；〃　the　troll　told　the　young　man。　〃She　wandered　away　from　the　fighting　and　was　roaming　in　the　depths　of　the　Kynswood。〃
〃Homefinder。〃　Simon　said　the　name　slowly。　〃Thank　you；　Binabik。　Thank　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　take　you　for　seeing　her　later。〃
　　　　　　　When　all　had　settled　in　once　more；　Strangyeard　continued。　〃Sir　Deornoth　was　the　first　to　see　that　they　were　not　so　much　chasing　us　as　。。。　herding　us。　They　drove　us　out　in　flight；　but　they　did　not　kill　us　when　they　surely　could　have。　And　they　only　became　desperate　to　stop　us　when　we　turned　toward　the　innermost　depths　of　Aldheorte。〃
〃Toward　Jao　e…Tinukai'i；〃　said　Aditu　softly。　
　　　　　　　〃。。　。　And　they　also　killed　Amerasu　when　she　had　begun　to　see　Ineluki's　plan。〃　Simon　pondered。　〃But　I　still　do　not　see　why　they　tried　to　kill　Camaris。〃
　　　　　　　Jiriki　spoke。　〃They　were　content　when　you　had　the　sword；　Seoman；　although　I　am　sure　it　made　Utuk'ku　unhappy　when　Ingen　Jegger　brought　her　the　news　that　Dawn　Children　acpanied　you。　Still；　she　and　Ineluki　must　have　thought　it　doubtful　we　would　so　quickly　grasp　what　they　planned…and　as　it　turned　out；　they　were　correct。　Only　First　Grandmother　perceived　the　lineaments　of　their　plot。　They　removed　her　and　sowed　much　other　confusion　beside。　For　those　who　dwelled　in　Stormspike；　the　Zida'ya　were　then　little　threat。　They　must　have　felt　sure　that　when　the　time　came；　the　black　sword　would　select　you　or　the　Rimmersman　Sludig　or　someone　else　to　be　its　bearer。　Josua　would　e　for　Bright…Nail…his　father's　sword；　after　all…and　the　final　rituals　could　take　place。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　Camaris　came　back；〃　said　Simon。　〃I　suppose　they　didn't　suspect　that　might　happen。　Still；　he　had　carried　Thorn　for　decades。　It　only　makes　sense　the　sword　would　choose　him　again。　Why　should　they　fear　him？〃
Strangyeard　cleared　his　throat。　〃Sir　Camaris；　may　God　rest　his　troubled　soul…〃　the　priest　quickly　sketched　the　Tree；　〃…confessed　to　me　what　he　could　not　tell　others。　That　confession　must　go　with　me　to　my　grave。〃　Strangyeard　shook　his　head。　〃Ransomer　preserve　him！　But　the　reason　he　confessed　to　me　at　all　was　that　Aditu　and　Geloe　wished　to　know　whether　he　had　traveled　to　Jao。。。　whether　he　had　met　Amerasu。　He　had。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　told　Prince　Josua　his　secret；　I　am　sure；〃　muttered　Isgrimnur。　Remembering　that　night；　and　Josua's　terrible　expression；　he　wondered　again　at　what　mere　words　could　have　made　the　prince　look　as　he　had。　〃But　Josua　is　dead；　too；　God　rest　him。　We　will　never　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　even　though　Father　Strangyeard　swears　that　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　our　battles　here；〃　Jiriki　said。　〃it　seems　that　Utuk'ku　and　her　ally　did　not　know　that。　Nakkiga's　queen　knew　that　Amerasu　had　met　Camaris…perhaps　she　somehow　gleaned　the　knowledge　from　First　Grandmother　herself　during　their　tests　of　will。　Having　Camaris　suddenly　and　unexpectedly　appear　on　the　scene；　perhaps　with　some　special　wisdom　Amerasu　might　have　given　him；　and　also　with　his　long　experience　of　one　of　the　Great　Swords　。。。〃　Jiriki　shook　his　head。　〃We　cannot　know；　but　it　seems　they　decided　it　was　too　much　of　a　risk。　They　must　have　thought　that　with　Camaris　dead；　the　sword　would　find　a　new　bearer；　one　less　likely　to　plicate　their　scheme。　After　all；　Thorn　was　not　a　loyal　creature　like　Binabik's　wolf。〃
　　　　　　　Simon　leaned　back　and　stared　at　nothing。　〃So　all　our　hopes；　our　quest　for　the　swords；　were　a　trap。　And　we　walked　into　it　like　children。〃　He　scowled。　Isgrimnur　knew　that　it　was　himself　he　berated。
　　　　　　　〃It　was　a　damnably　clever　trap；〃　the　duke　offered。　〃One　that　must　have　been　a…building　for　a　long　time。　And　in　the　end　they　failed。〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　we　sure？〃　Simon　turned　to　Jiriki。　〃Do　we　know　they've　failed？〃
〃Isgrimnur　has　told　how　the　Hikeda'ya　fled　when　the　tower　fell…those　that　still　lived。　I　am　not　sorry　that　he　did　not　pursue　them；　for　they　are　few　now；　and　our　kind　give　birth　infrequently。　Many　died　at　Naglimund；　and　many　here。　The　fact　that　they　fled　instead　of　fighting　to　the　death　tells　much：　they　are　broken。〃
〃Even　after　Utuk'ku　wrested　control　of　the　Pool　from　us；〃　Aditu　said；　〃we　fought　her　still。　And　when　Ineluki　began　to　cross　over；　we　felt　it。〃　The　long　pause　was　eloquent。　〃It　was　terrible。　But　we　also　felt　it　when　his　mortal　body…King　Elias'　body…died。　Ineluki　had　abandoned　the　nowhere…place　which　had　been　his　refuge；　and　risked　final　dissolution　to　enter　back　into　the　world。　He　risked；　and　he　lost。　There　is　surely　nothing　left　of　him。〃
Simon　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃And　Utuk'ku？〃
　　　　　　　〃She　lives；　but　her　power　is　destroyed。　She；　too；　gambled　much；　and　it　was　through　her　magics　that　Ineluki's　being　could　be　fixed　in　the　tower　during　the　moment　when　Time　was　turned　withershins。　The　failure　blasted　her。〃　Adilu　fixed　him　with　her　amber　eyes。　〃I　saw　her；　Seoman；　saw　her　in　my　thoughts　as　clearly　as　if　she　stood　before　me。　The　fires　of　Stormspike　have　gone　dark　and　the　halls　are　empty。　She　is　all　but　alone；　her　silver　mask　shattered。〃
〃You　mean　you　saw　her？　Saw　her　face？〃
　　　　　　　Aditu　inclined　her　head。　〃Horror　of　her　own　antiquity　made　her　hide　her　features　long　ago…but　to　you；　Seoman　Snowlock；　she　would　seem　nothing　but　an　old　woman。　Her　features　are　lined　and　sagging；　her　skin　mottled。　Utuk'ku　Seyt…Hamakha　is　the　Eldest；　but　her　wisdom　was　corrupted　by　selfishness　and　vanity　ages　ago。　She　was　ashamed　that　the　years　had　caught　up　with　her。　And　now　even　the　terror　and　strength　she　wielded　is　gone。〃
〃So　the　power　of　Sturmrspeik　and　the　White　Foxes　is　finished；〃　Isgrimnur　said。　〃We　have　suffered　many　losses；　but　we　could　have　lost　far　mo're；　Simon…lost　everything。　We　have　much　to　thank　you　and　Binabik　for。〃
〃And　Miriamele；〃　Simon　said　quietly。　
　　　　　　　〃And　Miriamele；　of　course。〃
　　　　　　　The　young　man　looked　at　the　gathering；　then　turned　back　to　the　duke。　〃There's　more　brings　you　here；　I　know。　You　answered　my　questions。　What　are　yours？〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　couldn't　help　noticing　how　Simon's　confidence　had　grown。　He　was　still　courteous；　but　his　voice　suggested　that　he　deferred　to　no　one。　Which　was　as　it　should　be。　But　there　was　an　undercurrent　of　anger　which　made　Isgrimnur　hesitate　before　speaking。　〃Jiriki　has　been　talking　to　me　about　you；　about　your　。。。　heritage。　I　was　astonished；　I　must　say；　but　I　can　only　believe　him；　since　it　fits　with　everything　else　we've　learned…about　John；　about　the　Sithi；　everything。　I　thought　we　would　be　bringing　you　the　news；　but　something