rj.acrownofswords-第131节
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〃You'll never make me angry again；〃 she began； and stopped； staring at him wide…eyed。 〃I'm not angry；〃 she said slowly。
〃Not now； but when you need to be … 〃
〃I'm not angry；〃 she laughed。 She kicked her feet in delight； and pounded her fists on his chest； laughing。 Saidar filled her； not just with life and joy； but this time； with awe。 With feathery flows of Air； she stroked his cheeks。 〃I am not angry； Lan；〃 she whispered。
〃Your block is gone。〃 He grinned； sharing her delight； but the grin put no warmth into his eyes。
I will take care of you； Lan Mandragoran； she promised silently。 I will not let you die。 Leaning on his chest； she thought of kissing him； and even。。。 You are not Calle Coplin； she told herself firmly。
A sudden； horrible thought struck her。 All the more horrible because it had not e earlier。 〃The boatmen？〃 she said quietly。 〃My bodyguards？〃 Wordlessly； he shook his head； and she sighed。 Bodyguards。 Light； they had needed her protection； not the other way around。 Four more deaths to lay at Moghedien's feet。 Four on top of thousands； but these were personal； as far she was concerned。 Well； she was not about to settle Moghedien this moment。
Getting to her feet； she began seeing what she could do about her clothes。 〃Lan； will you turn the boatmen around？ Tell them to row for all they have。〃 As it was； she would not see the palace again before nightfall。 〃And find out if one of them has such a thing as a b。〃 She could not face Nesta like this。
He picked up his coat and sword and gave her a bow。 〃As you mand； Aes Sedai。〃
Pursing her lips； she watched the door close behind him。 Laughing at her； was he？ She would wager someone on Windrunner could perform a marriage。 And from what she had seen of the Sea Folk； she would wager Lan Mandragoran would find himself promising to do as he was told。 They would see who laughed then。
Lurching and rolling； the boat began to swing around； and her stomach lurched with it。
〃Oh； Light！〃 she groaned； sinking onto the bench。 Why could she not have lost that along with her block？ Holding saidar； aware of every touch of the air on her skin； only made it worse。 Letting go did not help。 She was not going to sick up again。 She was going to make Lan hers once and for all。 This was going to be a wonderful day yet。 If only she could stop feeling that storm on the way。
The sun sat luridly just above the rooftops by the time Elayne rapped on the door with her knuckles。 Revelers danced and cavorted in the street behind her； filling the air with laughter and song and the scent of perfume。 Idly； she wished she had had a chance really to enjoy the festival。 A costume like Birgitte's might have been fun。 Or even one like that she had seen on the Lady Riselle； one of Tylin's attendants； first thing this morning。 As long as she could have kept her mask on。 She rapped again； harder。
The gray…haired； square…jawed maid opened the door； fury suddenly painting her face when Elayne lowered her green mask。 〃You！ What are you doing back …？〃 Fury turned to ghastly paleness as Merilille removed her mask； and Adeleas and the others did the same。 The woman jerked with each ageless face revealed； and even with Sareitha's。 By that time； maybe she saw what she expected to see。
With a sudden cry； the maid tried to push the door shut； but Birgitte darted past Elayne； her feathered shoulder knocking it back open。 The servant staggered a few steps； then gathered herself； but whether to run or shout； Birgitte was there before time； gripping her arm just below the shoulder。
〃Easy；〃 Birgitte said firmly。 〃We don't want any fuss or shouting； now do we？〃 It did seem she was only holding the woman's arm； almost supporting her； but the maid stood very straight indeed and very still。 Staring wide…eyed at her captor's plume…crested mask； she shook her head slowly。
〃What is your name？〃 Elayne asked； as everyone crowded into the entry hall behind her。 The closing door muted the noise from outside。 The maid's eyes darted from one face to the next as if she could not bear to gaze at any one for long。
〃C…c…cedora。〃
〃You will take us to Reanne； Cedora。〃 This time； Cedora nodded； she looked about to cry。
Cedora stiffly led the way upstairs with Birgitte still holding her arm。 Elayne considered telling her to release the woman； but the last thing she wanted was a shouted alarm and everyone in the house fleeing in all directions。 That was why Birgitte used muscle instead of Elayne herself channeling。 She thought Cedora was more frightened than hurt； and everybody was to be at least a little frightened this evening。
〃In th…there；〃 Cedora said； nodding to a red door。 The door to the room where Nynaeve and she had had that unfortunate interview。 She opened it and went in。
Reanne was there； seated with the fireplace carved with the Thirteen Sins at her back； and so were another dozen women Elayne had never seen before； occupying all of the chairs against the pale green walls； sweating with the windows tight and curtains drawn。 Most wore Ebou Dari dresses； though only one possessed the olive skin； most had lines on their faces and at least a touch of gray； and every last woman of them could channel to one degree or another。 Seven wore the red belt。 She sighed in spite of herself。 When Nynaeve was right； she let you know it until you wanted to scream。
Reanne bounded to her feet in the same red…faced fury Cedora had shown； and her first words were almost identical as well。 〃You！ How dare you show your face。。。？〃 Words and fury drained away together for the same reason； too； as Merilille and the others entered on Elayne's heels。 A yellow…haired woman in red belt and plunging neckline made a faint sound as her eyes rolled up in her head and she slid bonelessly from her red chair。 No one moved to help her。 No one even glanced at Birgitte as she escorted Cedora to a corner and planted her there。 No one seemed to breathe。 Elayne felt a great desire to shout 〃boo〃 just to see what would happen。
Reanne swayed； white…faced； and visibly tried to gather herself with slight success。 It took her only a moment to scan the five cool…faced Aes Sedai lined up before the door and decide who must be in charge。 She wobbled across the floortiles to Merilille and sank to her knees； head bowed。 〃Forgive us； Aes Sedai。〃 Her voice was worshipful； and only a little steadier than her knees had been。 She babbled； in fact。 〃We are only a few friends。 We have done nothing； certainly nothing to bring discredit to Aes Sedai。 I swear that； whatever this girl has told you。 We would have told you of her； but we were afraid。 We only meet to talk。 She has a friend； Aes Sedai。 Did you catch her； too？ I can describe her for you； Aes Sedai。 Whatever you wish； we will do。 I swear； we … 〃
Merilille cleared her throat loudly。 〃Your name is Reanne Corly； I believe？〃 Reanne flinched and whispered that it was； still peering at the floor at the Gray sister's feet。 〃I fear you must address yourself to Elayne Sedai； Reanne。〃
Reanne's head jerked up in a most satisfactory way。 She stared at Merilille； then by slow increments turned eyes as big as her face to Elayne。 She licked her lips。 She drew a deep； long breath。 Twisting around on her knees to face Elayne； she bowed her head once more。 〃I beg your forgiveness； Aes Sedai；〃 she said leadenly。 〃I did not know。 I could not … 〃 Another long； hopeless breath。 〃Whatever punishment you decree； we accept humbly； of course； but please； I beg you to believe that … 〃
〃Oh； stand up；〃 Elayne broke in impatiently。 She had wanted to make this woman acknowledge her as much as she had Merilille or any of the others； but the groveling sickened her。 〃That's right。 Stand on your feet。〃 She waited until Reanne plied； then walked over and sat in the woman's chair。 There was no need for cringing； but she wanted no doubts who was in charge。 〃Do you still deny knowledge of the Bowl of the Winds； Reanne？〃
Reanne spread her hands。 〃Aes Sedai；〃 she said guilelessly； 〃none of us would ever use a ter'angreal； much less an angreal or sa'angreal。〃 Guileless； and wary as a fox in a city。 〃I assure you； we make no pretense of being anything even near to Aes Sedai。 We are just these few friends you see； tied together by once having been allowed to enter the White Tower。 That is all。〃
〃Just these few friends；〃 Elayne said dryly over steepled fingers。 〃And Garenia； of course。 And Berowin； and Derys； and Alise。〃
〃Yes；〃 Reanne said reluctantly。 〃And them。〃
Elayne shook her head very slowly。 〃Reanne； the White Tower knows about your Kin。 The Tower has always known。〃 A dark woman with a Tairen look to her； though wearing a blue…and…white silk vest with the sigil of the goldsmith's guild； gave a strangled scream and pressed both plump hands to her mouth。 A lean； graying Saldaean wearing the red belt crumpled with a sigh to join the yellow…haired woman on the floor； and two more swayed as if they might。
For her part； Reanne looked to the sisters in front of the door for confirmation； and saw it； as she thought。 Merilille's face was more icy than serene； and Sareitha grimaced be
