rj.acrownofswords-第148节
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creaming people fled in every direction； knocking over tables； nobles clawing past servants and servants past nobles。 Buffeted； Min fought her way to Rand with fists and elbows and his sword as a club。
〃Are you all right？〃 she asked； pulling him to his feet。 She was surprised to see Caraline on the other side； helping him； too。 For that matter； Caraline looked surprised。
He took his hand from beneath his coat； fingers thankfully free of blood。 That half…healed scar； so tender； had not broken open。 〃I think we best move；〃 he said； taking his sword belt。 〃We have to get out of this。〃 The inverted bowl of clear air was noticeably smaller。 Almost everyone else had fled。 Out in the fog； screams rose； most cutting off abruptly but always replaced by new。
〃I agree； Tomas；〃 Darlin said。 Sword in hand； he planted himself with his back to Caraline； between her and the fog。 〃The question is； in which direction？ And also； how far do we have to go？〃
〃This is his work；〃 Toram spat。 〃Al'Thor's。〃 Hurling down his practice sword； he stalked to his discarded coat and calmly donned it。 Whatever else he was； he was no coward。 〃Jeraal？〃 he shouted at the fog as he fastened his sword belt。 〃Jeraal； the Light burn you； man； where are you？ Jeraal！〃 Mordeth … Fain … did not answer； and he went on shouting。
The only others still there were Cadsuane and her two panions； faces calm but hands running nervously over their shawls。 Cadsuane herself might have been setting out for a stroll。 〃I should think north；〃 she said。 〃The slope lies closer that way； and climbing may take us above this。 Stop that caterwauling； Toram！ Either your man's dead； or he can't hear。〃 Toram glared at her； but he did stop shouting。 Cadsuane did not appear to notice or care； so long as he was silent。 〃North； then。 We three will take care of anything your steel can't handle。〃 She looked straight at Rand when she said that； and he gave a whisker of a nod before buckling his sword belt and drawing his blade。 Trying not to goggle； Min exchanged glances with Caraline； the other woman's eyes looked as large as teacups。 The Aes Sedai knew who he was； and she was going to keep anyone else from knowing。
〃I wish we had not left our Warders back in the city；〃 the slim Yellow sister said。 Tiny silver bells in her dark hair chimed as she tossed her head。 She had almost as manding an air as Cadsuane； enough that you did not realize how pretty she was at first； except that that toss of her head seemed。。。 well。。。 a touch petulant。 〃I wish I had Roshan here。〃
〃A circle； Cadsuane？〃 the Gray asked。 Head turning this way and that to peer at the fog； she looked like a plump； pale…haired sparrow with her sharp nose and inquisitive eyes。 Not a frightened sparrow； but one definitely ready to take wing。 〃Should we link？〃
〃No； Niande；〃 Cadsuane sighed。 〃If you see something； you must be able to strike at it without waiting to point it out for me。 Samitsu； stop worrying about Roshan。 We have three fine swords here； two of them heron…mark； I see。 They will do。〃
Toram showed his teeth on seeing the heron engraved on the blade Rand had unsheathed。 If it was a smile； it held no mirth。 His own bared blade bore a heron； too。 Darlin's did not； but he gave Rand and his sword a weighing look； then a respectful nod that was considerably deeper than he had offered plain Tomas Trakand； of a minor branch of the House。
The gray…haired Green had taken charge； clearly； and she kept it despite attempted protests from Darlin； who like many Tairens seemed not to relish Aes Sedai a great deal； and Toram； who just seemed to dislike anyone giving orders but himself。 For that matter； so did Caraline； but Cadsuane ignored her frowns as pletely as she did the men's voiced plaints。 Unlike them； Caraline appeared to realize plaints would do no good。 Wonder of wonders； Rand meekly let himself be placed to Cadsuane's right as she quickly arranged everyone。 Well； not exactly meekly … he stared down his nose at her in a way that would have made Min slap him if he did it to her； Cadsuane just shook her head and muttered something that reddened his face … but at least he kept his mouth shut。 Right then； Min almost thought he would announce who he was。 And maybe expect the fog to vanish in fear of the Dragon Reborn。 He smiled at her as though fog in this weather was nothing； even a fog that snatched tents and people。
They moved into the thick mist in a formation like a six…pointed star； Cadsuane herself in the lead； an Aes Sedai at each of two other points； a man with a sword at three。 Toram； of course； protested loudly at bringing up the rear until Cadsuane mentioned the honor of the rear guard or some such。 That quieted him down。 Min had no objection whatsoever to her own position with Caraline in the center of the star。 She carried a knife in either hand； and wondered whether they would be any use。 It was something of a relief to see the dagger in Caraline's fist tremble。 At least her own hands were steady。 Then again； she thought she might be too frightened to shake。
The fog was cold as winter。 Grayness closed around them in swirls； so heavy it was difficult to see the others clearly。 Hearing was all too easy； though。 Shrieks drifted through the murk； men and women crying out； horses screaming。 The fog seemed to deaden sound； make it hollow； so that thankfully； those awful sounds seemed distant。 The mist ahead began to thicken； but fireballs immediately shot from Cadsuane's hands； sizzling through the icy gray； and the thickening erupted in one roaring flare of flame。 Roars behind； light flashing against the fog like lightning against clouds； spoke of the other two sisters at work。 Min had no desire to look back。 What she could see was more than enough。
Past trampled tents half obscured by gray haze they moved； past bodies and sometimes parts of bodies not nearly obscured enough。 A leg。 An arm。 A man who was not there from the waist down。 Once a woman's head that seemed to grin from where it sat on the corner of an overturned wagon。 The land began to slope upward； steeper。 Min saw her first living soul besides them； and wished she had not。 A man wearing one of the red coats staggered toward them； waving his left arm feebly。 The other was gone； and wet white bone showed where half his face had been。 Something that might have been words bubbled though his teeth； and he collapsed。 Samitsu knelt briefly beside him； putting her fingers against the bloody ruin of his forehead。 Rising； she shook her head； and they moved on。 Upslope； and up； until Min began wondering whether they were climbing a mountain instead of a hill。
Right in front of Darlin； the fog suddenly began to take on form； a man…high shape； but all tentacles and gaping mouths full of sharp teeth。 The High Lord might have been no blademaster； but he was not slow either。 His blade sliced through the middle of the still…coalescing shape； looped and slashed it top to bottom。 Four clouds of fog； thicker than the surrounding mist； settled to the ground。 〃Well；〃 he said； 〃at least we know steel can cut these。。。 creatures。〃
The thicker chunks of fog oozed together； began to rise once more。
Cadsuane stretched out a hand； droplets of fire falling from her fingertips； one bright flash of flame seared the solidifying fog from existence。 〃But no more than cut； so it seems；〃 she murmured。
Ahead to their right； a woman suddenly appeared in the swirling gray； silk skirts held high as she half ran； half fell down the slope toward them。 〃Thank the Light！〃 she screamed。 〃Thank the Light！ I thought I was alone！〃 Right behind her the fog drew together； a nightmare all teeth and claws； looming above her。 Had it been a man； Min was sure Rand would have waited。
His hand rose before Cadsuane could move； and a bar of。。。 something。。。 liquid white fire brighter than the sun。。。 shot out over the running woman's head。 The creature simply vanished。 For a moment there was clear air where it had been； and along the line that the bar had burned； until the fog began closing in。 A moment while the woman froze where she stood。 Then； shrieking at the top of her lungs； she turned and ran from them； still downslope； fleeing what she feared more than nightmares in these mists。
〃You！〃 Toram roared； so loudly that Min spun to face him with her knives raised。 He stood pointing his sword at Rand。 〃You are him！ I was right！ This is your work！ You will not trap me； al'Thor！〃 Suddenly he broke away at an angle； scrambling wildly up the slope。 〃You will not trap me！〃
〃e back！〃 Darlin shouted after him。 〃We must stick together！ We must。。。 〃 He trailed off； staring at Rand。 〃You are him。 The Light burn me； you are！〃 He half…moved as if to place himself between Rand and Caraline； but at least he did not run。
Calmly； Cadsuane picked her way across the slope to Rand。 And slapped his face so hard his head jerked。 Min's breath caught in shock。 〃You will not do that again；〃 Cadsuane said。 There was no heat in her voice； just iron。 〃Do you hear me？ Not balefire。 Not ever。〃
Surprisingly； Rand only rubbed his cheek。 〃You were wrong； Cadsuane。 He's real。 I'm certain of it。 I know he is。〃 Even more su
