rj.acrownofswords-第159节
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loop。 〃You can't bloody have her。〃 He started forward； keeping the medallion spinning。 The first step was the hardest； but he had a promise to keep。
The fellow's smile faded。 Watching the flashing foxhead warily； he backed away on his toes。 The same light that glittered on the whirling silver； from the single window； made a halo around him。 If Mat could drive him that far； maybe he could see whether a six…story drop would do what a knife could not。
Brand livid on his face； the fellow backed away； sometimes half…reaching as if to try grabbing past the medallion。 And suddenly； he darted to one side； into one of the rooms。 This one had a door that he pulled shut behind him。 Mat heard the bar drop。
Maybe he should have left it there； but without thinking； he raised a foot and slammed the heel of his boot against the center of the door。 Dust leaped off the rough wood。 A second kick； and rotten bar…catches gave way； along with a rusted hinge。 The door fell in； hanging at a slanted angle。
The room was not entirely dark。 A little light reached it from the window at the end of the hall； just one door away； and a broken triangle of mirror leaning against the far wall spread a faint illumination。 That mirror let him see everything without going in。 Aside from that and a piece of a chair； there was nothing else to see。 The only openings were the doorway and a rathole beside the mirror； but the man in the gray coat was gone。
〃Mat；〃 Elayne called faintly。 He hurried away from the room as much as toward her。 There was shouting somewhere below； but Nynaeve and the rest would have to take care of themselves for the moment。
Elayne was sitting up； working her jaw and wincing； when he knelt beside her。 Dust covered her dress； her hat hung askew； some of the plumes broken； and her red…gold hair looked as if she had been dragged by it。 〃He hit me so hard；〃 she said painfully。 〃I don't think anything is broken； but。。。 〃 Her eyes latched on to his； and if he had ever thought she looked at him as if he were a stranger； he saw it for true now。 〃I saw what you did； Mat。 With him。 We might as well have been chickens in a box with a weasel。 Channeling wouldn't touch him； the flows melted the way they do with your。。。 〃 Glancing at the medallion still hanging from his fist； she drew a breath that did interesting things to that oval cut…out。 〃Thank you； Mat。 I apologize for everything I ever did or thought。〃 She sounded as though she really meant it。 〃I keep building up toh toward you；〃 she smiled ruefully； 〃but I am not going to let you beat me。 You are going to have to let me save you at least once to balance matters。〃
〃I'll see what I can arrange；〃 he said dryly； stuffing the medallion into a coat pocket。 Toh？ Beat her？ Light！ The woman was definitely spending too much time with Aviendha。
Once he helped her to her feet； she looked at the hallway； at Vanin with his blood…smeared face； and the women lying where they had fallen； and she grimaced。 〃Oh； Light！〃 she breathed。 〃Oh； blood and bloody flaming ashes！〃 Despite the situation； he gave a start。 It was not just that he had never expected to hear those words out of her mouth； they seemed peculiar； as if she knew the sounds but not the meanings。 Somehow； they made her sound younger than she looked。
Shaking off his arm； she discarded her hat； just tossing it aside； and hurried to kneel beside the nearest Wise Woman； Reanne； and take her head in both hands。 The woman lay limp； face down and arms stretched out as though she had been tripped up running。 Toward the room everyone had been after； toward her attacker； not away。
〃This is beyond me；〃 Elayne muttered。 〃Where is Nynaeve？ Why didn't she e up with you； Mat？ Nynaeve！〃 she shouted toward the stairs。
〃No need to shriek like a cat；〃 Nynaeve growled； appearing in the stairwell。 She was looking back over her shoulder down the stairs； though。 〃You hold her tight； you hear me？〃 she shrieked like a cat。 She carried her hat； and shook it at whoever she was shouting at。 〃You let her get away； too； and I'll box your ears till you hear bells next year！〃
She turned； then； and her eyes nearly bulged out of her head。 〃The Light shine on us；〃 she breathed； hurrying to bend over Janira。 One touch； and she straightened； wincing painfully。 He could have told her the woman was dead。 Nynaeve seemed to take death personally。 Giving herself a shake； she went on to the next； Tamarla； and this time it appeared there was something she could Heal。 It also appeared Tamarla's injuries were not simple； because she knelt over her； frowning。 〃What happened here； Mat？〃 she demanded without looking around at him。 Her tone made him sigh； he might have known she would decide it was his fault。 〃Well； Mat？ What happened？ Will you speak up； man； or do I have to … 〃 He never learned what threat she intended to offer。
Lan had followed Nynaeve out of the stairwell； of course； with Sumeko right at his heels。 The stout Wise Woman took one look at the hall and immediately lifted her skirts and ran to Reanne。 She did give Elayne one worried glance before lowering herself to her knees and beginning to move her hands over Reanne in an odd way。 That was what pulled Nynaeve up short。
〃What are you doing？〃 she said sharply。 Not halting what she was doing to Tamarla； she spared the round…faced woman only short glances； but they were as piercing as her voice。 〃Where did you learn that？〃
Sumeko gave a start； but her hands did not stop。 〃Forgive me； Aes Sedai；〃 she said in a breathless； disjointed rush。 〃I know I'm not supposed to。。。 She'll die if I don't。。。 I know I wasn't supposed to keep trying to。。。 I just wanted to learn； Aes Sedai。 Please。〃
〃No； no； go on；〃 Nynaeve said absently。 Most of her attention was fixed on the woman under her hands； but not all。 〃You seem to know a few things even I … That is to say； you have a very interesting way with the flows。 I suspect you'll find that a great many sisters want to learn from you。〃 Half under her breath； she added； 〃Maybe now they'll leave me alone。〃 Sumeko could not have heard that last； but what she did hear dropped her chin to her considerable chest。 Her hands barely paused； though。
〃Elayne；〃 Nynaeve went on； 〃would you look for the Bowl； please？ I suspect that door is the one。〃 She nodded to the correct door； standing open like half a dozen others。 That made Mat blink until he saw two tiny cloth…wrapped bundles lying in front of it where the looters must have dropped them。
〃Yes；〃 Elayne muttered。 〃Yes； I can do that much； at least。〃 Half…raising a hand toward Vanin； still on his knees； she let it fall with a sigh and strode through the doorway； which almost immediately emitted a cloud of dust and the sound of coughing。
The more…than…plump Wise Woman had not been the only one following Nynaeve and Lan。 Ieine stalked out of the stairwell； forcing the Taraboner Darkfriend in front of her by means of an arm twisted up into her back and a fist clutching the back of her neck。 Ieine's jaw was set； her mouth tight； her face was half frightened certainty that she would be skinned alive for manhandling an Aes Sedai； and half determination to hold on no matter what。 Nynaeve had that effect on people； sometimes。 The Black sister was wide…eyed with terror； sagging so she surely would have fallen except for Ieine's grip。 She must have been shielded； certainly； and with equal surety she probably would have chosen being skinned to whatever was going to happen to her。 Tears began leaking from her eyes； and her mouth sagged in silent sobs。
Behind them came Beslan； who gave a sad sigh at the sight of Nalesean and a sadder for the women； and then Harnan and three of the Redarms； Fergin and Gorderan and Metwyn。 Three who had been at the front of the building。 Harnan and two of the others had bloody gashes in their coats； but Nynaeve must have Healed them below。 They did not move as if they still had injuries。 They looked very subdued； though。
〃What happened at the back？〃 Mat asked quietly。
〃Burn me if I know；〃 Harnan replied。 〃We walked right into a knot of shoulder thumpers with knives in the dark。 There was one； moved like a snake。。。 〃 He shrugged； touching the bloodstained hole in his coat absentmindedly。 〃One of them got a knife into me； and the next I remember is opening my eyes with Nynaeve Sedai bending over me and Mendair and the others dead as yesterday's mutton。〃
Mat nodded。 One who moved like a snake。 And got out of rooms like one； too。 He looked around the hallway。 Reanne and Tamarla were on their feet … straightening their dresses； of course … and Vanin； peering into the room where Elayne was apparently trying out some more curses； seemingly with no more success than earlier。 It was hard to tell because of the coughing。 Nynaeve stood； helping up Sibella； a scrawny yellow…haired woman； and Sumeko was still working on Famelle； with her pale…honey hair and big brown eyes。 But he was never going to admire Melore's bosom again； Reanne knelt to straighten her limbs and close her eyes； while Tamarla performed the same service for Janira。 Two Wise Women dead； and six of his Redarms。 Killed by a。。。 man。。。 the Power would n
