rj.thegreathunt-第134节

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　　　　　　　〃Not　men。〃　Renna　chuckled。　〃All　sul'dam　are　women。　If　a　man　put　on　this　bracelet；　most　of　the　time　it　would　be　no　different　than　if　it　were　hanging　on　a　peg　on　the　wall。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　sometimes；〃　the　blue…eyed　sul'dam　put　in　harshly；　〃you　and　he　would　both　die　screaming。〃　The　woman　had　sharp　features　and　a　tight；　thin…lipped　mouth；　and　Egwene　realized　that　anger　was　apparently　her　permanent　expression。　〃From　time　to　time　the　Empress　plays　with　lords　by　linking　them　to　a　damane。　It　makes　the　lords　sweat　and　entertains　the　Court　of　the　Nine　Moons。　The　lord　never　knows　until　it　is　done　whether　he　will　live　or　die；　and　neither　does　the　damane。　〃　Her　laugh　was　vicious。
　　　　　　　〃Only　the　Empress　can　afford　to　waste　damane　in　such　a　way；　Alwhin；〃　Renna　snapped；　〃and　I　do　not　mean　to　train　this　damane　only　to　have　her　thrown　away。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　not　seen　any　training　at　all　so　far；　Renna。　Only　a　great　deal　of　chatter；　as　if　you　and　this　damane　were　girlhood　friends。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　it　is　time　to　see　what　she　can　do；〃　Renna　said；　studying　Egwene。　〃Do　you　have　enough　control　yet　to　channel　at　that　distance？〃　She　pointed　to　a　tall　oak　standing　alone　on　a　hilltop。
　　　　　　　Egwene　frowned　at　the　tree；　perhaps　half　a　mile　from　the　line　followed　by　the　soldiers　and　Suroth's　palanquin。　She　had　never　tried　anything　much　beyond　arm's　reach；　but　she　thought　it　might　be　possible。　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。
　　　　　　　〃Try；〃　Renna　told　her。　〃Feel　the　tree。　Feel　the　sap　in　the　tree。　I　want　you　to　make　it　all　not　only　hot；　but　so　hot　that　every　drop　of　sap　in　every　branch　flashes　to　steam　in　an　instant。　Do　it。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　was　shocked　to　discover　an　urge　to　do　as　Renna　manded。　She　had　not　channeled；　or　even　touched　saidar；　in　two　days；　the　desire　to　fill　herself　with　the　One　Power　made　her　shiver。　〃I〃　…　in　half　a　heartbeat　she　discarded　〃will　not〃；　the　weals　that　were　not　there　still　burned　too　sharply　for　her　to　be　quite　that　foolish　…　〃cannot；〃　she　finished　instead。　〃It　is　too　far；　and　I've　never　done　anything　like　that　before。〃
　　　　　　　One　of　the　sul'dam　laughed　raucously；　and　Alwhin　said；　〃She　never　even　tried。〃
　　　　　　　Renna　shook　her　head　almost　sadly。　〃When　one　has　been　a　sul'dam　long　enough；〃　she　told　Egwene；　〃one　learns　to　tell　many　things　about　damane　even　without　the　bracelet；　but　with　the　bracelet　one　can　always　tell　whether　a　damane　has　tried　to　channel。　You　must　never　lie　to　me；　or　to　any　sul'dam；　not　even　by　a　hair。〃
　　　　　　　Suddenly　the　invisible　switches　were　back；　striking　at　her　everywhere。　Yelling；　she　tried　to　hit　Renna；　but　the　sul'dam　casually　knocked　her　fist　away；　and　Egwene　felt　as　if　Renna　had　hit　her　arm　with　a　stick。　She　dug　her　heels　into　Bela's　flanks；　but　the　sul'dam's　grip　on　the　leash　nearly　pulled　her　out　of　her　saddle。　Frantically　she　reached　for　saidar；　meaning　to　hurt　Renna　enough　to　make　her　stop；　just　the　kind　of　hurt　she　herself　had　been　given。　The　sul'dam　shook　her　head　wryly；　Egwene　howled　as　her　own　skin　was　suddenly　scalded。　Not　until　she　fled　from　saidar　pletely　did　the　burn　begin　to　fade；　and　the　unseen　blows　never　ceased　or　slowed。　She　tried　to　shout　that　she　would　try；　if　only　Renna　would　stop；　but　all　she　could　manage　was　to　scream　and　writhe。
　　　　　　　Dimly；　she　was　aware　of　Min　shouting　angrily　and　trying　to　ride　to　her　side；　of　Alwhin　tearing　Min's　reins　from　her　hands；　of　another　sul'dam　speaking　sharply　to　her　damane；　who　looked　at　Min。　And　then　Min　was　yelling；　too；　arms　flapping　as　if　trying　to　ward　off　blows　or　beat　away　stinging　insects。　In　her　own　pain；　Min's　seemed　distant。
　　　　　　　Their　cries　together　were　enough　to　make　some　of　the　soldiers　twist　in　their　saddles。　After　one　look；　they　laughed　and　turned　back。　How　sul'dam　dealt　with　damane　was　no　affair　of　theirs。
　　　　　　　To　Egwene　it　seemed　to　go　on　forever；　but　at　last　there　was　an　end。　She　lay　sprawled　weakly　across　the　cantle　of　her　saddle；　cheeks　wet　with　tears；　sobbing　into　Bela's　mane。　The　mare　whickered　uneasily。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　good　that　you　have　spirit；〃　Renna　said　calmly。　〃The　best　damane　are　those　who　have　spirit　to　be　shaped　and　molded。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　squeezed　her　eyes　shut。　She　wished　she　could　close　her　ears；　too；　to　shut　out　Renna's　voice。　I　have　to　get　away。　I　have　to；　but　how？　Nynaeve；　help　me。　Light；　somebody　help　me。
　　　　　　　〃You　will　be　one　of　the　best；〃　Renna　said　in　tones　of　satisfaction。　Her　hand　stroked　Egwene's　hair；　a　mistress　soothing　her　dog。
　
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　leaned　out　of　her　saddle　to　peer　around　the　screen　of　prickly　leafed　shrubs。　Scattered　trees　met　her　eyes；　some　with　leaves　turning　color。　The　expanses　of　grass　and　brush　between　seemed　empty。　Nothing　moved　that　she　could　see　except　the　thinning　column　of　smoke；　wavering　in　a　breeze；　from　the　leatherleaf。
　　　　　　　That　had　been　her　work；　the　leatherleaf；　and　once　the　lightning　called　from　a　clear　sky；　and　a　few　other　things　she　had　not　thought　to　try　until　those　two　women　tried　them　on　her。　She　thought　they　must　work　together　in　some　way；　though　she　could　not　understand　their　relation　to　each　other；　apparently　leashed　as　they　were。　One　wore　a　collar；　but　the　other　was　chained　as　surely　as　she。　What　Nynaeve　was　sure　of　was　that　one　or　both　were　Aes　Sedai。　She　had　never　had　a　clear　enough　sight　of　them　to　see　the　glow　of　channeling；　but　it　had　to　be。
　　　　　　　I'll　certainly　take　pleasure　in　telling　Sheriam　about　them；　she　thought　dryly。　Aes　Sedai　don't　use　the　Power　as　a　weapon；　do　they？
　　　　　　　She　certainly　had。　She　had　at　least　knocked　the　two　women　down　with　that　lightning　strike；　and　she　had　seen　one　of　the　soldiers；　or　his　body　rather；　burn　from　the　ball　of　fire　she　made　and　hurled　at　them。　But　she　had　not　seen　any　of　the　strangers　at　all　in　some　time　now。
　　　　　　　Sweat　beaded　on　her　forehead；　and　it　was　not　all　from　exertion。　Her　contact　with　saidar　was　gone；　and　she　could　not　bring　it　back。　In　that　first　fury　of　knowing　that　Liandrin　had　betrayed　them；　saidar　had　been　there　almost　before　she　knew　it；　the　One　Power　flooding　her。　It　had　seemed　she　could　do　anything。　And　as　long　as　they　had　chased　her；　rage　at　being　hunted　like　an　animal　had　fueled　her。　Now　the　chase　had　vanished。　The　longer　she　had　gone　without　seeing　an　enemy　at　whom　she　could　strike；　the　more　she　had　begun　to　worry　that　they　might　be　sneaking　up　on　her　somehow；　and　the　more　she　had　had　time　to　worry　about　what　was　happening　to　Egwene；　and　Elayne；　and　Min。　Now　she　was　forced　to　admit　that　what　she　felt　most　was　fear。　Fear　for　them；　fear　for　herself。　It　was　anger　she　needed。
　　　　　　　Something　stirred　behind　a　tree。
　　　　　　　Her　breath　caught；　and　she　fumbled　for　saidar；　but　all　the　exercises　Sheriam　and　the　others　had　taught　her；　all　the　blossoms　unfolding　in　her　mind；　all　the　imagined　streams　that　she　held　like　riverbanks；　did　no　good。　She　could　feel　it；　sense　the　Source；　but　she　could　not　touch　it。
　　　　　　　Elayne　stepped　from　behind　the　tree　in　a　wary　crouch；　and　Nynaeve　sagged　with　relief。　The　Daughter…Heir's　dress　was　dirty　and　torn；　her　golden　hair　was　a　tangle　of　snarls　and　leaves；　and　her　searching　eyes　were　as　wide　as　those　of　a　frightened　fawn；　but　she　held　her　short…bladed　dagger　in　a　steady　hand。　Nynaeve　picked　up　her　reins　and　rode　into　the　open。
　　　　　　　Elayne　gave　a　convulsive　jump；　then　her　hand　went　to　her　throat　and　she　drew　a　deep　breath。　Nynaeve　dismounted；　and　the　two　women　hugged；　taking　fort　in　having　found　each　other。
　　　　　　　〃For　a　moment；〃　Elayne　said　as　they　finally　stepped　apart；　〃I　thought　you　were。。。　Do　you　know　where　they　are？　There　were　two　men　following　me。　Another　few　minutes　and　they　would　have　caught　me；　but　a　horn　sounded　and　they　turned　their　horses　and　galloped　off。　They　could　see　me；　Nynaeve；　and　they　just　left。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　heard　it；　too；　and　I　haven't　seen　any　of　them　since。　Have　you　seen　Egwene；　or　Min？〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　shook　her　head；　slumping　to　sit　on　the　ground。　〃Not　since。。。　That　man　hit　Min；　knocked　her　down。　And　one　of　those　women　was　trying　to　put　something　around　Egwene's　neck。　I　saw　that　much　before　I　ran。　I　don't　think　they　got　away；　Nynaeve。　I　should　have　done　something。　Min　cut　the　hand　that　was　holding　me；　and　Egwene　。。。　I　just　ran；　Nynaeve。　I　realized　I　was　free；　and　I　ran。　Mother　had　better　marry　Gareth　Bryne　and　have　another　daughter　as　soon　as　she　can。　I　am　not　fit　to　take　the　throne。〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't　be　a　goose；〃　Nynaeve　said　sharply。　〃Remember；　I　have　a　packet　of　sheepstongue　root　among　my　herbs。〃　Elayne　had　her　head　in　her　hands；　the　gibe　did　not　even　produce　a　murmur。　〃Listen　to　me；　girl。　Did　you　see　me　stay　to　fight　twenty　or　thirty　armed　men；　not　to　mention　the　Aes　Sedai？　If　you　had　waited；　the　most　likely　thing　by　far　is　that　you　would　be　a　prisoner；　too。　If　they　didn't　just　kill　you。　They　seemed　to　be　interested　in　Egwene　and　me　for　some　reason。　They　might　not　have　cared　whether　you　remained　alive　or　not。〃　Why　are　they　interested　in　Egwene　and　me？　Why　us　in　particular？　Why　did　Liandrin　do　this？　Why？　She　had　no　more　answers　now　than　she　had　had　the　first　time　she　asked　herself　these　questions。
　　　　　　　〃If　I　had　died　trying　to　help　them　…〃　Elayne　began。
　　　　　　　〃…　you'd　be　dead。　And　little　good　you'd　be　then；　to　yourself　or　them。　Now　get　on　your　feet　and　brush　off　your　dress。〃　Nynaeve　rummaged　in　her　saddlebags　for　a　hairbrush。