rj.theshadowrising-第155节

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umping　under　her　breath；　Nynaeve　managed　on　her　own。　In　only　her　shift；　she　threaded　the　twisted　stone　ring　onto　the　leather　cord　she　wore　hanging　around　her　neck；　alongside　a　man's　ring；　heavy　and　golden。　That　was　Lan's　ring；　Nynaeve　always　wore　it　between　her　breasts。
　　　　　　　Elayne　pulled　a　low　wooden　stool　over　beside　the　bed　while　Nynaeve　stretched　out　again。　She　did　feel　rather　sleepy；　but　she　would　not　fall　asleep　sitting　on　that。　The　problem　seemed　to　be　not　falling　on　the　floor。　〃I　will　judge　an　hour　and　wake　you。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　nodded；　then　closed　her　eyes；　both　hands　clutched　around　the　two　rings。　After　a　time　her　breathing　deepened。
　
　　　　　　　The　Heart　of　the　Stone　was　quite　empty。　Peering　into　the　dimness　among　the　great　columns；　Nynaeve　had　circled　Callandor；　sparkling　out　of　the　floorstones；　pletely　before　she　realized　she　was　still　in　her　shift；　the　leather　cord　dangling　about　her　neck　with　the　two　rings。　She　frowned；　and　after　a　moment　she　was　wearing　a　Two　Rivers　dress　of　good　brown　wool；　and　stout　shoes。　Elayne　and　Egwene　both　seemed　to　find　this　sort　of　thing　easy；　but　it　was　not　easy　for　her。　There　had　been　embarrassing　moments　in　earlier　visits　to　Tel'aran'rhiod；　mostly　after　stray　thoughts　of　Lan；　but　changing　her　garb　deliberately　took　concentration。　Just　that　…　remembering　…　and　her　dress　was　silk；　and　as　transparent　as　Rendra's　veil。　Berelain　would　have　blushed。　So　did　Nynaeve；　thinking　of　Lan　seeing　her　in　it。　It　took　an　effort　to　bring　the　brown　wool　back。
　　　　　　　Worse；　her　anger　had　faded　…　that　fool　girl；　did　she　not　realize　what　happened　when　you　drank　too　much　wine？　Had　she　never　been　alone　in　a　mon　room　before？　Well；　possibly　she　had　not　…　and　the　True　Source　might　as　well　not　exist　so　far　as　she　was　concerned。　Perhaps　it　would　not　matter。　Uneasy；　she　stared　into　the　forest　of　huge　redstone　columns；　turning　in　one　spot。　What　had　made　Egwene　leave　here　abruptly？
　　　　　　　The　Stone　was　silent；　with　a　hollow　emptiness。　She　could　hear　the　blood　rushing　in　her　own　ears。　Yet　the　skin　between　her　shoulder　blades　prickled　as　if　someone　were　watching　her。
　　　　　　　〃Egwene？〃　Her　shout　echoed　in　the　silence　among　the　columns。　〃Egwene？〃　Nothing。
　　　　　　　Rubbing　her　hands　on　her　skirt；　she　found　she　was　holding　a　gnarled　stick　with　a　thick　knob　on　the　end。　A　fat　lot　of　good　that　would　do。　But　she　tightened　her　grip　on　it。　A　sword　might　be　more　use　…　for　an　instant　the　stick　flickered；　half　a　sword　…　but　she　did　not　know　how　to　use　a　sword。　She　laughed　to　herself　ruefully。　A　cudgel　was　as　good　as　a　sword　here；　both　practically　useless。　Channeling　was　the　only　real　defense；　that　and　running。　Which　left　her　only　one　choice　at　the　moment。
　　　　　　　She　wanted　to　run　now；　with　that　feel　of　eyes　on　her；　but　she　would　not　give　up　so　quickly。　Only　what　was　she　to　do？　Egwene　was　not　here。　She　was　somewhere　in　the　Waste。　Rhuidean；　Elayne　said。　Wherever　that　was。
　　　　　　　Between　one　step　and　the　next　she　was　suddenly　on　a　mountainside；　with　a　harsh　sun　rising　over　more　jagged　mountains　beyond　the　valley　below；　baking　the　dry　air。　The　Waste。　She　was　in　the　Waste。　For　a　moment　the　sun　startled　her；　but　the　Waste　was　far　enough　east　for　sunrise　there　to　still　be　night　in　Tanchico。　In　Tel'aran'rhiod　it　made　no　difference　anyway。　Sunlight　or　darkness　there　seemed　to　bear　no　relation　to　what　was　in　the　real　world　as　far　as　she　could　determine。
　　　　　　　Long；　pale　shadows　still　covered　almost　half　the　valley；　but　strangely　a　mass　of　fog　billowed　down　there；　not　seeming　to　grow　less　for　the　sun　beating　on　it。　Great　towers　rose　out　of　the　fog；　some　appearing　unfinished。　A　city。　In　the　Waste？
　　　　　　　Squinting；　she　could　make　out　a　person　down　in　the　valley；　too。　A　man；　though　all　she　could　see　at　this　distance　was　someone　who　seemed　to　be　wearing　breeches　and　a　bright　blue　coat。　Certainly　not　an　Aiel。　He　was　walking　along　the　edge　of　the　fog；　every　now　and　again　stopping　to　poke　at　it。　She　could　not　be　sure；　but　she　thought　his　hand　stopped　short　each　time。　Maybe　it　was　not　fog　at　all。
　　　　　　　〃You　must　get　away　from　here；〃　a　woman's　voice　said　urgently。　〃If　that　one　sees　you；　you　are　dead；　or　worse。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　jumped；　spinning　with　her　club　raised；　nearly　losing　her　footing　on　the　slope。
　　　　　　　The　woman　standing　a　little　above　her　wore　a　short　white　coat　and　voluminous；　pale　yellow　trousers　gathered　above　short　boots。　Her　cloak　billowed　on　an　arid　gust　of　wind。　It　was　her　long　golden　hair；　intricately　braided；　and　the　silver　bow　in　her　hands　that　made　a　name　pop　incredulously　into　Nynaeve's　mouth。
　　　　　　　〃Birgitte？〃　Birgitte；　hero　of　a　hundred　tales；　and　her　silver　bow　with　which　she　never　missed。　Birgitte；　one　of　the　dead　heroes　the　Horn　of　Valere　would　call　back　from　the　grave　to　fight　in　the　Last　Battle。　〃It's　impossible。　Who　are　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃There　is　no　time；　woman。　You　must　go　before　he　sees。〃　In　one　smooth　motion　she　pulled　a　silver　arrow　from　the　quiver　at　her　waist；　nocked　it　and　drew　fletching　to　ear。　The　silver　arrowhead　pointed　straight　at　Nynaeve's　heart。　〃Go！〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　fled。
　　　　　　　She　was　not　sure　how；　but　she　was　standing　on　the　Green　in　Emond's　Field；　looking　at　the　Winespring　Inn　with　its　chimneys　and　red　tile　roof。　Thatched　roofs　surrounded　the　Green；　where　the　Winespring　gushed　out　of　a　stone　outcrop。　The　sun　stood　high　here；　though　the　Two　Rivers　lay　far　west　of　the　Waste。　Yet　despite　a　cloudless　sky；　a　deep　shadow　lay　across　the　village。
　　　　　　　She　had　only　a　moment　to　wonder　how　they　were　doing　without　her。　A　flicker　of　movement　caught　her　eye；　a　flash　of　silver　and　a　woman；　ducking　behind　the　corner　of　Ailys　Candwin's　neat　house　beyond　the　Winespring　Water。　Birgitte。Nynaeve　did　not　hesitate。　She　ran　for　one　of　the　footbridges　across　the　narrow　rushing　stream。　Her　shoes　pounded　on　the　wooden　planks。　〃e　back　here；〃　she　shouted。　〃You　e　back　here　and　answer　me！　Who　was　that？　You　e　back　here；　or　I'll　hero　you！　I'll　thump　you　so　you　think　you've　had　an　adventure！〃
　　　　　　　Rounding　the　corner　of　Ailys's　house；　she　really　only　half…expected　to　see　Birgitte。　What　she　did　not　expect　at　all　was　a　man　in　a　dark　coat　trotting　toward　her　less　than　a　hundred　paces　down　the　hard…packed　dirt　street。　Her　breath　caught。　Lan。　No；　but　he　had　the　same　shape　to　his　face；　the　same　eyes。　Halting；　he　raised　his　bow　and　shot。　At　her。　Screaming；　she　threw　herself　aside　trying　to　claw　her　way　awake。
　
　　　　　　　Elayne　jumped　to　her　feet；　toppling　the　stool　over　backward；　as　Nynaeve　screamed　and　sat　up　on　the　bed；　eyes　wide。
　　　　　　　〃What　happened；　Nynaeve？　What　happened？〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　shuddered。　〃He　looked　like　Lan。　He　looked　like　Lan；　and　he　tried　to　kill　me。〃　She　put　a　trembling　hand　to　her　left　arm；　where　a　shallow　slash　oozed　blood　a　few　inches　below　her　shoulder。　〃If　I　hadn't　jumped；　it　would　have　gone　through　my　heart。〃
　　　　　　　Seating　herself　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　Elayne　examined　the　cut。　〃It　is　not　bad。　I'll　wash　and　bandage　it　for　you。〃　She　wished　she　knew　how　to　Heal；　trying　without　knowing　might　well　make　it　worse。　But　it　really　was　little　more　than　a　long　nick。　Not　to　mention　that　her　head　still　seemed　full　of　jelly。　Quivering　jelly。　〃It　was　not　Lan。　Calm　yourself。　Whoever　it　was；　it　was　not　Lan。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know　that；〃　Nynaeve　said　acidly。　She　recounted　what　had　happened　in　much　the　same　angry　voice。　The　man　who　had　shot　at　her　in　Emond's　Field；　and　the　man　in　the　Waste；　she　was　not　sure　they　were　one　and　the　same。　Birgitte　herself　was　incredible　enough。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　certain？〃　Elayne　asked。　〃Birgitte？〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　sighed。　〃The　only　thing　I　am　certain　of　is　that　I　did　not　find　Egwene。　And　that　I　am　not　going　back　there　tonight。〃　She　pounded　a　fist　on　her　thigh。　〃Where　is　she？　What　happened　to　her？　If　she　met　that　fellow　with　the　bow。。。　Oh；　Light！〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　had　to　think　a　minute；　she　wanted　to　sleep　so　badly；　and　her　thoughts　kept　shimmering。　〃She　said　she　might　not　be　there　when　we　are　supposed　to　meet　again。　Maybe　that　is　why　she　left　so　hurriedly。　Whyever　she　can't。。。　I　mean。。。〃　It　did　not　seem　to　make　a　great　deal　of　sense；　but　she　could　not　get　it　out　properly。
　　　　　　　〃I　hope　so；〃　Nynaeve　said　wearily。　Looking　at　Elayne；　she　added；　〃We　had　better　get　you　to　bed。　You　look　ready　to　fall　over。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　was　grateful　to　be　helped　out　of　her　clothes。　She　did　remember　to　bandage　Nynaeve's　arm；　but　the　bed　looked　so　inviting　she　could　hardly　think　of　anything　else。　In　the　morning　perhaps　the　room　would　have　stopped　its　slow　spin　around　the　bed。　Sleep　came　as　soon　as　her　head　touched　the　pillow。
　　　　　　　In　the　morning　she　wished　she　were　dead。
　　　　　　　With　sunlight　barely　in　the　sky；　the　mon　room　was　empty　except　for　Elayne。　Head　in　her　hands；　she　stared　at　a　cup　Nynaeve　had　set　on　the　table　before　going　off　to　find　the　innkeeper。　Every　time　she　breathed；　she　could　smell　it；　her　nose　tried　to　clench。　Her　head　felt。。。　It　was　not　possible　to　describe　how　her　head　felt。　Had　someone　offered　to　cut　it　off；　she　might　have　thanked　him。〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　　　　　　　She　jerked　at　the　sound　of　Thom's　voice　and　barely　stifled　a　whimper。　〃I　am　quite　all　right；　thank　you。〃　Talking　made　her　head　throb。　He　fiddled　with　one　of　his　mustaches　uncertainly。　〃Your　stories　were　wonderful　last　night；　Thom。　What　I　re