rj.theshadowrising-第34节

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cing　the　Source；　Rand。　Elayne　is　doing　just　that　right　now。〃　He　squinted　at　the　Daughter…Heir。　〃It　doesn't　matter　what　you　see　or　don't　see。　You　felt　it。　We　have　that　much。　Let's　see　what　else　we　can　find。　Rand；　embrace　the　Source。　Embrace　saidin。〃　The　words　came　out　hoarsely。　They　had　agreed　on　this；　too；　she　and　Elayne。　He　was　Rand；　not　a　monster　from　the　stories；　and　they　had　agreed　on　it；　but　still；　asking　a　man　to。。。。　The　wonder　was　that　she　had　gotten　the　words　out　at　all。　〃Do　you　see　anything？〃　she　asked　Elayne。　〃Or　feel　anything？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　still　doled　out　glances　between　them；　in　between　staring　at　the　floor　and　sometimes　blushing。　Why　was　he　so　out　of　countenance？　Studying　him　fixedly；　the　Daughter…Heir　shook　her　head。　〃He　could　just　be　standing　there　for　all　I　can　tell。　Are　you　sure　he　is　doing　anything？〃
　　　　　　　〃He　can　be　stubborn；　but　he　isn't　foolish。　At　least；　he　isn't　foolish　most　of　the　time。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well；　stubborn　or　foolish　or　something　else；　I　feel　nothing　at　all。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　frowned　at　him。　〃You　said　you　would　do　as　we　asked；　Rand。　Are　you？　If　you　felt　something；　so　should　I；　and　I　do　not　…　〃　She　broke　off　with　a　stifled　yelp。　Something　had　pinched　her　bottom。　Rand's　lips　twitched；　clearly　fighting　a　grin。　〃That；〃　she　told　him　crisply；　〃was　not　nice。〃
　　　　　　　He　tried　to　keep　his　face　innocent；　but　the　grin　slipped。　〃You　said　you　wanted　to　feel　something；　and　I　just　thought…〃　His　sudden　roar　made　Egwene　jump。　Clapping　a　hand　to　his　left　buttock；　he　hobbled　in　a　pained　circle。　〃Blood　and　ashes；　Egwene！　There　was　no　need　to　…〃　He　fell　off　into　deeper；　inaudible　mutters　Egwene　was　just　as　glad　she　did　not　understand。
　　　　　　　She　took　the　opportunity　to　flap　the　scarf　for　a　little　air；　and　shared　a　small　smile　with　Elayne。　The　glow　faded　around　the　Daughter…Heir。　They　both　came　close　to　giggling　as　they　rubbed　themselves　surreptitiously。　That　should　show　him。　About　a　hundred　for　one；　Egwene　estimated。
　　　　　　　Turning　back　to　Rand；　she　put　on　her　sternest　face。　〃I　would　have　expected　something　like　that　from　Mat。　I　thought　you；　at　least；　had　grown　up。　We　came　here　to　help　you；　if　we　can。　Try　to　cooperate。　Do　something　with　the　Power；　something　that　isn't　childish。　Perhaps　we　will　be　able　to　sense　that。〃
　　　　　　　Hunched；　he　glared　at　them。　〃Do　something；〃　he　muttered。　〃You　had　no　call　to　…　I'll　limp　for　…　You　want　me　to　do　something？〃
　　　　　　　Suddenly　she　lifted　into　the　air；　and　Elayne；　too；　they　stared　at　each　other；　wide…eyed；　as　they　floated　a　pace　above　the　carpet。　There　was　nothing　holding　them；　no　flows　Egwene　could　feel　or　see。　Nothing。　Her　mouth　tightened。　He　had　no　right　to　do　this。　No　right　at　all；　and　it　was　time　he　learned　it。　The　same　sort　of　shield　of　Spirit　that　cut　Joiya　off　from　the　Source　would　stop　him；　too；　Aes　Sedai　used　it　on　the　rare　men　they　found　who　could　channel。
　　　　　　　She　opened　herself　to　saidar　…　and　her　stomach　sank。　Saidar　was　there　…　she　could　feel　its　warmth　and　light　…　but　between　her　and　the　True　Source　stood　something；　nothing；　an　absence　that　shut　her　away　from　the　Source　like　a　stone　wall。　She　felt　hollow　inside；　until　panic　welled　up　to　fill　her。　A　man　was　channeling；　and　she　was　caught　in　it。　He　was　Rand；　of　course；　but　dangling　there　like　a　basket；　helpless；　all　she　could　think　of　was　a　man　channeling；　and　the　taint　on　saidin。　She　tried　to　shout　at　him；　but　all　that　came　out　was　a　croak。
　　　　　　　〃You　want　me　to　do　something？〃　Rand　growled。　A　pair　of　small　tables　flexed　their　legs　awkwardly；　the　wood　creaking；　and　began　to　stumble　about　in　a　stiff　parody　of　dance；　gilt　flaking　off　and　falling。　〃Do　you　like　this？〃　Fire　flared　up　in　the　fireplace；　filling　the　hearth　from　side　to　side；　burning　on　stone　bare　of　ashes。　〃Or　this？〃　The　tall　stag　and　wolves　above　the　fireplace　began　to　soften　and　slump。　Thin　streams　of　gold　and　silver　flowed　out　from　the　mass；　fining　down　to　shining　threads；　snaking；　weaving　themselves　into　a　narrow　sheet　of　metallic　cloth；　the　length　of　glittering　fabric　hung　in　the　air　as　it　grew；　its　far　end　still　linked　to　the　slowly　melting　statuette　on　the　stone　mantel。　〃Do　something；〃　Rand　said。　〃Do　something！　Do　you　have　any　idea　what　it　is　like　to　touch　saidin；　to　hold　it？　Do　you？　I　can　feel　the　madness　waiting。　Seeping　into　me！〃
　　　　　　　Abruptly　the　capering　tables　burst　into　flame　like　torches；　dancing　still；　books　spun　into　the　air；　pages　fluttering；　the　mattress　on　the　bed　erupted；　showering　feathers　across　the　room　like　snow。　Feathers　falling　onto　the　burning　tables　filled　the　room　with　their　sharp；　sooty　stink。
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　Rand　stared　wildly　at　the　blazing　tables。　Then　whatever　was　holding　Egwene　and　Elayne　vanished；　along　with　the　shield；　their　heels　thumped　onto　the　carpet　in　the　same　instant　the　flames　went　out　as　if　sucked　into　the　wood　they　had　been　consuming。　The　blaze　in　the　fireplace　winked　out；　as　well；　and　the　books　fell　to　the　floor　in　a　worse　jumble　than　before。　The　length　of　gold…and…silver　cloth　dropped；　too；　along　with　strands　of　rough…melted　metal；　no　longer　liquid　or　even　hot。　Only　three　largish　lumps；　two　silver　and　one　gold；　remained　on　the　mantel；　cold　and　unrecognizable。
　　　　　　　Egwene　had　staggered　into　Elayne　as　they　landed。　They　clutched　each　other　for　support；　but　Egwene　felt　the　other　woman　doing　exactly　what　she　was　doing；　embracing　saidar　as　quickly　as　she　could。　In　moments　she　had　a　shield　ready　to　throw　around　Rand　if　he　even　appeared　to　be　channeling；　but　he　stood　stunned；　staring　at　the　charred　tables　with　feathers　still　drifting　down　around　him；　flecking　his　coat。
　　　　　　　He　did　not　seem　to　be　a　danger；　now；　but　the　room　was　certainly　a　mess。　She　wove　tiny　flows　of　Air　to　pull　all　the　floating　feathers　together；　and　those　already　on　the　carpet；　as　well。　As　an　afterthought；　she　added　those　on　his　coat。　The　rest　of　it　he　could　have　the　majhere　straighten；　or　see　to　himself。
　　　　　　　Rand　flinched　as　the　feathers　floated　past　him　to　alight　on　the　tattered　ruins　of　the　mattress。　It　did　nothing　for　the　smell；　burned　feathers　and　burned　wood；　but　at　least　the　room　was　neater；　and　the　open　windows　and　faint　breezes　were　already　lessening　the　stench。
　　　　　　　〃The　majhere　may　not　want　to　give　me　another；〃　he　said　with　a　strained　laugh。　〃A　mattress　a　day　is　probably　more　than　she　is　willing　to。。。。〃　He　avoided　looking　at　her　or　Elayne。　〃I'm　sorry。　I　did　not　mean　to。。。。Sometimes　it　runs　wild。　Sometimes　there's　nothing　there　when　I　reach　for　it；　and　sometimes　it　does　things　I　don't。。。。　I'm　sorry。　Perhaps　you　had　better　go。　I　seem　to　say　that　a　lot。〃　He　blushed　again　and　cleared　his　throat。　〃I　am　not　touching　the　Source；　but　maybe　you　had　best　go。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　are　not　done　yet；〃　Egwene　said　gently。　More　gently　than　she　felt　…　she　wanted　to　box　his　ears；　the　idea　of　picking　her　up　like　that；　shielding　her　…　and　Elayne　…　but　he　was　on　the　ragged　edge。　Of　what；　she　did　not　know；　and　she　did　not　want　to　find　out；　not　now；　not　here。　With　so　many　exclaiming　over　their　strength　…　everyone　said　she　and　Elayne　would　be　among　the　strongest　Aes　Sedai；　if　not　the　strongest；　in　a　thousand　years　or　more　…　she　had　assumed　they　were　as　strong　as　he。　Near　to　it；　at　least。　She　had　just　been　rudely　disabused。　Perhaps　Nynaeve　could　e　close；　if　she　was　angry　enough；　but　Egwene　knew　she　herself　could　never　have　done　what　he　just　had；　split　her　flows　that　many　ways；　worked　that　many　things　at　once。　Working　two　flows　at　once　was　far　more　than　twice　as　hard　as　working　one　of　the　same　magnitude；　and　working　three　much　more　than　twice　again　working　two。　He　had　to　have　been　weaving　a　dozen。　He　did　not　even　look　tired；　yet　exertion　with　the　Power　took　energy。　She　very　much　feared　he　could　handle　her　and　Elayne　both　like　kittens。　Kittens　he　might　decide　to　drown；　if　he　went　mad。
　　　　　　　But　she　would　not；　could　not；　just　walk　away。　That　would　be　the　same　as　quitting；　and　she　was　not　made　that　way。　She　meant　to　do　what　she　had　e　there　for　…　all　of　it　…　and　he　was　not　going　to　chase　her　off　short　of　it。　Not　him　or　anything　else。
　　　　　　　Elayne's　blue　eyes　were　filled　with　determination；　and　the　moment　Egwene　fell　silent　she　added　in　a　much　firmer　voice；　〃And　we　will　not　go　until　we　are。　You　said　you　would　try。　You　must　try。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　did　say　that；　didn't　I？〃　he　murmured　after　a　time。　〃At　least　we　can　sit　down。〃
　　　　　　　Not　looking　at　the　blackened　tables　or　the　band　of　metallic　cloth　lying　crumpled　on　the　carpet；　he　led　them；　limping　slightly；　to　high…backed　chairs　near　the　windows。　They　had　to　move　books　from　the　red　silk　cushions　in　order　to　sit；　Egwene's　chair　held　Volume　Twelve　of　The　Treasures　of　the　Stone　of　Tear；　a　dusty；　wood…bound　book　entitled　Travels　in　the　Aiel　Waste；　with　Various　Observations　on　the　Savage　Inhabitants；　and　a　thick；　tattered　leather　volume　called　Dealings　with　the　Territory　of　Mayene；　500　to　750　of　the　New　Era。　Elayne　had　a　bigger　stack　to　move；　but　Rand　hurriedly　took　them　from　her　along　with　those　from　his　chair　and　put　them　all　on　the　floor；　where　the　pile　promptly　fell　over。　Egwene　laid　hers　neatly　beside　them。
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do　now？〃　He　sat　on　the　edge　of　his　seat；　hands　on　his　knees。　〃I　promise　I　won't　do　anything　but　what　you　ask　this　time。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　bit　her　tongue　to　keep　from　telling　him　th