tg.stone of tears-第109部分

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ot。
　
　‘Pell　told　them　he　did　not　believe　them。　They　cut　off　another　finger。　They　told　him　they　only　do　it　because　I　named　him。　Only　do　it　on　my　word。　Pell　kept　his　eyes　on　me　as　he　shook；　and　kept　telling　them　he　did　not　believe　them。　They　told　Pell　I　had　told　them　I　wished　him　to　be　killed　because　he　be　a　baneling。　Still　Pell　said　he　did　not　believe　them。　He　said　he　loved　me。
　
　Then　he　told　Pell　I　had　named　him　a　baneling；　and　that　if　it　not　be　so；　I　could　deny　it　and　they　would　let　us　both　go　free。　He　told　Pell　that　I　had　promised　I　would　not　deny　it　because　he　be　a　baneling；　and　I　wanted　him　to　die　for　it。　Pell　screamed　for　me　to　tell　them。　Screamed　for　me　to　deny　it。　He　screamed　my　name；　screamed　for　me　to　say　something。
　
　‘I　tried；　but　I　could　say　nothing。　My　throat　be　fire。　My　voice　did　not　work。　Mathrin　held　me　by　my　hair；　I　could　not　move。　Pell’s　eyes　be　big　as　he　stared　at　me。　As　I　sat　silent。
　
　Then　Pell　spoke　to　me。　‘How　could　you　do　that　to　me；　Adie？　How　could　you　name　me　a　baneling？’　Then　he　cried。
　
　‘Mathrin　asked　him　to　name　me　a　baneling。　He　said　that　if　he　did；　they　would　believe　him　over　me；　because　I　had　the　gift；　and　he　would　be　freed。　Pell　whispered；　‘I　will　not　say　that　of　her　to　save　my　life。　Even　though　she　has　betrayed　me。’　Those　words　broke　my　heart。’
　
　As　she　stared　off　at　nothing；　Zedd　noticed　a　candle　on　the　counter　behind　her　melt　into　a　puddle。　He　could　feel　the　waves　of　power　radiating　from　her。　He　realized　he　was　holding　his　breath。　He　eased　it　out。
　
　‘Mathrin　cut　Pell’s　throat；’　she　said　simply。　‘He　severed　Pell’s　head　and　held　it　before　me。　He　said　he　wanted　me　to　see　what　following　the　Keeper　had　brought　on　Pell。　He　said　it　be　the　last　thing　he　wanted　me　to　ever　see。　The　men　held　my　head　back　and　pulled　my　eyes　open。　Mathrin　poured　the　burning　liquid　in　them。
　
　‘I　be　blinded。
　
　‘In　that　moment；　something　happened　inside　me。　My　Pell　was　gone；　he　died　thinking　I　had　betrayed　him；　my　life　was　about　to　end。　I　suddenly　realized　how　it　be　my　own　fault；　for　holding　to　an　oath。　The　life　of　my　love；　for　an　ignorant　oath；　for　a　foolish　superstition。　Nothing　mattered　anymore；　everything　be　gone　to　me。
　
　‘I　turned　the　gift　loose；　turned　the　rage　loose。　I　broke　my　oath　not　to　use　the　gift　to　harm　another。　I　could　not　see；　but　I　could　hear；　I　could　hear　their　blood　hit　the　stone　walls。　I　struck　out　wildly。　I　shredded　every　living　thing　in　that　room；　be　it　man　or　mouse。　I　could　not　see；　so　I　simply　struck　at　any　life　I　could　feel。　I　could　not　tell　if　any　had　escaped。　In　a　way；　I　be　glad　to　be　blind；　or　seeing　what　I　be　doing；　I　might　have　stopped　before　I　finished。
　
　‘When　all　be　still；　dead；　I　felt　my　way　around　the　room；　counting　the　bodies。　One　be　missing。
　
　‘I　crawled　to　my　grandmother　Lindel’s。　How　I　made　my　way；　I　cannot　imagine；　except　to　think　the　gift　guided　me。　When　she　saw　me；　she　be　furious。　She　pulled　me　to　my　feet　and　demanded　to　know　if　I　had　broken　my　oath。’
　
　Zedd　leaned　forward。　‘But　you　couldn’t　speak。　How　did　you　answer？’
　
　Adie　smiled　a　small；　cold　smile。　‘I　picked　her　up　by　the　throat；　with　the　power　of　the　gift；　and　slammed　her　against　the　wall。　I　walked　up　to　her　and　nodded　my　head。　I　squeezed　her　throat　in　anger。　She　fought　me。　She　fought　me　with　all　her　power。　But　I　be　stronger；　much　stronger。　I　never　knew　until　that　moment　that　the　gift　be　different　in　different　people。　She　be　as　helpless　as　a　stick　doll。
　
　‘But　I　could　not　hurt　her；　as　much　as　I　wished　to　for　her　asking　that　question　before　any　other。　I　released　her　and　sagged　to　the　floor；　I　could　stand　no　longer。　She　came　to　me　and　began　tending　to　my　wounds。　She　told　me　I　had　done　wrong；　by　breaking　my　oath；　but　that　what　was　done　to　me　was　a　more　grievous　wrong。
　
　‘I　never　feared　Grandmother　Lindel　again。　Not　because　she　be　helping　me；　but　because　I　had　broken　the　oath；　I　be　beyond　the　laws　I　had　been　taught；　and　because　I　knew　I　was　stronger　than　she。　From　that　day　on；　she　be　afraid　of　me。　I　think　she　helped　me　because　she　wanted　me　well；　so　I　could　leave。
　
　‘A　few　days　later；　Grandmother　Lindel　came　home　to　tell　me　that　she　had　been　called　before　the　king’s　circle　and　questioned。　She　said　all　the　men　at　the　mill；　all　the　Blood　of　the　Fold；　be　dead；　except　Mathrin。　He　had　escaped。　She　told　the　circle　she　had　not　seen　me。　They　believed　her；　or　said　they　did　because　they　did　not　want　to　confront　her　and　additionally　a　sorceress　who　had　killed　that　many　men　in　such　a　shocking　manner；　so　they　let　her　go　about　her　business。’
　
　Some　of　the　tension　seemed　to　ease　from　her　shoulders。　She　studied　the　teacup　a　moment　and　then　took　another　sip。　She　held　the　cup　out　for　him　to　warm。　Zedd　poured　a　little　more。　He　idly　wished　he　had　put　some　of　the　powdered　cloud　leaf　in　his　own　tea。　He　didn’t　think　that　was　the　end　of　the　story。
　
　‘I　lost　my　child；’　Adie　said　in　a　soft　rasp。
　
　Zedd　looked　up。　‘I’m　sorry；　Adie。’
　
　She　looked　up　to　meet　his　eyes。　‘I　know。’　She　took　one　of　his　hands　in　both　hers　after　he　set　down　the　kettle。　‘I　know。’　She　took　her　hands　back。　‘My　throat　healed。’　She　touched　her　fingers　lightly　to　her　neck；　then　knitted　them　together。　‘But　it　left　me　with　a　voice　like　dragging　iron　over　rock。’
　
　He　smiled　at　her。　‘I　like　your　voice。　Iron　fits　the　rest　of　you。’
　
　The　ghost　of　a　smile　passed　across　her　face。　‘My　eyes；　though；　did　not　grow　better。　I　be　blind。　Grandmother　Lindel　not　be　as　strong　as　me；　but　she　be　old；　and　had　seen　many　a　trick　with　the　gift。　She　taught　me　to　see　without　my　eyes。　She　taught　me　to　see　with　the　gift。　It　not　be　the　same　as　eyes；　but　in　some　ways；　it　be　better。　In　some　ways；　I　see　more。
　
　‘After　I　be　healed；　Grandmother　Lindel　wanted　me　to　leave。　She　not　be　fond　of　living　with　one　who　had　broken　the　oath；　even　though　I　be　of　her　blood。　She　feared　I　would　bring　trouble。　Whether　from　the　Keeper；　for　breaking　my　oath；　or　from　the　Blood　of　the　Fold；　she　did　not　know；　but　she　feared　trouble　would　e　because　of　me。’
　
　Zedd　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　stretching　his　tense　muscles　a　bit。　‘And　did　trouble　e？’
　
　‘Oh；　yes；’　Adie　hissed；　raising　her　eyebrows　as　she　leaned　forward。　‘Trouble　came。　Mathrin　Galliene　brought　them：　twenty　Blood　of　the　Fold。　Ones　paid　by　the　Crown。　Professionals。　Battle…hard　men；　big　men；　grim…faced；　savage　men；　all　pretty　on　horseback　in　neat　ranks　with　swords；　shields；　and　banners；　every　spear　held　just　so；　at　the　same　angle。　All　pretty　in　their　chain　mail　and　polished　breastplates　shining　with　the　embossed　crest　of　the　Crown；　and　all　wearing　helmets　with　red　plumes　that　flicked　as　they　rode。　Every　horse　white。
　
　‘I　stood　on　the　porch　and　watched　with　the　eyes　of　the　gift　as　they　spread　rank　before　me　with　perfect　precision；　like　they　be　performing　for　the　king　himself。　Every　horse　put　every　foot　the　same；　stopping　in　a　line　at　the　lifting　of　a　finger　from　the　mander。　They　be　spread　out　before　me；　ready；　eager；　to　do　their　grisly　duty。　Mathrin　waited　behind　them　on　his　horse；　watching。　The　mander　called　out　to　me；　‘You　be　under　arrest　as　a　baneling；　and　are　to　be　executed　as　such。’’
　
　Adie　lifte