tg.stone of tears-第12部分

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I　trust；　the　size　of　the　First　File　could　be　increased　threefold。’
　
　Zedd　studied　Trimack’s　face　as　the　man　continued　to　scan　the　hall。　‘I　am　no　soldier；　but　your　ideas　make　sense。　The　palace　must　be　made　as　secure　as　possible。　How　you　do　it　is　up　to　you。’
　
　‘I　will　give　you　a　list　then；　in　the　morning；　of　the　generals　to　be　trusted　and　those　to　worry　about。’
　
　‘Why　would　I　need　such　a　list？’
　
　Trimack’s　intense　gaze　was　steady。　‘Because　orders　such　as　these　must　e　from　one　with　the　gift。’
　
　Zedd　shook　his　head；　muttering；　‘Wizards　should　not　be　ruling　people。　It’s　not　right。’
　
　‘It　is　the　way　in　D’Hara。　Magic　and　steel。　I　want　to　protect　Lord　Rahl。　This　is　what　I　think　needs　to　be　done。’
　
　Zedd　stared　off　into　the　distance；　feeling　the　ache　of　exhaustion　in　his　bones。　‘Do　you　know；　Trimack；　that　I　have　fought　and　killed　wizards　who　wanted　to　take　it　upon　themselves　to　rule？’
　
　When　an　answer　didn’t　e；　Zedd　turned　back　to　the　officer。　Trimack　was　studying　him。　‘Given　the　choice；　Wizard　Zorander；　I　would　choose　to　serve　one　who　bears　mand　as　a　burden；　to　one　who　wears　the　mantle　as　a　right。’
　
　Zedd　sighed　and　nodded。　‘In　the　morning　then。　There　is　one　other　matter；　the　most　important　of　all：　I　want　the　Garden　of　Life　guarded。　That　is　where　the　screeling　first　attacked。　I　don’t　know　if　there　will　be　more。　There　is　a　door　up　there　that　will　have　to　be　fixed。　Put　a　ring　of　steel　around　the　garden。　Enough　men　that　they　have　room　only　to　swing　an　axe。　No　one；　no　one　at　all；　is　to　be　allowed　to　go　in　except　myself　or　Richard；　or　by　our　order。
　
　‘Anyone　attempting　to　go　into　that　room　is　to　be　viewed　as　harm　trying　to　get　a　look　at　Lord　Rahl。　Even　one　who　tells　you　he　is　there　only　to　pull　weeds。　And　you　can　bet　your　mother’s　honor　that　anything　trying　to　get　out　is　harm　trying　to　have　more　than　a　look。’
　
　Trimack　clapped　his　fist　to　his　armored　chest。　To　the　last　man；　Wizard　Zorander。’
　
　‘Good。　Lord　Rahl　may　need　what’s　in　that　room。　I　don’t　dare　to　move　those　things　for　the　time　being。　They　are　extremely　dangerous。　Take　very　seriously　the　guarding　of　that　room；　mander。　More　screelings　could　e。　Or　worse。’
　
　‘How　soon？’
　
　‘I　would　not　have　thought　we　would　have　seen　the　first　for　a　year　or　more。　At　least　months。　That　the　Keeper　could　have　loosed　one　of　his　assassins　so　soon　is　a　great　worry。　I　don’t　know　who　it　was　sent　for。　It’s　possible　it　was　simply　sent　to　kill　whoever　was　around。　The　Keeper　needs　no　reason　to　kill。　I　must　leave　the　palace　tomorrow　to　learn　what　I　can　before　we　are　surprised　again。’
　
　Trimack　pondered　this　with　troubled　eyes。　‘Do　you　know　when　Lord　Rahl　will　return？’
　
　Zedd　shook　his　head。　‘No。　I　thought　I　was　going　to　have　time　to　teach　him　some　of　what　he　must　know；　but　now　I　must　send　for　him　at　once　to　meet　me　in　Aydindril　and　see　if　we　can　discover　what　must　be　done。　He　is　in　great　danger　and　knows　nothing　of　it。　Events　have　outpaced　me。　I　have　no　idea　what　the　Keeper　is　going　to　do　next；　but　I　now　fear　how　deep　his　tendrils　may　be。　That　they　were　around　Darken　Rahl　even　before　the　veil　was　torn　means　I　have　already　been　an　ignorant　fool　in　this　business。
　
　‘If　Richard　should　happen　to　return　unexpectedly；　or　if　anything　happens　to　me　。。。　help　him。　He　sees　himself　as　a　woods　guide；　not　the　Lord　Rahl。　He　will　be　distrustful。　Tell　him　I　said　to　trust　you。’
　
　‘If　he　is　distrustful；　how　shall　I　convince　him　to　trust　me？’　Zedd　smiled。　‘Tell　him　I　said　it　is　the　truth。　The　toasted　toads’　truth。’
　
　Trimack’s　eyes　widened　with　incredulity。　‘You　wish　the　mander　General　of　the　First　File　to　say　such　a　childish　thing　to　the　Lord　Rahl？’
　
　Zedd　straightened　his　face　and　cleared　his　throat。　‘It’s　a　code；　mander。　He　will　understand　it。’
　
　Trimack　nodded；　but　looked　skeptical。　‘I　had　better　see　to　the　Garden　of　Life；　and　the　rest　of　it。　No　disrespect　intended；　but　you　look　like　you　could　use　some　rest。’　He　tilted　his　head　toward　where　the　army　of　maidservants　were　still　cleaning　blood　off　the　marble　floor。　‘All　the　healing　you　did　looks　to　have　tired　you。’
　
　‘It　did。　Thank　you；　mander　Trimack。　I　will　take　your　advice。’
　
　Trimack’s　fist　snapped　to　his　heart；　the　salute　softened　by　the　hint　of　a　smile。　He　began　to　turn；　but　hesitated。　His　intense　blue　eyes　looked　back　to　the　wizard。
　
　‘May　I　say；　Wizard　Zorander；　that　it’s　a　pleasure　to　at　last　have　one　with　the　gift　in　the　palace　who　is　more　concerned　with　putting　people’s　guts　back　inside；　than　with　spilling　them　out。　I’ve　never　seen　the　like　of　it。’
　
　Zedd　didn’t　smile。　His　voice　was　quiet。　‘I　am　sorry；　mander；　that　I　could　do　nothing　for　that　lad。’
　
　Trimack　gave　a　sorrowful　nod。　‘I　know　that　to　be　the　truth；　Wizard　Zorander。　The　toasted　toads’　truth。’
　
　
　Zedd　watched　the　mander　stride　across　the　hall；　drawing　armored　men　to　him　like　a　huge　magnet。　The　wizard　brought　his　hand　up；　staring　at　the　gold　chain　looped　over　his　sticklike　fingers。　He　gave　a　pained　sigh。　Wizard　business　…using　people。　And　now　for　the　worst　of　it。　He　brought　the　black；　tear…shaped　stone　from　a　pocket　deep　in　his　robes。　The　spirits　be　cursed；　he　thought；　for　the　things　a　wizard　must　do。
　
　He　held　the　mounting　where　the　blue　Stone　had　been；　and　pressed　the　point　of　the　smooth；　black　stone　to　it。　Elemental　power　flowed　from　the　fingers　of　each　hand；　joining　in　the　middle；　welding　the　stone　to　the　mount。
　
　Hoping　he　was　wrong；　Zedd　brought　forth　a　painful　memory　of　his　long…dead　wife。　With　the　way　Jebra’s　mind　had　shredded　his　barriers；　it　wasn’t　difficult。　When　a　tear　ran　over　his　cheek；　he　wet　his　thumb　in　it；　and　shut　the　memory　away　with　the　greatest　of　effort。　He　smiled　a　little　at　the　irony　that　wizards　had　to　use　even　themselves；　and　that　the　horrible　memory　at　least　brought　with　it　one　with　a　little　pleasure　to　balance　it。
　
　Holding　the　black　stone　in　the　palm　of　one　hand；　he　buffed　its　surface　with　the　tear…dampened　thumb。　The　stone　turned　a　clear　amber　as　he　rubbed　it　with　his　thumb。　His　heart　sank　a　little。　There　was　no　doubt　now　as　to　what　it　was。
　
　Resigned　to　what　must　be　done；　Zedd　wove　a　wizard’s　web　around　the　stone。　The　spell　would　work　to　hide　the　true　nature　of　the　stone　from　everyone；　except　Richard。　More　important；　the　web　would　draw　Richard’s　attention　to　the　stone。　If　he　ever　saw　it；　the　attraction　would　be　planted　firmly　in　his　mind。
　
　He　glanced　over　at　Chase；　who　was　stretched　out　on　his　back　on　a　marble　bench　across　the　hall。　One　foot　was　planted　on　the　floor；　and　Rachel　was　sitting　on　the　ground；　an　arm　wrapped　around　his　calf；　her　head　against　his　knee。　His　other　foot　was　on　the　bench。　A　bandaged　forearm　rested　across　his　forehead。
　
　Zedd　sighed　and　started　across　the　polished　marble　floor。　He　wondered　for　a　moment　what　the　boundary　warden　was　supposed　to　guard；　now　that　the　boundary　was　gone。　He　stopped；　standing　over　the　two。
　
　Without　removing　his　forearm　from　his　eyes；　Chase　spoke。　‘Zedd；　my　old　friend；　if　you　ever　again　have　some　ruthless；　strong…armed　witch　of　a　healer　pour　a　concoction　that　tastes　that　spirits…be…cursed　foul