tg.stone of tears-第206部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　
　‘Around　my　waist！　Put　your　arms　around　my　waist！’
　
　He　still　held　his　arms　out　as　he　bounced。　‘But　。。。’
　
　‘Haven’t　you　ever　put　your　arms　around　a　woman　before？’
　
　‘Yes。。。　but　she　had　clothes　on；’　he　whined。
　
　‘Do　it；　or　you’ll　fall　off；　and　I’m　not　ing　back　for　you。’
　
　Reluctantly；　carefully；　he　put　his　arms　around　her　waist；　stiffly　trying　to　keep　them　away　from　anything　important；　or　unfamiliarly　exotic。　Kahlan　gave　the　back　of　his　hands　a　pat　of　reassurance。　‘When　you　brag　about　this；　don’t　make　it　more　than　it　is。’　He　let　out　a　small；　worried　groan　that　made　her　smile。
　
　As　they　rode　on；　she　could　feel　his　warm　blood　running　down　the　back　of　her　leg；　dripping　from　her　toes　in　the　stirrup。　She　could　hear　the　shouts　of　the　enemy　chasing　behind。
　
　He　was　losing　a　lot　of　blood。　In　exhaustion；　he　laid　his　head　against　the　back　of　her　shoulder。　If　they　didn’t　tie　his　wound　closed；　he　would　bleed　to　death　in　short　order。　She　was　naked；　and　had　nothing　to　use　as　a　bandage；　even　if　they　had　the　time　to　stop。
　
　‘Hold　the　wound　closed　with　a　hand；’　she　said。　‘Clamp　it　closed　as　tight　as　you　can。　And　hold　fast　to　me　with　your　other　arm。　I　don’t　want　you　falling　off。’
　
　He　took　one　arm　from　her　waist　and　held　the　gash　closed　as　she　rode　right　on　the　heels　of　the　men　at　the　end　of　the　line。　They　were　cold　and　fatigued。　The　men　of　the　Order　were　not　far　behind。　As　she　looked　back；　they　came　into　sight。　She　was　shocked　by　the　numbers。　They　hooted　and　hollered。
　
　‘Run！　Run　or　we　will　be　caught！’
　
　A　wall　of　rock；　with　scraggly　trees　growing　from　cracks　and　clefts；　loomed　up　before　them。　The　men　ran　up　the　narrow　pass　as　if　their　lives　depended　on　it。　And　they　did。
　
　As　they　began　the　climb　up　the　rift；　she　rang　the　flat　of　her　sword　three　times　on　the　rock；　giving　the　signal。
　
　A　man　ahead　turned　as　he　ran。　‘We’re　not　there　yet！　It’s　too　soon！　We’ll　be　caught　along　with　the　enemy！’
　
　‘Then　you　better　run　faster！　If　we　wait　too　long；　they　will　get　through；　too！’
　
　She　rapped　the　rock　wall　three　more　times；　the　ringing　sound　carrying　into　the　dark；　damp　air。　She　hoped　it　would　work；　there；　of　course；　had　been　no　way　to　perform　a　test。　The　men　ahead　scrambled　up　the　trail。　Nick’s　hooves　slipped　in　places　on　the　snow…covered　rock。
　
　At　first；　she　could　only　feel　it；　a　rumbling　deep　in　her　chest；　too　low　to　hear；　but　too　powerful　not　to　be　felt。　She　looked　up　along　the　mist…slicked　rock　that　disappeared　above　into　the　dark　and　fog。　She　couldn’t　see　it　yet；　but　she　could　feel　it。
　
　She　hoped　the　man　was　wrong；　that　it　wouldn’t　be　too　soon。　When　she　heard　the　battle　cries　of　the　men　ing　from　behind；　she　knew　they　had　no　choice。
　
　And　then　she　could　hear　it：　a　booming　roar；　as　if　the　ground　itself　were　moving。　She　could　hear　tree　trunks　snapping。　The　thundering　growl　reverberated　off　the　surrounding　mountain　walls。　The　ground　vibrated。
　
　‘Run！　Can’t　you　run　any　faster？　Do　you　want　to　be　buried　alive？　Run！’
　
　She　knew　they　were　going　as　fast　as　they　could；　but　they　were　on　foot；　and　from　atop　her　horse；　it　seemed　painfully　slow。　Deadly　slow。
　
　Overhead；　the　rumbling　roar　grew　louder　as　uncountable　tons　of　snow　crashed　down　toward　them。　She　was　thrilled　that　the　men　on　top　had　been　successful　in　starting　an　avalanche　on　mand；　but　she　was　also　terrified　that　she　had　given　the　mand　too　soon。
　
　A　lump　of　wet　snow　slapped　her　face；　another　smacked　her　shoulder。　Little　clods　rattled　through　the　trees　above　them　and　bounced　out　over　the　edge。　A　cloud　of　fluffy　snow　misted　her　face。　The　roar　was　deafening。
　
　A　flow　of　thundering　white　sluiced　over　the　ledge　above。　They　drove　through　it；　like　running　through　a　waterfall。　Behind　her；　a　tree　trunk　bounced　on　the　trail；　spinning　out　over　the　precipice。　They　just　cleared　the　leading　edge　of　the　bulk　of　snow。
　
　The　men　of　the　Imperial　Order　behind　were　not　so　lucky。　The　plunging　snow；　charged　with　timber　and　boulders；　cascaded　down　with　ever…gathering　power。　They　were　swept　away　in　the　tumbling　white　death。　The　fury　of　sound　muffled　the　screams　of　men　it　carried　away；　rolling　them　into　the　pounding　slide；　burying　them　alive。
　
　Kahlan　sagged　with　relief。　They　could　not　be　followed　now。　The　pass　was　entombed。
　
　The　panting　men　slowed；　but　they　couldn’t　slow　too　much；　or　they　would　freeze。　Their　pace　kept　them　warm。　Their　feet；　she　knew；　despite　being　wrapped　in　white　cloth　for　a　little　protection；　were　not　warm。　They　had　given　her　their　best　effort。　They　had　given　the　Midlands　their　best　effort。　Many　had　given　their　lives。
　
　Kahlan　was　so　exhausted　from　lack　of　sleep；　as　well　as　the　fatigue　of　battle；　along　with　the　emotional　drain　of　fright；　and　the　effort　required　to　use　her　power；　that　she　could　hardly　stay　upright。　Soon；　she　told　herself；　she　could　rest。　Soon。
　
　She　patted　the　hand　on　her　stomach。　‘We　made　it；　soldier。　We’re　safe；　now。’
　
　‘Yes；　Mother　Confessor；’　he　whispered　groggily。　‘Mother　Confessor；　I’m　sorry。’
　
　‘For　what？’
　
　‘I　only　killed　seventeen。　I’m　sorry。　I　promised　myself　I’d　get　twenty。　I　only　got　seventeen；’　he　mumbled。
　
　‘I　know　heroes　of　battle；　decorated　men；　who　have　not　bested　half　that　number　in　bat。　You　have　made　me　proud。　You　have　made　the　Midlands　proud。　Feel　only　pride；　soldier。’
　
　He　mumbled　something　she　couldn’t　understand。
　
　She　patted　his　hand　again。　‘You’ll　be　to　help　soon。　Hold　on。　You’ll　be　fine。’
　
　He　didn’t　answer。　She　looked　behind；　down　the　trail；　and　saw　only　white；　and　heard　only　silence。　In　the　distant；　dark　mountains；　a　wolf　yipped。
　
　
　A　short　time　later；　on　a　high　plateau；　they　reached　the　camp。　The　men　ahead　in　the　line　were　already　wrapped　in　blankets　as　they　shivered　around　fires；　warming　their　feet。　Some　were　pulling　on　their　clothes　under　the　blankets。　More　men　threw　blankets　around　the　men　ing　in　ahead　of　her　and　tended　the　wounded。　Some　of　the　wounded　were　groaning　in　pain；　feeling　it　for　the　first　time；　now　that　the　heady　furor　of　bat　and　escape　had　evaporated。　She　began　to　feel　a　throbbing　in　her　lip。
　
　In　the　flickering　light　of　small　fires；　she　could　see　Prindin　and　Tossidin；　some　distance　away；　running　around　searching　the　new　arrivals。　When　they　saw　her　on　the　horse；　they　both　sighed　with　relief；　giving　her　twin　smiles。
　
　Captain　Ryan；　dressed　in　a　D’Haran　uniform　and　with　a　bandage　around　his　left　hand；　ran　over。　Other　men　took　the　reins；　and　yet　others　extended　their　hands　to　take　the　man　behind　her　as　she　held　him　by　an　elbow；　lowering　the　limp　form　down。
　
　Prindin　ran　to　meet　her；　her　mantle　in　hand。　He　stood；　holding　it　open　for　her；　waiting　for　her　to　dismount　so　he　could　put　it　around　her　shoulders。　He　grinned　at　her。
　
　Without　moving　from　the　saddle；　she　slowly　extended　her　hand。　‘I　have　had　enough　eyes　on　my　flesh　to　last　me　the　rest　of　my　life。　Throw　it　up　here！’
　
　Prindin　shrugged　self…consciously　and　tossed　the　mantle　up　to　her。　Tossidin　swatted　the　back　of　his　brother’s　head。　Silence　fell　over　the　gathered　men。　They　all　looked　away　in　embarrassment　as　she　put　the　mantle　ar