tg.stone of tears-第285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！


f　me。　She　almost　succeeded。　I　came　close　to　death。’
　
　She　brushed　back　her　curly　hair。　‘But　I　don’t　see　how　。。。’
　
　Richard　pulled　out　the　statue。　‘She　was　using　this。　The　crystal　started　glowing　orange　when　she　was　doing　it。　Do　you　know　what　it　is？’
　
　Sister　Verna　shook　her　head。　‘I　think　I’ve　seen　it　before；　somewhere；　but　I　can’t　remember。　It　was　so　long　ago。　Before　I　left　the　palace。　What　happened　then？’
　
　‘When　that　didn’t　work；　because　I　used　my　power　to　stop　her；　she　called　a　sword　from　the　shadows。　She　wanted　to　wound　me。　She　said　she　was　going　to　skin　me　alive；　and　then　steal　my　gift　for　herself。　She　tried　to　cut　off　my　legs。　Somehow；　I　got　her　first。
　
　‘Sister　Verna；　she　had　Subtractive　Magic。　I　saw　her　use　it。　Not　only　that；　but　someone　else　is　trying　to　kill　me。　I　loaned　my　red　coat　to　Perry。　They　just　dragged　his　body　out　of　the　river。　He　had　been　stabbed　in　the　back　with　a　dacra。’
　
　She　grimaced。　‘Oh；　dear　Creator。’　She　twined　her　fingers　together　in　her　lap。　The　palace　knows　you　have　Subtractive　Magic。　They’re　using　you　to　flush　out　the　Keeper’s　disciples。’　She　took　his　hand。　‘Richard；　I’ve　been　a　part　of　this。　I　should　have　long　ago　questioned　things　that　were　wrong；　but　I　didn’t。　I　instead　did　as　I　thought　was　right。’
　
　‘Questioned　what？’
　
　‘Forgive　me；　Richard。　You　should　never　have　had　a　Rada’Han　put　around　your　neck。　It　wasn’t　necessary。　I　was　told　there　were　no　wizards　in　the　New　World　to　help　boys。　I　thought　you　would　die　without　our　help。　Your　friend；　Zedd；　could　have　kept　the　gift　from　harming　you。　The　Prelate　knew　there　were　wizards　to　help　you。　She　let　you　be　stolen　from　your　friends　and　loved　ones　for　her　own　selfish　reasons。　You　didn’t　need　the　Rada’Han　to　save　your　life。’
　
　‘I　know。　I　talked　to　Nathan。　He　told　me。’
　
　‘You　went　to　the　Prophet？　What　else　did　he　say？’
　
　‘That　I　have　more　power　than　any　wizard　born　in　three　thousand　years。　But　I　have　no　idea　how　to　use　it。　And　that　I　have　Subtractive　Magic。　He　said　that　the　Sisters　could　not　remove　the　collar。’
　
　‘I’m　so　sorry　I　brought　this　upon　you；　Richard。’
　
　‘Sister　Verna；　you　were　deceived；　as　was　I。　You’re　a　victim；　too。　They’ve　used　both　of　us。
　
　‘There　is　worse　trouble。　There　is　a　prophecy　that　says　that　on　winter　solstice；　Kahlan　is　going　to　die。　I　must　stop　that　from　happening。　And　Darken　Rahl；　my　father；　an　agent　of　the　Keeper；　is　in　this　world。　You　saw　the　mark　he　burned　on　me。　He　is　an　agent　who　can　tear　the　veil　if　he　has　all　the　elements　in　place；　though　I　doubt　he　does。
　
　‘Sister　Verna；　I　have　to　get　away　from　here。　I　must　get　through　the　barrier。’
　
　‘I’ll　help　you。　Somehow；　I’ll　help　you　get　through　the　barrier。　Your　problem　will　be　the　Valley　of　the　Lost。　I　don’t　think　you　can　get　through　the　valley　again。　Now　that　the　collar　has　helped　your　Subtractive　Magic　grow；　you　will　call　the　spells　to　you。　The　magic　will　find　you；　this　time。’
　
　‘I　might　have　a　way。　I　must　try。’
　
　Sister　Verna　thought　a　moment。　The　Keeper　would　want　to　stop　you；　if　there　is　a　possibility　for　this　prophecy　about　his　agent　to　e　to　pass。　The　Sisters　of　the　Dark　will　work　to　stop　you。　I　am　sure　Liliana　wasn’t　the　only　one。’
　
　‘Who　placed　her　as　my　teacher？’
　
　The　Prelate’s　office　assigns　teachers。　But　the　Prelate　probably　wouldn’t　have　done　it　herself。　Such　matters　are　usually　handled　by　her　administrators。’
　
　‘Her　administrators？’
　
　‘Sisters　Ulicia　and　Finella。’
　
　‘I　thought　they　were　her　guards。’
　
　‘Guards？　No。　Maybe　in　a　bureaucratic　sense。　The　Prelate　has　more　power　than　they。　She　doesn’t　need　guards。　Some　of　the　boys　think　of　them　as　guards；　because　they　are　always　turned　away　from　the　Prelate’s　door　by　the　two　Sisters。　They　do　some　of　their　work　in　the　Prelate’s　office；　and　they　have　their　own　offices　where　they　handle　a　variety　of　administrative　tasks。’
　
　‘Maybe　the　Sisters　of　the　Dark　came　after　me；　decided　they　had　to　act　now；　because　they　had　been　discovered。’
　
　‘No。　The　Prelate　told　me　no　one　but　she　knows。’
　
　‘Could　anyone　have　overheard？’
　
　‘No。　She　shielded　the　room。’
　
　Richard　leaned　in。　‘Sister　Verna；　Liliana　had　Subtractive　Magic。　The　Prelate’s　shield　would　not　have　worked　against　that。　One　of　those　two　administrators　assigned　Sister　Liliana　to　me。’
　
　She　drew　a　sudden　breath。　‘And　the　other　five。　If　one　or　both　of　those　two　in　the　outer　office　heard　what　the　Prelate　knows；　then　the　Prelate　。。。　Sister　Ulicia’s　office　…　that’s　where　I　saw　that　statue！’
　
　Richard　grabbed　her　wrist　and　yanked　her　from　the　chair。
　
　‘e　on！　If　they　tried　to　kill　me；　they　may　try　to　kill　the　Prelate　before　she　warns　anyone　else！’
　
　The　two　of　them　raced　down　the　stairs　and　out　of　Gil…laume　Hall。　They　crossed　the　lawns　in　the　darkness；　ran　down　halls　and　through　passageways。　Kevin　wasn’t　there；　another　guard　was　on　duty；　but　he　didn’t　stop　them；　as　he；　too；　knew　Richard；　and　Sisters　were　not　restricted。
　
　Richard　knew　they　were　too　late　when　he　saw　the　charred　doors　to　the　Prelate’s　office　broken　from　their　hinges。　He　slid　to　a　stop　on　the　slick　marble　floor　of　the　hall。　Papers　and　ledgers　were　scattered　out　into　the　hall。
　
　Sister　Verna　was　still　running　down　the　hall　as　he　went　into　the　office　with　his　sword　drawn。　It　looked　as　if　a　thunderstorm　had　been　turned　loose　inside。　What　was　left　of　Sister　Finella　lay　on　the　floor　behind　her　desk。　The　rest　of　her　was　splattered　across　the　wall。　He　heard　Sister　Verna　gasp　as　he　kicked　in　the　door　to　the　Prelate’s　office。
　
　When　the　door　swung　back　Richard　dove　through　and　rolled　to　his　feet　with　his　sword　in　both　hands。　The　Prelate’s　room　was　more　of　a　mess　than　the　outer　room。　Papers　were　nearly　a　foot　deep　over　most　of　the　floor。　It　looked　as　if　all　the　books　from　the　shelves　had　exploded；　throwing　the　pages　everywhere。　The　heavy　walnut　table　was　in　splinters　against　the　far　wall。　The　room　was　in　near　darkness。　Only　the　doorway　behind　and　the　open　doors　to　the　moonlit　garden　let　in　any　light。
　
　Sister　Verna　lit　a　bright　flame　in　her　palm。　In　the　sudden　illumination；　he　saw　a　form　at　the　far　end　of　the　room　near　the　overturned　table。　The　head　came　slowly　up。　The　eyes　locked　on　his。　It　was　Sister　Ulicia。
　
　Richard　dove　to　the　side　as　a　bolt　of　blue　lightning　blasted　through　the　room；　ripping　open　the　wall　behind。　Sister　Verna　returned　the　attack　with　a　searing　gout　of　yellow　flame。　Sister　Ulicia　dove　through　the　doorway　into　the　courtyard　to　avoid　the　fire。　Richard　went　after　her。　Sister　Verna　ran　to　the　overturned；　splintered　table；　pawing　scraps　away。
　
　‘Duck！’　Richard　screamed　back　to　her。
　
　A　twisting　rope　of　the　black　lightning　sliced　through　the　walls　right　over　his　head　as　he　flattened　to　the　floor。　Severed　bookshelves　crashed　down。　He　could　see　through　the　void　sliced　by　the　black　lightning　into　the　next　room；　and　the　rooms　beyond。　Plaster　and　lath　and　stone　collapsed　down；　raising　boiling　clouds　of　dust。
　
　In　a　fury；　without　thinking；　Richard　came　to　his　feet　when　the　black　lighting　ceased；　and　ran　outside。　He　saw　a　dark　form　runn