rh.theassassinsapprentice-第72部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


hat　ruled　out　someone　who　just　wanted　to　give　him　a　beating。　The　knife　had　been　sharp；　and　the　wielder　had　known　how　to　use　it。　I　winced　again　from　the　memory。
　　　　　　　Those　were　the　facts。　Cautiously；　I　began　to　build　assumptions　upon　them。　Someone　who　knew　Burrich's　habits　had　a　serious　grievance　against　him；　serious　enough　to　kill　over。　My　steps　slowed　suddenly。　Why　hadn't　Smithy　been　aware　of　the　man　up　there　waiting？　Why　hadn't　Vixen　been　barking　through　the　door？　Slipping　past　dogs　in　their　own　territory　bespoke　someone　well　practiced　at　stealth。
　　　　　　　Galen。
　　　　　　　No。　I　only　wanted　it　to　be　Galen。　I　refused　to　leap　to　the　conclusion。　Physically；　Galen　was　no　match　for　Burrich　and　he　knew　it。　Not　even　with　a　knife；　in　the　dark；　with　Burrich　half…drunk　and　surprised。　No。　Galen　might　want　to；　but　he　wouldn't　do　it。　Not　himself。
　　　　　　　Would　he　send　another？　I　pondered　it；　and　decided　I　didn't　know。　Think　some　more。　Burrich　was　not　a　patient　man。　Galen　was　the　most　recent　enemy　he'd　made；　but　not　the　only　one。　Over　and　over　I　restacked　my　facts；　trying　to　reach　a　solid　conclusion。　But　there　simply　wasn't　enough　to　build　on。
　　　　　　　Eventually　I　came　to　a　stream　and　drank　sparingly：　Then　I　walked　again。　The　woods　grew　thicker；　and　the　moon　was　mostly　obscured　by　the　trees　lining　the　road。　I　didn't　turn　back。　I　pushed　on；　until　my　trail　flowed　into　the　coast　road　like　a　stream　feeding　a　river。　I　followed　it　south；　and　the　wider　highway　gleamed　like　silver　in　the　moonlight。
　　　　　　　I　walked　and　pondered　the　night　away。　As　the　first　creeping　tendrils　of　dawn　began　to　put　colors　back　into　the　landscape；　I　felt　incredibly　weary；　but　no　less　driven。　My　worry　was　a　burden　I　couldn't　put　down。　I　clutched　at　the　thin　thread　of　warmth　that　told　me　Smithy　was　still　alive；　and　wondered　about　Burrich。　I　had　no　way　of　knowing　how　badly　he'd　been　injured。　Smithy　had　smelled　his　blood；　so　the　knife　had　scored　at　least　once。　And　the　fall　down　the　staircase？　I　tried　to　set　the　worry　aside。　I　had　never　considered　that　Burrich　could　be　injured　in　such　a　way；　let　alone　what　I　would　feel　about　it。　I　could　e　up　with　no　name　for　the　feeling。　just　hollow；　I　thought　to　myself。　Hollow。　And　weary。
　　　　　　　I　ate　a　bit　as　I　walked　and　refilled　my　water　skin　from　a　stream。　Midmorning　clouded　up　and　rained　on　me　for　a　bit；　only　to　clear　as　abruptly　by　early　afternoon。　I　strode　on。　I　had　expected　to　find　some　sort　of　traffic　on　the　coast　road；　but　saw　nothing。　By　late　afternoon；　the　coast　road　had　veered　close　to　the　cliffs。　I　could　look　across　a　small　cove　and　down　onto　what　had　been　Forge。　The　peacefulness　of　it　was　chilling。　No　smoke　rose　from　the　cottages；　no　boats　rode　in　the　harbor。　I　knew　my　road　would　take　me　right　through　it。　I　did　not　relish　the　idea；　but　the　warm　thread　of　Smithy's　life　tugged　me　on。
　　　　　　　I　lifted　my　head　to　the　scuff　of　feet　against　stone。　Only　the　reflexes　of　Hod's　long　training　saved　me。　I　came　about；　staff　at　the　ready；　and　swept　around　me　in　a　defensive　circle　that　cracked　the　jaw　of　the　one　that　was　behind　me。　The　others　fell　back。　Three　others。　All　Forged；　empty　as　stone。　The　one　I　had　struck　was　rolling　and　yelling　on　the　ground。　No　one　paid　him　any　mind　except　me。　I　dealt　him　another　quick　jolt　to　his　back。　He　yelled　louder　and　thrashed　about。　Even　in　that　situation；　my　action　surprised　me。　I　knew　it　was　wise　to　make　sure　a　disabled　enemy　stayed　disabled；　but　I　knew　I　could　never　have　kicked　at　a　howling　dog　as　I　did　at　that　man。　But　fighting　these　Forged　ones　was　like　fighting　ghosts。　I　felt　no　presence　from　any　of　them；　I　had　no　sense　of　the　pain　I'd　dealt　the　injured　man；　no　echoes　of　his　anger　or　fear。　It　was　like　slamming　a　door；　violence　without　a　victim；　as　I　cracked　him　again；　to　be　sure　he　would　not　snatch　at　me　as　I　leaped　over　him　to　a　clear　space　in　the　road。
　　　　　　　I　danced　my　staff　around　me；　keeping　the　others　at　bay。　They　looked　ragged　and　hungry；　but　I　still　felt　they　could　outrun　me　if　I　fled。　I　was　already　tired；　and　they　were　like　starving　wolves。　They'd　pursue　me　until　I　dropped。　One　reached　too　close　and　I　struck　him　a　glancing　blow　to　the　wrist。　He　dropped　a　rusty　fish　knife　and　clutched　his　hand　to　his　heart；　shrieking　over　it。　Again；　the　other　two　paid　no　mind　to　the　injured　one。　I　danced　back。
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　want？〃　I　demanded　of　them。
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　have？〃　one　of　them　said。　His　voice　was　rusty　and　hesitant；　as　if　long　unused；　and　his　words　lacked　any　inflection。　He　moved　slowly　around　me；　in　a　wide　circle　that　kept　me　turning。　Dead　men　talking；　I　thought　to　myself；　and　couldn't　stop　the　thought　from　echoing　through　my　mind。
　　　　　　　〃Nothing；〃　I　panted；　jabbing　to　keep　one　from　moving　any　closer。　〃I　don't　have　anything　for　you。　No　money；　no　food；　nothing。　I　lost　all　my　things；　back　down　the　road。〃
　　　　　　　〃Nothing；〃　said　the　other；　and　for　the　first　time　I　realized　she　had　been　a　woman；　once。　Now　she　was　this　empty　malevolent　puppet；　whose　dull　eyes　suddenly　lit　with　avarice　as　she　said；　〃Cloak。　I　want　your　cloak。〃
　　　　　　　She　seemed　pleased　to　have　formulated　this　thought；　and　it　made　her　careless　enough　to　let　me　crack　her　on　the　shin。　She　glanced　down　at　the　injury　as　if　puzzled；　and　then　continued　to　limp　after　me。
　　　　　　　〃Cloak；〃　echoed　the　other。　For　a　moment　they　glared　at　one　another　in　dull　realization　of　their　rivalry。　〃Me。　Mine；〃　he　added。
　　　　　　　〃No。　Kill　you；〃　she　offered　calmly。　〃Kill　you；　too；〃　she　reminded　me；　and　came　close　again。　I　swung　my　staff　at　her；　but　she　leaped　back；　and　then　made　a　snatch　at　it　as　it　went　by。　I　turned；　just　in　time　to　whack　the　one　whose　wrist　I　had　already　damaged。　Then　I　leaped　past　him　and　raced　down　the　road。　I　ran　awkwardly；　holding　on　to　my　staff　with　one　hand　as　I　fought　the　fastening　of　my　cloak　with　the　other。　At　last　it　came　undone　and　I　let　it　fall　from　me　as　I　continued　to　run。　The　rubberiness　in　my　legs　warned　me　that　this　was　my　last　gambit。　But　a　few　moments　later　they　must　have　reached　it；　for　I　heard　angry　cries　and　screams　as　they　quarreled　over　it。　I　prayed　it　would　be　enough　to　occupy　all　four　of　them　and　kept　running。　There　was　a　bend　in　the　road；　not　much　but　enough　to　take　me　out　of　their　sight。　Still；　I　kept　running；　and　then　trotting　as　long　as　I　could　before　I　dared　to　look　back。　The　road　shone　wide　and　empty　behind　me。　I　pushed　myself　on；　and　when　I　saw　a　likely　spot；　I　left　the　road。
　　　　　　　I　found　a　savagely　nasty　thicket　of　brambles　and　forced　my　way　into　the　heart　of　it。　Shaking　and　exhausted；　I　crouched　down　on　my　heels　in　the　thick　of　the　spiny　bushes　and　strained　my　ears　for　any　sign　of　pursuit。　I　took　short　sips　from　my　water　and　tried　to　calm　myself。　I　had　no　time　for　this　delay；　I　had　to　get　back　to　Buckkeep；　but　I　dared　not　emerge。
　　　　　　　It　is　still　inconceivable　to　me　that　I　fell　asleep　there；　but　I　did。
　　　　　　　I　came　awake　gradually。　Groggy；　I　felt　sure　I　was　recovering　from　a　severe　injury　or　long　illness。　My　eyes　were　gummy；　my　mouth　thick　and　sour。　I　forced　my　eyelids　open　and　looked　around　me　in　bewilderment。　The　light　was　ebbing；　and　an　overcast　defeated　the　moon。
　　　　　　　My　exhaustion　had　been　such　that　I　had　leaned　over　into　the　thornbushes　and　slept　despite　a　multitude　of　jabbing　prickles。　I　extricated　myself　with　much　difficulty；　leaving　bits　of　cloth；　hair；　and　skin　behind。　I　emerged　from　my　hiding　place　as　cautiously　as　any　hunted　animal；　not　only　questing　as　far　as　my　sense　would　reach；　but　also　snuffing　the　air　and　peering　all　about　me。　I　knew　that　my　questing　would　not　reveal　to　me　any　Forged　ones；　but　hoped　that　if　any　were　nearby；　the　forest　animals　would　have　seen　them　and　reacted。　But　all　was　quiet。
　　　　　　　I　cautiously　emerged　onto　the　road。　But　it　was　wide　and　empty。　I　looked　once　at　the　sky；　and　then　set　out　for　Forge。　I　stayed　close　to　the　edge　of　the　road；　where　the　shadows　of　the　trees　were　thickest。　I　tried　to　move　both　swiftly　and　silently；　and　did　neither　as　well　as　I　wanted　to。　I　had　stopped　thinking　of　anything　except　vigilance　and　my　need　to　get　back　to　Buckkeep。　Smithy's　life　was　the　barest　tendril　in　my　mind。　I　think　the　only　emotion　still　active　in　me　was　the　fear　that　kept　me　looking　over　my　shoulder　and　scanning　the　woods　to　either　side　as　I　walked。
　　　　　　　It