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！
〃No！〃 Covenant shrieked。
When Lena charged again； Pietten caught her knife wrist neatly and turned the blade away from him。 Slowly； he twisted her arm； forcing her down。 She hammered at him with her free hand； but he held her。 She could not resist his strength。 She fell to her knees。
〃The Ranyhyn！〃 she gasped to Covenant。 〃Call the Ranyhyn！〃
〃Lena！〃 Using the spear； he lunged to his feet； fell； tried to crawl forward。
Slowly； inexorably； Pietten bent her backward until she lay writhing on the ground。 Then he pulled his sharp wooden stave from his belt。 With one savage blow he stabbed her in the stomach； spiked her to the frozen earth。
Horror roared in Covenant's head。 He seemed to feel himself shattering； stricken with pain； he lost consciousness momentarily。
When he opened his eyes； he found Pietten standing in front of him。
Pietten was licking the blood off his hand。
Covenant tried to raise the spear； but Pietten snatched it from him。 〃Now； Ringthane！〃 he cried ecstatically。 〃Now I will slay you。 Kneel there…grovel before me。 Bring my dreams to life。 I will be fair…I will allow you a chance。 From ten paces I will hurl my spear。 You may dodge…if your ankle permits。 Do so。 I relish it。〃
With a grin like a snarl on his face； he strode away； turned and balanced the spear on his palm。 〃Do you not choose to live？〃 he jeered。 〃Kneel； then。 Groveling bees you。〃
Numbly； as if he did not know what he was doing； Covenant raised the two fingers of his right hand to his mouth and let out a weak whistle。
A Ranyhyn appeared instantly over the hillcrest； and came galloping down into the hollow。 It was miserably gaunt； reduced by the long winter to such inanition that only its chestnut coat seemed to hold its skeleton together。 But it ran like indomitable pride straight toward Covenant。
Pietten did not appear to see it ing。 He was in a personal trance； exalted by blood。 Obliviously； he drew back his arm； bent his body until his muscles strained with passion…obliviously he launched the spear like a bolt of retribution at Covenant's heart。
The Ranyhyn veered； flashed between the two men； then fell tumbling like a sack of dismembered bones。 When it came to rest on its side； both men saw Pietten's spear jutting from its bloodstained coat。
The sight struck Pietten like a blast of chaos。 He gaped at what he had done in disbelief； as if it were inconceivable； unendurable。 His shoulders sagged； eyes stared widely。 He seemed to lack language for what he saw。 His lips fumbled over meaningless whimpers； and the muscles of his throat jerked as if he could not swallow。 If he saw Covenant crawling terribly toward him； he gave no sign。 His arms dangled at his sides until Covenant reared up in front of him on one leg and drove a sharp Stonedownor knife into his chest with both hands。
Covenant delivered the blow like a double fistful of hate。 Its momentum carried him forward； and he toppled across Pietten's corpse。 Blood pumping from around the blade scored his jacket； slicked his hands； stained his shirt。 But he paid no attention to it。 That one blow seemed to have spent all his rage。 He pushed himself off the body； and crawled away toward Lena； dragging his broken ankle like a millstone of pain behind him。
When he reached her； he found that she was still alive。 The whole front of her robe was soaked； and blood coughed thinly between her lips； but she was still alive。 He gripped the spike to draw it out。 But the movement drew a gasp of pain from her。 With an effort； she opened her eyes。 They were clear； as if she were finally free of the confusion which had shaped her life。 After a moment； she recognized Covenant； and tried to smile。
〃Lena；〃 he panted。 〃Lena。〃
〃I love you；〃 she replied in a voice wet with blood。 〃I have not changed。〃
〃Lena。〃 He struggled to return her smile； but the attempt convulsed his face as if he were about to shriek。
Her hand reached toward him； touched his forehead as if to smooth away his scowl。 〃Free the Ranyhyn；〃 she whispered。
The plea took her last strength。 She died with blood streaming between her lips。
Covenant stared at it as if it were vituperation。 His eyes had a feverish cast； a look of having been blistered from within。 No words came to his mind； but he knew what had happened。 Rape； treachery； now murder…he had done them all； he had mitted every crime。 He had broken the promise he had made after the battle of Soaring Woodhelven； when he swore that he would not kill again。 For a long moment； he regarded his numb fingers as if they were things of no importance。 Only the blood on them mattered。 Then he pushed himself away from Lena。 Crawling like an abject passion； he moved toward the Ranyhyn。
Its muzzle was frothed with pain； and its sides heaved horridly。 But it watched Covenant's approach steadily； as if for the first time in its life it was not afraid of the bearer of white gold。 When he reached it； he went directly to its wound。 The spear was deeply embedded； at first he did not believe he could draw it out。 But he worked at it with his hands； digging his elbows into the Ranyhyn's panting ribs。 At last the shaft tore free。 Blood pulsed from the wound； yet the horse lurched to its feet； stood wavering weakly on splayed legs； and nuzzled him as if to tell him that it would live。
〃All right；〃 he muttered； speaking half to himself。 〃Go back。 Go…tell all the others。 Our bargain is over。 No more bargains。 No more…'' The fire was falling into embers； and his voice faded as if he were losing strength along with it。 Dark fog blew into him along the wind。 But a moment later； he rallied。 〃No more bargains。 Tell them。〃
The Ranyhyn stood as if it were unwilling to leave him。
〃Go on；〃 he insisted thickly。 〃You're free。 You've got to tell them。 In the…in the name of Kelenbhrabanal； Father of Horses。 Go。〃
At the sound of that name； the Ranyhyn turned painfully and started to limp out of the hollow。 When it reached the crest of the hill； it stopped and faced him once more。 For an instant； he thought he could see it silhouetted against the night； rearing。 Then it was gone。
He did not wait； did not rest。 He was past taking any account of the cost of his actions。 He caught up Pietten's spear and used it as a staff to hold himself erect。 His ankle screamed at him as it dragged the ground； but he set his teeth and struggled away from the fire。 As soon as he left the range of its warmth； his wet clothing began to freeze。
He had no idea where he was headed； but he knew he had to go。 On each breath that panted through his locked teeth； he whispered hate as if it were a question。
ELEVEN
The Ritual of Desecration
After Loerya left him； High Lord Mhoram stayed on the tower for the rest of the night。 He kept himself warm against the bitter wind by calling up a flow of power through his staff from time to time and watched in silent dread as the pronged veins of malice in the ground pulsed at Revelstone like sick； green…red lava oozing its way into the Keep's courage。 The ill might which spread from samadhi Raver's Stone and the staves of the ur…viles lit the night garishly； and at irregular intervals； fervid sparks writhed upward when the attack met resistance in the rock of the foothills。
Though it moved slowly； the hungry agony of the attack was now only scant yards from Revelstone's walls。 Through his feet； Mhoram could feel the Keep moaning in silent immobility； as if it ached to recoil from the leering threat of those veins。
But that was not why Mhoram stood throughout the long night exposed to the immedicable gall of the wind。 He could have sensed the progress of the assault from anywhere in the Keep； just as he did not need his eyes to tell him how close the inhabitants of the city were to gibbering collapse。 He watched because it was only by beholding Satansfist's might with all his senses； perceiving it with all his resources in all its horror； that he could deal with it。
When he was away from the sight； dread seemed to fall on him from nowhere； adumbrate against his heart like the knell of an unmotivated doom。 It confused his thoughts； paralyzed his instincts。 Walking through the halls of Revelstone； he saw faces gray with inarticulate terror； heard above the constant； clenched mumble of sobs children howling in panic at the sight of their parents； felt the rigid moral exhaustion of the stalwart few who kept the Keep alive…Quaan； the three Lords； most of the Lorewardens； lillianrill； and rhadhamaerl。 Then he could hardly master the passion of his futility； the passion which urged him to strike at his friends because it blamed him for failing the Land。 A wild hopelessness moved in him； shouldered its way toward the front of his responses。 And he alone of all the Lords knew how to make such hopelessness bear fruit。
But alone on the watchtower； with Satansfist's army revealed below him； he could clarify himself； recognize what was being done to Revel…stone。 The winter and the attack assumed a different meaning。 He no longer accused himself； he knew then that no one could be blamed for being inadequate in the face of such unanswerabl