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！
〃Not Rand al'Thor；〃 said a musical voice from the door。 〃Lews Therin Telamon。 The Dragon Reborn。〃
Min stared。 She was the most beautiful woman Min had ever seen； with pale； smooth skin； and long； black hair； and eyes as dark as night。 Her dress was a white that would make snow seem dingy； belted in silver。 All her jewelry was silver。 Min felt herself bristle。 〃What do you mean？ Who are you？〃
The woman came to stand over the bed … her movements were so graceful； Min felt a stab of envy； though she had never before envied any woman anything … and smoothed Rand's hair as if Min were not there。 〃He doesn't believe yet； I think。 He knows； but he does not believe。 I have guided his steps； pushed him； pulled him； enticed him。 He was always stubborn； but this time I will shape him。 Ishamael thinks he controls events； but I do。〃 Her finger brushed Rand's forehead as if drawing a mark； Min thought uneasily that it looked like the Dragon's Fang。 Rand stirred； murmuring； the first sound or movement he had made since she found him。
〃Who are you？〃 Min demanded。 The woman looked at her； only looked； but she found herself shrinking back into the pillows； clutching Rand to her fiercely。〃I am called Lanfear； girl。〃
Min's mouth was abruptly so dry she could not have spoken if her life depended on it。 One of the Forsaken！ No！ Light； no！ All she could do was shake her head。 The denial made Lanfear smile。
〃Lews Therin was and is mine； girl。 Tend him well for me until I e for him。〃 And she was gone。
Min gaped。 One moment she was there； then she was gone。 Min discovered she was hugging Rand's unconscious form tightly。 She wished she did not feel as if she wanted him to protect her。
Gaunt face set with grim purpose； Byar galloped with the sinking sun behind him and never looked back。 He had seen all he needed to； all he could with that accursed fog。 The legion was dead； Lord Captain Geofram Bornhald was dead； and there was only one explanation for that； Darkfriends had betrayed them； Darkfriends like that Perrin of the Two Rivers。 That word he had to carry to Dain Bornhald； the Lord Captain's son； with the Children of the Light watching Tar Valon。 But he had worse to tell； and to none less than Pedron Niall himself。 He had to tell what he had seen in the sky above Falme。 He flogged his horse with his reins and never looked back。
Chapter 49
（Serpent and Wheel）
What Was Meant To Be
Rand opened his eyes and found himself staring up at sunlight slanting through the branches of a leatherleaf； its broad； tough leaves still green despite the time of year。 The wind stirring the leaves carried a hint of snow； e nightfall。 He lay on his back； and he could feel blankets covering him under his hands。 His coat and shirt seemed to be gone； but something was binding his chest； and his left side hurt。 He turned his head； and Min was sitting there on the ground； watching him。 He almost did not know her； wearing skirts。 She smiled uncertainly。
〃Min。 It is you。 Where did you e from？ Where are we？〃 His memory came in flashes and patches。 Old things he could remember； but the last few days seemed like bits of broken mirror； spinning through his mind； showing glimpses that were gone before he could see them clearly。
〃From Falme；〃 she said。 〃We're five days east of there； now； and you've been asleep all that time。〃
〃Falme。〃 More memory。 Mat had blown the Horn of Valere。 〃Egwene！ Is she 。。。 ？ Did they free her？〃 He held his breath。
〃I don't know what 'they' you mean； but she's free。 We freed her ourselves。〃
〃We？ I don't understand。〃 She's free。 At least she is …
〃Nynaeve； and Elayne； and me。〃
〃Nynaeve？ Elayne？ How？ You were all in Falme？〃 He struggled to sit up； but she pushed him back down easily and stayed there； hands on his shoulders； eyes intent on his face。 〃Where is she？〃
〃Gone。〃 Min's face colored。 〃They're all gone。 Egwene； and Nynaeve； and Mat； and Hurin； and Verin。 Hurin didn't want to leave you； really。 They're on their way to Tar Valon。 Egwene and Nynaeve back to their training in the Tower； and Mat for whatever the Aes Sedai have to do about that dagger。 They took the Horn of Valere with them。 I can't believe I actually saw it。〃
〃Gone；〃 he muttered。 〃She didn't even wait till I woke up。〃 The red in Min's cheeks deepened； and she sat back； staring at her lap。
He raised his hands to run them over his face； and stopped； staring at his palms in shock。 There was a heron branded across his left palm； too； now； to match the one on his right； every line clean and true。 Once the heron to set his path； Twice the heron to name him true。 〃No！〃
〃They are gone；〃 she said。 〃Saying 'no' won't change it。〃
He shook his head。 Something told him the pain in his side was important。 He could not remember being injured； but it was important。 He started to lift his blankets to look； but she slapped his hands away。
〃You can't do any good with that。 It isn't healed all the way； yet。 Verin tried Healing； but she said it didn't work the way it should。〃 She hesitated； nibbling her lip。 〃Moiraine says Nynaeve must have done something； or you wouldn't have lived till we carried you to Verin； but Nynaeve says she was too frightened to light a candle。 There is。。。 something wrong with your wound。 You will have to wait for it to heal naturally。〃 She seemed troubled。
〃Moiraine is here？〃 He barked a bitter laugh。 〃When you said Verin was gone； I thought I was free of Aes Sedai again。〃
〃I am here；〃 Moiraine said。 She appeared； all in blue and as serene as if she stood in the White Tower； strolling up to stand over him。 Min was frowning at the Aes Sedai。 Rand had the odd feeling that she meant to protect him from Moiraine。
〃I wish you weren't here；〃 he told the Aes Sedai。 〃As far as I am concerned； you can go back to wherever you've been hiding and stay there。〃
〃I have not been hiding；〃 Moiraine said calmly。 〃I have been doing what I could； here on Toman Head； and in Falme。 It was little enough； though I learned much。 I failed to rescue two of my sisters before the Seanchan herded them onto the ships with the Leashed Ones； but I did what I could。〃
〃What you could。 You sent Verin to shepherd me； but I'm no sheep； Moiraine。 You said I could go where I wanted； and I mean to go where you are not。〃
〃I did not send Verin。〃 Moiraine frowned。 〃She did that on her own。 You are of interest to a great many people； Rand。 Did Fain find you； or you him？〃
The sudden change of topic took him by surprise。 〃Fain？ No。 A fine hero I make。 I tried to rescue Egwene； and Min did it before me。 Fain said he would hurt Emond's Field if I didn't face him； and I never laid eyes on him。 Did he go with the Seanchan； too？〃
Moiraine shook her head。 〃I do not know。 I wish I did。 But it is as well you did not find him； not until you know what he is； at least。〃
〃He's a Darkfriend。〃
〃More than that。 Worse than that。 Padan Fain was the Dark One's creature to the depths of his soul； but I believe that in Shadar Logoth he fell afoul of Mordeth； who was as vile in fighting the Shadow as ever the Shadow itself was。 Mordeth tried to consume Fain's soul； to have a human body again； but found a soul that had been touched directly by the Dark One； and what resulted 。。。 What resulted was neither Padan Fain nor Mordeth； but something far more evil； a blend of the two。 Fain … let us call him that … is more dangerous than you can believe。 You might not have survived such a meeting； and if you had； you might have been worse than turned to the Shadow。〃
〃If he is alive； if he did not go with the Seanchan； I have to…〃 He cut off as she produced his heron…mark sword from under her cloak。 The blade ended abruptly a foot from the hilt； as if it had been melted。 Memory came crashing back。 〃I killed him；〃 he said softly。 〃This time I killed him。〃
Moiraine put the ruined sword aside like the useless thing it now was； and wiped her hands together。 〃The Dark One is not slain so easily。 The mere fact that he appeared in the sky above Falme is more than merely troubling。 He should not be able to do that； if he is bound as we believe。 And if he is not； why has he not destroyed us all？〃 Min stirred uneasily。
〃In the sky？〃 Rand said in wonder。
〃Both of you；〃 Moiraine said。 〃Your battle took place across the sky； in full view of every soul in Falme。 Perhaps in other towns on Toman Head； too； if half what I hear is to be believed。〃
〃We … we saw it all；〃 Min said in a faint voice。 She put a hand over one of Rand's fortingly。
Moiraine reached under her cloak again and came out with a rolled parchment； one of the large sheets such as the street artists in Falme used。 The chalks were a little smudged when she unfurled it； but the picture was still clear enough。 A man whose face was a solid flame fought with a staff against another with a sword among clouds where lightning danced； and behind them rippled the Dragon banner。 Rand's face was easily recognizable。
〃How many have seen that？〃 he demanded。 〃Tear it up。 Burn it。〃
The Aes Sedai let the parchment