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！
legions and Hotvig's horsemen； trying to fight their way toward his surcoat…banner； which now waved on the strut of a scaling ladder socketed in the muddy ground。 The question was whether Hotvig and the rest could cut their way through before Isgrimnur's small party was crushed between the Norns and the mercenaries。
Perhaps we should fall back toward the base of the castle walls； he thought；…even try to fetch up in front of that new gate。 There was little else he and Sludig and the rest could do： they were going to be forced back in any case； so they might as well pick their spot。 The duke had noticed that none of Elias' soldiers were atop the gate： he guessed it might not be wide enough。 If that was true； he and his small pany could use it as a rearguard without having to worry about missiles from above。 With their backs protected； they could hold off even the fearsome Norns until the rest of the soldiers fought through。。。 or so he hoped。
And maybe if we make ourselves a little room we can force that cursed gate； or use those ladders； and go in after Isorn。 No reason Elias shouldn't have some mortal foxes in his henyard for a change。
He turned back to the horde of pale； black…eyed creatures and their witchwood blades。 Lightning split the sky again； eclipsing for a moment the scarlet smolder of the Conqueror Star。 Dimly； Isgrimnur heard a bell toiling； and felt it in his gut and bones as well。 For a moment he saw what looked like flames crawling at the edge of his vision； but then the storm…darkness fell again。
God help us； he thought distractedly。 That's the noon bell in the tower。 And here it is black as night。 Aedon； it's so dark。 。。 。
〃Oh！ Mother of Mercy！〃 Miriamele looked down from the balcony； horrified。 Below her perch on the king's residence； the Inner Bailey was a sea of men and horses that moved in strange rippling patterns of conflict。 Snow whipped and circled in the wind； making everything indistinct。 The sky was knotted with stormclouds； but the red star burned visibly behind them； its long tail casting a faint bloody glow over all。 〃Uncle Josua has begun the siege！〃 she cried。 Their hurry to find him and warn him seemed to have been for nothing。
The climb up the stairs had led them at last to a door hidden in the lower recesses of the storerooms beneath the king's residence。 Miriamele； who prided herself on her knowledge of the Hayholt's ins and outs； many of them discovered while in her Malachias disguise； had been shocked to discover that a passageway to old Asu'a had been beneath her nose all the time she had lived here…but there were more surprises waiting。
The second came when they emerged cautiously into the ground…level portions of the residence。 Despite the howling of wind and the roar of wild voices outside； the many chambers of the residence were deserted； and showed little evidence of any recent habitation。 As they passed through the cold rooms and grimy hallways； Miriamele's fear of discovery had lessened； but her sense of things being wrong had grown steadily。 Braced for any number of unhappy discoveries； she had entered her fa…
ther's sleeping chamber only to find it not just empty； but in such a fetid and bestial state that she could not imagine who might have been living there。
Now they had emerged onto a small sheltered balcony off one of the third floor rooms； where they crouched behind its stone railing； peering through the ornamental slits at the madness below。 The air smelled strongly of lightning…tang and blood。
〃I fear that is true。〃 Binabik spoke in a loud voice： between the uproar of bat and the howling winds； there was no fear of drawing attention。 〃People are fighting down below； and there are men and animals lying dead。 But still something there is that is strange。 I wish we could be seeing beyond the castle walls。〃
〃What do we do？〃 Miriamele looked about frantically。 〃Josua and Camaris and the rest must still be outside。 We have to get out to them somehow！〃
The daylight； darkened by stormclouds until the whole of the castle seemed sunk in deep water； shifted and flickered strangely； then for a moment the world suddenly shouted and went white。 A coil of lightning had snapped down like a fiery whip； thunder rattled the air and even seemed to shake the balcony beneath them。 The lightning curled around Green Angel Tower； hung for a moment as the thunder echoes faded； then sputtered out of existence。
〃How？〃 Binabik shouted。 〃I do not know this castle。 What places might there be for escaping？〃
Miriamele was having trouble thinking。 The noises of wind and bat made her want to scream and cover her ears； the whirling clouds overhead dizzied her。 She abruptly remembered Cadrach； who had been trailing along behind them； silent and unresponsive as a sleepwalker Miriamele turned； certain that he had taken advantage of their confusion to sneak away； but the monk was crouched in the doorway； gazing up at the tempestuous； red…shot sky with a look of resignation。
〃Perhaps we could get out through the Seagate；〃 she said to the troll。 〃If Josua's army is at the walls above Erchester； perhaps there will be only a few 。。。〃
Binabik's eyes widened。 〃Look there！〃 He thrust his hand through the slitted railing to point。 〃Is that not。。。 ？ Oh； Daughter of the Mountains！〃
Miriamele squinted； trying to make sense out of the madness below her； and saw that there was more to the antheap…swirl of activity than just defenders running to and from the moat…bridge that led to the Middle Bailey。 In fact； there seemed to be a fight of some kind taking place on the bridge itself。 A large knot of armed men in the Middle Bailey was forcing a smaller troop of riders and footmen back across the moat。 As she stared； one of the horses reared and tumbled from the span； taking its rider with it into the dark water。 Were Josua's forces inside the wall already； and pushing toward the Inner Bailey？ Could those few on the bridge be the last of her father's defenders？ But then what of all the armored men just below her who were doing nothing to support the retreating horsemen？ Who were they？
And then； as the small troop on the bridge was forced back even farther； she saw what Binabik had seen。 One of the riders； standing almost impossibly tall in his saddle； swung his blade high overhead。 Even in the false twilight she could see that the sword was black as coal。
〃Oh； God； save us。〃 Something cold clutched at her innards。 〃It's Camaris！〃
Binabik was leaning forward； his face pressed against the stone rails。 〃I am thinking I see Prince Josua； too… there； in the gray cloak； riding near to Camaris。〃 He turned to her； his face fearful。 Another jagged lightning flash silvered the sky。 〃And there are so few with them… they could not have been fighting their way inside the walls； I am guessing。 Somehow they have been tricked into bringing the sword into the castle。〃
Miriamele hammered her palms against the balcony floor。 〃What can we do？'〃
The troll peered out through the rails again。 〃I am not knowing；〃 he half…shouted。 〃I have no thoughts at all！ Kikkasut！ We will be cut in pieces if we go down to them…and they have already been bringing the sword！ Kikkasut！〃
〃There are flames in the tower window；〃 Cadrach said in a loud； flat tone。
Miriamele glanced briefly at both Green Angel Tower and Hjeldin's Tower； but except for the clot of writhing clouds above the tall spire of the first； she could see nothing unusual。
〃See！〃 Binabik called。 〃Something is happening！〃 He sounded angry and puzzled。 〃What are they doing？〃
Josua and Camaris and their small pany of allies had been driven across the bridge and onto the soil of the Inner Bailey。 But the rest of the mercenary troops milling haphazardly inside the bailey did not step up to cut them off； rather； a ragged gap formed in their ranks； a split which gradually opened into a path that led from the base of the moat…bridge to the front steps of Green Angel Tower。 As the rest of the king's soldiers pushed their way across the bridge； Josua and his followers were forced toward the tower。 Astoundingly； the mercenaries on either side did not menace them at all until Camaris； on his pale horse； tried to turn the troop sideways to cut his way through the wall of enemies。 The king's forces resisted fiercely and the small pany was thrown back； then driven again across the open space toward Green Angel's waiting steps。
〃The tower！〃 said Miriamete。 〃They're forcing them to the tower！ What。。。 ？〃
〃The Sithi…place！〃 Binabik sprang up suddenly； all thought of hiding now gone。 〃The place where the Storm King was making his last battle。 Your father and Pryrates are wanting the swords there！〃
Miriamele stood。 Her knees were weak。 What monstrous thing was happening before them。 as relentless and inescapable as the clutch of a nightmare？ 〃We have to go to them！ Somehow！ Maybe 。。。 maybe there's still something we can do！〃
Binabik grabbed his pack from the floor inside the baljcony window。 〃Where and how are we going to them？〃 he asked her。
Miriamele stared at him； then at silent Cadrach。 For a moment； her mind was empty of everything except the how