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！
dashed out of sight； something that tickled his memory。 Yes； of course。 The lad who claimed to be a blacksmith。 What was his name？
Byar pulled up in front of him； hand on heart。 〃The village is secured； my Lord Captain。〃
Villagers in heavy sheepskin coats milled uneasily as white…cloaked soldiers herded them together near the overloaded carts in front of the inn。 Crying children clung to their mothers' skirts； but no one looked defiant。 Dull eyes stared out of the adult faces； waiting passively for whatever was going to happen。 For that much； Bornhald was grateful。 He had no real desire to make an example of any of these people； and no wish at all to waste time。
Dismounting； he tossed his reins to one of the Children。 〃See that the men are fed； Byar。 Put the prisoners in the inn with as much food and water as they can carry； then nail all the doors and shutters closed。 Make them think I am leaving some men to stand guard； yes？〃
Byar touched his heart again and wheeled his horse to shout orders。 The herding began anew； into the flat…roofed inn； while other Children ransacked houses searching for hammers and nails。
Watching the sullen faces that filed past him； Bornhald thought it should be two or three days before any of them found enough courage to break out of the inn and find there were no guards。 Two or three days was all he needed； but he did not intend to risk alerting the Seanchan to his presence now。
Leaving enough men behind to make the Questioners believe his entire legion was still scattered across Almoth Plain； he had brought more than a thousand of the Children nearly the length of Toman Head without giving alarm； so far as he knew。 Three skirmishes with Seanchan patrols had ended quickly。 The Seanchan had grown used to facing already defeated rabble； the Children of the Light had been a deadly surprise。 Yet the Seanchan knew how to fight like the Dark One's hordes； and he could not help remembering the one skirmish that had cost him better than fifty men。 He was still not sure which of the two arrow…riddled women he had stared at afterwards had been the Aes Sedai。
〃Byar！〃 One of Bornhald's men handed him water in a pottery cup from one of the carts； it was icy in his throat。
The gaunt…faced man swung down from his saddle。 〃Yes； my Lord Captain？〃
〃When I engage the enemy； Byar；〃 Bornhald said slowly； 〃you will not take part。 You will watch from a distance； and you will carry word to my son of what happens。〃
〃But my Lord Captain …！〃
〃That is my order； Child Byar！〃 he snapped。 〃You will obey； yes？〃
Byar's back stiffened； and he stared straight ahead。 〃As you mand； my Lord Captain。〃
Bornhald studied him for a moment。 The man would do as he was told； but it would be better to give him another reason than letting Dain know how his father had died。 It was not as if he did not have knowledge that was urgently needed in Amador。 Since that skirmish with the Aes Sedai … Was it one of them； or both？ Thirty Seanchan soldiers； good fighters； and two women cost me twice the casualties they did。 … since then； he no longer expected to live to leave Toman Head。 In the small chance the Seanchan did not see to it； very likely the Questioners would。
〃When you have found my son … he should be with Lord Captain Eamon Valda near Tar Valon … and told him； you will ride to Amador； and report to the Lord Captain mander。 To Pedron Niall personally； Child Byar。 You will tell him what we have learned of the Seanchan； I will write it out for you。 Be sure he understands that we can no longer count on the Tar Valon witches being content with manipulating events from the shadows。 If they fight openly for the Seanchan； we will surely face them elsewhere。〃 He hesitated。 That last was the most important of all。 They had to know under the Dome of Truth that for all their vaunted oaths； Aes Sedai would march into battle。 It gave him a sinking feeling； a world where Aes Sedai wielded the Power in battle； he was not sure that he would regret leaving it。 But there was one more message he wanted carried to Amador。 〃And； Byar 。。。 tell Pedron Niall how we were used by the Questioners。〃
〃As you mand； my Lord Captain；〃 Byar said； but Bornhald sighed at the expression on his face。 The man did not understand。 To Byar； orders were to be obeyed whether they came from the Lord Captain or the Questioners； whatever they were。
〃I will write that out for you to hand to Pedron Niall as well；〃 he said。 He was not sure how much good it would do in any case。 A thought came to him； and he frowned at the inn； where some of his men were loudly hammering nails through shutters and doors。 〃Perrin；〃 he muttered。 〃That was his name。 Perrin； from the Two Rivers。〃
〃The Darkfriend； my Lord Captain？〃
〃Perhaps； Byar。〃 He was not entirely certain； himself； but surely a man who seemed to have wolves fight for him could be nothing else。 Certainly； this Perrin had killed two of the Children。 〃I thought I saw him when we rode in； but I do not remember anyone among the prisoners who looked like a blacksmith。〃
〃Their blacksmith left a month ago； my Lord Captain。 Some of them were plaining that they'd have been gone before we came if they had not had to mend their cartwheels themselves。 Do you believe it was the man Perrin； my Lord Captain？〃
〃Whoever it was； he is not accounted for； no？ And he may carry word of us to the Seanchan。〃
〃A Darkfriend would surely do so； my Lord Captain。〃
Bornhald gulped the last of the water and tossed the cup aside。 〃There will be no meal for the men here； Byar。 I will not let these Seanchan catch me napping； whether it is Perrin of the Two Rivers or someone else who warns them。 Mount the legion； Child Byar！〃
Far above their heads； a huge； winged shape circled； unnoticed。
In the clearing amid the hilltop thicket where they had made their camp； Rand worked the forms with his sword。 He wanted to keep from thinking。 He had had his chances to search with Hurin for Fain's trail； they all had； in twos and threes so they would not attract attention； and they had all found nothing so far。 Now they waited for Mat and Perrin to e back with the sniffer； they should have been back hours ago。
Loial was reading； of course； and there was no telling if his ear…twitching was over his book or the scouting party's lateness； but Uno and most of the Shienaran soldiers sat tensely； oiling their swords； or kept watch through the trees as if they expected Seanchan to appear any moment。 Only Verin appeared unconcerned。 The Aes Sedai sat on a log beside their small fire； murmuring to herself and writing in the dirt with a long stick； every so often she would shake her head and scrub it all out with her foot and start over again。 All the horses were saddled and ready to go； the Shienarans' animals each tied to a lance driven into the ground。
〃Heron Wading in the Rushes；〃 Ingtar said。 He sat with his back against a tree； sliding a sharpening stone along his sword and watching Rand。 〃You should not be bothering with that one。 It leaves you pletely open。〃
For an instant Rand balanced on the ball of one foot； sword held reversed in both hands over his head； then shifted smoothly to the other foot。 〃Lan says it's good for developing balance。〃 It was not easy keeping his balance。 In the void it often seemed he could maintain his equilibrium atop a rolling boulder； but he did not dare assume the void。 He wanted to too much to trust himself。
〃What you practice too often； you use without thinking。 You will put your sword in the other man with that； if you're quick； but not before he has his through your ribs。 You are practically inviting him。 I don't think I could see a man face me so open and not put my sword in him； even knowing he might strike home at me if I did。〃
〃It's only for balance； Ingtar。 〃 Rand wavered on one foot； and had to put the other down to keep from falling。 He slammed the blade into its scabbard and picked up the gray cloak that had been his disguise。 It was moth…eaten； and ragged around the bottom； but lined with thick fleece； and the wind was picking up； cold and out of the west。 〃I wish they'd e back。〃
As if his wish had been a signal； Uno spoke up with quiet urgency。 〃Bloody horsemen ing； my Lord。〃 Scabbards rattled as men who did not already have their blades out bared them。 Some leaped into their saddles； snatching up lances。
The tension faded as Hurin led the others into the clearing at a trot； and came again as he spoke。 〃We found the trail； Lord Ingtar。〃
〃We followed it almost to Falme；〃 Mat said as he dismounted。 A flush in his pale cheeks seemed a mocking of health； the skin was tight over his skull。 The Shienarans gathered around； as excited as he was。 〃It's just Fain； but there isn't anywhere else he could be going。 He must have the dagger。〃
〃We found Whitecloaks； too；〃 Perrin said； swinging down from his saddle。 〃Hundreds of them。〃
〃Whitecloaks？〃 Ingtar exclaimed； frowning。 〃Here？ Well； if they do not trouble us； we will not trouble them。 Perhaps if the Seanchan are occupied with them； it will help us reac