tg.wizardfirstrule- 第113节

　
　A　thin；　poisonous　banded　viper；　its　tail　coiled　in　her　hair；　dropped　its　head　down　in　front　of　her　face。　The　red　tongue　flicked　at　her。　Kahlan　closed　her　eyes；　and　another　tear　ran　down　her　cheek。　The　snake　wriggled　around　the　side　of　her　face；　down　over　her　collarbone。　The　banded　body　disappeared　into　her　shirt。　She　gave　out　the　slightest　whimper。
　
　〃I'm　going　to　die。　You　can't　save　me　now。　Please；　Richard；　save　yourself。　Please。　Run。　Run　while　you　still　have　a　chance。〃
　
　Richard　was　afraid　she　would　move　deliberately；　to　be　bitten；　to　try　to　save　him；　thinking　he　then　would　have　no　reason　to　stay。　He　had　to　convince　her　that　that　would　do　no　good。　He　gave　her　a　sober　look。
　
　〃No。　I　came　here　to　find　out　where　the　box　is。　I'm　not　leaving　until　I　know。　Now　be　still。〃
　
　She　opened　her　eyes　wide　at　what　the　snake　was　doing　in　her　shirt。　She　bit　her　bottom　lip；　her　eyebrows　wrinkled　together。　Richard　swallowed　back　dryness　in　his　mouth。
　
　〃Kahlan；　just　hold　on。　Try　to　think　of　something　else。〃
　
　In　a　rage；　he　strode　over　to　the　woman　sitting　on　the　rock　with　her　back　still　to　him。　Something　inside　warned　him　not　to　pull　the　sword；　but　he　could　not；　would　not；　hold　back　his　anger　at　what　she　was　doing　to　Kahlan。　He　breathed　through　gritted　teeth。
　
　When　he　reached　her；　she　stood　and　gently　turned　to　him；　speaking　his　name　in　a　voice　he　recognized。
　
　His　heart　leapt　into　his　throat　when　he　saw　the　'face　that　matched　the　voice
　
　CHAPTER　31
　IT　WAS　HIS　MOTHER。
　
　Richard　felt　as　if　a　bolt　of　lightning　had　struck　him。　His　whole　body　went　rigid。　His　rage　flinched；　and　the　anger　dropped　its　grip　from　him；　recoiling　at　the　idea　of　lethal　intent　and　his　mother　in　the　same　mental　image。
　
　〃Richard。〃　She　smiled　sadly　at　him；　showing　in　that　smile　how　much　she　loved　and　missed　him。
　
　His　mind　raced；　trying　to　grasp　what　was　happening；　unable　to　fit　what　he　was　seeing　with　what　he　knew。　This　couldn't　be。　It　was　simply　impossible。
　
　〃Mother？〃　he　breathed　in　a　whisper。
　
　Arms。　he　knew；　remembered；　slipped　around　him；　forted　him；　brought　tears　to　his　eyes；　a　lump　to　his　throat。
　
　〃Oh；　Richard；〃　she　said　soothingly；　〃how　I've　missed　you。〃　She　ran　her　fingers　through　his　hair；　gentling　him。　〃How　I've　missed　you　so。〃
　
　Reeling；　he　fought　to　regain　control　of　his　emotions。　He　struggled　to　focus　his　mind　an　Kahlan。　He　couldn't　let　her　down　again；　let　himself　be　fooled　again。　She　was　in　this　trouble　be…　cause　he　had　allowed　himself　to　be　fooled。　This　wasn't　his　mother；　it　was　Shota；　a　witch　woman。　But　what　if　he　was　somehow　wrong？
　
　〃Richard；　why　have　you　e　to　me？〃
　
　Richard　put　his　hands　on　her　small　shoulders；　gently　pushing　her　back　a　little。　Her　hands　slipped　to　his　waist；　squeezing　with　familiar　affection。　She　was　not　his　mother；　he　forced　himself　to　say　in　his　mind；　she　was　a　witch　woman；　a　witch　woman　who　knew　where　the　last　box　of　Orden　was；　and　he　had　to　know　the　answer　to　that。　But　why　would　she　be　doing　this？　And　what　if　he　was　wrong？　Could　this　somehow　be　true？
　
　His　finger　went　to　the　little　scar　above　her　left　eyebrow；　tracing　the　familiar　bump。　A　scar　he　had　put　there。　He　had　been　at　swordplay　with　Michael；　with　their　wooden　swords；　and　had　just　jumped　off　the　bed；　taking　a　foolish　and　wild　swing　at　his　older　brother；　when　his　mother　came　through　the　door。　His　sword　had　caught　her　across　the　forehead。　Her　cry　had　terrified　him。
　
　Even　the　whipping　his　father　had　given　him　didn't　hurt　as　much　as　the　thought　of　what　he　had　done　to　his　mother。　His　father　had　sent　him　to　bed　without　supper；　and　that　night；　when　it　was　dark；　she　had　e　to　sit　on　the　side　of　his　bed；　run　her　fingers　through　his　hair　as　he　cried。　He　had　sat　up　and　asked　her　if　it　hurt　a　lot。　She　had　smiled　at　him　and　said　。　。　。
　
　〃Not　as　much　as　it　hurts　you；〃　the　woman　in　front　of　him　whispered。
　
　Richard's　eyes　went　wide；　bumps　ran　up　his　arms。　〃How　do　you　。　。　。
　
　〃Richard；〃　came　an　even；　cautioning　voice　from　behind　him；　jolting　him　again。　〃Stand　away　from　her。〃　It　was　Zedd's　voice。
　
　His　mother's　hand　cupped　the　side　of　his　face。　He　ignored　it　and　turned　his　head；　looking　back　up　the　road；　to　the　top　of　the　rise。　It　was　Zedd；　or　at　least　he　thought　it　was　Zedd。　It　looked　just　like　Zedd；　but　then；　this　looked　just　like　his　mother。　Zedd　was　standing　there；　with　a　look　he　recognized；　a　look　of　cold　danger；　warning。
　
　〃Richard；〃　came　Zedd's　voice　again。　〃Do　as　I　say。　Stand　away　from　her。　Now。〃
　
　〃Please；　Richard；〃　his　mother　breathed；　〃don't　leave　me。　Don't　you　know　me？〃　Richard　turned　to　her　soft　face。　〃Yes。　You　are　Shota。〃
　
　He　took　her　wrists；　pulled　her　hands　from　his　waist；　and　stepped　back　from　her。　Near　tears；　she　watched　him　move　away。
　
　Suddenly；　she　spun　toward　the　wizard。　Her　hands　snapped　up。　With　an　earsplitting　crack；　blue　lightning　erupted　from　her　fingers；　streaking　toward　Zedd；　The　wizard's　hands　instantly　brought　up　a　shield；　like　glass；　reflecting　light　in　its　gloss。　The　lightning　from　Shota　hit　it　with　a　thunderous　peal　and　glanced　off；　striking　a　huge　oak；　snapping　its　trunk　in　a　shower　of　splinters。　The　tree　crashed　to　earth。　The　ground　shuddered。
　
　Zedd's　hands　were　already　up。　Wizard's　fire　shot　from　his　curled　fingers。　It　shrieked　as　it　came；　tumbling　through　the　air　with　howling　fury。
　
　〃No！〃　Richard　screamed。
　
　The　ball　of　liquid　flame　harshly　illuminated　the　shady　area　with　intense　blue　and　yellow　light。
　
　He　couldn't　let　this　happen！　Shota　was　the　only　way　to　find　the　box！　The　only　way　to　stop　Rahl！
　
　The　fire　wailed　as　it　expanded；　heading　right　for　Shota。　She　stood　motionless。
　
　〃No！〃　Richard　yanked　the　sword　free　and　jumped　in　front　of　her。　Gripping　the　hilt　in　one　hand；　the　point　in　the　other；　with　arms　locked；　he　held　it　up　horizontally　in　front　of　himself；　as　a　shield。
　
　The　magic　raced　through　him。　Wrath　took　him。　The　fire　was　upon　him。　The　roar　filled　his　ears。　He　turned　his　face；　closed　his　eyes；　held　his　breath　and　gritted　his　teeth；　fully　expecting　that　he　might　die。　But　there　was　no　choice。　The　witch　woman　was　their　only　chance。　He　couldn't　let　her　be　killed。
　
　The　impact　staggered　him　back　a　step。　He　felt　the　heat。　Even　with　his　eyes　tightly　closed；　he　could　see　the　light。　The　wizard's　fire　wailed　in　rage　as　it　struck　the　sword；　exploding　around　him。
　
　And　then　there　was　silence。　He　opened　his　eyes。　The　wizard's　fire　was　gone。　Zedd　wasted　no　time。　Already　he　was　throwing　a　handful　of　magic　dust。　It　sparkled　as　it　came。　Richard　saw　something　ing　from　behind　him；　magic　dust　from　the　witch　woman。　It　shimmered　like　ice　crystals；　taking　the　sparkle　from　Zedd's　dust；　and　slammed　into　him。
　
　Zedd　stood　frozen；　unmoving；　one　hand　in　the　air
　
　〃Zedd！〃
　
　There　was　no　reply。　Richard　spun　to　the　witch　woman。　She　was　no　longer　his　mother。　Shota　wore　a　wispy　dress　with　variegated　shades　of　gray　across　its　gauzy　surface；　its　folds　and　loose　points　floating　in　the　light　breeze。　Her　full；　thick　hair　was　a　wavy　auburn；　her　smooth　skin　flawless。　Almond　eyes　shone　up　at　him。　She　was　as　beautiful　as　the　palace　that　stood　behind　her；　the　valley　around　her。　She　was　so　attractive；　it　almost　took　his　breath　away；　and　would　have；　were　it　not　for　the　rage　he　was　feeling。
　
　〃My　hero；〃　she　said　in　a　voice　that　was　no　longer　his　mother's；　but　silky；　clear；　easy。　A　sly　smile　carne　to　her　full　lips。　〃Totally　unnecessary；　but　it's　the　thought　that　counts。　I　am　impressed。〃
　
　〃And　who　is　this　supposed　to　be？　Another　vision　from　my　mind？　Or　is　this　the　real　Shota？〃　Richard　was　enraged。　He　recognized　all　too　well　the　anger　from　the　sword；　but　decided　to　keep　the　weapon　out。
　
　Her　smile　widened。　〃Are　those　clothes　really　you？〃　she　teased。　〃Or　are　they　something　you　wear　for　a　time；　to　serve　a　purpose？'
　
　〃What's　the　purpose　of　who　you　are　now？〃
　
　Her　eyebrow　lifted。　〃Why；　to　please　you；　Richard。　That's　all。〃
　
　〃With　some　illusion！〃
　
　〃No。〃　Her　voice　softened。　〃This　is　no　illusion；　it's　the　way　I　appear　to　myself；　most　of　the　time　anyway。　This　is　real。〃
　
　Richard　ignored　her　answer；　pointing　up　the　road　with　the　sword。　〃What　have　you　done　t