tg.wizardfirstrule- 第169节

　
　The　pain　was　overwhelming　him　as　Denna　crushed　her　lips　to　his；　the　Agiel　between　them；　their　teeth　grating　together。　She　pressed　her　body　to　his；　hooked　a　leg　around　his；　clung　to　him。　Her　cries　of　anguish　were　growing　more　desperate。　He　ached　to　hold　her。
　
　As　he　was　about　to　lose　consciousness；　she　pulled　away　from　him；　still　gripping　his　hair　in　her　fists。　Tears　ran　from　her　eyes　as　she　looked　into　his；　not　two　inches　away。　She　rolled　the　Agiel　into　her　mouth　with　her　tongue　and　held　it　there　with　her　teeth　as　she　shook　with　the　pain；　as　if　to　show　him　she　was　stronger　than　he。　Her　hand　came　slowly　and　took　away　the　Agiel　as　her　eyes　rolled　back　in　her　head。　She　gasped　for　air。
　
　Her　brow　wrinkled　together。　Tears　from　the　pain；　and　from　something　else；　flooded　from　her　eyes。　She　gave　him　a　kiss。　The　tenderness；　the　gentleness；　of　it；　shocked　him。
　
　〃We　are　bonded；〃　she　whispered　intimately。　〃Bonded　in　the　pain　of　the　Agiel。　I　am　sorry；　Richard。〃　She　brushed　his　cheek　with　trembling　fingers；　the　glaze　of　pain　still　in　her　eyes。　〃Sorry　for　what　I　will　do　to　you。　You　are　my　mate　for　life。〃
　
　Richard　was　stunned　by　the　passion　in　her　voice。　〃Please；　Mistress　Denna。　Please　let　me　go。　Or　at　least　help　me　stop　Darken　Rahl。　I　promise　you；　I　will　willingly　be　your　mate　for　life；　if　you　help　me　stop　him。　I　swear　on　my　life；　if　you　help　me；　I　will　stay　without　the　magic　holding　me。　Forever。〃
　
　She　put　a　hand　to　his　chest；　to　steady　herself　as　she　recovered。　〃Do　you　think　I　do　not　understand　what　I　am　doing　to　you？〃　Her　eyes　had　an　empty　gloss　to　them。　〃Your　training　and　service　will　last　for　mere　weeks；　before　you　die。　The　training　of　a　Mord…Sith　lasts　for　years。　Everything　I　do　to　you；　and　more；　has　been　done　to　me；　a　thousand　times　over。　A　Mord…Sith　must　know　her　Agiel　better　than　she　knows　herself。　My　first　trainer　took　me　for　his　mate　when　I　was　fifteen；　after　he　had　trained　me　since　I　was　twelve。　There　is　no　way　I　could　ever　live　up　to　his　cruelty；　or　his　ability　to　keep　a　person　on　the　cusp　between　life　and　death。　He　trained　me　until　I　was　eighteen；　when　I　killed　him。　For　that；　I　was　punished　with　the　Agiel　every　day　for　the　next　two　years。　This　Agiel。　The　very　same　one　I　use　on　you　was　the　one　used　to　train　me。　It　was　presented　to　me　when　I　was　proclaimed　Mord…Sith。　I　live　for　nothing　else　but　to　use　it。〃
　
　〃Mistress　Denna；〃　he　whispered。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　
　The　steel　returned　to　her　eyes。　She　nodded。　〃You　will　be
　
　There　is　no　one　who　will　help　you。　That　includes　me。　You　will　find　that　being　the　mate　to　a　Mord…Sith　brings　you　no　added　privileges；　only　a　great　deal　of　added　pain。〃
　
　Richard　hung　helpless　in　the　shackles；　overwhelmed　by　the　enormity　of　it　all。　Understanding　her　a　little　only　increased　his　hopelessness。　There　was　no　escape　for　him。　He　was　the　mate　of　a　madwoman。
　
　The　frown　and　the　smile　returned。　〃Why　would　you　be　so　foolish　as　to　do　what　you　did？　Surely；　you　must　know　I　will　hurt　you　for　doing　it。〃
　
　He　looked　at　her　puzzlement　for　a　moment。　〃Mistress　Denna；　what　difference　does　it　make？　You　are　going　to　hurt　me　anyway。　I　can't　imagine　what　more　you　could　do　to　me。〃
　
　Her　lip　curled　in　a　sneer。　〃Oh；　my　love；　you　have　a　very　limited　imagination。〃
　
　He　felt　her　grab　the　tongue　of　his　belt　and　yank　the　buckle　open。
　
　She　gritted　her　teeth。　〃It　is　time　we　found　some　new　places　on　you　to　hurt。　It　is　time　to　see　what　you　are　really　made　of。〃　The　look　in　her　eyes　made　him　go　cold。　〃Thank　you；　my　love；　for　giving　me　the　excuse　to　do　this　to　you。　I　have　never　before　done　it　to　another；　but　it　has　been　done　to　me　enough　times。　It　is　what　broke　me　when　I　was　fourteen。　Tonight；〃　she　whispered；　〃neither　of　us　is　going　to　get　any　sleep。〃　
　
　CHAPTER　42
　THE　BUCKETFUL　of　COLD　water　on　his　naked　flesh　barely　revived　him。　He　only　dimly　saw　the　little　rivers　of　water　that　were　stained　bright　red　as　they　ran　away　from　him　in　the　cracks　of　the　stone　floor　his　face　lay　against。　Each　shallow　breath　he　took　was　a　mighty　effort。　He　wondered　idly　how　many　of　his　ribs　she　had　broken。
　
　〃Put　your　clothes　on。　We're　leaving；〃　she　called　down　to　him。
　
　〃Yes；　Mistress　Denna；〃　he　whispered；　his　voice　so　hoarse　from　screaming　he　knew　she　couldn't　hear　him；　and　knew　she　would　hurt　him　for　not　answering；　and　yet　he　could　do　no　more。
　
　'When　the　Agiel　didn't　e；　he　moved　a　little；　saw　his　boot　and　reached　out　to　it；　pulling　it　to　him。　He　sat　up；　but　couldn't　raise　his　head　above　his　shoulders。　It　hung　limply。　With　great　difficulty；　he　started　putting　on　his　boot。　Gashes　on　his　feet　brought　tears　to　his　eyes　when　he　pulled。
　
　Her　knee　to　his　jaw　knocked　him　flat　on　his　back。　She　fell　on　him；　sitting　on　his　chest；　hitting　his　face　with　her　fists。
　
　〃What's　the　matter　with　you！　Are　you　stupid？　Your　pants　go　on　before　your　boots！　Do　I　have　to　tell　you　everything！〃　〃Yes　Mistress　Denna；　no　Mistress　Denna；　。forgive　me　Mistress　Denna；　thank　you　Mistress　Denna　for　hurting　me；　thank　you　Mistress　Denna　for　teaching　me；〃　he　mumbled。
　
　She　sat　on　his　chest；　panting　in　rage。　Her　breathing　slowed　after　a　time。
　
　〃e　on。　I　will　help　you。〃　She　leaned　over　and　kissed　him。　〃e　on；　my　love。　You'll　be　able　to　rest　while　we　travel。〃
　
　〃Yes；　Mistress　Denna。〃　The　sound　of　his　voice　was　hardly　more　than　a　breath。
　
　She　kissed　him　again。　〃e　on；　my　love。　It　will　be　better；　now　that　I　have　broken　you。　You　will　see。〃
　
　A　closed　carriage　stood　waiting　for　them　in　the　dark。　Clouds　from　the　horses'　breath　rose　and　drifted　slowly　in　the　cold；　still　air。　Richard　stumbled　a　few　times　as　he　walked　behind　her；　trying　to　keep　the　proper　slack　to　the　chain。　He　had　absolutely　no　idea　how　long　it　had　been　since　she　had　decided　he　was　to　be　her　mate；　nor　did　it　matter　to　him。　A　guard　opened　the　carriage　door。
　
　Denna　tossed　the　end　of　his　chain　on　the　floor。　〃Get　in。〃
　
　Richard　grabbed　the　sides　of　the　door。　He　dimly　heard　someone　approach　in　a　huff。　Derma　gave　a　little　tug　to　the　chain；　indicating　she　wanted　him　to　wait　where　he　was。
　
　〃Denna！〃　It　was　the　Queen；　at　the　head　of　her　advisors。
　
　〃Mistress　Denna；〃　she　corrected。
　
　The　Queen　looked　to　be　in　a　foul　mood。　〃Where　do　you　think　you　are　going　with　him？〃
　
　〃That　is　none　of　your　concern。　It　is　time　we　were　on　our　way。　How　is　the　Princess？〃
　
　The　Queen　glowered。　〃We　don't　know　if　she　will　live。　I　will　be　taking　the　Seeker。　He　is　to　pay。〃
　
　〃The　Seeker　is　the　property　of　myself　and　of　Master　Rahl。　He　is　being　punished；　and　will　continue　to　be　punished　until　either　Master　Rahl；　or　myself；　kills　him。　There　is　nothing　you　could　do　to　him　that　could　equal　what　is　already　being　done。〃
　
　〃He　is　to　be　executed。　Right　now。〃
　
　Denna's　voice　was　as　cold　as　the　night　air。　〃Go　back　to　your　castle；　Queen　Milena；　while　you　still　have　a　castle：〃
　
　Richard　saw　a　knife　in　the　Queen's　hand。　The　guard　standing　next　to　him　unhooked　his　battle…axe；　gripping　it　tightly　in　his　fist。　There　was　a　crystal　clear　moment　of　silence
　
　The　Queen　backhanded　Denna　and　lunged　with　the　knife　for　Richard。　Denna　effortlessly　caught　her　with　the　Agiel　against　her　large　chest。
　
　As　the　guard　went　past　him；　raising　the　axe　to　Denna；　the　strange　power　roared　awake。　Richard　summoned　all　his　strength；　became　one　with　the　power。　He　hooked　his　left　arm　around　the　guard's　throat　and　drove　his　knife　home。　Denna　gave　a　casual　glance　back　as　the　man　let　out　a　death　scream。　She　smiled；　and　her　eyes　glided　back　to　the　Queen；　who　stood　shaking；　paralyzed　in　place；　the　Agiel　between　her　breasts。　Denna　gave　a　twist　to　the　Agiel。　The　Queen　dropped　straight　down　in　a　heap。
　
　Denna　turned　her　glare　to　the　Queen's　advisors。　〃The　Queen's　heart　has　given　out。〃　She　arched　an　eyebrow。　〃Unexpectedly。　Please　express　my　condolence　to　the　people　of　Tamarang　on　the　death　of　their　ruler。　I　would　suggest　you　find　a　new　ruler　who　is　more　attentive　to　the　wishes　of　Master　Rahl。〃
　
　They　all　gave　a　quick　bow。　The　awakened　power　flickered　and　was　gone。　The　effort　of　stopping　the　guard　had　taken　all　the　strength　Richard　had　left。　His　shaking　legs　would　no　longer　hold　him。　The　ground　tilted　and　came　up　to　meet　him。