tg.stone of tears- 第102节

　
　‘Adie！’　He　pulled　her　face　close　to　his。　They　are　no　good　to　you　dead。　We　will　e　back　for　them；　after　we　get　away　from　that　thing。’
　
　Her　chest　heaved。　Tears　welled　up　in　her　eyes。　‘Please；　Zedd。　Please；　my　bones。　You　don’t　understand。　They　be　important。　They　have　magic。　They　may　help　us　to　close　the　veil。　If　they　fall　into　the　wrong　hands　。。。’
　
　Zedd　whistled　for　the　horse。　He　was　moving　again；　pulling　her　along　with　him。　She　protested　every　step　of　the　way。
　
　‘Zedd；　Please！　Don’t　do　this！　Don’t　leave　them！’
　
　‘Adie！　If　we　die；　we　can’t　help　anyone！’
　
　The　horse　galloped　up；　skidding　to　a　stop。　Her　wide　eyes　rolled　in　near　panic　as　she　saw　the　thing　pulling　itself　through　the　walls　of　the　house；　splintering　and　snapping　boards　and　beams。　She　gave　a　frightened　scream；　but　held　her　ground　as　Zedd　gripped　her　mane　and　threw　himself　on　her　back；　hauling　Adie　up　behind。
　
　‘Go！　Fly　like　the　wind；　girl！’
　
　Hooves　flung　chunks　of　dirt　and　moss　high　into　the　air　as　the　horse　leapt　out；　fangs　snapping　at　her　flanks。　Zedd　crouched　forward；　Adie　clutching　him　around　the　waist　as　they　galloped　into　the　darkness。　The　skrin　wasn’t　ten　strides　behind；　and　looked　to　be　as　fast　as　the　horse。　At　least　it　wasn’t　faster。　Zedd　could　hear　the　teeth　snapping。　The　horse　squealed　when　they　did；　stretching　to　run　with　everything　she　had。　He　wondered　who　could　run　the　longest；　the　horse　or　the　skrin；　and　he　was　afraid　he　knew　the　answer。
　
　
　CHAPTER　24
　
　Richard’s　eyes　opened。　‘I　think　someone　is　ing。’
　
　Sister　Verna　was　sitting　on　the　other　side　of　the　small　fire；　writing　in　the　little　book　she　kept　tucked　behind　her　belt。　She　looked　up　from　under　her　eyebrows。　‘You　have　touched　your　Han；　yes？’
　
　‘No；’　he　admitted。　His　legs　ached。　He　must　have　been　sitting　without　moving　for　at　least　an　hour。　‘But　I’m　telling　you；　I　think　someone　is　ing。’
　
　They　did　this　every　night；　and　it　was　no　different　this　time。　He　would　sit　and　picture　the　sword；　on　a　blank　background；　and　try　to　reach　that　place　within　himself　that　she　said　was　there；　but　he　could　not　find；　while　she　watched　him；　or　wrote　in　her　little　book；　or　touched　her　own　Han。　He　had　not　visualized　the　sword　on　a　black　square　with　a　white　border　since　the　first　night。　He　had　no　desire　to　chance　revisiting　that　nightmare。
　
　‘I　am　beginning　to　think　I’m　not　able　to　touch　my　Han。　I’m　trying　my　best；　but　it　just　isn’t　working。’
　
　She　drew　the　book　close　to　her　face　in　the　moonlight　and　resumed　writing。　‘I　have　told　you　before；　Richard；　it　is　something　that　takes　time。　You　have　not　yet　begun　to　have　had　enough　practice。　Do　not　be　discouraged。　It　es　when　it　es。’
　
　‘Sister　Verna；　I’m　telling　you；　someone　is　ing。’
　
　She　kept　writing。　‘And　if　you　are　not　able　to　touch　your　Han；　Richard；　how　would　you　know　this？　Hmm？’
　
　‘I　don’t　know。’　He　raked　his　fingers　through　his　hair。　‘I’ve　spent　a　lot　of　time　alone　in　the　woods。　Sometimes　I　can　just　feel　when　someone　is　near。　Don’t　you　ever　know　when　someone　is　near？　Haven’t　you　ever　felt　someone’s　eyes　on　you？’
　
　‘Only　with　the　aid　of　my　Han；’　she　said　as　she　wrote。
　
　He　watched　as　firelight　flickered　across　her　dispassionate　face。　‘Sister　Verna；　you　said　we　were　in　dangerous　lands。　I’m　telling　you；　someone　is　ing。’
　
　She　leafed　back　through　the　book；　squinting　as　she　read　in　the　dim　light。　‘And　how　long　have　you　known　this；　Richard？’
　
　‘I　told　you　as　soon　as　I　had　the　feeling；　just　a　moment　ago。’
　
　She　lowered　the　book　to　her　lap　and　looked　up。　‘But　you　say　you　did　not　touch　your　Han？　You　felt　nothing　within　yourself？　You　felt　no　power？　Saw　no　light？　Did　not　sense　the　Creator？’　Her　eyes　narrowed。　‘You　had　better　not　be　lying　to　me；　Richard。　You　had　better　never　lie　to　me　about　touching　your　Han。’
　
　‘Sister　Verna；　you’re　not　listening！　Someone　is　ing！’
　
　She　closed　the　book。　‘Richard；　I　have　known　since　you　began　your　practice　that　someone　approaches。’
　
　He　stared　at　her　in　surprise。　Then　why　are　we　just　sitting　here？’
　
　‘We　are　not　just　sitting　here。　You　are　practicing　reaching　your　Han；　and　I’m　tending　to　my　business。’
　
　‘Why　haven’t　you　said　anything？　You　told　me　this　land　is　dangerous。’
　
　Sister　Verna　sighed　and　began　tucking　her　book　back　behind　her　wide　belt。　‘Because　they　were　still　some　distance　off。　There　was　nothing　else　for　us　to　do　but　to　continue。　You　need　the　practice。　You　must　keep　trying　until　you　are　able　to　touch　your　Han。’　She　shook　her　head　with　resignation。　‘But　I　suppose　you　are　too　agitated　now　to　continue。　They　are　still　ten　or　fifteen　minutes　away；　we　may　as　well　begin　packing　our　things。’
　
　‘Why　now？　Why　didn’t　we　leave　as　soon　as　you　sensed　them？’
　
　‘Because　we　had　been　spotted。　Once　we　have　been　discovered；　there　is　no　way　to　escape　these　people。　This　is　their　land；　we　would　not　be　able　to　outrun　them。　It’s　probably　a　sentinel　who　has　found　us。’
　
　‘Then　why　do　you　want　to　pack　to　leave　now？’
　
　She　regarded　him　as　if　he　were　hopelessly　thick。　‘Because　we　can’t　spend　the　night　here　after　we　kill　them。’
　
　Richard　leapt　to　his　feet。　‘Kill　them！　You　don’t　even　know　who　is　ing；　and　already　you　plan　to　kill　them？’
　
　Sister　Verna　stood；　drawing　herself　up　straight；　and　peered　into　his　eyes。　‘Richard；　I　have　done　my　best　to　prevent　this。　Have　we　seen　anyone　else　before　now？　No。　Even　though　these　people　cover　this　land　like　a　swarm　of　angry　ants；　we　have　seen　no　one。　I　have　led　us　between　anyone　I　could　sense　with　my　Han；　in　an　effort　to　avoid　contact。　I　have　done　my　best　to　avoid　trouble。　Sometimes；　even　when　you　do　your　best；　trouble　cannot　be　avoided。　I　do　not　want　to　kill　these　people；　but　they　are　intent　on　killing　us。’
　
　That　certainly　explained　why　they　had　been　traveling　such　a　peculiar　route。　Although　they　had　been　heading　steadily　southeast　for　weeks；　they　had　done　so　in　an　odd　fashion。　Without　ever　explaining；　she　had　directed　them　first　one　way；　then　another；　occasionally　backtracking；　but　always；　relentlessly；　southeast。
　
　The　barren　land　had　bee　progressively　rockier　and　more　desolate。　He　had　not　bothered　asking　about　their　route　because　he　didn’t　think　she　would　tell　him；　and　because　he　didn’t　care。　Wherever　they　went；　he　was　still　a　prisoner。
　
　Richard　scratched　his　new　beard　as　he　started　kicking　dirt　over　the　fire。　It　was　a　warm　night；　as　most　had　been　lately。　He　wondered　what　had　happened　to　winter。　‘We　don’t　even　know　who　they　are　yet。　You　can’t　just　go　killing　anyone　that　shows　up。’
　
　‘Richard。’　She　clasped　her　hands　together。　‘Not　all　the　Sisters　who　try　to　return　are　successful。　Many　are　killed　trying　to　cross　these　lands。　In　every　case；　there　were　three　Sisters。　I　am　but　one。　Not　good　odds。’
　
　The　horses　nickered　and　began　moving　about；　tossing　their　heads　and　pawing　their　hooves。　Richard　strapped　the　baldric　over　his　shoulder。　He　checked　that　the　sword　was　clear　in　its　scabbard。
　
　‘You　were　wrong；　Sister；　not　to　try　to　get　away　as　soon　as　you　knew。　If　you　have　to　fight；　it　should　be　because　there　is　no　other　way。　You　didn’t　even　try。’
　
　Hands　still　clasped　together；　she　watched　him。　Her　voice　was　soft　but　firm。　These　people　are　intent　upon　killing　us；　Richard。　Both　of　us。　If　we　had　tried　to　run；　this　one　would　have　alerted　the　others；　and　brought　hundreds；　thousands；　to　bring　us　down。　I　have　not　run　so　as　to　embolden　this　one　into　trying　to　take　us　himself；　so　we　can　end　the　threat。’
　
　‘I’m　not　killing　people　for　you；　Sister　Verna。’
　
　As　they　glared　at　each　other；　he　heard　a　scream：　a　woman’s　scream。　He　stared　out　into　the　night；　trying　to　see　into　the　shadows　of　the　rocky　spires；　trying　to　see　where　the　scream　came　from。　He　couldn’t　see　anyone；　but　the　screams　and　cries　were　ing　closer。
　
　Richard　kicked　dirt　over　the　last　of　the　flames　and　sprinted　to　the　horses；　calming　them　with　reassuring　words　and　gentle　strokes。　He　didn’t　care　what　she　said；　he　wasn’t　killing　people　on　her　word。　The　woman　was　crazy　not　to　want　to　try　to　escape。
　
　She　probably　wanted　a　fight；　just　to　see　what　he　would　do。　She　wa