tg.stone of tears- 第227节

　
　The　rope　cut　into　her　wrists。　Her　feelings　of　terror　and　helplessness　gave　way　to　desperate　action。　Kahlan　kicked　a　man　in　the　groin。　She　was　on　her　back　on　the　floor；　so　she　had　leverage　to　do　damage。　She　rammed　her　heel　into　the　face　of　another　man　leaning　over　her。　He　fell　back　with　a　cry。　She　kicked　frantically　at　the　others。
　
　The　grasping　hands　caught　her　ankles。　She　kicked　her　legs　but　the　men　held　tight。　She　rolled　to　the　side；　breaking　the　grip；　and　skittered　into　a　corner。　Her　freedom　was　only　momentary。　They　seized　her　flailing　legs　again。
　
　In　the　back　of　her　mind；　as　she　fought；　Kahlan　desperately　tried　to　think。　A　spark　of　thought　tried　to　get　her　attention。　It　was　something　about　Zedd；　but　she　couldn’t　think　clearly。
　
　The　men　fighting　to　get　at　her　pushed　her　white　dress　up　her　legs。　Hands　pawed　at　her　thighs。　Big；　meaty　fingers　hooked　her　smallclothes；　stripping　them　down　her　legs　and　off　her　feet。　She　felt　rough　hands　and　cold　air　on　her　flesh。　She　fought　the　men　and；　at　the　same　time；　her　own　panic。
　
　Two　men　were　on　the　floor；　one　holding　his　crotch；　the　other　sprawled　out；　blood　gushing　from　his　ruined　face。　His　nose　was　crushed。　There　were　ten　others；　all　trying　to　get　at　her　at　once。　They　threw　each　other　back；　trying　to　force　themselves　on　top　of　her；　the　biggest　working　his　way　in。　Kahlan　couldn’t　get　her　breath。
　
　With　frantic　effort；　the　spark　of　thought　sprang　forth。　She　remembered　asking　Zedd　if　he　could　remove　her　power。　She　had　wanted　to　be　free　of　it　so　she　could　be　with　Richard。　Zedd　had　told　her　that　it　wasn’t　possible　to　rid　a　Confessor　of　her　power；　that　she　was　born　with　the　magic；　and　it　couldn’t　be　separated　from　her　as　long　as　she　was　alive。
　
　How　could　Ranson　have　stripped　her　of　her　power？　Zedd　was　a　wizard　of　the　First　Order；　there　was　no　wizard　with　more　power　than　a　wizard　of　the　First　Order。　Why　wouldn’t　Ranson　have　wanted　to　rape　her　first？　He　said　she　disgusted　him。　But　he　said　he　wanted　to　strip　her　of　her　dignity。　Why　wouldn’t　he　want　to　do　it？
　
　Unless　he　was　afraid。
　
　Afraid　she　would　figure　it　out。　Figure　what　out？
　
　It　came　to　her。　The　Wizard’s　First　Rule。
　
　People　would　believe　anything；　if　they　wanted　to　believe。　Or　if　they　were　afraid　it　was　true。　She　was　afraid　it　was　true　that　he　had　stripped　her　of　her　power。　Maybe　he　had　used　magic　to　give　her　pain　and　mask　her　ability　to　sense　her　own　magic；　to　try　to　trick　her　into　believing　what　she　feared。
　
　As　the　men　groped　at　her；　she　groped　for　her　power。　She　tried　to　find　the　calmness；　the　place　of　her　magic；　but　it　just　wasn’t　there。　All　she　felt　was　emptiness。　Where　she　always　felt　the　swell　of　magic　before；　she　now　felt　only　a　numb；　hollow　void。
　
　She　wanted　to　cry　at　the　feel　of　the　men’s　hands　on　her　legs；　and　between　them；　but　she　couldn’t　allow　herself　to　lose　control；　her　only　chance。　Try　as　she　might；　she　couldn’t　find　the　magic；　couldn’t　call　it　forth。　It　was　simply　gone。　She　desperately　wanted　her　hands　free。
　
　‘Wait！’　she　screamed。
　
　The　men　all　stopped　for　a　moment；　their　faces　pulling　back；　looking　at　her。　She　gasped　to　catch　her　breath。
　
　Talk；　she　ordered　of　herself；　while　you　have　the　chance。　‘You’re　doing　it　all　wrong！’
　
　They　laughed。　‘We　think　we’ll　figure　it　out；’　one　said。
　
　Kahlan　struggled　to　control　her　fear；　and　think。　They　were　going　to　do　what　they　were　going　to　do；　and　she　couldn’t　stop　them。　Fighting　them　in　this　way　was　going　to　acplish　nothing；　except　to　feed　her　panic。　She　had　only　one　chance；　and　that　was　to　use　her　head。　She　had　to　slow　them　down　and　give　herself　time　to　think。
　
　‘If　you　do　it　this　way；　you　will　just　be　denying　yourselves　the　full　satisfaction　of　it。’
　
　They　frowned。　‘What　do　you　mean？’
　
　‘If　you’re　all　fighting　each　other；　and　me；　you　won’t　be　able　to　really　enjoy　me　as　a　woman。　Wouldn’t　it　be　more　enjoyable　if　I　cooperated？’
　
　They　all　looked　at　one　another。　One　to　the　side　spoke　up。　‘She　has　a　point。　The　queen　wasn’t　nearly　so　much　good　after　she　went　numb　on　us。’
　
　‘Queen？’　Kahlan　asked。　‘What　queen？　You　men　are　just　bragging　on　me。　You’ve　had　no　queen。’
　
　‘Queen　Cyrilla；’　a　different　man　said。　‘She　fainted　on　us；　then　went　feebleminded。　Just　lay　there　the　whole　time；　like　a　dead　fish。　But　we　had　her　anyway；　had　a　queen。　Still　。。。’
　
　Kahlan　fought　back　the　scream；　fought　to　keep　the　meaning　of　what　she　had　just　learned　from　making　her　start　kicking　again。　That　would　only　get　her　the　same　as　Cyrilla。
　
　Her　only　chance　was　to　use　her　head。　She　needed　time　to　search　for　her　magic；　and　if　she　somehow　did　find　it；　she　needed　the　men　separated。　Otherwise；　nine　men　would　overpower　that　one。　She　had　to　have　things　organized　first；　in　case　the　magic　worked。　And；　she　needed　the　strongest　to　be　the　one。
　
　For　an　instant；　she　abandoned　her　idea；　fearing　it　wouldn’t　save　her；　and　worse；　fearing　she　wouldn’t　have　the　nerve　to　do　it。　But　then　she　bleakly　realized　that　even　if　it　didn’t　work；　it　didn’t　matter。　They　were　going　to　rape　her　one　way　or　the　other。　Her　only　chance　was　to　try。　She　had　nothing　to　lose。
　
　‘That’s　what　I　mean。　Wouldn’t　you　rather　have　my　cooperation？　I’m　going　to　be　down　here　for　days。　You’ll　each　have　more　than　your　share　of　time　on　me。　Wouldn’t　you　rather　I　helped？　That　way；　you　could　all　have　what　you　want。’　She　thought　she　might　vomit。
　
　‘Keep　talking；’　the　biggest　man　said　in　a　gruff　voice。
　
　Kahlan　stiffened　her　resolve。　‘I’ve　never　。。。　had　a　man　before。’　They　all　hooted　at　their　luck。　She　waited　until　their　leers　came　back　to　her。　She　fought　back　the　urge　to　shriek　at　the　looks　in　those　eyes。　‘Like　I　said；　I’ve　never　had　a　man。　I　know　you　men　are　going　to　have　me；　and　I　can’t　stop　you。　If　it’s　going　to　be　done　anyway；　I’d　rather　。。。　enjoy　it。’
　
　Their　hungry　smiles　widened。　‘Yea？　Well；　what　do　you　think　you’d　enjoy　most；　little　lady？’
　
　‘If　you　did　it　one　at　a　time。　Wouldn’t　that　be　better　for　you；　too？　If　you　weren’t　fighting　each　other；　if　you　waited　your　turn；　then　you　could　concentrate　on　enjoying　everything　a　real　woman　has　to　offer。’
　
　A　couple　of　the　men　grabbed　at　her　legs；　pulling　them　apart。　They　growled　that　they　would　have　what　they　wanted　their　own　way。　The　biggest；　the　one　with　the　gruff　voice；　hauled　them　back；　throwing　one　against　the　wall。　His　head　banged　with　a　loud　thunk。
　
　‘Let　her　talk！　She　makes　sense！’　He　turned　his　vicious　eyes　on　her。　‘Let’s　hear　your　offer。’
　
　Kahlan　tried　to　slow　her　voice　down；　and　sound　like　she　might　be　intrigued　by　the　idea。　She　tried　to　sound　self…confident　as　she　shrugged。
　
　‘If　you　do　it　my　way；　I’ll　give　you　whatever　you　want。　I’ll　make　sure　you　enjoy　whatever　you　like。’
　
　Some　of　the　men　chuckled。　The　big　man’s　eyes　showed　his　suspicion。　‘Why？　And　how　do　we　know　you　mean　it？’
　
　‘Because　I’ll　be　able　to　enjoy　it；　too；　that　way。’　Kahlan　swallowed　back　her　fear。　‘Untie　my　hands；　and　I’ll　show　you　I　mean　it。’
　
　She　leaned　forward　as　he　untied　her　hands；　another　man　taking　the　opportunity　to　fondle　her　breasts。　She　remained　still。　At　last；　her　hands　were　untied。　She　rubbed　her　aching　wrists　and　then　smiled　at　the　big　man　as　she　ran　her　fingers　down　his　cheek。
　
　He　slapped　her　hand　away。　‘You’re　running　out　of　time。　You　better　show　us　you　mean　what　you　say。’
　
　Kahlan　steeled　herself　as　she　leaned　back　against　the　wall。　She　pulled　her　dress　up　above　her　waist；　drew　her　knees　up；　and　spread　her　legs。　She　looked　to　the　big　man。　Touch　me。’
　
　Three　of　the　other　men　reached　for　her。　She　slapped　their　hands　away。　‘I　said　one　at　a　time！’　She　looked　the　big　man　in　the　eyes；　when　they　came　up。　He　towered　over　the　other　men。　‘What’s　your　name？’
　
　‘Tyler。’
　
　‘One　at　a　time。　You　first；　Tyler。　Touch　me。’
　
　The　stone　walls　echoed　with　the　sound　of　heavy　breathing。　The　big　man　reached　out　and　stroked　her。　It　took　all　her　strength　to　keep　her　knees　apart。　She　forced　herself　to　breathe。　She　prayed　he　couldn’t　see　her　shaking。
　
　A　grin　spread　on　his　hulking　face　as　his　husky　hand　groped　her。　She　coyly　push