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！
out。 He walked back to Regal。
〃Your Majesty。 You've done almost as much as you can to his body； without risking damage that would plainly show even a month hence。 But within； he still resists。 Pain can distract him from warding his mind； but it does not inherently weaken his Skill strength。 I do not think you will break him this way。〃
〃I did not ask you that； Will！〃 Regal rebuked him sharply。 I listened to him shift himself to a more fortable position。 〃Ah； this takes too long。 My dukes grow impatient。 He must be broken today。〃 Almost pensively； he asked Will； 〃Almost as much as I can； you say； to his body？ What then would you suggest as the next step？〃
〃Leave him alone with me。 I can get what you wish from him。〃
〃No。〃 Regal's refusal was flat。 〃I know what you Want from him； Will。 You see him as a fat wineskin； full of Skill strength； which you would like to drain。 Well； perhaps； at the end； there will be a way for you to have him。 But not just yet。 I want him to stand before the Dukes and confess himself a traitor。 More； I want him to grovel before the throne and beg for mercy。 I will have him denounce all those who have defied me。 He； himself； shall accuse them。 No one will doubt it when he says they are traitors。 Let Duke Brawndy see his own daughter accused； let all the court hear that the Lady Patience who cries so loudly for justice has herself betrayed the crown。 And for him 。。。 that candle maker girl； that Molly。〃
My heart lurched sideways inside me。
〃I have not yet found her； my lord；〃 Will ventured。
〃Silence！〃 Regal thundered。 Almost； he sounded like King Shrewd。 〃Do not hearten him with that。 She need not be found to be declared a traitor by his own lips。 We can find her at our leisure。 He can go to his death； knowing she will follow him； betrayed by his words。 I will cleanse Buckkeep from dung heap to tower top of all who have sought to betray me and defy me！〃 He lifted his cup in a toast to himself and drank deeply。
He sounded； I thought to myself； very like Queen Desire had in her cups。 One part braggart to one part sniveling coward。 He would fear everyone he did not control。 And the next day he would fear those he controlled even more。
Regal set his wine cup down with a thud。 He leaned back in his chair。 〃Well。 Let's continue； shall we？ Kelfry； stand him up for us。〃
Kelfry was a petent man who took no joy in his work。 He was not gentle； but neither was he rougher than he needed to be。 He stood behind me； gripping me by the upper arms to keep me upright。 Hod had not trained him。 I knew if I snapped my head back swiftly； I could break his nose and possibly take out some of his front teeth。 Snapping my head back swiftly struck me as only slightly simpler than picking up the floor under my own feet would be。 I stood； hands curled defensively over my belly； pushing the pain aside； gathering my strength。 After a moment I lifted my head and regarded Regal。
I ran my tongue about the inside of my mouth to free my lips from my teeth； then spoke。 〃You killed your own father。〃
Regal stiffened in his chair。 The man holding me tensed。 I leaned in his arms； forcing him to support my weight。
〃Serene and Justin did it； but you ordered it；〃 I said quietly。 Regal came to his feet。
〃But not before we had Skilled to Verity。〃 I made my voice louder。 The effort broke sweat on me。 〃Verity's alive； and he knows everything。〃 Regal was ing at me； with Will right behind him。 I swung my gaze to Will； put threat in my voice。 〃He knows about you； too； Will。 He knows it all。〃
The guard held me as Regal backhanded me。 Once。 Another slap； and I felt the swollen skin of my face split under the impact。 Regal drew his fist back。 I set myself to take it； pushed away all pain； centered myself； got ready。
〃Look out！〃 Will yelled； and sprang to knock Regal aside。
I had wanted it too badly； he had Skilled what I intended to do。 As Regal swung I jerked free of my guard； slipped aside from Regal's blow； then stepped in。 With one hand I seized the back of Regal's neck； to pull his face toward my other hand that gripped the now crushed paper of powder。 My intent had been to rub it into his nose and mouth； to hope against hope he'd get enough of it to kill him。
Will spoiled it all。 My swollen fingers would not close on Regal's neck。 Will snatched Regal from my wooden grasp； swung him sideways away from me。 As Will's shoulder collided with my chest I reached for his face instead； ground the torn paper and fine white powder into his nose and mouth and eyes。 Most of it floated up in a fine cloud between us。 I saw him gasp at the bitterness and then we were down； both of us； under a wave of Regal's guards。
I dove for unconsciousness； but it eluded me。 I was struck； kicked； and throttled before Regal's frenzied cries of 〃Don't kill him！ Don't kill him！〃 seemed to matter to anyone save me。 I felt them get off me； felt them drag Will from under me； but I could not see。 Blood was sheeting down over my face。 My tears mingled with it。 My last chance； and I had failed。 I had not even gotten Will： Oh； he would be sick for a few days； but I doubted he would die of it。 Even now I heard them muttering over him。
〃Take him to a healer； then。〃 I heard Regal finally give the mand。 〃See if he can figure out what's wrong with him。 Did one of you kick him in the head？〃
I thought that he spoke of me； until I heard the sounds of Will being carried out。 So either I had gotten more into him than I had thought； or someone had kicked him in the head。 Perhaps his gasp had pulled it into his lungs。 I had no idea what it would do there。 As I felt his Skill presence fading it was relief almost as blessed as surcease from pain。 Cautiously I relaxed my vigilance against him。 It was like setting down a terribly heavy weight。 Another thought blessed me。 They didn't know。 No one had seen the paper and powder； it had happened too quickly for them。 They might not even think of poison until it was too late for him。
〃Is the Bastard dead？〃 Regal demanded angrily。 〃If he is； I swear； every man of you will hang！〃
Someone stooped hastily beside me； to lay fingers at the pulse in my throat。 〃He's alive；〃 a soldier said gruffly； almost sullenly。 Someday Regal would learn not to threaten his own guard。 I hoped he'd be taught it by an arrow through his back。
A moment later someone dashed a bucket of cold water over me。 The shock of it jarred every pain I had to new frenzy。 I pulled my one eye open。 The first thing I saw was the water and blood on the floor in front of me。 If all that blood was all mine； I was in trouble。 Dazedly； I tried to think of whose else it could be。 My mind did not seem to be working very well。 Time seemed to be flowing in jumps。 Regal was standing over me； angry and disheveled； and then suddenly he was sitting in his chair。 In and out。 Light and dark and light again。
Someone knelt beside me； ran petent hands over me。 Burrich？ No。 That was a dream from long ago。 This man had blue eyes and the nasal twang of a Farrow man。 〃He's bleeding a lot； King Regal。 But we can stop that。〃 Someone put