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！
following him somehow； knowing that he'd lead them to us。〃 〃Too much of a coincidence otherwise。〃
〃Yes。 And the alliance still holds； I suppose； between Blue Temple and the Dark King。〃
〃Which means the Dark King's people may know about the courier too。 And about what we have in our possession here； that the courier was going to take away； if the rest of the shipment ever arrives。〃 He heaved another sigh。
〃What do we do； Ben？〃 His wife spoke softly now； standing close to him and looking up。 At average height he towered over her。
〃At the moment； we try to keep the courier alive； and see if he can tell us anything。 About Denis we're just going to have to trust him； as I say。 He's a good man。〃
He was about to open the bedroom door； but his wife's small hand on his arm delayed him。 〃Your hands；〃 she reminded him。 〃Your robe。〃
〃Right。〃 He poured water into a basin and quickly washed his hands； then changed his robe。 Half his mind was still down in the workshop； reliving the fight。 Already in his memory the living bodies he had just broken were taking on the aspects of creatures in some awful dream。 Te knew they were going to e back later to assail him。 Later perhaps his hands would shake again。 It was always like this for him after a fight。 He had to try to put it out of his mind for now。
While he was getting into his clean robe； Barbara said； 〃Ben； as soon as I saw that the man had only one arm； you know what I thought of。〃
〃Mark's father。 But Mark always told us that his father was dead。 He sounded quite sure of it。〃
〃Yes； I remember。 That he'd seen his father struck down in their village street。 But just suppose。。。〃
〃Yes。 Well； we've got enough to worry about as it is。
In another moment they were quietly making their way downstairs together。 The house around them was as quiet now as if everyone were really sleeping。 Ben could picture most of his workers lying awake； holding their breaths； waiting for the next crash。
In Denis's room on the ground floor they found the young man； his face pale under his dark hair； sitting watch over a stranger who still breathed； but barely。 The mistress immediately went to work； improving on her first effort at bandaging Denis's arm。 Ben thought he could see a little more color ing slowly back into the youth's cheeks。
And now； for the third time since midnight； a noise at the back door。 This time a modest tapping。
Something in Ben wanted to react with laughter。 〃Gods and demons； what a night。 My house has turned into the Hermes Gate to the High Road。〃
And now； for the third time； after making sure that his wife and his assistant were armed and as eady for trouble as they could get； Ben maneuvered light and lenses to look out into the narrow exterior passage。 This time； as he reported to the others in a whipser； there were two human figures to be seen outside。 Both appeared to be men； and both were robed in white。
〃It looks like two of Ardneh's people。 One's carrying a big staff that。。。〃 Ben didn't finish。 Barbara caught his meaning。
Those outside； knowing from the light that they were under observation from within； called loudly： 〃Master Courtenay？ We've brought the wooden model that you've been waiting for。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Ben； hearing a code that gave him reassurance。 Still he signed to his panions to remain on guard； before he cautiously opened the door once more。
This time the opening admitted neither a toppling body nor an armed rush。 There was only the peaceful entry of the two in white； who as Ardneh's priests saluted courteously first the master of the house and then the people with him。 Denis； this time holding his hatchet left…handed； was glad to be able to lower it again。
White robes dripped water on a floor already freshly marked by rain and mud and blood。 If the newers noticed these signs of preceding visitors； they said nothing about them。
Instead； as soon as Ben had barred up the door again； the older of the two whiteclad priests offered him the heavy； ornate wooden staff。 It was obviously meant to be a ceremonial object of some kind； too large and unwieldy to be anything but a burden on a march or a hike。 Tall as a man； cruciform in its upper part； the staff was beautifully carved out of some light wood that Denis could not identify。 The uppermost portion resembled the hilt of a gigantic wooden sword； with the heads and necks of two carved dragons recurving upon themselves to form the outsized crosspiece。
〃Beautiful；〃 mented Denis； with a sudden dry suspicion。 〃But I wonder which of Ardneh's rites requires such an object？ I saw nothing at all like it in the time I spent as acolyte。〃
The two white…garbed men looked at Denis。 Then they turned in silent appeal to the man they knew as Master Courtenay。 He told them tiredly； 〃You may show us the inside of the wooden model too。 Denis here is fully in my confidence； as of tonight。 He's going to have to be。〃
Denis stared for a moment at his master； who was watching closely what the priests were doing。 The younger priest had the staff now； and was pressing carefully with strong fingers on the fancy carving。 In a moment； the wood had opened like a shell； revealing a velvet…lined cavity inside。 Hidden there； straight iron hilt within wooden crosspiece； was a great Sword。 The plain handle； of what Denis took to be some hard black wood； was marked in white with a small symbol； the outline of an open human hand。 The Sword was in a leather sheath； that left only a finger's…breadth of the blade visible； but that small portion of metal caught the eye。 It displayed a rich mottling； suggesting centimeters of depth in the thin blade； beneath a surface gleam of perfect smoothness。 Only the Old World； or a god； thought Denis； could have made a blade like that。。。 and Denis had never heard of any Old World swords。
〃Behold；〃 the elder priest of Ardneh said； even as the hand of the younger drew forth the blade out of its sheath。 〃The Sword of Mercy！〃
And still Denis needed another moment … but no more than that … to understand fully what he was being allowed to see。 When understanding came； he first caught his breath； and then released it in a long sigh。 By now almost everyone in the world had heard of the Twelve Swords； though there were probably those who still doubted their reality； and most had never seen one。 The Swords had been forged some twenty years ago； the more reliable stories had it； created； all the versions of the legend agreed； to serve some mysterious role in a divine Game that the gods and goddesses who ruled the world were determined to enjoy among themselves。 And if this wonderous weapon were not one of those twelve Swords； thought Denis。。。 well； it was hard to imagine what else it could be。 In his time at the House of Courtenay he had seen some elegant and valuable blades； but never before anything like this。 There were twelve of them； all of the stories agreed on that much。 Most of them had two names； though some had more names than two； and a few had only one。 They were called Wayfinder； and Farslayer； and the Tyrant's Blade； there were the Mindsword； and Townsaver； and Stonecutter； called also the Sword of Siege。 There were Doomgiver； Sightblinder； Dragonslicer； Co