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！
k。 A corner of the linen crumpled into dust。
〃I'm sorry；〃 I said。 No one heard me。
〃It looks like some type of map；〃 Cassini said。
Janos' eyes lit with excitement。 〃Can you reconstruct it？〃
Cassini didn't answer； but excitement gripped him as well。 He fished in his pack for a small vial of black fluid and an herbalist's knife。 He shook a few drops of the liquid in the blade's measuring trough； then sprinkled a pinch of the linen dust over it。 I couldn't hear the words of his enchantment； he said them so quickly and smoothly； you could see he had long practice at this sort of task。 I remembered all young Evocators were put to work in the library； turning scraps of scrolls or manuscripts into dozens of duplicates each day。
While he worked； I glanced at the pouch the map had fallen from； marveling that the leather it had been cut from had also been preserved by the amber。 I saw something on its face that I took at first to be discoloration； then realized it was too regular。 I leaned closer； but did not touch the pouch； having learned my lesson。 Worked into the leather was an emblem： a serpent coiled across a tooled star。 I saw bits of pigment clinging to the emblem； blue on the serpent's coils and yellow on the star； which I realized was actually a sunburst。 I pointed it out to Janos； and he scrutinized it as carefully as I had。
〃A family crest；〃 I hazarded。
He shook his head。 〃Not likely for a soldier serving in an organized formation。 I would guess it is the crest of those he Watched for。 Perhaps a prince； perhaps a sorcerer； perhaps a king。 Perhaps that is the emblem of the Far Kingdoms themselves。〃
I was about to wonder as to the certainty of his words when Cassini announced that the spell had begun to work。 He breathed over the mixture。 A speck of goo congealed to another； and that small lump bonded to its brother as well。 In a moment we could see a sliver of linen begin to grow； and Cassini quickly dumped the knife's contents onto the mother roll。 There came a crackle and a hiss as if a fire were being fed； and the roll of linen began to move。 In a blink； all traces of antiquity fell away； and the linen spread out before us as fresh and white as the day it was made。 The quill scribblings had turned into deep lines of black ink； glistening as if just dipped up from a bottle。
Cassini lifted the light beads； and the three of us leaned forward to see。 It was a map； as he had guessed。 But it was a most unusual map； for where a human mapmaker would mark perils such as swamps； canyons； or thick jungle； the linen was blank。 What was marked were mountain peaks； each crag carefully delineated； rivers that could be seen from the air； and certain high points where a Watcher might have his post。 〃A map；〃 I murmured； 〃meant for birds。〃
〃Or；〃 Janos said； 〃men who can fly； or at least transport themselves from peak to peak with magic。〃
There was the outline of the Pepper Coast； as if this marked the limits of the Watcher's area of concern； then the map sprawled east。 At the easternmost edge of the map was a great lump of a mountain range； a big； black fist knuckling up from the linen。
We heard a sigh； and we spun to see the warrior's eyes all a…glitter again。 He seemed to be looking at me。 I'm sure the others felt the same； but for a moment I believed that long…dead warrior was trying to speak to me。 Then I heard a terrible rattle from his throat； as if he had been clinging to life all these years and was only now being released。 The eyes went blank again； but now his rictus grimace was more like a smile。
Janos spoke； voice rough。 〃Is that omen enough for you； Cassini？ What more do you need？〃
Cassini was silent； but I could feel the tension building and saw great emotion twitching at the muscles in his face。
〃Well？〃 Janos prodded。 〃Do we still return home？ Or do we go？〃
Four days later we marched east。 We left L'ur and his crew in the pany of Black Shark's people； who had vowed eternal gratitude for our releasing them from that ancient curse。 He even sold us small asses to help carry our burdens and assigned some of his people to go along as hostlers and guides； 〃until the ends of the world； if you so wish。〃 Furthermore； after the Shore People built the promised shrine for the Warrior in Amber； they promised to help L'ur construct a new ship to take us homeward when we returned。
L'ur himself was now a firm friend of the Antero family。 If we met disaster and did not return within six months； L'ur held a note to my father with a pledge of payment for all the time he would have waited； as well as for a replacement of the Kitthvake。 I had no doubt L'ur would wait； and it wasn't just because of the small fortune I had pledged。 He had bee as gripped by the fever as any of us when I unrolled the map to the Far Kingdoms。
〃For the first time in my life；〃 the old sailor said； 〃I wish to the gods I had been born a walking man。〃
CHAPTER NINE
Nomads at World's End
THE RIVER LED inland through rolling countryside that the eye sought hard to fill with farms and villages and people； but there was little sign of humanity in that wilderness。 We passed close to a few hamlets； their ragged settlers watched us pass without smiles； without gestures。 Our soldiers grew rapidly tired of shouting ribaldry at the few nubile women we saw； for the bawdiness was treated as if it had never occurred。
〃All the people；〃 Janos observed； 〃have the same look as some of the poorer folk in the hills near where I grew up。 They see any man with a sword； no matter how tightly it's sheathed； as 'then enemy'。 You may recollect what I said once before；〃 he continued； lifting his voice to Cassini； who was walking not far from us； 〃about what war is like on this side of the Narrow Seas？ The look in those people's eyes says more than I can about their lives。〃
Cassini shrugged。 〃The strong have always battened on the weak； and always shall。 Nature and the gods dictate； man follows。〃
After a time； we saw no more inhabited villages。 Once or twice Janos identified an overgrown weedy patch of secondary growth as where a village； or a farm estate； might have stood years earlier。 The climate was a bit warmer than Orissa； perhaps； and it rained more frequently。 But the rain drifted softly； like a mist； and came as wele relief to the heat of the day。 We held to an easterly direction； by pass and； from time to time； the sorcerous 〃map〃 Cassini had fashioned from the Watcher's tailisman。 Even though it showed but peaks and occasional features of the landscape； it was still valuable； and we were able to keep our journey on its proper course。
There were many things of interest to me； and it was not just because I was with the first civilized men…civilized Orissan men； I should say…to see this land； but also because this is when I really began to view things through the eyes of my own people。 Although honesty directs me to admit that as a merchant's son； I also saw much gold being heaped into the Antero vaults。 Here there was a fish whose delicate white flesh could be smoked。 There was a fruit of glowing green/purple； whose taste exploded in your mouth。 A minor spell against decay and corruption； and those could bee the latest