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！
ide her fallen husband； and she held his reddened hand in hers。 〃You have caused enough heartache。 Let her go。 Leave this place。 We will not pursue you。〃
Ingen stared at her as at some long…forgotten landmark seen after a hard journey。 His frown stretched into a ghastly smile and he shook Amerasu's helpless form until her head wobbled。 He lifted his hound…helm…the fist that clutched it was crimson…drenched…and waved it in mad joy。
〃The forest witch is dead！〃 he howled。 〃I have done it！ Praise me； mistress； I have done your bidding！〃 He lifted his other hand to the skies； letting Amerasu slump to the ground like a discarded sack。 Blood shone dully on her gray robe and golden hands。 The translucent hilt of the crystal dagger stood out from her side。 〃I am immortal！〃 cried the Queen's Huntsman。
Simon's choked gasp echoed in the terrible silence。
Ingen Jegger slowly turned。 Recognizing Simon； the huntsman curled his mouth in a lipless smile。 〃You led me to her； boy。〃
An ash…darkened figure rose from the smoking clutter at Ingen's feet。
〃Venyha s'anh！〃 Jiriki shouted； and drove Indreju squarely into the huntsman's midsection。
Driven backward by the impact of Jiriki's blow； Ingen at last staggered to a halt； bending over the length of the blade which had been wrenched from its owner's hand。 He gradually straightened； then coughed。 Blood dribbled from his mouth and stained his pale beard； but his smile remained。 〃The time of the Dawn Children 。。。 is over；〃 he rasped。 There was a humming sound。 Suddenly； a half…dozen arrows stood in Ingen's broad trunk； sprouting on all sides like hedgehog quills。
〃Murder！〃
It was Simon who shouted this time。 He leaped to his feet； his heartbeat sounding loud as war…drums in his ears； he felt the whipsong breath of the second volley of arrows as he ran forward toward the huntsman。 He swung the heavy stone which he had clutched for so long。
〃Seaman！ No！〃 shouted Jiriki。
The huntsman slid to his knees； but remained upright。 〃Your witch。。。 is dead；〃 he panted。 He raised a hand toward the approaching Simon。 〃The sun is setting 。。。〃
More arrows leaped across the Yasira and Ingen Jegger slowly topped to the ground。
Hatred burst out like a flame in Simon's heart as he stood over the huntsman； and he raised the stone high in the air。 Ingen Jegger's face was still frozen in an exultant grin； and for the thinnest moment his pale blue eyes locked with Simon's。 An instant later Ingen's face disappeared in a smash of red and the huntsman's body was rolled across the ground by the force of the blow。 Simon clambered after him with a wordless cry of rage； all his pent frustration flooding out in a maddening surge。
They've taken everything from me。 They laughed at me。 Everything。
The fury turned into a kind of wild glee。 He felt strength flowing through him。 At last！ He brought the rock down upon Ingen's head； lifted it and smashed it down again； then over and over uncontrollably until hands pulled him away from the body and he slid down into his own red darkness。
Khendraja'aro brought him to Jiriki。 The prince's uncle； as all the other citizens of Jao e…Tinukai'i； was dressed in dark mourning gray。 Simon； too； wore pants and shirt of that color； brought to him by a subdued Aditu the day after the burning of the Yasira。
Jiriki was staying in a house not his own； a dwelling of pink； yellow； and pale brown circular tents that Simon thought looked like giant beehives。 The Sitha…woman who lived there was a healer； Aditu had told him。 The healer was taking care that Jiriki's burns were given proper care。
Kehndraja'aro； his face a stiff； heavy mask； left Simon at the house's wind…whipped entranceway and departed without a word。 Simon entered as Aditu had directed and found himself in a darkened room lit only by a single dim globe on a wooden stand。 Jiriki was propped up in a great bed。 His hands lay upon his chest； bandaged with strips of silky cloth。 The Sitha's face was shiny with some oily substance； which served only to accentuate his otherworldly appearance。 Jiriki's skin was blackened in many places； and his eyebrows and some of his long hair had been scorched away； but Simon was relieved to see that the Prince did not seem badly scarred。
〃Seoman；〃 Jiriki said； and showed a trace of smile。 〃How are you？〃 Simon asked shyly。 〃Are you hurting？〃
The prince shook his head。 〃I do not suffer much； not from these burns； Seoman。 In my family we are made of stern stuff…as you may remember from our first meeting。〃 Jiriki looked him up and down。 〃And how is your own health？〃
Simon felt awkward。 〃I'm well。〃 He paused。 〃I'm so sorry。〃 Facing the calm figure before him； he was ashamed by his own animality； ashamed to have bee a screaming brute before the eyes of all。 That memory had weighed heavily on him in the days just passed。 〃It was all my fault。〃
Jiriki hastened to raise his hand； then eased it back down； conceding only a small grimace of pain。 〃No； Seoman； no。 You have done nothing for which you should apologize。 That was a day of terror； and you have suffered far too many of those。〃
〃It's not that；〃 Simon said miserably。 〃He followed me！ Ingen Jegger said he followed me to find First Grandmother！ I led her murderer here。〃
Jiriki shook his head。 〃This was planned for some time； Seoman。 Believe me； the Red Hand could not lightly send one of their own into the fastness of Jao e…Tinukai'i； even for the few moments it lasted。 Ineluki is not yet so strong。 That was a well…conceived attack； one long considered。 It took a great deal of power from both Utuk'ku and the Storm King to acplish it。
〃Do you think it a coincidence that First Grandmother should be silenced by Utuk'ku just before she could reveal Ineluki's design？ That the Red Hand creature should force its way through just then； at a tremendous expense of spell…bought strength？ And do you think the huntsman Ingen was just wandering in the wood and suddenly decided to kill Amerasu the Ship…Born？ No； I do not think so； either…although it is true that he may have stumbled on your trail before Aditu brought you here。 Ingen Jegger was no fool； and it would have been far easier for him to track a mortal than one of us； but he would have found his way into Jao e…Tinukai'i somehow。 Who can know how long he waited beyond the Summer Gate once he had found it； waiting for his mistress to set him upon her enemies at just the right moment？ It was a war plan； Seoman； precise and more than a little desperate。 They must have feared First Grandmother's wisdom very much。〃
Jiriki lifted his bandaged hand to his face； touching it for a moment to his forehead。 〃Do not take the blame upon yourself； Seoman。 Amerasu's death was ordained in the black pits below Nakkiga…or perhaps even when the Two Families parted at Sesuad'ra； thousands of years ago。 We are a race that nurses its hurts a long time in silence。 You were not at fault。〃
〃But why！？〃 Simon wanted to believe Jirki's words； but the horrible sense of loss that had threatened to overwhelm him several times already that morning would not go away。
〃Why？ Because Amerasu had seen into Ineluki's secret