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！
I sat down opposite the girl and began to question her。 Shed said he had told her almost everything。 I wanted to know if she knew anything about Raven that could give him or us away。
I got no chance to find out。
There was a great rush of air around the house。 A roar like a tornado passing。 A crack like thunder。
Otto said it all。 〃Oh shit！ Taken。〃 The door blew inward。 I rose； stomach twisting； heart hammering。 Feather came in looking like she'd just walked through a burning building。 Wisps of smoke rose from her smouldering apparel。
〃What the hell？〃 I asked。
〃The castle。 I got too close。 They almost knocked me out of the sky。 What have you got？〃
I told my story quickly； not omitting the fact that we had allowed a corpse to get past。 I indicated Shed。 〃One
dead； trying to fight questioning。 But this one is healthy。〃 I indicated the girl。
Feather moved close to the girl。 She had taken a real blast out there。 I did not feel the aura of great power rigidly constrained that one usually senses in the presence of the Taken。 And she did not sense the life still throbbing in Marron Shed。 〃So young。〃
She lifted the girl's chin。 〃Oh。 What eyes。 Fire and steel。 The Lady will love this one。〃
〃We keep the watch？〃 I asked； assuming she would confiscate the prisoner。
〃Of course。 There may be others。〃 She faced me。 〃No more will get through。 The margin is too narrow。 Whisper will forgive the latest。 But the next is your doom。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。 Only it's hard to do and not attract the attention of the locals。 We can't just go set up a roadblock。''
〃Why not？〃
I explained。 She had scouted the black castle and knew the lay of the land。 〃You're right。 For the moment。 But your pany will be here soon。 There'll be no need for secrecy then。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
Feather took the girl's hand。 〃e；〃 she said。
I was amazed at how docilely our hellcat followed Feather。 I went outside and watched Feather's battered carpet rise and hurry toward Duretile。 One despairing cry floated in its wake。
I found Shed in the doorway when I turned to go inside。 I wanted to smack him for that； but controlled myself。
〃Who was that？〃 he asked。 '〃What was that？〃
〃Feather。 One of the Taken。 One of my bosses。〃
〃Sorceress？〃
〃One of the greatest。 Go sit。 Let's talk。 I need to know exactly what that girl knows about Raven and Darling。〃
Intense questioning convinced me that Lisa did not know enough to arouse Whisper's suspicions。 Unless she connected the name Raven with the man who had helped capture her years ago。
I continued grilling Shed till first light。 He practically begged to tell every filthy detail of his story。 He had a big need to confess。 Over ing days； when I sneaked down to the Buskin； he revealed everything recorded where he appears as the focal character。 I do not think I have met many men who disgusted me more。 Nastier men； yes。 I have encountered scores。 Greater villains e by the battalion。 Shed's leavening of self…pity and cowardice reduced him from those categories to an essentially pathetic level。
Poor dolt。 He was born to be used。
And yet。 。 。 。 There was one guttering spark in Matron Shed； reflected in his relationships with his mother； Raveo； Asa； Lisa； Sal； and Darling； that he noted but did not recognize himself。 He had a hidden streak of charity and decency。 It was the gradual growth of that spark； with its eventual impact upon the Black pany； which makes me feel obligated to record all the earlier noxious details about that frightened little man。
The morning following his capture； I rode into the city in Shed's wagon and allowed him to open the Iron Lily as usual。
During the morning I got Elmo and Goblin in for a conference。 Shed was unsettled when he discovered that we all knew one another。 Only through sheer luck had he not been taken earlier。
Poor fellow。 The grilling never ceased。 Poor us。 He could not tell us everything we wanted to know。
〃What are we going to do about the girl's father？〃 Elmo asked。
〃If there is a letter； we've got to grab it。〃 I replied。 〃We can't have anybody stirring up more problems。 Goblin； you take care of the papa。 He's even a little suspicious； see he has a heart attack。〃
Sourly； Goblin nodded。 He asked Shed for the father's whereabouts； departed。 And returned within half an hour。 〃A great tragedy。 He didn't have a letter。 She was bluffing。 But he did know too much that would e out under questioning。 This business is beginning to get to me。 Hunting Rebels was cleaner。 You knew who was who and where you stood。〃
〃I'd better get back up the hill。 The Taken might not be understanding about me being down here。 Elmo； better keep somebody in Shed's pocket。〃
〃Right。 Pawnbroker lives there from now on。 That clown takes a crap； he's holding his hand。〃
Goblin looked remote and thoughtful。 〃Raven buying a ship。 Imagine that。 What do you figure he was going to
do？〃
〃I think he wanted to head straight out to sea；〃 I said。 〃I hear there're islands out there； way out。 Maybe another continent。 A guy could hide pretty good out there。〃
I went back up the hill and loafed for two days； except to slip off and get everything I could out of Shed。 Not a damned thing happened。 Nobody else tried to make a delivery。 I guess Shed was the only fool in the body business。
Sometimes I looked at those grim black battlements and wondered。 They had taken a crack at Feather。 Somebody in there knew the Taken meant trouble。 How long before they realized they had been cut off and did something to get the meat supply moving again？
Chapter Thirty…One： JUNIPER： THE RETURN
Shed was still rattled two days after his capture。 Each time he looked across the mon room and saw one of those Black pany bastards； he started falling apart again。 He was living on borrowed time。 He was not sure what use they had for him； but he was sure that when he was used up； they would dump him with the garbage。 Some of his babysitters clearly thought him trash。 He could not refute their viewpoint in his own mind。
He was behind his counter； washing mugs； when Asa walked through the door。 He dropped a mug。
Asa met his eye for only an instant； sidled around the L and headed upstairs。 Shed took a deep breath and followed。 The man called Pawnbroker was a step behind when he reached the head of the stair； moving as silent as death。 He had a knife ready for business。
Shed stepped into what had been Raven's room。 Pawnbroker remained outside。 〃What the hell are you doing here； Asa？ The Inquisitors are after you。 About that Catabs business。 Bullock himself went south looking for you。〃
〃Easy； Shed。 I know。 He caught up with us。 It got hairy。 We left him cut up； but he'll mend。 And he'll e back looking for you。 I came to warn you。 You've got to get out of Juniper。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 Shed said softly。 Another tooth in the jaws of fate。 〃Been considering that anyway。〃 That would not
tell Pawnbroker anything he could not guess for himself。 〃Things have gotten rotten here。 I've started looking for a buyer。〃 Not true； but he would before day's end。
For some reason Asa's return resto