tg.wizardfirstrule-第12章

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't　start　chattering　at　me　to　leave　your　territory。　The　squirrel。　watched　him　for　a　long　moment；　then　jumped　off　the　stump　to　a　tree；　scurried　up；　and　was　gone。
　
　Richard　let　out　his　breath；　and　raised　himself　back　up　to　look　in　the　window　again。　The　door　still　stood　as　it　had　before。　Quickly　he　reached　inside　and　carefully　lifted　the　pack　and　leather　thong　with　the　tooth　off　the　bedpost；　listening　wide…eyed　all　the　time　for　the　slightest　sound　from　beyond　the　door。　His　knife　was　on　a　small　table　on　the　other　side　of　the　bed。　There　was　no　chance　of　retrieving　it。　He　lifted　the　pack　through　the　window；　being　careful　not　to　let　it　bump　against　any　of　the　remaining　shards　of　broken　glass。
　
　With　his　booty　in　hand；　Richard　moved　quickly　but　silently　back　the　way　he　had　e；　resisting　a　strong　urge　to　break　into　a　run。　He　looked　over　his　shoulder　as　he　went　to　be　sure　no　one　followed。　He　put　his　head　through　the　loop　of　leather　and　tucked　the　tooth　into　his　shirt。　He　never　let　anyone　see　the　tooth；　it　was　only　for　the　keeper　of　the　secret　book　to　see。
　
　Kahlan　waited　where　he　had　left　her。　When　she　saw　him；　she　sprang　to　her　feet。　He　crossed　his　lips　with　his　finger　to　let　her　know　to　keep　silent。　Slinging　the　pack　over　his　left　shoulder；　he　put　his　other　hand　gently　on　her　back　to　move　her　along。　Not　wanting　to　go　…　back　the　way　they　had　e；　he　guided　her　through　the　woods　to　where　the　trail　continued　above　his　house。　Spiderwebs　strung　across　the　trail　glistened　in　the　last　rays　of　the　setting　sun　and　they　both　breathed　out　in　relief。　This　trail　was　longer　and　much　more　arduous；　but　it　led　where　he　was　going。　To　Zedd。
　
　The　old　man's　house　was　too　far　to　reach　before　dark　and　the　trail　was　too　treacherous　to　travel　at　night；　but　he　wanted　to　put　as　much　distance　as　he　could　between　them　and　whomever　waited　back　at　his　house。　While　there　was　light；　they　would　keep　moving。
　
　Coldly；　he　wondered　if　whoever　was　in　his　house　could　be　the　same　person　who　had　murdered　his　father。　His　house　was　torn　up　just　like　his　father's　had　been。　Could　they　have　been　waiting　for　him　as　they　had　waited　for　his　father？　Could　it　be　the　same　person？　Richard　wished　he　could　have　confronted　him；　or　at　least　seen　who　it　was；　but　something　inside　him　had　strongly　warned　him　to　get　away。
　
　He　gave　himself　a　mental　shake。　He　was　letting　his　imagination　have　too　free　a　rein。　Of　course　something　inside　had　warned　him　of　danger；　warned　him　to　get　away。　He　had　already　gotten　away　with　his　life　when　he　shouldn't　have　once　this　day。　It　was　foolish　to　trust　in　luck　once；　twice　was　arrogance　of　the　worst　kind。　It　was　best　to　walk　away。
　
　Still；　he　wished　he　could　have　seen　who　it　was；　been　sure　there　was　no　connection。　Why　would　someone　tear　his　house　apart；　as　his　father's　had　been　torn　apart？　What　if　it　was　the　same　person？　He　wanted　to　know　who　had　killed　his　father。　He　burned　to　know。
　
　Even　though　he　had　not　been　allowed　to　see　his　father's　body　at　his　house；　he　had　wanted　to　know　how　he　was　killed。　Chase　had　told　him；　very　gently；　but　he　had　told　him。　His　father's　belly　had　been　cut　open　and　his　guts　had　been　spread　out　all　over　the　floor。　How　could　anyone　do　that？　Why　would　anyone　do　that？　It　made　him　sick　and　light…headed　to　think　of　it　again。　Richard　swallowed　back　the　lump　in　his　throat。
　
　〃Well？〃　Her　voice　jolted　him　out　of　his　thoughts。
　
　〃What？　Well；　what？〃
　
　〃Well；　did　you　get　whatever　it　was　you　went　to　get？〃
　
　〃Yes。〃
　
　〃So　what　was　it？〃
　
　〃What　was　it？　It　was　my　backpack。　I　had　to　get　my　backpack。〃
　
　She　turned　to　face　him　with　both　hands　on　her　hips　and　a　scowl　on　her　face。　〃Richard　Cypher；　you　expect　me　to　believe　you　risked　your　life　to　get　your　backpack？〃
　
　〃Kahlan；　you　are　ing　close　to　getting　kicked。〃　He　couldn't　manage　a　smile。
　
　Her　head　was　cocked　to　the　side；　and　she　continued　to　give　him　a　sideways　look；　but　his　remark　had　taken　the　fire　out　of　her。　〃Fair　enough；　my　friend；〃　she　said　gently；　〃fair　enough。〃
　
　He　could　tell　Kahlan　was　a　person　who　was　used　to　getting　answers　when　she　asked　a　question。
　
　…｜
　
　As　the　light　faded　and　colors　muted　into　grayness；　Richard　started　thinking　of　places　to　spend　the　night。　He　knew　of　several　wayward　pines　along　the　way　that　he　had　used　on　many　occasions。　There　was　one　at　the　edge　of　a　clearing；　just　off　the　trail　ahead。　He　could　see　the　tall　tree　standing　out　against　the　fading　pinks　of　the　sky；　standing　above　all　the　other　trees。　He　led　Kahlan　off　the　trail　toward　it
　
　The　tooth　hanging　around　his　neck　nagged　at　him。　His　secrets　nagged　at　him。　He　wished　his　father　had　never　made　him　the　keeper　of　the　secret　book。　A　thought　that　had　occurred　to　him　back　at　his　house；　but　he　had　ignored；　forced　itself　to　the　front　of　his　mind。　The　books　at　his　house　looked　like　they　had　been　torn　apart　in　a　rage。　Maybe　because　none　was　the　right　book。　What　if　it　was　the　secret　book　they　were　looking　for？　But　that　was　impossible；　no　one　but　the　true　owner　even　knew　of　the　book。
　
　And　his　father　。　。。　and　himself　。　。　。　and　the　thing　the　tooth　came　from。　The　thought　was　too　farfetched　to　consider；　so　he　decided　he　wouldn't。　He　tried　very　hard　not　to。
　
　Fear；　from　what　had　happened　on　Blunt　Cliff　and　from　what　had　been　waiting　for　him　at　his　house；　seemed　to　have　sapped　his　strength。　His　feet　felt　almost　too　heavy　to　lift　as　he　trudged　across　the　mossy　ground。　Just　before　he　went　through　the　brush　into　the　clearing　he　stopped　to　swat　a　fly　that　was　biting　his　neck。
　
　Kahlan　grabbed　his　wrist　in　midswat。
　
　Her　other　hand　clamped　over　his　mouth。
　
　He　went　rigid。
　
　Looking　into　his　eyes；　she　shook　her　head；　then　released　his　wrist；　putting　the　hand　behind　his　head　while　continuing　to　keep　her　other　hand　over　his　mouth。　By　the　expression　on　her　face　he　knew　she　was　terrified　he　would　make　a　sound。　She　slowly　lowered　him　to　the　ground；　and　by　his　cooperation　he　let　her　know　he　would　obey。
　
　Her　eyes　held　him　as　hard　as　her　hands。　Continuing　to　watch　his　eyes；　she　put　her　face　so　close　to　his　he　could　feel　the　warmth　of　her　breath　on　his　cheek。
　
　〃Listen　to　me。〃　Her　whisper　was　so　low　he　had　to　concentrate　to　hear　her。　〃Do　exactly　as　I　say。〃　The　expression　on　her　face　made　him　afraid　to　blink。　〃Do　not　move。　No　matter　what　happens　do　not　move。　Or　we　are　dead。〃　She　waited。　He　gave　a　small　nod。　〃Let　the　flies　bite。　Or　we　are　dead。〃　She　waited　again。　He　gave　another　small　nod。
　
　With　a　flick　of　her　eyes　she　indicated　for　him　to　look　across　the　clearing。　He　slowly　moved　his　head　just　a　little　so　he　could　see。　There　was　nothing。　She　kept　her　hand　over　his　mouth。　He　heard　a　few　grunts；　like　those　of　a　wild　boar。
　
　Then　he　saw　it。
　
　He　flinched　involuntarily。　She　clamped　her　hand　harder　against　his　mouth。
　
　From　across　the　clearing；　fading　evening　light　reflected　in　two　glowing　green　eyes　as　their　gaze　swept　in　his　direction。　It　stood　on　two　feet；　like　a　man；　and　was　about　a　head　taller　than　him。　He　guessed　it　weighed　three　times　as　much。　Flies　bit　his　neck；　but　he　tried　to　ignore　them。
　
　He　looked　back　to　her　eyes。　She　had　not　looked　at　the　beast；　she　knew　what　waited　across　the　clearing。　Instead　she　continued　to　watch　him；　waiting　to　see　if　he　would　react　in　a　way　that　would　betray　them。　He　nodded　again　to　reassure　her。　Only　then　did　she　remove　her　hand　from　his　mouth　and　put　it　over　his　wrist；　holding　it　to　the　ground。　Trickles　of　blood　ran　across　her　neck　as　she　lay　motionless　on　the　soft　moss；　letting　the　flies　bite。　He　could　feel　each　sharp　sting　as　they　bit　his　neck。　Grunts　cane　short　and　low；　and　both　turned　their　heads　slightly　to　see。
　
　With　astonishing　speed；　it　charged　into　the　center　of　the　clearing；　moving　in　a　shuffling；　sideways　motion。　It　grunted　as　it　came。　Glowing　green　eyes　searched；　while　its　long　tail　slowly　swished　the　air。　The　beat　cocked　its　head　to　the　side　and　pricked　its　short；　rounded　ears　ahead；　listening。　Fur　covered　the　great　body　everywhere　except　its　chest　and　stomach；　which　were　covered　with　a　smooth；　glossy；　pinkish　skin　that　rippled　with　corded　muscles　underneath。　Flies　buzzed　around　something　smeared　over　the　taut　skin。　Throwing　back　its　head；