tg.wizardfirstrule-第185章

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t　was　like　a　beacon　of　light　in　the　darkness。　I　followed　it　back　without　letting　it　touch　me。〃
　
　〃What　were　you　doing　in　the　underworld？〃　Chase　asked　before　she　had　a　chance。
　
　Zedd　gave　a　cross　look　to　the　boundary　warden；　and　didn't　answer。　'
　
　Kahlan's　worry　surged。　〃Zedd；　answer　the　question。　This　never　happened　before。　Why　were　you　pulled　into　the　underworld？〃
　
　〃When　I　seek　the　night　stone；　part　of　me　goes　to　it。　That's　how　I　find　it；　and　can　tell　where　it　is。〃
　
　Kahlan　tried　not　to　think　of　what　he　was　saying。　〃But　the　night　stone　is　still　in　D'Hara。　Richard　is　still　in　D'Hara。〃　She　grabbed　fists　full　of　his　robes。　〃Zedd　。　。　。〃
　
　Zedd's　eyes　went　to　the　ground。　〃The　night　stone　is　no　longer　in　D'Hara。　It's　in　the　underworld。〃　His　angry　eyes　came　up　to　her。　〃But　that　doesn't　mean　Richard　is　not　still　in　Dollars！　It　doesn't　mean　anything　has　happened　to　him！　Only　the　night　stone。〃
　
　With　a　strained　expression；　Chase　turned　to　setting　up　the　camp　before　darkness　fell。　Kahlan　still　held　Zedd's　robes；　frozen　in　terror。
　
　〃Zedd　。　。　。　please。　Could　you　be　wrong？〃
　
　He　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃The　night：　stone　is　in　the　underworld：　But　dear　one；　that　doesn't　mean　Richard　is。　Don't　let　your　fear　run　away　with　you。〃
　
　Kahlan　nodded　as　she　felt　tears　run　down　her　cheeks。　〃Zedd；　he　has　to　be　all　right。　He　has　to。　If　Rahl　has　kept　him　there　this　long；　he　wouldn't　kill　him　now。〃
　
　〃We　don't　even　know　that　Rahl　has　him。〃
　
　She　knew　he　just　didn't　want　to　admit　it　out　loud。　Why　else　would　he　be　at　the　People's　Palace；　if　Darken　Rahl　didn't　have　him？
　
　〃Zedd；　when　you　sought　the　night　stone　before；　you　said　you　could　feel　him；　that　he　was　alive。〃　She　almost　couldn't　bring　herself　to　ask；　could　hardly　get　the　words　out；　afraid　of　what　he　might　say。　〃Did　you　sense　him　in　the　underworld？〃
　
　He　looked　into　her　eyes　a　long　time。　〃I　didn't　sense　him。　But　I　don't　know　if　I　would；　if　he　were　in　the　underworld。　If　he　were　dead。〃　When　she　started　crying；　he　pulled　her　against　him；　hugging　her　head　to　his　shoulder。　〃But　I　think　it　was　only　the　night　stone　there。　I　think　Rahl　was　trying　to　trap　me　there。　He　must　have　gotten　the　night　stone　from　Richard；　and　then　sent　it　to　the　underworld　to　snare　me。〃
　
　〃We're　still　going　after　him；〃　she　cried。　〃I'm　not　turning　back。〃
　
　〃Well；　of　course　we　are。〃
　
　Kahlan　felt　a　warm　tongue　on　the　back　of　her　hand。　She　stroked　the　wolf's　fur　as　she　smiled　over　at　him。
　
　〃We'll　find　him；　Mistress　Kahlan。　Don't　you　worry；　we'll　find　him。〃　〃Brophy's　right；〃　Chase　called　over　his　shoulder。　〃I'm　even　looking　forward　to　the　lecture　we'll　be　getting　about　ing　after　him。〃
　
　〃The　box　is　safe；〃　the　wizard　said；　〃that's　what　matters。　Five　days　from　tomorrow　is　the　first　day　of　winter；　and　then　Darken　Rahl　will　be　dead。　We　will　have　Richard　back　after　that；　if　not　before。〃
　
　〃I'll　get　us　there　before　then；　if　that's　what　you're　getting　at；〃　Chase　grumbled
　
　CHAPTER　45
　RICHARD　HELD　THE　THICK　spines　of　Scarlet's　shoulders　in　a　death　grip　as　she　made　a　banking　turn　to　the　left。　He　had　learned；　much　to　his　amazement；　that　when　she　leaned　into　a　turn；　it　didn't　make　him　slide　off　the　side；　but　pressed　him　harder　against　her。　Richard　found　the　experience　of　flying　at　once　exhilarating　and　frightening；　like　standing　on　the　edge　of　an　impossibly　high　cliff…that　moved。　The　feel　of　her　body　lifting　him　into　the　air　made　him　grin。　Muscles　flexed　beneath　him　as　she　stroked　the　air　with　her　powerful　wings；　each　beat　giving　a　lift。　When　she　folded　her　wings　back　and　dove　toward　the　ground；　the　wind　made　his　eyes　water；　and　the　feeling　of　falling　took　his　breath　away　and　made　him　feel　as　though　his　stomach　would　rise　inside　him。　He　marveled　at　the　very　idea　of　riding　a　dragon。
　
　〃Do　you　see　them？〃　he　called　out　over　the　sound　of　the　wind。
　
　Scarlet　gave　a　grunt　to　indicate　that　she　did。　In　the　fading　light；　the　gars　looked　like　black　dots　moving　about　on　the　rocky　ground　below。　Steam　trailed　up　from　Fire　Spring；　and　even　this　high　up　Richard　could　smell　the　acrid　fumes。　Scarlet　rose　steeply　into　the　air；　making　his　legs　press　against　her　as　she　lifted　them　higher；　then　she　rolled　into　a　sharp　bank　to　the　right。
　
　〃There　are　far　too　many；〃　she　called　back。
　
　Her　head　tilted　behind；　one　yellow　eye　peering　at　him。　Richard　pointed。
　
　〃Go　down　there；　behind　those　hills；　and　don't　let　them　see　us。〃
　
　Scarlet　climbed　with　strong　strokes。　When　they　were　higher　than　they　had　been　so　far；　she　glided　away　from　Fire　Spring。　She　swooped　down；　between　the　rocky　slopes；　threading　her　way　back　toward　where　Richard　had　told　her　to　land。　With　a　silent　flutter　of　wings；　she　gently　settled　on　the　ground　near　the　mouth　of　a　cave；　and　lowered　her　neck　so　he　could　climb　down。　Richard　knew　she　didn't　want　him　on　her　back　any　longer　than　necessary。
　
　Her　head　swung　around　toward　him；　her　eyes　angry；　impatient。　〃There　are　too　many　gars。　Darken　Rahl　knows　I　can't　fight　that　many；　that's　why　there　are　so　many　there…in　case　I　ever　found　my　egg。　You　said　you　would　think　of　a　plan。　What　is　it？〃
　
　Richard　glanced　over　at　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　The　Shadrin's　cave；　Kahlan　had　told　him。　〃We　need　a　diversion；　something　to　distract　them　while　we　get　the　egg。〃
　
　〃While　you　get　the　egg；〃　Scarlet　corrected；　with　a　little　flame　to　make　her　point。
　
　He　looked　over　at　the　cave　again。　〃One　of　my　friends　told　me　the　cave　goes　all　the　way　through；　to　where　the　egg　is。　Maybe　I　could　go　through；　snatch　the　egg；　and　bring　it　back。〃
　
　〃Get　going。〃
　
　〃Shouldn't　we　discuss　if　it's　a　good　idea？　Maybe　we　could　think　of　something　better。　I've　also　heard　there　might　be　something　in　the　cave。〃
　
　Scarlet　brought　her　angry　eye　closer　to　him。　〃Something　in　the　cave？〃　She　snaked　her　head　around　to　the　opening　and　sent　a　horrific　blast　of　fire　into　the　darkness。　Her　head　came　back。　〃Now　there's　nothing　in　the　cave。　Go　get　my　egg。〃
　
　The　cave　was　miles　long。　Richard　knew　the　fire　wouldn't　have　harmed　anything　farther　back。　He　also　knew　he　had　given　his　word。　Collecting　cane　reeds　growing　nearby；　he　bound　them　together　with　a　sinewy　vine　into　several　bundles。　He　held　one　bundle　up　to　Scarlet　as　she　watched　him
　
　〃Light　the　end　of　this　for　me？〃
　
　The　dragon　pursed　her　lips　and　blew　a　thin　stream　of　flame　across　the　end　of　the　cane　reeds。
　
　〃You　wait　here；〃　he　told　her。　〃Sometimes　it's　better　to　be　small　than　big。　I　won't　be　spotted　so　easily。　I'll　think　of　something；　and　get　the　egg；　and　bring　it　back　through　the　cave。　It's　a　long　way。　It　may　take　until　morning　before　I'm　back。　I　don't　know　how　close　the　gars　will　be　behind　me；　so　we　might　need　to　leave　in　a　hurry。　Stay　sharp；　all　right？〃　He　hooked　his　pack　over　a　spine　on　her　back。　〃Keep　this　for　me。　I　don't　want　to　carry　more　than　I　have　to。〃
　
　Richard　didn't　know　if　a　dragon　could　look　worried；　but　he　thought　she　did。
　
　〃Be　careful　with　the　egg？　It　will　hatch　soon；　but　if　the　shell　is　broken　now；　before　it　is　time　。　。　。〃
　
　Richard　gave　her　a　reassuring　smile。　〃Don't　worry；　Scarlet。　We're　going　to　get　it　back。〃
　
　She　waddled　to　the　cave　entrance　behind　him；　poking　her　head　in；　watching　him　disappear　inside。
　
　〃Richard　Cypher；〃　she　called　after　him；　her　voice　echoing；　〃if　you　try　to　run　away；　I'll　find　you；　and　if　you　e　back　without　the　egg；　you　will　wish　the　gars　had　killed　you；　because　I　will　cook　you　slow；　starting　at　your　feet。〃
　
　Richard　stared　back　at　the　hulk　filling　the　cave　entrance。　〃I　have　given　my　word。　If　the　gars　get　me；　I'll　try　to　kill　enough　of　them　so　you　can　get　the　egg　and　escape。〃
　
　Scarlet　grunted。　〃Try　not　to　let　that　happen。　I　still　want　to　eat　you　when　this　is　done。〃
　
　Richard　smiled　and　went　into　the　darkness。　The　blackness　swallowed　up　the　light　of　the　torch；　making　him　feel　as　if　he　were　walking　into　nothingness。　Only　a　small　spot　of　ground　before　him　was　lit。　As　he　went　on；　the　floor　of　the　cave　sloped　downward；　descending　into　cold；　still　air。　A　ceiling　of　rock　appeared；　and　walls；　as　the　way　narrowed　into　a　tunnel　that　snaked　deeper。　The　tunnel　opened　into　a　huge　room。　The　path　led　along　a　narrow　ledge　at