tg.wizardfirstrule-第48章

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　Suddenly　aware；　Richard　was　appalled　at　what　he　had　almost　done。　Chase　released　his　sword　hand。　Shaking；　Richard　put　it　on　the　big　man's　shoulder　for　support；　struggling　to　catch　his　breath　as　they　stepped　out　of　the　green　light。　Relief　washed　over　him。
　
　Chase　leaned　over　a　little；　searching　his　eyes。　〃All　right？〃
　
　Richard　nodded；　too　overwhelmed　to　speak。　The　sight　of　his　father　had　brought　back　the　devastating　grief。　He　had　to　concentrate　just　to　breathe；　to　stand。　His　throat　hurt。　He　realized　he　had　been　choking；　but　hadn't　been　aware　of　it　at　the　time。
　
　Terror　raced　through　Richard's　mind　as　he　realized　how　close　he　had　e　to　stepping　through　the　wall；　to　death。　He　had　been　totally　unprepared　for　what　had　happened。　If　Chase　hadn't　been　there　holding　on　to　him；　he　would　be　dead　now。　He　had　tried　to　give　in　to　the　underworld。　He　felt　as　if　he　didn't　know　himself。　How　could　he　have　wanted　to　give　himself　over　to　it？　Was　he　that　weak？　That　frail？
　
　Richard's　head　swirled　with　pain。　He　couldn't　clear　the　vision　of　his　father's　face　from　his　mind；　the　way　his　father　longed　for　him；　called　to　him；　so　desperate。　He　ached　to　be　with　him。　It　would　have　been　so　easy。　The　image　haunted　his　mind；　refusing　to　let　go。　He　didn't　want　to　let　it　go；　he　wanted　to　go　back。　He　could　feel　the　pull；　even　as　he　resisted。
　
　Kahlan　was　there；　waiting　for　them；　at　the　edge　of　the　green　light　as　they　emerged。　She　swept　her　arm　protectively　around　his　waist　and　tugged　him　away　from　Chase。　With　her　other　hand　she　grabbed　hold　of　his　jaw；　turning　his　head；　making　him　look　at　her。
　
　〃Richard。　Listen　to　me。　Think　of　something　else。　Concentrate。　You　have　to　think　of　something　else。　I　want　you　to　remember　every　intersection　on　every　trail　in　the　Hartland。　Can　you　do　that　for　me？　Please？　Do　it　now。　Remember　every　one　for　me。〃
　
　He　nodded；　and　started　to　remember　the　trails。
　
　Kahlan　turned　to　Chase　in　a　fury；　slapping　him　across　his　face　as　hard　as　she　could。
　
　〃You　bastard！〃　she　screamed。　〃Why　would　you　do　that　to　him！〃　Throwing　all　her　weight　into　it；　she　slapped　him　again；　her　hair　tossing　across　her　face。　Chase　didn't　try　to　stop　her。　〃You　did　it　on　purpose！　How　could　you　do　that！〃　She　swung　at　him　a　third　time；　but　this　time；　he　grabbed　her　wrist　in　midswing。
　
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　tell　you　or　do　you　wish　to　go　on　hitting　me？〃
　
　She　jerked　her　hand　away；　glaring　at　him；　her　chest　heaving。　Some　of　her　hair　was　stuck　sideways　across　her　face。
　
　〃Going　through　Kings'　Port　is　dangerous。　It　isn't　straight　through；　it　twists　and　turns。　Some　places　it's　very　narrow；　the　two　walls　of　the　boundary　almost　touching。　One　step　either　way　and　you're　gone。　You've　been　through　the　boundary；　so　has　Zedd。　You　both　understand。　You　can't　see　it　until　you　start　in；　otherwise　you　don't　know　where　it　is。　I　only　know　because　I've　spent　my　life　out　here。　It's　even　more　dangerous　now　because　it's　failing；　even　easier　to　walk　through　it。　When　you　get　in　the　pass；　if　something　started　chasing　you；　Richard　could　run　into　the　underworld　without　even　knowing　what　it　was。〃
　
　〃That's　no　excuse！　You　could　have　warned　him！〃
　
　〃I've　never　had　a　child　yet　who　had　the　proper　respect　for　fire　until　they　put　their　hand　in　it　once。　No　amount　of　telling　is　worth　doing　it　once。　If　Richard　didn't　understand　what　it　was　like　be…　fore　he　went　into　Kings'　Port；　he　wouldn't　e　out　the　other　side。　Yes；　I　took　him　in　there　on　purpose。　To　show　him。　To　keep　him　alive。〃
　
　〃You　could　have　told　him！〃
　
　Chase　shook　his　head。　〃No。　He　had　to　see　it。〃
　
　〃Enough！〃　Richard　said；　his　head　clear　at　last。　They　all　turned　to　him。　〃A　day　has　yet　to　go　by　when　one　of　you　three　doesn't　scare　the　wits　out　of　me。　But　I　know　you　all　have　my　best　interests　at　heart。　Right　now　we　have　more　important　things　to　worry　about。　Chase；　how　do　you　know　the　boundary　is　failing？　What's　different？〃
　
　〃The　wall　is　breaking　down。　Before；　you　couldn't　see　through　the　green　into　the　darkness。　You　couldn't　see　anything　on　the　other　side。〃
　
　〃Chase　is　right；〃　Zedd　offered；　〃I　could　see　it　from　here。〃
　
　〃How　long　until　it　fails？〃　Richard　asked　the　wizard。
　
　Zedd　shrugged。　〃It's　hard　to　tell。〃
　
　〃Then　guess！〃　Richard　shot　back。　〃Give　me　some　kind　of　idea。　Your　best　guess。〃
　
　〃It　will　last　at　least　two　weeks。　But　not　more　than　six　or　seven。〃
　
　Richard　thought　a　minute。　〃Can　you　use　your　magic　to　strengthen　it？〃
　
　〃I　don't　have　that　kind　of　power。〃
　
　〃Chase；　do　you　think　Rahl　knows　about　Kings'　Port？〃
　
　〃How　should　I　know？〃
　
　〃Well；　has　anyone　e　through　the　pass？〃
　
　Chase　thought　about　the　question。　〃Not　that　I　know　of。〃
　
　〃I　doubt　it；〃　Zedd　added。　〃Rahl　can　travel　the　underworld；　he　doesn't　need　the　pass。　He's　bringing　the　boundary　down；　I　don't　think　he　cares　about　a　little　pass。〃
　
　〃Caring　is　different　from　knowing；〃　Richard　said。　〃I　don't　think　we　should　be　standing　here；　and　I'm　worried　he　might　know　where　we're　going。〃
　
　Kahlan　pulled　the　hair　off　her　face。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　
　Richard　gave　her　a　sympathetic　look。　〃Do　you　think　it　was　your　mother　and　sister　you　saw　when　you　were　in　there？〃
　
　〃I　thought　it　was。　Do　you　think　otherwise？〃　〃I　don't　think　that　was　my　father。〃　He　looked　to　the　wizard。　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　
　〃It's　impossible　to　say。　No　one　really　knows　all　that　much　about　the　underworld。〃
　
　〃Darken　Rahl　knows　about　it；〃　Richard　said　bitterly。　〃I　don't　think　my　father　would　want　me　in　that　manner。　But　I　know　Rahl　would；　so　despite　what　my　eyes　tell　me；　it's　more　likely　that　it　was　Darken　Rahl's　disciples　trying　to　take　me。　You　said　we　couldn't　go　through　the　boundary　because　they　were　waiting　for　us　to　do　so；　waiting　to　get　us。　I　think　that　was　what　I　saw；　his　followers　in　the　underworld。　And　they　know　right　where　I　touched　the　wall。　If　I'm　right　that　means　Rahl　will　soon　know　where　we　are。　I　don't　want　to　be　here　to　find　out　if　I'm　right。〃
　
　〃Richard　is　right；〃　Chase　said。　〃And　we　have　to　get　to　Skow　Swamp　before　nightfall；　before　the　heart　hounds　e　out。　'It's　the　only　safe　place　between　here　and　Southaven。　We'll　reach　Southaven　before　tomorrow　night　and　will　be　safe　from　the　hounds　there。　The　next　day　we　will　go　see　a　friend　of　mine；　Adie；　the　bone　woman。　She　lives　near　the　pass。　We　need　her　help　to　get　through。　But　tonight；　our　only　chance　is　the　swamp。〃
　
　Richard　was　about　to　ask　what　a　bone　woman　was；　and　why　they　needed　her　help　to　cross　the　boundary；　when　a　dark；　shadowy　form　suddenly　whipped　out　of　the　air；　striking　Chase　so　hard　it　threw　him　across　several　downed　trees。　With　shocking　speed　the　black　form　wrapped　around　Kahlan's　legs；　whip　like；　pulling　her　feet　from　under　her。　She　screamed　Richard's　name　as　he　dove；　grabbing　for　her。　They　locked　their　hands　around　each　other's　wrists。　Both　were　dragged　across　the　ground；　toward　the　boundary。
　
　Zedd's　fingers　threw　fire　over　their　heads。　It　shrieked　past　and　vanished。　Another　black　appendage　struck　out　at　the　wizard　with　lightning　speed；　knocking　the　old　man　through　the　air。　Richard　hooked　a　foot　around　a　branch　on　a　log。　Rotten；　it　tore　from　the　stump。　He　twisted　his　body　around；　trying　to　dig　his　heels　into　the　ground。　His　boots　slid　across　the　wet　bog　weed。　He　jammed　his　heels　into　the　earth；　but　wasn't　strong　enough　to　hold　the　two　of　them　from　being　dragged　across　the　ground。　He　needed　his　hands　free。
　
　〃Put　your　arms　around　my　waist！〃　he　yelled
　
　Kahlan　lunged；　throwing　her　arms　around　him；　holding　tight。　The　sinuous　black　thing　wrapped　around　her　legs　undulated；　getting　a　stronger　grip　on　her。　She　screamed　as　it　squeezed。　Richard　yanked　the　sword　free；　filling　the　air　with　its　ringing。
　
　The　green　light　began　to　glow　around　them　as　they　were　dragged　in。
　
　Anger　flooded　through　him。　Richard's　worst　fear　was　ing　to　pass；　something　was　trying　to　take　Kahlan。　The　green　light　brightened。　Being　hauled　across　the　ground；　he　couldn't　reach　the　thing　that　pulled　them。　Kahlan　held　him　hard　by　the　waist；　her　legs　were　too　far　away；　and　the　thing　that　held　her　legs　was　farther　still。
　
　〃Kahlan；　let　go　of　me！〃
　
　She　was　too　terrified　to　do　it。　She　clutched　him