tg.stone of tears-第204部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


re　of　the　lethargic　enemy；　killing　as　many　as　they　could　while　rolling　ahead。　White　death　moved　into　the　mist　once　again。
　
　Kahlan　glanced　behind；　and　saw　the　pairs　of　draft　horses；　their　riders　holding　the　chains　up　between　them。　She　waved　them　into　the　stream　of　white；　urging　them　to　move　faster。　They　started　unhooking　one　end　of　the　chains　from　the　hame　hooks　and　looping　the　chain　over　the　horn　on　the　other　horse；　to　give　each　horse　freedom；　now　that　they　needed　to　make　a　quick　escape。
　
　In　the　distance；　in　the　fog　to　the　right；　she　saw　a　line　of　picketed　horses。　She　saw　Brin　and　Peter　e　together；　snap　the　end　of　the　chain　over　the　other　hook　again　and　urge　Daisy　and　Pip　into　gallops。　She　thought　to　scream　at　them；　to　order　them　to　keep　with　the　others；　that　they　couldn’t　hope　to　get　them　all；　that　they　had　done　enough　and　must　leave　now；　that　it　was　too　late。　But　she　knew　they　wouldn’t　hear　her。
　
　Brin　dropped　the　loops　of　chain。　They　spread　the　horses　to　pull　the　steel　taut　as　they　peeled　away　toward　the　picket　line　of　horses。　The　hooves　of　the　big　horses　thundered　across　the　ground。　She　took　a　last　look　at　Brin　and　Peter；　knowing　it　would　be　the　last　time　she　ever　looked　upon　them　in　this　world；　and　then　turned　her　attention　ahead。
　
　She　pointed　with　her　sword。　‘There　are　the　rest　of　the　supply　wagons！’
　
　The　men　knew　what　to　do。　As　she　charged　the　column　past；　the　wagons　were　doused　with　lamp　oil。　Wheels　were　staved　in；　and　torches　thrown。　The　wagons　erupted　in　flame。　More　torches　set　fire　to　tents。　The　men　brought　awake　by　the　noise　and　fire　found　blades　sweeping　at　them。　The　fires　faded　into　an　orange　glow　in　the　mist　behind　as　they　plunged　onward　into　the　fog。
　
　Suddenly　they　broke　free　of　the　camp；　and　were　in　open　snow。　Now　that　they　were　away　from　the　camp；　and　its　fires；　the　darkness　pressed　around　them。　The　men　in　front　faltered；　looking　about　as　they　jogged。
　
　‘Scouts　forward！’　she　yelled。　‘Where　are　the　scouts！’
　
　Two　men　charged　through　the　ranks；　to　the　fore；　pointing　out　the　direction　of　the　pass　they　sought。　She　looked　for　the　others；　turning　from　side　to　side。　None　came。　She　galloped　Nick　to　the　van；　after　the　two　scouts。
　
　‘Where　are　the　others！　They　were　ordered　to　be　in　the　lead！’
　
　The　round；　wet　eyes　that　looked　up　at　her　answered　her　question　without　words。
　
　‘All　right；’　she　said；　‘you　two　know　the　way。　Get　us　out　of　here。’
　
　Fifty　men　had　scouted　the　pass　they　wanted。　Fifty；　to　be　sure　there　would　be　a　good　number　left　to　show　the　way。　Two　were　left。
　
　With　a　silent　growl　she　cursed　the　spirits。　Shamefaced；　she　called　the　curse　back。　They　had　at　least　left　her　those　two；　without　them；　they　would　be　left　to　wander　in　the　fog；　freezing　and　vincible　to　the　men　of　the　Order　chasing　them。
　
　She　pulled　Nick　to　a　halt　beside　the　stream　of　naked　men。　She　swooped　her　arm　frantically。
　
　‘Move　move　move！　Run；　curse　you；　run！　They’ll　be　on　top　of　us！’　The　men　on　the　draft　horses；　Brin　and　Peter　not　among　them；　came　abreast　of　her。　‘Drivers！　Watch　for　the　scout　ahead！　He’ll　show　you　the　stakes　to　follow。’　They　nodded　that　they　remembered。
　
　Men　in　D’Haran　uniforms；　with　white　cloth　swatches　sewn　into　their　epaulets　to　show　that　they　were　in　fact　the　Galean　men　who　had　infiltrated　the　enemy　camp　in　the　uniforms　of　the　sentries；　ran　past。　‘Don’t　forget　to　pull　up　the　stakes　before　you　get　up　on　the　horses。’
　
　They　were　to　double　or　triple　up　on　the　draft　horses　and　ride　to　one　of　the　other　small　camps　established　around　the　enemy。　Earlier　in　the　day；　they　had　made　trails　all　over　the　valley　so　that　without　the　sticks　stuck　in　the　snow　to　mark　the　proper　trail；　none　would　know　the　way　to　those　camps。
　
　The　trail　through　the　snow　from　all　the　men　on　foot　would　be　easy　for　the　enemy　to　follow。　But　they　had　plans　to　take　care　of　that。
　
　In　the　distance；　back　toward　the　Order；　she　saw　the　rear　guard　engaged　in　a　pitched　battle。　Lieutenant　Sloan　was　supposed　to　keep　that　from　happening；　and　keep　the　rear　moving。　Cursing　anew；　she　galloped　her　horse　back。　Without　pause；　she　charged　between　the　two　forces；　spun　and　charged　through　again；　separating　the　two　sides。　The　leather…clad　D’Harans　fell　back　at　the　sight　of　the　white　spirit　woman　atop　a　white　horse。
　
　She　waded　in　among　the　Galeans。　‘What’s　the　matter　with　you！　You　know　the　orders！　Run；　or　you　won’t　make　it！’
　
　The　men　started　moving；　trying　to　drag　a　body　with　them。
　
　‘Where’s　Lieutenant　Sloan！　He’s　supposed　to　be　back　here！’
　
　The　men　nodded　to　the　body　they　were　dragging。　The　side　of　the　head　was　gone；　and　she　could　see　the　exposed　brain。　It　was　Lieutenant　Sloan。　The　D’Harans　charged　in　again。　She　pulled　the　reins　and　Nick　reared。　The　D’Harans　fell　back　once　more。
　
　‘He’s　dead！　Leave　him！　Run！　Run；　you　idiots！　If　any　of　you　stops　again　for　anything；　I’ll　make　you　fight　the　rest　of　this　war　naked！　Now　run！’
　
　This　time　they　took　off　in　earnest；　kicking　up　snow；　running　for　their　lives。　Again　she　swept　past　the　line　of　drunken　D’Harans；　causing　them　to　stumble　backward　and　fall　over　one　another　in　panic。　She　had　to　stall　these　men　to　give　her　own　time　to　gain　enough　of　a　lead。
　
　She　ran　Nick　through　the　D’Harans；　trampling　those　who　got　in　the　way。　The　men　scattered　in　momentary　dread　of　the　white　spirit　woman；　some　calling　to　the　spirits　for　protection。　But　others　came　back　swinging　weapons。　If　they　caught　Nick’s　legs　。。。
　
　She　fought　back　with　her　sword　and　her　warhorse；　as　they　closed　around　her。　Her　men　were　fading　into　the　fog。　Run；　she　bid　them；　run。　She　swung　the　sword　at　men　who　reached　out。　The　next　time　she　glanced　back；　she　saw　nothing　but　dark　fog　and　mist。　She　was　losing　her　sense　of　direction　as　she　wheeled　Nick　around；　charging　at　the　men；　trying　to　buy　her　own　men　the　time　they　needed　to　escape。
　
　She　tried　to　break　away；　but　the　enemy　swarmed　around　her；　with　more　ing　all　the　time。　Some　yelled　at　the　others　that　she　was　just　a　woman；　and　not　a　spirit；　and　they　weren’t　going　to　let　a　woman　get　away。　She　felt　more　naked　than　she　had　felt　all　night。
　
　Men　threw　themselves　around　Nick’s　legs；　and　although　he　reared　and　kicked　them　off；　even　more　took　their　place；　staggering　the　big　horse　with　their　weight。　Kahlan　hacked　furiously　at　the　men；　shearing　off　arms；　splitting　skulls；　and　stabbing　bodies。
　
　With　a　sea　of　men　all　around　her；　she　suddenly　realized　that　her　situation　was　untenable。　She　knew　that　if　they　got　her　off　her　horse；　she　was　finished；　and　her　horse　was　being　hobbled。　Try　as　she　might；　she　couldn’t　get　the　men　away。
　
　For　the　first　time　that　night；　she　truly　feared　she　wasn’t　going　to　make　it。　She　was　going　to　die；　here；　in　the　snow；　in　this　mist…shrouded　valley。　She　would　never　see　Richard　again。
　
　She　felt　an　abrupt；　icy　pain　in　the　bite　on　her　neck。　Darken　Rahl’s　bite。　She　thought　she　heard　quiet　laughter　in　the　air。
　
　She　slashed　away　at　the　men　grabbing　for　her。　Powerful　fingers　clutched　her　legs。　The　pain　of　those　fingers　urged　her　into　frantic　stabbing。　Nick　managed　to　spin；　the　men’s　feet　flying　outward；　but　they　held　on