tg.stone of tears-第269部分

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　‘What　does　that　have　do　do　with　anything？’
　
　‘You　are　a　child　of　balance。　Wizards　must　balance　themselves；　the　things　they　do；　their　power。　War　wizards　rarely　eat　meat。　Their　abstinence　is　a　balance　for　the　killing　they　sometimes　must　do。’
　
　‘I’m　sorry；　Ann；　but　I　just　can’t　believe　I　have　Subtractive　Magic。’
　
　That’s　why　you　are　such　a　danger。　Every　time　you　encounter　magic；　your　Han　learns　more　about　how　to　protect　you；　to　serve　you；　but　you　are　not　aware　that　it　is　learning。　The　Rada’Han　helps　it　grow；　though　you’re　not　aware　of　the　process。
　
　‘You　do　things　without　knowing　the　importance；　or　the　reason；　like　when　you　were　drawn　to　the　black　sorcerer’s　sand　and　took　it；　or　when　you　took　the　round　skrin　bone　from　Adie。’
　
　Richard’s　brow　pulled　together。　‘You　know　Adie；　too？’
　
　‘Yes；　she　helped　your　father　and　me　get　through　the　pass；　so　we　could　retrieve　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows。’
　
　‘What　round　bone　are　you　talking　about？’
　
　Richard　saw　the　slightest　twitch　of　alarm　in　her　eyes。
　
　‘Adie　had　a　round　bone；　carved　all　over　with　beasts。　It’s　an　object　of　great　power。　Your　Subtractive　Magic　would　have　drawn　you　to　it。’
　
　Richard　remembered　seeing　the　round　bone　on　a　high　shelf。　‘I　saw　such　a　thing　at　her　house；　but　I　didn’t　take　it。　I　wouldn’t　take　something　that　didn’t　belong　to　me。　Maybe　that　means　I　don’t　really　have　Subtractive　Magic。’
　
　She　straightened。　‘No；　you　noticed　it。　The　fact　that　you　didn’t　take　it　means　only　that　since　you　did　not　have　the　Rada’Han　on　yet；　your　power　had　not　developed　enough　to　draw　you　to　the　skrin　bone；　the　way　it　drew　you　to　the　black　sand。’
　
　Richard　hesitated。　‘Is　this　some　kind　of　problem？’
　
　She　smiled。　It　looked　forced　to　him。　‘No。　Adie　would　protect　that　bone　with　her　life。　She　knows　how　important　it　is。　You　can　recover　it　in　the　future。’
　
　‘What　does　it　do？’
　
　‘It　helps　protect　the　veil。　When　used　by　a　war　wizard；　like　you；　with　both　powers；　it　invokes　the　skrin。　The　skrin　are　a　force　that　helps　keep　the　worlds　separated。　You　might　say　they　are　guardians　of　the　boundary　between　worlds。’
　
　‘What　if　the　wrong　person　got　their　hands　on　it？　A　person　wishing　to　help　the　Keeper？’
　
　She　pulled　on　his　shirt；　urging　him　up。　‘You　worry　too　much；　Richard。　I　have　work　to　do。　You　must　leave　me　to　it；　now。　Do　your　best；　child；　and　study。　Learn　to　touch　your　Han；　to　get　control　of　it。　You　must　learn　if　you　are　to　be　of　any　help　to　the　Creator。’
　
　Richard　turned　back　to　her。　She　was　staring　off。
　
　Ann；　why　does　the　Keeper　want　the　world　of　the　living？　What　will　it　gain　him？　What　is　the　purpose？’
　
　Her　answer　came　in　a　soft；　distant　voice。　‘Death　is　the　antithesis　of　life。　The　Keeper　exists　to　consume　the　living。　His　hatred　of　life　has　no　bounds。　His　hatred　is　as　eternal　as　his　prison　of　death。’
　
　
　CHAPTER　62
　
　Richard　was　in　a　world　of　his　own　as　he　headed　for　the　stone　bridge。　He　had　been　cloistered　in　his　room　for　days；　thinking。　When　the　Sisters　came　to　give　him　his　lessons；　he　put　in　only　a　halfhearted　effort。　He　now　feared　he　just　might　touch　his　Han。
　
　Warren　was　busy　day　and　night　in　the　vaults；　checking　what　Richard　had　told　him　and　looking　for　more　information。　There　had　to　be　at　least　some　truth　to　what　the　Prelate　had　told　him　…　why　else　would　the　Keeper　not　yet　have　used　the　gateway；　if　he　could。
　
　He　needed　to　go　for　a　walk。　He　felt　as　if　his　head　were　about　to　burst。　He　just　wanted　to　be　away　from　the　palace　for　a　while。
　
　Pasha　suddenly　appeared　at　his　side。　‘I’ve　been　looking　for　you。’
　
　He　stared　ahead　as　he　walked。　‘Why？’
　
　‘I　just　wanted　to　be　with　you。’
　
　‘Well；　I’m　going　for　a　walk　in　the　country。’
　
　She　shrugged。　‘I　wouldn’t　mind　a　walk。　May　I　e　along？’
　
　Richard　looked　over。　She　was　in　her　wispy　maroon　dress；　the　one　with　the　V…shaped　neckline。　The　day　was　chilly。　At　least　she　had　on　a　useful…looking　violet　cloak。　She　was　wearing　big　gold　loop　earrings。　Her　belt　matched　her　necklace；　with　the　same　kind　of　gold　medallions。　She　looked　alluring　in　the　outfit；　but　they　weren’t　exactly　hiking…in…the…country　clothes。
　
　‘Are　you　wearing　those　useless　slippers？’
　
　She　held　a　foot　out　to　show　him　her　tooled　leather　boots。　‘I　had　them　made　special；　just　so　I　could　go　for　walks　with　you。’
　
　Made　special；　he　grumbled　to　himself。　Richard　remembered　how　hurt　she　had　been　that　time　he　had　told　her　that　the　blue　dress　didn’t　bee　her。　He　didn’t　want　to　hurt　her　feelings　by　sending　her　away。　She　was　only　trying　to　please　him。　Maybe；　he　thought；　the　pany　of　a　smiling　face　would　do　him　good。
　
　‘Well；　all　right　then。　I　guess　you　can　e　along；　as　long　as　you　don’t　think　I’m　going　to　entertain　you　in　conversation。’
　
　She　grinned　and　took　his　arm。　‘I’d　be　happy　just　to　walk　with　you。’
　
　At　least　having　Pasha　on　his　arm　kept　most　of　the　women　away　from　him　as　they　passed　through　the　city。　The　ones　who　did　boldly　approach　earned　a　glare　from　Pasha。　The　ones　who　braved　the　glare　earned　something　else：　a　touch　of　her　Han。　They　yelped　from　the　invisible　pinch　and　made　themselves　scarce。
　
　Richard　understood；　now；　why　the　palace　was　breeding　wizards。　They　were　trying　to　get　one　with　Additive　and　Sub…tractive　Magic。
　
　And　now　they　had　one。
　
　They　walked　silently　up　into　hills　bathed　in　the　golden　light　of　the　late…afternoon　sun。　Richard　felt　better　out　in　the　open；　rocky　hills　overlooking　the　city。　Though　it　was　an　illusion；　he　felt　free。　He　suddenly　wished　Pasha　weren’t　along。　He　hadn’t　e　out　to　see　Gratch　in　days。　Gratch　was　probably　frantic。
　
　He　was　at　a　loss　as　to　what　he　was　going　to　do　next。　He　didn’t　know　if　everything　the　Prelate　had　said　was　true；　and　he　didn’t　know　which　he　feared　more　…　that　it　was　a　lie；　or　the　truth。
　
　Pasha’s　hand　on　his　arm　tightened　in　a　way　that　brought　him　out　of　his　brooding　thoughts　and　made　him　draw　to　a　halt。　She　glanced　about　nervously。　He　could　tell　by　the　way　she　was　breathing　through　her　mouth　that　she　was　frightened。
　
　‘What’s　wrong？’　he　whispered。
　
　Her　gaze　searched　the　surrounding　rocks。　‘Richard；　there　is　something　out　here。　Please；　let’s　go　back。’
　
　Richard　drew　the　sword。　Its　unique　ring　filled　the　still　afternoon　air。　He　felt　nothing；　no　sense　of　danger；　but　Pasha’s　Han　obviously　felt　something　that　frightened　her。
　
　Pasha　let　out　a　little　shriek。　Richard　spun。　Gratch’s　head　poked　up　above　a　rock。　Pasha　backed　away。
　
　‘It’s　all　right；　he　won’t　hurt　you。’
　
　Gratch　gave　a　tentative　grin；　showing　his　fangs；　as　he　stood　to　his　full；　towering　height。
　
　‘Kill　it！’　she　screamed。　‘It’s　a　beast！　Kill　it！’
　
　‘Pasha；　calm　down。　He　won’t　hurt　you。’
　
　She　backed　farther　away。　Gratch　stood　looking　from　Richard　to　Pasha；　not　knowing　what　to　do。　Richard　realized　she　might　use　her　power　to　hurt　the　gar；　so　he　put　himself　between　the　two。
　
　‘Richard！　Move！　It　must　be　killed！　It’s　a　beast！’
　
　‘It　won’t　hurt　you。　I　know　him。　Pasha　。。。’
　
　She　turned　and　ran；　her　violet　cloak　flying　behind。　Richard　groaned　as　h