The cursed towers 296
Bạn đang xem bản rút gọn của tài liệu. Xem và tải ngay bản đầy đủ của tài liệu tại đây (2.9 KB, 1 trang )
Meghan shot her a curious glance but just then Isabeau heard a faint rustle in the hedges and tensed, her
head whipping round. As the breeze shifted she smelt a dank odor, like a stagnant pool or a freshly dug
grave. She clenched her hands, her pulse quickening, and would have risen, but Meghan pulled her back.
"No need to fear, dearling," she said.
"But it's a Mesmerd," Isabeau whispered. "I can smell it—and look! There in the hedge. I can see its
eyes watching us."
"I ken," Meghan replied. "It follows me around. I came through the maze because I thought I might lose it
for a while, but I should have kent better."
"I killed one, up at the Cursed Towers," Isabeau said, troubled. "Will its egg-brothers no' seek revenge
for its death? And ye? Have they no' marked ye as kin-killer too? Mesmerdean have come hunting ye
before."
Meghan smiled. "Many times now. Indeed they are an intractable, vengeful race."
"Then should we no' . . ." Isabeau made to rise again, and again Meghan soothed her.
"No need to fret, lassie. The Mesmerdean have signed the Pact o' Peace. All wars and vendettas have
been laid to rest. They shall no' seek revenge on ye, nor on Iseult or Lachlan."
Isabeau relaxed. "Really? Thank Ea for that! I can stop starting at shadows."
Meghan made no response and the donbeag laid his paw on her ear.
Isabeau sat up a little. "What is it?" she asked, then cried swiftly, "Ye said Lachlan, Iseult and I were
safe. What o' ye?" Before Meghan could answer, Isabeau cried, "Nay, Meghan! Ye havena?" Tears
rushed to her eyes and spilt down her face, hot and bitter.
Buba the owl hooted mournfully and rubbed her tufted head against Isabeau's hand. For once Isabeau
paid her no heed, reaching up to grasp Meghan's thin hand. "No, no, ye canna," she said pitifully.
Meghan stroked back her unruly curls. "I want to," she replied gently. "Death is nothing but a door into
another place, another life. I am no' afraid o' stepping through the door."
" 'Ea, ever-changing life and death, transform us in your sight, open your secrets, open the door. In ye we
shall be free o' darkness without light, and in ye we shall be free o' light without darkness. For both
shadow and radiance are yours, as both life and death are yours. For ye are the rocks and trees and
stars and the deep, deep swell of the sea, ye are the Spinner and the Weaver and the Cutter o' the
Thread, ye are birth and life and death, ye are shadow and brightness, ye are night and day, dusk and
dawn, ye are ever-changing life and death . . ."' Isabeau quoted, stumbling over the words as her breath
caught in little sobs she could not control.
Meghan smiled. "I knew ye would understand." They sat in silence for a moment, watching the stars in
the dark sky and breathing in the fresh, green darkness. Tears slid down Isabeau's face but she did not
break the silence.
Then Meghan said, very low, "They have given me till the time o' the red comet, time enough to see ye
come into your full powers. I would like to know your path lies straight before ye."
Isabeau said, rather shakily, "Four years, anything can happen in four years."
Meghan just stared into the shadow of the hedge, where the Mesmerd hovered, his huge, multifaceted
