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!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
Richard told her that he was in love with someone; and didn’t want to be unfaithful to her。 She grinned and clapped him on the back and said she was proud of him。 Richard didn’t tell her that Kahlan had sent him away; but he wanted to。 He knew that someday; if he could stand it no longer; he could tell Liliana and she would listen; and understand。
Because he was so fortable around her; he felt that if anyone could help him find his Han; it would be her。 He hoped it would be her。 Richard had had only a brother; and didn’t know what it would be like to have a sister; but he imagined that if he did have one; she would be like Liliana。 The name Sister Liliana had a different meaning to him than was intended。 She seemed his soulmate。
Still; he couldn’t let himself open up pletely to her。 The Sisters were his captors; not his friends。 They were the enemy; for now。 But he knew that when the time came; Liliana would side with him。
Richard’s lessons with the six Sisters took up at most two hours a day。 A waste of two hours as far as he was concerned。 He was no closer to touching his Han than he had been the first time Sister Verna had him try。
When Richard could manage to be alone; he explored the land around the palace; and found the limits of his invisible chain。 When he reached the farthest distance the collar would allow him to go; it felt like trying to walk through a ten…foot…thick wall of mud layered over solid rock。 It was frustrating to be able to see beyond; without obstruction; yet not be able to continue walking。
It happened; as near as he could tell; about the same distance from the palace in any direction。 It was a good number of miles; but once he found the limit; his world began to feel very small indeed。
The day he found his boundary; the limits of his prison; he went to the Hagen Woods; and killed a mriswith。
His only true solace was Gratch。 Richard spent most nights with the gar。 He wrestled with his furry friend; ate with him; and slept with him。 Richard hunted food for Gratch; but the gar was learning to hunt on his own。 Richard was relieved to learn that; he didn’t have the time to be with him every night。 Hungry or not; Gratch was always distraught when Richard missed a night。
Richard was worried that Pasha would know where he went all the time; by his collar; but quite by accident he discovered something else his mriswith cape did … it masked from Pasha his whereabouts。 When he wore the cape; she couldn’t find him by his Rada’Han; by his Han。
She was puzzled by his blanking out from her sense of where he was; but didn’t seem too concerned; offering that perhaps it had an explanation that she would e to figure out one day。 She seemed to think it was a deficiency on her part。 Richard never offered her the solution。
He realized that this was the reason none with the gift ever knew a mriswith was ing。 Richard wondered why he had been able to see the beast in his mind。 Maybe it was as Sister Verna said; that he was using his Han。 But Sisters and wizards knew how to use their Han; and couldn’t detect the mriswith。
Richard had an easier time when he could go where he pleased; and know Pasha would not know where he was; it saved thinking up explanations。 He worried that if she ever discovered the reason; she would destroy his cape; so he hid a second for that contingency。
Gratch seemed to be bigger every time Richard saw him。 By the end of Richard’s first month at the palace; the gar was a head taller than R’ichard; and significantly stronger。 When they wrestled; Gratch learned to be careful not to hurt him。
Richard also spent some of his time with Warren; getting him used to going outside。 At first; he took Warren out into the courtyards at night。 Warren told him that the size of the sky and landscape frightened him; so Richard reasoned that night would show him less of the landscape; at least to start。
Warren said that the Sisters had had him down in the vaults for so long that he thought he just became used to being closed in; but he was tired of it。 Richard felt sorry for him; and wanted to help him。 He really liked Warren。 He was about as smart as anyone Richard had ever met。 There didn’t seem to be anything that Warren didn’t know at least a little about。
Warren was nervous about being away from the safety of the palace; but was reassured by Richard’s presence; and the way Richard never ridiculed his fears。 Richard was always considerate; never taking Warren farther than he felt fortable。 Richard told him that it was just like after you were injured and had been laid up for a while: it took time to stretch the old muscles。
After a few weeks of their nighttime forays; Richard started taking Warren out in the daylight; first just up onto the walls to look at the vastness of the sky and ocean。 Warren was always close to a stairway that led back into the palace; so he was reassured by having an escape route close by if he felt he had to go back inside。 A few times he did; and Richard always went with him; and talked about other things to take his mind away from the unfortable feeling。 Richard had Warren bring a book outside with him; so he could be distracted by reading。 Letting Warren forget about the size of the sky helped。
On a bright; sunny day; after Warren had bee fortable out…of…doors; Richard decided to try taking him out into the hills。 Warren was a bit giddy at first; but as they sat on a rock high in the hills; overlooking the countryside and the city; Warren said that he felt as if he had mastered his fear。 He said that he still felt unfortable; but he felt the fear was under control。
He grinned at the vast landscape spread out below; enjoying the sight that for so long his fears denied him。 Richard told him that he was happy that he was the one to have been able to guide him out of his mole hole。 Warren laughed。
Warren said he needed adventure in his life; and this felt like the beginning。
As far as Warren’s search for information was going; he had been able to find out precious little。 He had so far found only a few references in old books that