魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第14部分

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hand。　So　Lorena　put　aside　her　intense　dislike　for　the　man　himself　and　forced　a　smile　onto　her　face。　

Yes；　Chamberlain；　I　have　a　report　for　the　lady；　which　I　ll　give　her　as　soon　as　she　arrives。　　

Kristoff　smiled。　It　was　the　most　insincere　smile　Lorena　had　ever　seen；　and　after　spending　years　guarding　the　keep　at
Kul　Tiras；　it　was　against　some　stiff　petition。　You　may　give　it　to　me；　and　I　can　assure　you　that　I　will　pass　it　on
to　Lady　Proudmoore。　　

I　prefer　to　wait　for　milady　myself；　sir；　if　you　don　t　mind。　　

She　is　away　on　official　business。　　Kristoff　inhaled　sharply。　She　could　be　some　time。　　

Giving　the　chamberlain　an　insincere　smile　of　her　own；　the　colonel　said；　The　lady　s　a　mage　when　her　business　is
conducted；　she　ll　be　back　in　an　instant。　And　she　wished　me　to　report　directly　to　her。　　

Colonel
　
Whatever　Kristoff　was　about　to　say　was　lost　to　a　loud　popping　sound　and　a　flash　of　light　that　heralded　the　arrival　of
Lady　Proudmoore。　

She　wasn　t　much　to　look　at；　the　colonel　had　always　thought；　but　she　had　also　learned　early　on　that　mages　were　not
ones　to　judge　on　appearances。　Lorena　had　spent　all　her　life　trying　to　make　herself　look　as　male　as　possible
keeping　her　hair　cut　short；　not　shaving　her　legs；　wearing　undergarments　that　hid　her　breasts　and　even　with　all　that；
she　was　often　dismissed　as　being　　just　　a　woman。　It　amazed　Lorena　how　this　small；　pale　woman　with　her　golden
hair　and　deep　blue　eyes　managed　to　gain　the　respect　of　so　many。　

In　part；　Lorena　supposed　it　was　the　way　she　carried　herself。　She　seemed　to　be　the　tallest　person　in　whatever　room
she　stood　in；　even　though　she　was　often　the　shortest。　Her　clothes　all　tended　to　be　white：　boots；　blouse；　pantaloons；
cloak。　Most　amazingly；　the　clothes　remained　a　shiny　white。　It　took　a　week　out　of　every　year　of　a　soldier　s　life　to
keep　the　white　trim　in　the　plate　armor　from　turning　brown　or　gray；　and　most　were　unsuccessful；　yet　Lady　
Proudmoore　s　clothes　almost　glowed。　

Lorena　supposed　that　was　a　fortuitous　side　effect　of　being　a　powerful　mage。　

Colonel；　you　ve　returned。　　Lady　Proudmoore　spoke　as　if　she　d　been　standing　in　the　room　all　along。　Please　
report。　　

Quickly　and　concisely；　Lorena　told　the　lady；　as　well　as　the　chamberlain；　what　she　and　her　people　had　learned　at
Northwatch。　

Kristoff　pursed　his　thin　lips。　I　ve　never　heard　of　this　Burning　Blade。　　

I　have。　　The　lady　had　flipped　back　her　hood；　letting　her　golden　curls　loose；　and　sat　at　her　desk　while　Lorena　was
giving　her　report；　and　she　now　put　a　finger　to　her　chin。　There　was　an　orc　clan　by　that　name；　but　they　ve　been
wiped　out。　And　some　of　the　Elite　Guard　have　mentioned　it　in　passing。　　

Lorena　didn　t　like　the　sound　of　this。　It　was　one　thing　for　Strov　to　have　heard　of　it；　but　if　rumors　of　this　anization
were　reaching　the　lady　s　personal　guards；　then　something　was　amiss。　These　were　orcs；　ma　am；　that　much　I　m　sure　
of。　　

Or　were　made　to　look　like　orcs；　　Lady　Proudmoore　said。　They　obviously　had　use　of　magic　which　is　vexing　
enough　and　therefore　could　have　been　deliberately　masking　themselves。　After　all；　an　unprovoked　attack　on　human
soldiers　by　orcs　would　do　much　to　destabilize　our　alliance。　　

It　is　also　possible；　　Kristoff　said；　that　these　are　orc　agitators　who　are　using　this　extinct　clan　for　their　own
purposes。　　

Lorena　shook　her　head。　That　doesn　t　explain　how　Private　Strov　s　brother　heard　of　them　in　a　Theramore　tavern。　　

The　lady　nodded；　her　thoughts　seeming　to　turn　inward；　as　if　she　fot　there　were　others　in　the　room。　Lorena　had
known　few　wizards　in　her　time；　but　they　all　had　a　tendency　to　wander　mentally。　

However；　unlike　those　other　mages　who　often　needed　a　club　to　the　head　to　pay　attention　to　the　world　around　
them　Lady　Proudmoore　usually　was　able　to　bring　herself　back　to　reality　on　her　own。　She　did　so　now；　and　stood
up。　Colonel；　I　want　you　to　investigate　this　Burning　Blade。　We　need　to　know　who　they　are；　how　they　operate；
especially　if　they　re　using　magic。　If　they　have　orc　recruits；　then　why　try　to　lure　humans？　Get　to　the　bottom　of　it；
Lorena　use　whoever　you　need。　　

Standing　straight；　Lorena　saluted。　Yes；　ma　am。　　

Kristoff；　I　m　afraid　I　m　going　to　need　to　depart　immediately。　Thunder　lizards　have　gotten　loose　from　Thunder
Ridge；　and　are　endangering　Drygulch　Ravine。　　
　
Frowning；　the　chamberlain　said；　I　fail　to　see　how　that　concerns　us　or　you。　　

A　section　of　the　forest　that　keeps　the　lizards　contained　in　the　ridge　has　been　razed　to　the　stump。　Orcs　did　not　do
that。　　

How　can　you　be　sure　of　that？　　Kristoff　sounded　incredulous。　

Lorena　felt　much　the　same　way　at　the　chamberlain　s　idiotic　words。　It　can　t　possibly　have　been　orcs。　　Realizing　she
spoke　out　of　turn；　she　shot　Lady　Proudmoore　a　look。　I　m　sorry；　ma　am。　　

Smiling；　the　lady　said；　Quite　all　right。　Please；　continue。　　

Looking　back　at　Kristoff；　Lorena　said；　Even　when　they　were　cursed　by　the　Burning　Legion；　orcs　would　never　do
such　a　thing。　Orcs　have　always　had　a　reverence　for　the　land　that；　frankly；　borders　on　the　psychotic。　　

Lady　Proudmoore　chuckled。　Actually；　I　d　say　that　the　human　proclivity　for　abuse　of　nature　is　what　borders　on　the　
psychotic；　but　the　colonel　s　point　is　well　taken。　Orcs　simply　aren　t　capable　of　doing　that　especially　given　what　
would　happen　with　the　thunder　lizards。　That　leaves　the　trolls；　who　have　ceded　themselves　to　Thrall　s　rule；　the　
goblins；　who　are　neutral；　and　us　allies　of　Durotar。　　She　sighed。　In　addition；　there　is　no　sign　of　the　lumber　that
was　cut　down。　It　had　to　have　been　transported；　but　there　are　no　reports　of　any　convoys；　by　air　or　land。　Which　means
magic。　　

Not　liking　the　sound　of　that　at　all；　Lorena　asked；　　Ma　am；　do　you　believe　the　Burning　Blade　had　something　to　do
with　it？　　

After　hearing　your　report；　Colonel；　I　m　very　much　inclined　in　that　direction　and　that　s　what　I　want　you　to　learn。　　

Kristoff　folded　his　spindly　arms　over　his　small　chest。　I　fail　to　see　how　this　requires　your　being　away　from
Theramore。　　

I　promised　Thrall　I　would　investigate　personally。　　She　smiled　wryly。　Right　now；　I　m　his　best　suspect　for　
performing　this　act；　since　cutting　down　the　trees　and　teleporting　them　elsewhere　on　Kalimdor　is　well　within　my　
abilities。　What　better　way　to　prove　my　innocence　than　to　learn　the　truth　myself？　　

I　can　think　of　several　ways；　　Kristoff　said　sourly。　

Lady　Proudmoore　walked　around　to　the　other　side　of　her　desk；　standing　face　to　face　with　her　chamberlain。　There　is
another　reason。　It　is　quite　possible　that　magic　is　afoot　here。　Powerful　magic。　If　there　is　magic　of　this　much　power　on
Kalimdor；　I　need　to　know　who　is　wielding　it　and　learn　ained　secretive。　　

If　magic　is　involved。　　Kristoff　sounded　so　petulant　Lorena　wanted　desperately　to　punch　him。　However；　he　then　let
out　a　long　breath　and　unfolded　his　arms。　Still；　I　suppose　that　is　a　legitimate　concern。　At　the　very　least；　it　does　need
to　be　investigated。　I　withdraw　my　objections。　　

Dryly；　the　lady　said；　I　m　so　glad　you　approve；　Kristoff。　　She　walked　back　to　her　desk；　rummaging　through　the　pile　
of　scrolls。　I　will　depart　in　the　morning。　Kristoff；　you　will　handle　things　while　I　m　gone；　as　I　m　not　sure　how　long　
this　will　take。　You　will　be　empowered　to　act　in　my　name　until　my　return。　　Turning　toward　Lorena；　she　added；
Good　hunting；　Colonel。　You　re　both　dismissed。　　

Lorena　saluted　again；　turned　on　her　heel；　and　departed。　As　she　exited；　she　heard　Kristoff　start　to　say　something；　but
the　lady　interrupted。　I　said　you　were　dismissed；　Chamberlain。　　

Of　course；　ma　am。　　

The　colonel　couldn　t　help　but　smile　at　the　peeved　tone　in　the　chamberlain　s　voice。　
　


There　were　times　when　Jaina　Proudmoore　really　hated　being　right。　

Being　wrong　was　never　something　that　bothered　her；　and　she　mostly　blamed　Antonidas　for　that。　Her　mentor　had
drummed　into　her　from　the　moment　her　apprenticeship　started　that　the　worst　sin　a　mage　could　mit　was
arrogance；　and　also　the　easiest。　With　so　much　power　at　your　mand　literally　at　your　fingertips　it　is　easy　to
be　tempted　to　think　that　you　are　allpowerful；　　the　older　wizard　had　said。　Indeed　it　is　so　easy　that　most　wizards
succumb　to　the　notion。　It　is　one　of　the　reasons　why　we　are　often　so　tiresome。　　That　last　had　been