魔兽争霸官方小说:仇恨之轮-Cycle of Hatred(英文版)-第38部分

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Northwatch。　　

Indeed。　It　was　far　easier　for　our　people　to　cooperate　with　the　Burning　Legion　as　a　mon　enemy。　Now…　　His
voice　trailed　off。　

Silence　hung　in　the　air　for　a　few　moments　before　Jaina　spoke　again。　Before；　I　said　that　after　this　crisis　was　solved；
we　would　speak　of　a　treaty　between　our　people。　　

Yes。　If　this　alliance　is　to　outlive　the　two　of　us　and　it　must；　if　both　humans　and　orcs　are　to　survive　then　we　must　
formalize　our　alliance。　　

I　suggest　we　meet　one　week　from　today　at　Ratchet　it　s　a　neutral　port；　and　we　can　work　out　the　specifics。　　

Agreed。　I　shall　bring　Kalthar　he　is　the　wisest　of　us。　　

Jaina　couldn　t　help　herself。　Wiser　even　than　the　Warchief？　　

Thrall　laughed。　Far　far　wiser　than　he。　It　will　be　done；　Jaina。　　

Excellent。　Farewell；　Thrall。　I　will　see　you　in　a　week。　　

Farewell；　Jaina。　May　we　e　out　of　this　crisis　stronger　than　ever。　　

Nodding；　Jaina　cast　the　spell　that　would　bring　her　back　to　her　chambers。　

Aegwynn　was　there　waiting　for　her。　It　had　taken　the　old　woman　a　few　days　to　awaken　after　she　passed　out　in　the
cave；　and　Jaina　had　feared　for　a　time　that　the　Guardian　would　not　recover　at　all。　

Jaina　had　barely　enough　left　in　her　to　teleport　the　three　of　them　to　a　spot　a　ways　down　on　Dreadmist　Peak；　away　
from　the　mist。　She　could　not　take　them　any　farther　than　that；　somehow；　she　had　dredged　up　enough　to　contact
Theramore　and　have　an　airship　e　to　fetch　them。　

Although　Jaina　was　fairly　ragged　when　the　dirigible　rescued　them；　Aegwynn　was　as　weak　as　a　kitten。　A　hot　meal
and　a　nap；　and　Jaina　was　fine。　Aegwynn；　however；　needed　a　lot　longer　than　that。　The　Chief　Healer　s　initial
prognosis　was　not　good；　but　after　a　few　days；　he　declared　her　to　have　the　constitution　of　an　elf。　

Sure　enough；　she　recovered　fully。　She　now　sat　in　the　guest　chair　in　Jaina　s　chambers。　About　time　you　got　back。　　

I　see　you　ve　recovered　fully；　Magna　your　tongue　included。　　

Aegwynn　laughed。　　So　it　would　seem。　　

Jaina　fell　more　than　sat　in　her　own　chair；　feeling　rather　tired。　She　wouldn　t　have　minded　a　few　days　to　recover　from
the　ordeal　herself；　but　had　been　unable　to　take　the　time。　There　was　no　chamberlain　to　fob　off　some　of　the　work　on
to。　Duree　had　handled　as　much　as　she　could；　but　as　useful　as　she　was；　she　could　not　deal　with　any　of　the　more　
plex　aspects　of　running　Theramore。　Lorena　had　been　somewhat　more　helpful；　at　least　in　military　matters；　but　
she　too　had　no　skill　with　other　aspects　of　government。　So　Jaina　was　unable　to　devote　herself　fully　to　resting　up
much　to　the　irritation　of　the　healer　which　left　her　fatigued。　

She　regarded　Aegwynn；　who　stared　back　with　her　deep　green　eyes。　It　frightened　Jaina　that　their　entire　victory　over
Zmodlor　was　due　to　the　happenstance　of　her　choosing　the　Bladescar　Highlands　as　the　place　to　relocate　the　thunder　
lizards。　Even　if　she　had　discovered　that　Zmodlor　was　responsible；　without　the　erstwhile　Guardian；　she　never　would
have　been　able　to　defeat　the　demon　and　his　minions。　
　
I　want　to　thank　you；　Mag　Aegwynn。　Without　you；　all　would　have　been　lost。　　

Aegwynn　simply　bowed　her　head　in　response。　

I　suppose　that　you　ll　want　to　return　to　Bladescar？　　

Actually；　　Aegwynn　said　with　a　lone　small　smile；　no。　　

Jaina　blinked。　No？　　

I　d　like　to　return　long　enough　to　retrieve　some　things；　and　pick　from　the　garden　one　last　time　before　the　thunder
lizards　trample　all　over　it。　But　I　ve　been　out　of　the　world　for　far　too　long。　I　think　it　s　time　I　started　living　in　it　again。　
Assuming　that　the　world　will　have　me；　at　any　rate。　　

Most　definitely。　　Jaina　sat　up　in　her　chair。　She　had　hoped　that　Aegwynn　would　feel　that　way；　but　had　not　in　her
wildest　dreams　believed　that　those　hopes　would　bee　reality。　As　it　happens；　I　have　an　opening　for　a　
chamberlain。　It　s　a　position　that　requires　knowledge；　insight；　and　a　willingness　to　put　me　in　my　place　and　tell　me　
off　when　I　need　it。　I　d　say　you　qualify　in　all　regards　especially　the　last　part。　　

Laughing；　Aegwynn　said；　Certainly；　though　the　first　two　are　arguable。　Still；　I　suppose　I　gained　some　knowledge　
and　insight　in　a　thousand　years。　　She　got　to　her　feet。　Jaina　did　likewise。　Aegwynn　held　out　her　hand。　　I　accept。　　

Returning　the　handshake；　Jaina　said；　Excellent。　Thank　you　again；　Aegwynn。　You　won　t　regret　this。　　

No；　but　you　might。　　Aegwynn　broke　the　handshake　and　sat　back　down。　Here　s　my　first　piece　of　advice　to　you　as
your　chamberlain：　Kristoff　was　right。　Zmodlor　was　a　minor　demon。　He　didn　t　have　the　brains　to　e　up　with
something　like　this。　　

Jaina　frowned。　I　thought　you　said　he　started　the　Burning　Blade。　　

Yes；　but　just　as　a　means　to　cull　souls。　A　plan　of　this　plexity　is　far　beyond　him。　You　yourself　said　that　Zmodlor　
wasn　t　the　only　demon　left　behind　after　the　Burning　Legion　was　driven　back。　　

Knowing　the　answer　to　the　question；　Jaina　felt　the　need　to　hear　it　from　the　Guardian　s　lips　noheless。　What　is　it　
you　re　saying；　Aegwynn？　　

I　m　saying；　Jaina；　that　this　is　probably　not　the　last　we　ve　heard　from　the　Burning　Blade。　　

About　the　Author　

Keith　R。A。　DeCandido　is　the　author　of　over　two　dozen　novels；　plus　whole　bunches　of　novellas；　short　stories；
eBooks；　ic　books；　and　nonfiction；　in　a　wide　variety　of　media　universes。　In　addition　to　Warcraft；　he　s　played　in
the　worlds　of　Star　Trek　（in　all　its　incarnations；　plus　some　new　ones）；　StarCraft；　SpiderMan；　the　XMen；　Buffy　the
Vampire　Slayer；　Serenity；　Farscape；　Andromeda；　Resident　Evil；　Xena；　and　a　whole　lot　more。　He　is　also　the　author
of　the　highfantasy　police　procedural　Dragon　Precinct；　and　the　editor　of　many　anthologies；　most　recently　the　award
nominated　Imaginings　and　the　Star　Trek　anthologies　Tales　of　the　Dominion　War　and　Tales　from　the　Captain　s
Table。　His　work　has　journeyed　to　several　bestseller　lists；　and　has　received　critical　acclaim　from　Entertainment
Weekly；　Publishers　Weekly；　TV　Zone；　Starburst；　Dreamwatch；　Library　Journal；　and　Cinescape；　among　others。　He　
lives　in　New　York　City　with　his　girlfriend　and　two　lunatic　cats。　Find　out　too　much　about　Keith　at　his　official
website　at　DeCandido。；　keep　up　with　his　ramblings　on　LiveJournal　under　the　rather　goofy　user　name　of　
kradical；　　or　just　send　him　silly　emails　at　keith@decandido。。　


【冷泉泓薇】整理