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h something new was aborning。
Much later that night； he stirred and found the keen gleams peering at him again through his closed eyelids。 He was still far from consciousness； but the notes of the melody roused him enough to hear feet shuffling toward him across the grass。 〃Ah； mercy；〃 an old woman's voice sighed over him； 〃mercy。 So peace and silence e to this。 I left all thought of such work…and yet my rest es to this。 Have mercy。〃
Hands cleared the gentle bindings from his head and face。
〃Yes I see…for this reason the Forest called me from my old repose。 Injured…cold…ill。 And he has eaten amanibhavam。 Ah； mercy。 How the world intrudes； when even Morinmoss bestirs itself for such things as this。 Well； the grass has kept life in him； whatever its penalty。 But I mislike the look of his thoughts。 He will be a sore trial to me。〃
Covenant heard the words； though they did not penetrate the cold center of his sleep。 He tried to open his eyes； but they kept themselves closed as if out of fear of what he might see。 The old woman's hands as they searched him for other injuries filled him with loathing； yet he lay still； slumberous； shackled in mad dreams。 He had no volition with which to oppose her。 So he lurked within himself； hid from her until he could spring and strike her down and free himself。
〃Mercy；〃 she mumbled on to herself； 〃mercy； indeed。 Cold…ill and broken…minded。 I left such work。 Where will I find the strength for it？〃 Then her deft fingers bared his left hand； and she gasped； 〃Melenkurion！ White gold？ Ah； by the Seven！ How has such a burden e to me？〃
The need to protect his ring from her drew him closer to consciousness。 He could not move his hand； could not even clench his fist around the ring； so he sought to distract her。
〃Lena；〃 he croaked through cracked lips； without knowing what he said。 〃Lena？ Are you still alive？〃
With an effort he pried open his eyes。
THIRTEEN
The Healer
Still sleep shrouded his sight； at first he saw nothing except the pact； baleful light of the trees。 But his ring was in danger from her。 He was jealous of his white gold。 Sleep or no sleep； he did not mean to give it up。 He strove to focus his eyes； strove to e far enough out of hiding to engage her attention。
Then a soft stroke of her hand swept the cobwebs from his eyebrows； and he found that he could see her。
〃Lena？〃 he croaked again。
She was a dusky； loamy woman； with hair like tangled brown grass； and an old face uneven and crude of outline； as if it had been inexpertly molded in clay。 The hood of a tattered fallow…green cloak covered the crown of her head。 And her eyes were the brown of soft mud； an unexpected and suggestive brown； as if the silt of some private devotion filled her orbs； effaced her pupils…as if the black； round nexus between her mind and the outside world were something that she had surrendered in exchange for the rare； rich loam of power。 Yet there was no。 confidence； no surety； in her gaze as she regarded him； the life which had formed her eyes was far behind her。 Now she was old； timorous。 Her voice rustled like the creaking of antique parchment as she asked； 〃Lena？〃
〃Are you still alive？〃
〃Am I…？ No； I am not your Lena。 She is dead…if the look of you tells any truth。 Mercy。〃
Mercy； he echoed soundlessly。
〃This is the doing of the amanibhavam。 Perhaps you have preserved your life in eating it…but surely you know that it is poison to you； a food too potent for human flesh。〃
〃Are you still alive？〃 he repeated with cunning in his throat。 Thus he disguised himself； protected that part of him which had e out of hiding and sleep to ward his ring。 Only the damaged state of his features kept him from grinning at his own slyness。
〃Perhaps not；〃 she sighed。 〃But let that pass。 You have no knowledge of what you say。 You are cold…ill and poison…mad…and…and there is a sickness in you that I do not prehend。〃
〃Why aren't you dead？〃
She brought her face close to his； and went on： 〃Listen to me。 I know that the hand of confusion is upon you…but listen to me。 Hear and hold my words。 You have e in some way into Morinmoss Forest。 I am…a Healer； an Unfettered One who turned to the work of healing。 I will help you…because you are in need； and because the white gold reveals that great matters are afoot in the Land…and because the Forest found its voice to summon me for you； though that also I do not prehend。〃
〃I saw him kill you。〃 The raw croak of Covenant's voice sounded like horror and grief； but in his depths he hugged himself for glee at his cunning。
She drew back her head but showed no other reaction to what he had said。 〃I came to this place from…from my life…because the Forest's unquiet slumber met my own long ache for repose。 I am a Healer； and Morinmoss permits me。 Yet now it speaks… Great matters； indeed。 Ah； mercy。 It is in my heart that the Colossus itself… Well； I wander。 I have made my home here for many years。 I am accustomed to speak only for my own pleasure。〃
〃I saw。〃
〃Do you not hear me？〃
〃He stabbed you with a wooden spike。 I saw the blood。〃
〃Mercy！ Is your life so violent then？ Well； let that pass also。 You do not hear me…you have fallen too far into the amanibhavam。 But violent or not I must aid you。 It is well that my eyes have not forgotten their work。 I see that you are too weak to harm me； whatever your purpose。〃
Weak； he echoed to himself。 What she said was true； he was too frail even to clench his fist for the protection of his wedding band。 〃Have you e back to haunt me？〃 he gasped。 〃To blame me？〃
'' Speak if you must；'' she said in a rustling tone； 〃but I cannot listen。 I must be about my work。〃 With a low groan； she climbed to her feet and moved stiffly away from him。
〃That's it；〃 he continued； impelled by his grotesque inner glee。 〃That's it； isn't it？ You've e back to torture me。 You're not satisfied that I killed him。 I put that knife all the way into his heart but you're not satisfied。 You want to hurt me some more。 You want me to go crazy thinking about all the things I'm guilty of。 I did Foul's work for him； and you came to torture me for it。 You and your blood！ Where were you when it would have made a difference what happens to me？ Why didn't you try to get even with me after I raped you？ Why wait until now？ If you'd made me pay for what I did then； maybe I would have figured out what's going on before this。 All that generosity…！ It was cruel。 Oh； Lena！ I didn't even understand what I'd done to you until it was too late； too late； I couldn't help myself。 What are you waiting for？ Torture me！ I need pain！〃
〃You need food；〃 the Healer muttered as if he had disgusted her。 With one hand she fixed his jaw in an odd pelling grip while the other placed two or three treasure…berries in his mouth。 〃Swallow the seeds。 They； too； will sustain you。〃
He wanted to spit out the aliantha； but her grip made him chew in spite of himself。 Her other hand stroked his throat until he swallowed； then fed him more of the berries。 Soon she had coerced him to eat several mouthfuls。 He could feel sustenance flowing into him； yet for some reason it seemed to feed his deep slumber rather than his cunning。 Before long he could not remember what he had been saying。 An involuntary drowsiness shone into him from the trees。 He was unable to resist or ply when the Healer lifted him from the grass。
Grunting at the strain； she raised his limp form until he was half erect in her arms。 Then she leaned him against her back with his arms over her shoulders； and gripped his upper arms like the handles of a burden。 His feet dragged behind him； he dangled on her squat shoulders。 But she bore his weight； carried him like a dead sack into the pale white night of Morinmoss。
While he drowsed； she took him laboriously farther and farther into the secret depths of the Forest。 And as they left its borders behind； they passed into warmer air and greater health…a region where spring had not been quenched by Lord Foul's winter。 Leaves multiplied and spread out around bird nests to cloak the branches； moss and grass and small woodland animals increase