纪念盾章 Shield of Remembrance

作者：Anthony Reynolds

奎因在森林中奔跑，步伐轻柔且迅捷。黎明已过，但太阳还没有从东边的山顶露出头。天光冷峻，给一切蒙上了一层灰色。奎因呼出的每一口气都凝成白雾。

Quinn ran through the forest, moving softly and swiftly. It was past dawn, though the sun had not yet risen over the mountain peaks to the east. The light was cold and pale, casting everything in shades of gray. Quinn fogged the air with every measured breath.

这里没有路径可循，这片人迹罕至的林地像一层地毯一样铺满了东郊山脉的山脚。羊齿蕨和藤蔓遮盖住了青苔、石块、朽木和盘错的树根，但相较于任何城市和村镇，反倒是这里更让奎因有归属感，而且她也丝毫没有因为复杂的地形而减慢速度。虽然行进速度飞快，但德玛西亚全境只有少数几名游猎手能有希望辨认出她留下的踪迹——而且这少数几人还都是奎因亲手训练出来的。她的脚步实在是太轻盈了。

There were no paths through the untamed woodlands that spread like a blanket across the foothills of the Eastweald Mountains. Ferns and ivy concealed moss-slick rocks, rotting logs, and wild tangles of roots, but Quinn was more at home here than she was in any city or town, and was not slowed by the rough terrain. Despite her speed, there were only a handful of rangers in Demacia—all of them trained by Quinn herself—who would have had any hope of tracking her, so light was her step.

她视野中有东西一闪而过，于是立刻趴到灌木丛下，突然一动不动。她金色的双眼一眨不眨，目光如炬，洞察一切。

She caught a flicker of movement to her right, and dropped into the undergrowth, instantly motionless. Her eyes were golden, unblinking, and intense, missing nothing.

十次呼吸的时间里，她纹丝未动，在灌木丛中根本无法辨认出来。她又瞥见了动静，立刻警觉起来……最后发现是一头巨角鹿。这是一个大家伙，一对鹿角少说也有两个人的臂展。它已经开始换毛了，随着天气迅速步入严冬，它将换上一身银白色的毛。

For ten breaths she remained still, all but invisible among the brush. She glimpsed movement again, and tensed... until she saw it was a greathorn stag. Big one, too, with a rack of antlers easily two arm spans across. Already its fur was starting to change, turning pale and silvery in anticipation of the rapidly approaching winter.

有人说遇到巨角鹿是吉兆。奎因不太相信这种事，但她现在宁可信其有。这段日子里，德玛西亚需要尽可能多的吉兆。

Some said that encountering a greathorn was a good omen. Quinn was not sure that was true, but she’d take it. These days, Demacia needed as many good omens as it could get.

近几个月里，奎因一直在帮助第十一团搜寻叛乱的法师。弑君者，边沟镇的塞拉斯让那些人胆大妄为，躲进了德玛西亚北部的荒野中。然而她手下的游猎手人数太少，第十一团又只擅长对付正面列阵的敌人。他们打过几次运动战和遭遇战，但感觉就像是与烟雾角力。

In recent months, Quinn had been helping the Eleventh Battalion hunt rebellious mages—emboldened by the king’s murderer, Sylas of Dregbourne—through the wildlands of northern Demacia. Her rangers were too few, however, and the Eleventh’s strength did not lie in chasing an enemy that didn’t stand and fight. There had been running battles and skirmishes, but it was like trying to grasp smoke.

近几周以来，奎因已经损失了三名游猎手，他们的死让她感到十分沉重。所以当她收到命令要离开狩猎法师的前线时，心里是愤愤不平的。她接到的任务是护送盖伦•冕卫和一支无畏先锋分遣队，前往德玛西亚境外进行一次外交访问。她要在三天后抵达绿齿峰南麓与他们会合。

Quinn had lost three rangers in the last weeks, and their deaths weighed heavily upon her. Thus, it did not sit well with her that she had been ordered away from the hunt for rebel mages, and tasked with escorting Garen Crownguard and a detachment of the Dauntless Vanguard on some diplomatic mission beyond Demacia’s borders. She was due to meet up with them three days hence, on the south side of the Greenfang Mountains.

这个任务放在这个时候显得很不合适，奎因很想把它交给手下其他游猎手——或许可以交给榆姆哈特。不过这份动用龙禽递送的军令特意点名让奎因前往。

It hardly seemed the time for such an exercise, and Quinn would much rather have reassigned this mission to one of the others in her command—Elmheart, perhaps. However, the writ of order, delivered by swiftwing, had named Quinn specifically.

而且缇亚娜•冕卫元帅的印鉴是不容任何差池的。

And the seal of High Marshal Tianna Crownguard brooked no argument.

她多看了那头雄鹿一眼，然后重新站起来。那头巨角鹿现在看到了她，但没有惊慌逃跑。

She watched the giant stag a moment longer before pushing herself back to her feet. The greathorn saw her now. It held its ground, unafraid.

“礼赞，致敬，高贵的鹿儿。”她说着，轻轻点了点头。

“Honor and respect, noble one,” she said, with a nod.

前往绿齿峰的路很长，但天气晴朗。她有信心能比预定时间提前到达会合点。

It was a long way to the Greenfang Mountains, but the skies were clear. She was confident she would get to the rendezvous point ahead of schedule.

太阳终于爬到了山顶之上，金色的阳光透过森林的华盖，在地面投下斑驳的光点。风向变了，带来一股熟悉的味道。

The sun had finally climbed over the peaks, with golden light filtering through the canopy and dappling the forest floor, when the wind changed. It carried a distant, familiar scent.

烟。

Smoke.

一个尖锐的叫声刺破了清晨的空气。奎因抬头透过高耸的冷杉树枝叶间的缝隙看到了华洛。

A keening cry cut through the morning air. Quinn glimpsed Valor above the canopy, through the branches of the immense firs.

“你在上面看到了什么，小弟？”她轻轻说道。

“What do you see up there, little brother?” she breathed.

那只蓝岩鹰在空中盘旋了两圈，然后笔直向东飞了出去，如同一支蓝色的箭矢射向太阳。奎因没有停下脚步，立刻转身跟了过去。

The azurite eagle circled twice, then struck eastward like a blazing blue arrow loosed toward the rising sun. Without pause, Quinn turned and followed.

片刻后，她爬上一道山脊，在一处少有的林间空地上，前方的谷地一览无遗。谷底经过一定程度的清理，可以看到用石头分割的草地上零星散落着几头牲畜。正常情况下这是一片宁静、优美的景象，但奎因的目光顺着烟雾看到一座焦黑的小木屋。她的表情严峻起来。

A short time later, she stood atop a ridge, where a rare break in the trees revealed a valley below. It was partly cleared, and scattered livestock could be seen in dry-stone partitioned fields. Under other circumstances it would have been a peaceful, picturesque view, but Quinn’s gaze was drawn to the smoke rising from the dark shape of a cabin. Her expression hardened.

她开始走下陡坡，向山谷进发。

She began picking her way down the steep incline, descending into the valley.

奎因小心翼翼地环绕着冒烟的小木屋。她知道会有土匪点火烧房子引诱猎物上钩，所以她首先要确定这不是陷阱，然后再接近并调查。

Quinn warily circled the smoking cabin. She’d known bandits to light fires like this to lure unsuspecting targets, and so she would not approach until she was certain it was not a trap.

她手中握着连射十字弩，弩箭已经搭在弦上。这是一把独一无二的武器，制作得小巧精致。虽然力量上不及传统的重十字弩，但却可以单手瞄准发射，不影响脚步移动，也不需要频繁拉弓，所以对奎因来讲，它的价值等同于自重十倍的黄金。

She had her repeater crossbow in hand, bolts loaded. It was a one-of-a-kind weapon, lovingly crafted. It was nowhere near as powerful as a traditional heavy crossbow, but she could wield it one-handed, on the move, and without the need to reload after each shot, which made it worth ten times its weight in gold to Quinn.

她皱起眉，因为她在地上发现了许多痕迹。这座小屋附近发生了许多事，但看来现在这里只有她自己。奎因小心地靠近小屋，举着十字弩。

She frowned as she came across a series of tracks on the ground. There’d been a lot of activity around this cabin in the last day or so, but it seemed she was alone here now. Quinn approached cautiously, crossbow at the ready.

小屋很简陋，但建造得很用心。她推开厚重的正门，门板依然燃着余烬，也还依然还挂在折叶上。然后她跨进了屋里。

The cabin was a humble abode, but had been built with obvious care. She pushed open the heavy front door—still smoldering, and hanging off its hinges—and stepped over the threshold.

一张焦黑的硬木桌上立着一个简朴的花瓶，里面插着一束枯萎的野花。手工编织的窗帘已经被烧毁了大部分，哀伤地挂在窗框上。奎因注意到，两扇窗帘原本都是拉上的，残余的窗板也是闭合的。这场火应该是在夜里烧起来的。

A simple ceramic vase stood upon a fire-blackened hardwood table, holding a handful of wilted wildflowers. The remnants of hand-sewn curtains, mostly burned away, hung mournfully from window frames. Those curtains had been drawn shut, Quinn noted, and the surviving shutters pulled closed. The fire had started after dark.

厚实的橡木门框侧边，奎因发现有细小的刻痕。久远的记忆浮现，奎因的父母也曾用类似的方式记录过她和哥哥的成长。

On a solid oak door frame, Quinn noticed tiny notches carved into the wood. That brought a memory long forgotten, of Quinn’s parents doing something similar to record the growth of her and her brother.

这不是只在狩猎季才住人的猎人小屋——这是一个家。

This was not some rarely used hunting cabin—this was a family’s home.

椅子和柜子都被打翻砸烂。抽屉全都被拉出来，里面的东西扬了一地。值钱的东西一概不剩。火炉上方的墙壁上，奎因注意到有一面盾牌留下的轮廓。

Chairs and cabinets had been overturned and smashed. Drawers had been ripped open, and their contents strewn across the floor. Nothing of value remained. On the wall above the hearth, Quinn noted the sun-bleached outline of a shield.

她转过身的同时，死灰之中有什么东西反射到了从天蓬破洞洒下来的一缕阳光。她俯下身，看到了有东西，可能是硬币，卡在火炉与地板之间的缝隙中。奎因收起十字弩，用猎刀的尖锋把它撬了出来。看起来这是无意之中掉落在这的——要不是过火后的地板变了形，她也不可能看到。

As she turned, something in the ashes glinted in the sunlight streaming through a hole in the burned roof. Kneeling, she saw an object—a coin, perhaps?—wedged between the hearth and the blackened floorboards. Quinn holstered her crossbow, and used the tip of her hunting knife to pry it free. Likely, it had fallen down there, and been lost—she’d only seen it because the fire’s heat had twisted the floorboards out of shape.

奎因终于把它撬了出来，发现这是一块手掌大小的银质盾牌，上面带着德玛西亚的飞翼利剑纹章。背面刻了一行字：兹奖励第三团的马拉克•豪恩布里奇。德玛西亚铭记你的功劳。

Finally, it came loose, and Quinn saw it was a palm-sized silver shield that bore the winged sword emblem of Demacia. There were words engraved on its reverse: Malak Hornbridge, Third Battalion. Demacia honors your service.

这是一枚纪念盾章，是奖给前线烈士家属的。奎因曾亲手递送过好几枚同样的盾章，亲自慰问烈士的配偶和双亲。

It was a Shield of Remembrance, given to the families of soldiers who fell in the line of duty. Quinn had delivered more than a few of them to grieving spouses and parents herself.

她把奖章装进兜里——如果把它留在这片废墟中，感觉有所不妥。奎因继续探查这座小屋，在一个明显是卧室的屋子里，过火的情况不太严重，床榻顶上悬挂的精致花环都没有被烧毁。

Pocketing the medallion—it didn’t feel right to leave it amid this destruction—Quinn continued looking through the cabin. In what was clearly the family bedroom, which had escaped the worst of the fire, delicately woven garlands were strung across the rafters above the main bed.

在卧室的角落，一张儿童床被掀翻，奎因的眼神锐利起来，半跪到旁边。小床原本所在的位置，地板上用碳棒画了一些图案。这是一种蛮夷的图案，通常在德玛西亚境内是见不到的。符文上还特意摆放了一些骨头和小石子，她小心地不去触碰任何线条。她以前曾见过这样的符文……

In a corner, a smaller, child-sized bed had been overturned, and Quinn’s eyes narrowed as she knelt beside it. Charcoal markings were drawn onto the floorboards where the cot had once stood. The symbols were barbaric, of a sort not generally seen within Demacia. Bones and small pebbles were placed at intentional positions upon the runes, and she was careful not to disturb any of the lines. She had seen such runes before...

华洛的尖锐啁啾从上方传来，奎因不得不暂时放下这个离奇诡异的图形。她猫着腰回到小屋的前厅，后背紧贴着墙壁。她迅速且小心地透过被烧穿的窗户向外瞥了一眼。

Valor’s piercing call sounded, high above, drawing Quinn away from the strange and unnerving display. Keeping low, she returned to the cabin’s main room, and pressed her back against a wall. With a quick, careful glance, she peered through one of the burned-out windows.

一个身披斗篷、头戴罩帽的男人正在从正门的方向接近小屋，一条瘦高的灰白色猎犬跟在他身后。猎犬发出低吼，但他说了一个字让它安静下来。

A cloaked and hooded man was approaching the front of the cabin, a rangy, pale gray hound loping along at his heels. The dog gave a low growl, but he silenced it with a word.

奎因悄无声息地移动，来到前门后方的阴影中。那个人迈进来，然后突然一动不动，就像一头小鹿感觉到了藏在暗处的掠食者的目光。

Moving soundlessly, Quinn repositioned herself in the shadow behind the smoldering front door. The man stepped inside, then froze, like a deer tensing as it feels an unseen predator’s eyes upon it.

“是你吗，老大？”他冲着看上去空荡荡的屋子问道。

“That you, boss?” he asked the seemingly empty room.

奎因笑着说，“我是怎么暴露的？”

Quinn smiled. “What gave me away?”

那个人转过身，摘下罩帽。从面孔就能看出他大多数时间都是在室外度过的，脸上的皮肤已被晒黑，胡须很短但不整齐。在门外，那条猎犬发出开心的呜呜声。“蓝岩猎鹰可是很少见的了。”他笑着答道。

The man turned, lowering his hood. He had the look of someone who spent most of his time outdoors, his face tanned and his short beard unruly. Just outside the threshold, the hound whined in excitement. “Don’t see many azurite eagles anymore,” he explained with a grin.

“的确如此。”奎因说。

“True enough,” admitted Quinn.

“很高兴见到你，老大。”

“It’s good to see you, boss.”

奎因半跪在小屋外，抚摸猎犬的头和耳朵。她已经一年多没见过他了——绿齿卫士达林，和他的忠犬里格比。

Quinn knelt on the ground outside the cabin, ruffling the hound’s ears. It had been over a year since she had last seen the Greenfang warden, Dalin, and his faithful dog, Rigby.

达林向奎因汇报了他的判断。他在一个小时前抵达这座小屋，简单查看以后离开了现场，去附近的住户询问情况。

The warden had given Quinn his assessment. He’d arrived at the cabin only an hour before her, and after a quick look around, had set out to speak to those living nearby.

“一个樵夫曾在昨晚看见一群人穿过树林，地点在峡谷上方半里地左右。”达林说着指向远处，“昨晚是满月，不然他铁定看不见。看样子，是劫匪。”

“A woodsman saw a group moving through the trees last night, about half a mile up the valley,” said Dalin, pointing. “The moon was full, else he wouldn’t have seen them at all. Raiders, it looks like.”

“把小木屋烧毁可不是隐藏行踪的做法。”奎因指出。瑞格比躺在地上露出肚皮，用一双水汪汪的眼睛充满期待地看着她。

“Setting a cabin on fire is not a good way to remain unseen,” observed Quinn. Rigby rolled onto his back, looking up at her with adoring, eager eyes.

“或许他们只在打劫之前才会小心隐蔽，得手以后就不管了？或者他们点火是为了干扰注意力，方便溜走？”达林环顾四周，“当心——我闻到了嫉妒的味道。”

“Perhaps they were more concerned about alerting anyone to their approach than remaining unseen afterwards? Or perhaps they lit the fire to draw attention to it, while they slipped off?” Dalin glanced over his shoulder. “Careful now—I think someone’s getting jealous.”

华洛正站在一棵枯木的枝干上直勾勾地盯着奎因。

Valor was staring at her, unblinking, from a branch of a dead tree.

“华洛知道他是我唯一的真爱。”她说着抬起头用笑眼看向那只蓝岩猎鹰，同时激烈地搔扒猎犬的肚皮，“这片地上最近有很多贼人活动吗？”

“Valor knows he’s my one true love,” she said, looking at the azurite eagle, her eyes smiling, even as she vigorously scratched the hound’s exposed belly. “Has there been much banditry in these parts of late?”

达林摇摇头，“老天开恩，本来是很平静的，这把火是最近第一次。从都城扩散出来的不安情绪让这里人心惶惶，不过大批士兵行军的景象已经让大部分土匪藏起来了。也算是帮了我们小忙。不过，听说你俩一直在西边很忙。时运不济啊。”

Dalin shook his head. “Been mercifully quiet, until this. The unrest spreading from the capital has got people nervous, but the sight of so many soldiers has driven most of the brigands into hiding. Small blessings, I guess. I hear you and yours have been busy, though, back west. Bad times.”

“时运不济。”奎因应道。她收紧下颌，换了一个话题，“这里住的是烈士遗属，一对母子。有人知道她们现在何处吗？”

“Bad times,” agreed Quinn. Her jaw clenched, and she changed the subject. “A soldier’s widow and her child lived here. Anyone know where they are?”

绿齿卫士看了她一眼，摇了摇头大笑道，“被你看出这么多，我不该大惊小怪的。”他说，“这位遗孀名叫亚丝塔。她男人死在了雄都，就在闹得最烈的时候死在法师手里。她跟女儿俩，孤女寡母生活在此。”他回头看了一眼小屋，叹了口气。“我早先在这附近探查的时候并没有看到任何流血打斗的痕迹，不过情况不容乐观。”

The warden gave her a look, then shook his head with a laugh. “I shouldn’t be surprised you already figured that out,” he said. “The woman’s name is Asta. Her man died fighting mages when everything flared up in the Great City. She lives alone with her daughter.” He glanced back at the cabin, and sighed. “I didn’t see evidence of bloodshed when I looked around here earlier, but it doesn’t seem good.”

“附近没有可以投奔的亲友？”

“No friends or family nearby who they could be with?”

“看来是没有，”达林说，“那个女的是外国来定居的。始终独来独往。她丈夫来自里索斯，在大西边。所以在这附近没有亲人。”

“Seems not,” said Dalin. “The woman’s foreign-born. Keeps to herself. Her husband was from Lissus, back west. No family in these parts.”

“外国来的？”

“Foreign-born?”

“看起来应该是东边某个独立王国的人。附近好像没人知道具体是哪。”

“One of the independent nations to the east, apparently. No one seems to know exactly where.”

奎因嘟囔了一声站了起来。她原地转身思索着，然后回望森林的方向。她踱步走向树林，沿途观察脚下的地面。

Quinn grunted and stood. She turned around on the spot, considering, then looked back toward the forest. She paced toward the tree line, studying the ground as she went.

“这里，”她停下脚步。达林跟了上来，她指着一片莫名其妙的凌乱脚印，“他们从森林里来，在这停住了。”

“Here,” she said, coming to a halt. Dalin joined her, and she indicated a number of confusing, overlapping scuff marks. “They came out of the forest, and stopped here.”

达林俯下身，点头说，“一开始我觉得他们是在等待下手的时机，但随后我就看到了这里的痕迹。”

Dalin dropped to his haunches, nodding. “At first I figured they were watching for the right moment to approach,” he said. “But then I saw these tracks here.”

奎因绕着达林所说的印记观察，小心迈步避开地上的痕迹。

Quinn circled around the tracks that Dalin indicated, careful not to let her own footsteps obscure them.

“第二组，比其他人轻一些，”她喃喃自语，“这是我们的遗属母女。”

“A second set, lighter than the others,” she murmured. “Our widow and her child.”

“我猜她跟匪徒们当面对峙，然后他们搜刮掳掠，烧了她的小屋。”达林的目光充满怀疑，“但我找不到女人回房子的脚印。”

“My guess is she confronted them—then they looted and burned her cabin.” Dalin’s eyes narrowed. “I couldn’t find the woman’s tracks returning to the house...”

“她们没回去，”奎因表情凝重，“看来他们把人也掳走了。母女都没放过。看到那里了吗？小女孩的足迹消失了。有人把她拎了起来。”

“They don’t,” agreed Quinn, her expression grim. “Looks like they took her with them. Her and the child. See there? The little girl’s footsteps stop. Someone picked her up.”

她回头看了看小屋，“但这些劫匪也没有进入小屋。放火的人是从另一侧放的。可能劫匪在动手之前分成了两拨。”

She looked back at the cabin. “But these raiders didn’t approach the cabin, either. The ones who burned it approached from the other side. It’s possible the raiders split into two groups before their attack.”

达林抱起双臂，思考着说道，“还有别的事，究竟是真是假我不好说，但附近至少有一些人认为这个女人……不一样。是法师。”

Dalin folded his arms, thinking. “There’s something else,” he said. “I don’t know if there’s any truth in it, but it seems at least some folk ’round these parts believe the woman was... different. A mage.”

奎因想到了儿童床下地板上画着的符文。那些图案看上去更像是古代的迷信做法，而不是巫术……不过她无法确认。这不是她的专长。

Quinn thought of the runes drawn onto the floor underneath the child’s cot. They seemed more like archaic superstition than sorcery... though she could not be certain. This was not her area of specialty.

“本地传闻说这群劫匪是塞拉斯的同伙，”达林继续说道，“他们是来接走自己人的。这样能说得通为什么没发生打斗，但为什么要烧掉小屋呢？”

“The local gossip is that the raiders were allies of Sylas,” continued Dalin, “and they came to collect one of their own. It could explain why it doesn’t look like there was a fight, but why burn the cabin?”

奎因皱起眉头。她可以肯定，自己看漏了什么东西。“可能是一种报复，”她若有所思地说，“因为她的丈夫与法师为敌。可能他们要报仇解恨。”

Quinn frowned. She was missing something, she was sure of it. “Could be retaliation,” she mused, “for her husband fighting against mages. Perhaps they were looking for some payback.”

“他都被杀了，还不够吗？”

“Killing him wasn’t enough?”

奎因耸了耸肩。

Quinn shrugged.

“无论是哪种情况，我都要追上去。”达林说，“他们至少早出发了半天时间，但如果他们带着孩子，速度就会减慢。”

“Whatever the case, I’ll be going after them,” said Dalin. “They’re at least half a day ahead, but if they’re carrying the child, they’ll be slowed.”

奎因瞄了一眼太阳，判断着时间和自己赶往会合点的距离。时间应该来得及，不过……

Quinn glanced at the sun, judging the time and how far she still had to travel to rendezvous with Garen. It would be cutting it fine, but...

这位遗孀，亚丝塔，是因为法师的争斗而丧偶的，看起来她很有可能是被绑架了。如果坐视不管的话，奎因会良心不安。

The woman, Asta, had been made a widow by the mage conflict, and it seemed likely she’d been abducted. Quinn could not in good conscience ignore that.

“我跟你去，”她说，“我算起来，对方至少有五个人。你肯定需要帮忙。”

“I’ll come with you,” she declared. “There’s at least five of them, by my count. You’ll need help.”

“多亏碰上你了，老大。”

“Mighty pleased you happened by, boss.”

“那就动身吧，”奎因说，“还有，别叫我老大。”

“Let’s get going, then,” said Quinn. “And don’t call me boss.”

严格来讲，奎因作为一位游骑兵，的确是达林的上级，但死板的等级制和敬语称呼让她浑身不自在。

Technically, as a ranger-knight, Quinn was Dalin’s superior, but rigid hierarchy and honorifics had always made her uncomfortable.

“遵命，老大。”达林咧嘴笑着说，他十分清楚此刻的奎因有多不自在。“走，里格比！跑起来！”

“Whatever you say, boss,” Dalin said with a wry grin, knowing exactly how uncomfortable it made her. “C’mon, Rigby! Let’s move!”

里格比在主人身边腾跃，他的舌头似乎也在按照自己的想法上下翻飞，而华洛则在树木的缝隙之间急速滑翔，在他们头顶不远处低空飞行。

Rigby loped alongside his master, tongue lolling seemingly of its own volition, while Valor sliced between the trees, flying low overhead.

雄壮的蓝岩猎鹰掠过两位奔跑中的游猎手，收紧翅膀躲避两侧的枝杈。眨眼的功夫他就不见了，消失在丛林的远处。几分钟后，奎因和达林发现他正栖在一根树干上等候。猎鹰无动于衷地看着他们从自己下方跑过去。直到他们快要离开视线的时候才重新腾空起飞，以视线难以追踪的速度左右交错着飞翔，再次从他们身边掠过。

The majestic azurite eagle streaked past the two running rangers, tucking his broad wings to avoid branches. In the blink of an eye, he was gone, disappearing into the distance. A few minutes later, Quinn and Dalin found him perched on a branch, waiting. The eagle watched impassively as they ran below him. Only when they were almost out of sight did he launch back into flight, zigzagging at blinding speed, once again shooting by them.

这群盗匪很容易追踪，尤其是里格比还能嗅出他们的气味。除了烈士遗属以外还有五个人，他们并没有尝试掩盖行踪，更重视速度而不是隐蔽。两位游猎手追着他们向北翻过一座山脊，来到旁边另一处被森林连绵覆盖的山谷。然后他们的行踪突然折向东方，循着一条冰冷的溪水向山顶行进。

It wasn’t hard to follow the outlaws, particularly with Rigby chasing their scent. There were five of them with the widow, and they’d made no attempt to cover their trail, choosing speed over stealth. The rangers tracked them over a ridge to the north, into a neighboring valley of unbroken forest. The trail then cut due east, following an icy stream that writhed its way down from the mountains.

奎因和达林连续奔袭了数小时，缩短着距离。脚下的坡度越来越陡，他们逐渐爬上了山脚。二人一言不发，只有在确认踪迹的时候才会暂停下来。里格比会在他们停下脚步的时候前前后后撒欢地跑跳，仔细嗅遍草丛底下的气味，而华洛则在高处俯视这条狗。

For hours, Quinn and Dalin ran, closing the distance. The land gradually rose as they climbed higher into the foothills. They didn’t speak, only pausing to check that they were still following the trail. Rigby happily bounded back and forth on these occasions, snuffling through the undergrowth, while Valor watched the dog aloofly.

当太阳已经过了至高点，奎因停下脚步，半跪在几块石头旁边的松垮土壤上。一块石头上的苔藓被蹭掉了，可能是被人不小心踩到。奎因仔细查看，从一片扁平的石头上捏起什么东西，凑到眼前。

When the sun was just past its zenith, Quinn stopped, kneeling in the soft loam beside a few boulders. Some moss had been scraped away from one, most likely by a careless boot. Quinn inspected it, and picked something off a flat rock, looking closely.

“他们在这分食了面包，”她说，“也就是几小时以前的事。可能再远一点。”

“They broke bread here,” she said. “I’d say it was only an hour ago. Maybe a little more.”

“我们已经很近了。”达林说着，坐到地上深呼吸几口气。里格比借着空闲到旁边的小溪喝水，而华洛则不声不响地看着。“日落的时候我们就能追上了。”

“We’re getting close,” said Dalin, sitting down and sucking in deep breaths. Rigby was taking the moment’s respite to lap from the nearby stream, while Valor watched. “We’ll overtake them by sundown.”

“来不及，”奎因说着，懊恼地攥紧双拳，“等到那个时候他们就已经跨过边境了。”

“Not fast enough,” said Quinn, balling her fists in frustration. “They’ll be over the border by then.”

“你觉得他们是要离开德玛西亚？”

“You think they’re trying to leave Demacia?”

奎因耸耸肩，从包里拿出一条硬饼干，咬掉一半，另一半扔给达林。他灵巧地接住，点头致谢。这种随身携带的军粮味道不算好——事实上，奎因可以想象锯末子没准更有味道，但军粮可以补充体力。片刻后，她掰开第二条饼干，扔给了里格比。那条白狗跳到空中接住了饼干，狼吞虎咽地吃得一干二净。

Quinn shrugged. She pulled a hard trail biscuit from her pack, bit off half, and tossed the remainder to Dalin. He caught it deftly and nodded his thanks. The rations didn’t taste the best—in truth, Quinn could imagine sawdust had more flavor—but they’d sustain them. After a moment, she broke out a second biscuit, and launched it at Rigby. The pale dog snatched it out of the air, jaws snapping, devouring it instantly.

“有可能，”她说，“如果他们要藏起来的话，往北走是更容易藏的。北边有沟壑和裂谷，要想彻底搜寻的话需要好几周时间。”

“It’s possible,” she said. “If they were just trying to hide, they’d have done better turning north. There are chasms and ravines up there that would take weeks to scour.”

达林一边嚼着没有味道的饼干一边思索着，“而要想跨越边境，最近的路是在南边，只要半天路程。”他说，“他们是不可能穿越边境的。自从国王被害以后所有大门都关闭了。往这边走只有绝壁和哨塔。”

Dalin chewed his tasteless biscuit thoughtfully. “The closest border crossing’s half a day’s march to the south, though,” he said. “And there’s no way they’d get through. The gates have been locked since the king’s murder. There’s nought but sheer cliffs and watchtowers this way.”

“除非还有另外一条我们不知道的路，”奎因说着，看向达林身边正在喘息的猎犬，“你的主人能跟得上吗，里格比？要不我们把他甩了吧？”

“Unless there’s another crossing we don’t know about,” said Quinn. She glanced down at the dog, now panting beside Dalin. “You think your master can keep up, Rigby, or should we ditch him?”

猎犬歪着头看她，眼神充满疑问。

The hound looked at her quizzically, turning his head to the side.

达林不屑地哼了一声，“可笑。”然后拄着膝盖站了起来。

Dalin snorted. “Funny,” he said. Then, with a groan, he pushed back to his feet.

片刻后，奎因和达林站到了一处悬崖上，俯视一道峡谷。远处一座巨大的石峰耸立在森林树海之中。

A short time later, Quinn and Dalin stood on a bluff, overlooking a ravine. A massive rocky spire rose above the forest canopy in the distance.

“在那。”达林指着一个方向说。

“There,” said Dalin, pointing.

一群人正在沿着石峰的边缘绕行。很难看清细节——距离这么远，人小的像蚂蚁一样，但很显然他们肯定会在两位游猎手追上之前抵达边境。

Climbing around the circumference of the spire was a group of people. It was hard to make out any details—at this distance, they looked like ants—but it was clear that they would reach the border before the rangers.

“如果我能插到他们前方，就能拖住他们。”奎因说。

“If I can get in front of them, I can slow them,” said Quinn.

“说的轻巧，除非你……”达林刚一开口，发现奎因正在看着她，撇嘴露出半个笑容，于是他把剩下半句话咽了回去。

“The only way you’d be able to do that is if...” started Dalin, but his words trailed off as he saw Quinn staring at him, a half smile on her face.

“哦，”他说，“我忘了。”

“Oh,” he said. “Right.”

奎因被华洛提着，在空中滑翔。雄鹰的利爪紧紧抓住她的双肩，在树海的浪尖上航行，凛冽的寒风让她眯起双眼。

Quinn soared through the air, borne aloft by Valor. The eagle’s bladelike talons were latched tightly around her shoulders, and she squinted against the biting wind as they sailed over the trees.

“咱们从北侧绕过去。”他们快速接近石峰的同时，奎因大声喊道。她将自己的重心向那个方向倾斜，华洛配合她调整下降的角度。

“Take us around to the north,” Quinn shouted as they approached the spire. She leaned her weight in that direction, and Valor obligingly angled their descent.

劫匪们从南侧绕行石峰，消失在了树丛中，但奎因并不打算跟在他们后面。不，她要想拖延他们的时间并等待达林和里格比赶上来，就必须提前一步拦截。两名游猎手对战五名敌人并没有十足的胜算，但总好过让她独自一人面对。

The raiders had circled around to the south of the spire and disappeared into the trees, but Quinn didn’t intend to follow their path directly. No, she needed to get in front if she was to slow them long enough for Dalin and Rigby to catch up. Two rangers against five were not great odds, but it was better than confronting them alone.

华洛不断降低高度，奎因抬起双腿避免撞到最高的树枝。他们面前的石峰越来越近，华洛沿着石峰的北面飞过，石峰周围的气流载着他们略微上升。随后坚硬的石壁也立刻迎了上来。华洛找到了一个适合降落的地点，调整了姿态，将双翼的角度向后倾斜，减缓下降的速度。

Valor continued to come down, and Quinn lifted her legs to avoid hitting the highest branches. The spire loomed before them, and Valor banked around its northern flank, gaining a little height as updrafts buoyed them. Then the rocky ground rose rapidly to meet them. Spying a likely place to land, Valor shifted their approach, and angled his wings back to slow their descent.

华洛强有力的翅膀拍动两下，奎因的双脚轻巧触地。

Two powerful beats of his wings, and Quinn’s feet touched down, ever so gently.

“谢谢你，小弟。”她悄声说着，华洛松开了爪子。随后她重新开始奔跑，立刻钻进森林的掩护中。而蓝岩猎鹰在放下负重以后冲上高空。

“Thank you, brother,” she breathed as Valor released his grip. Then she was running again, into the cover of the forest. The azurite eagle, unshackled by her weight, took to the air once more.

奎因大步跨过缠结的树根、冲破高高的羊齿蕨和低垂的树胡子。她沿着一颗倒下的树干奔跑，将之当做桥梁跨过一条瀑布，然后一跃而起继续冲上对岸的陡坡。

Quinn leaped over tangles of roots and burst through stands of ferns and hanging lichen. She ran along the length of a fallen tree, using it as a bridge to traverse a cascading waterfall, before bounding off it and charging up the rise on the other side.

这并不是她平时的速度，以平时的步伐节奏，她能坚持数小时，连续行军好几里地。现在她正在全速奔跑，心也在狂跳。爬上山顶后，她立刻扑倒在地，藏进蕨菜丛中，双肘抵地，匍匐到山顶边缘，小心瞄向下方的空地。

This was not her usual, mile-eating pace that she could sustain for hours on end. This was a full sprint, and her heart was hammering in her chest. After racing up the hill, she hurled herself to the ground, concealed among the bracken. Elbowing herself to the edge of the rise, she peered down into the hollow bellow.

一个孤单的人影出现了，一只手上握着弓。这是个男人，留着胡子，穿着毛皮衣物。一只小臂上带着铜箍，在斑驳的树影中闪闪发光，奎因在他发白的皮肤上看到了波纹状的战士纹身。

A lone figure appeared, bow in hand. It was a man, bearded and bedecked in furs. A bronze torc around an upper arm glinted in the dappled light filtering through the trees, and Quinn glimpsed swirling warpaint or tattoos on his pale flesh.

身为游骑兵，她立刻就知道这不是德玛西亚的叛乱法师，也不是山贼土匪。他根本就不是德玛西亚人。

The ranger-knight instantly knew this was no Demacian rogue mage or bandit. This was no Demacian at all.

那个劫匪突然停住，探查前方的路，奎因觉得他的视线扫过自己的位置上。她忍住冲动没有向后退，因为身边的蕨株会被扰动，还不如原地不动更利于隐蔽。

The raider paused, surveying the way ahead, and Quinn felt his gaze flit over her. She resisted the urge to crawl back, knowing the movement of the ferns would draw more attention than if she remained motionless.

那个外族人似乎是放心了，抬起一只手示意其他人跟上。奎因守在原地，等待其他人出现。其中一人后背背着一面闪亮的德玛西亚盾牌。那是从小屋火炉上方偷走的——属于一位高贵的烈士的盾牌。看到它成为外族人的战利品，她觉得一股冰冷的怒火在燃烧。

Seemingly satisfied, the outsider lifted a hand and gestured forward before continuing on. Quinn stayed where she was, waiting as the rest of the group appeared. One of them had a gleaming Demacian shield strapped across his back. That was the shield that had been stolen from above the cabin’s hearth—a shield that had belonged to a noble soldier who’d fallen in battle. Seeing an outsider wearing it as a trophy filled her with a cold-burning anger.

那位遗孀很容易找。其他人都穿着皮革和毛皮衣物，而她则穿着简朴但优雅的长裙，裙摆被卷了起来，便于行走。她戴着一张毛绒披肩，脚下穿着一双实用的长靴。她看上去很疲惫，低着头无力地向前走。奎因松了一口气，因为她看到了那个小女孩，一个刚学会走路的幼儿，一头金色的卷发，正在一名劫匪的臂弯中熟睡。

It wasn’t hard to pick out the widow. While the others were bedecked in furs and leather, she was wearing a simple but elegant woolen dress, rolled up to free her legs. A fur shawl was wrapped around her shoulders, and she wore a pair of practical, tall boots. She looked exhausted, stumbling forward with her head down. With a breath of relief, Quinn saw the child, a toddler with a mass of golden curls, asleep in the thick arms of one of the marauders.

奎因注视了他们片刻，然后慢慢向后撤，脑海中浮现出一个计划。她知道他们要去哪里，因为她曾在几年前走过同样的路。

The ranger-knight watched them for a moment longer, then crawled slowly backward, a plan formulating in her mind. She knew where they were going, for she’d been here before, years earlier.

她小时候，曾和双胞胎哥哥卡莱布一起游荡在厄文戴尔周边的山野中，她的家乡就在此处西北方几日路程的距离。兄妹二人经常消失在野外，一走就是几个星期。他们探索森林和丘陵，用狩猎技巧给自己打食物，幕天席地数星星。他们的父亲对此并不是很高兴，但他们的母亲总是给予鼓励。她非常看重自给自足的生存能力，兄妹二人从很小的时候就开始跟着她一起外出狩猎。

In her youth, she and her twin brother, Caleb, had roamed the wilds around their home of Uwendale, several days’ march to the northwest. The pair had often disappeared into the wilderness for weeks at a time, exploring the forests and mountain foothills, hunting for their own food, and sleeping under the stars. Their father had been none too excited about it, but their mother had always encouraged them. She was a big believer in the importance of self-reliance and resourcefulness, and both children had accompanied her on hunts from a young age.

他们的父亲最后也妥协了——可能是因为他们每次都满载而归，让家里的粮仓始终储满了鹿肉和野猪肉。不过他始终都在担心他们的安危。

Their father had come around eventually—it probably helped that the family larder was always well stocked with venison and boar after they returned—though he never stopped worrying for them.

最后证明他的担心是有必要的。

And it turned out he’d been right to worry.

奎因曾在卡莱布死后一个月的时候来过这里一次。所以他知道如果这群外族人继续走半里地，就会遇到一条狭窄的深沟裂谷。

Quinn had been here only once, a month before Caleb’s death. And so she knew that if the outsiders continued on their path, they’d have to make their way up through a narrow ravine, half a mile farther on.

她俯身疾跑，在右侧山脊的掩护下，顺着与劫匪们平行的路线向前飞奔。她率先抵达了那条裂谷，然后沿着裂谷包抄。她背靠一块巨石隐蔽起来，这时便听到走在最前面的外族人爬了上来。

Running low and fast, hidden by the crown of the rise to her right, Quinn sprinted on a path parallel to the raiders. She made it to the ravine before they did, and ran up the side. She’d just set herself up at the top of it, her back against a concealing rock, when she heard the first of the outsiders begin his ascent.

奎因稳住呼吸，慢下心跳。她没有拿出十字弩，而是抽出猎刀。刀刃又长又宽，几乎等同于一把短剑。

Quinn took measured breaths, slowing her thumping heart. She left her repeater crossbow holstered, but drew her large hunting knife. The blade was long and broad, almost the size of a shortsword.

这个外族人身手不错——他稳步攀上石坡的同时几乎没有发出声音，但他的经验还不足以发觉恭候在此的奎因。他手脚并用地爬上最后一个陡坡，奎因立刻从巨石后方现身。她出现在他侧面，而他直到被击中的前一刻才发现她。外族人想要转身，同时弯弓搭箭，但他太慢了。奎因用猎刀的刀柄击中了他的太阳穴，随后他瘫倒在地，没有发出任何声音。

The outsider was good—he made almost no noise as he climbed steadily up the rocky gulch—but not good enough to realize Quinn was waiting for him. As he hauled himself up the final, steep climb, Quinn stepped from concealment. She was to his side, and he didn’t see her until the last moment. He tried to turn, drawing back the string of his bow, but he was too slow. Quinn struck him in the temple with the pommel of her knife, and he dropped without a sound.

她立刻把他拽到一旁藏好。他已经头破血流，但还活着。奎因麻利娴熟地把外族人的双手捆住，然后又从身后与他的脚踝捆在一起。然后她回到自己的隐藏位置，后背紧贴着那块巨石。她拿出了十字弩，把猎刀换到另一只手，刀尖冲下。

She hastily dragged him out of view. He was bleeding, but he was alive. With swift, practiced movements, the ranger-knight bound the unconscious man’s wrists, before yanking them back and tying them to his ankles. Then she resumed her position, back against the rock. She drew her crossbow, and flipped the knife around in her other hand so that its point was down.

她简略向山谷下方探身瞄了一眼，又立刻缩回来。三个劫匪正在沿着陡坡向上爬，其中也包括那位遗孀。奎因猜测其中一人是他们的首领——那个人体型更高大，走在最前方，而且只有他在毛皮衣物下面穿了锁甲。也正是他，后背背着德玛西亚盾牌。

With a quick glance, she peered down the ravine before ducking back. Three raiders were climbing the steep rise below, with the widow between them. The one Quinn presumed was their leader—he was bigger than the others, and alone among them wore chainmail under his furs—was at the front. He was the one who bore the Demacian shield upon his back.

奎因懊恼地咬紧牙。应该还剩四个人才对。另一个人藏哪了？他只是在断后，还是打算绕到出其不意的位置？她闭上双眼，深吸一口气。现在修改计划已经来不及了。她只能等他现身以后再随机应变了。

Quinn ground her teeth in frustration. There should have been four of them left. Where was the last one? Was he simply acting as a rearguard, or could he be approaching from an unexpected angle? She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It was too late to change her plan. She’d deal with him if and when he appeared.

带头的外族人接近了，奎因走到他正前方，十字弩对准了他的咽喉。

As the leader of the outlanders neared, Quinn stepped out in front of him, crossbow leveled at his throat.

他反应了一会才意识到她的威胁。他瞪大双眼停下脚步，下意识地要抓起身后的战斧。

It took him a moment to register her presence. His eyes widened and he halted, reaching instinctively for his axe, hanging over his shoulders.

“别动。”奎因发出警告，他不确定这个人能否听得懂，但她摇头的姿势是一种通用的语言，于是那个外族人停下了手。

“Don’t,” warned Quinn. She wasn’t sure the man would understand her, but the shake of her head was a universal language, and the outlander’s hand froze.

他是个大块头，比奎因高出两头，体重至少是她的两倍，但她占据高处，而且毫无畏惧。她此前曾经放倒过更庞大的猎物。

He was a big man, two heads taller than Quinn, and easily twice her weight, but she had the higher ground, and was unintimidated. She’d brought down far bigger prey in her time.

他的头发很长，颜色如同干草，编成精致的辫子。他的胡须里夹杂着灰色，与骨骼和石块扎成一束。他的双眼如同银矿石，一眨不眨地瞪着她。

His hair was straw-colored and long, hanging in elaborate plaits, and his beard, streaked with gray, was bound with bones and stone beads. His eyes were like slivers of slate, and he stared up at her without blinking.

他庞大的身躯后，劫匪们发出警告的吼叫声，但为首的大个子用他们自己的粗糙语言扭头喊了一句。他望向奎因身后，可能是想看看她有什么样的后援。

There was a shout of alarm from the raiders half hidden behind his bulk, but the big man barked something over his shoulder in his own clipped, harsh language. He looked past the ranger-knight, searching. Probably trying to see what support she had.

他的目光看回到奎因。他舔了舔嘴唇，奎因知道，他正在估算自己有多大机会能挨上一箭以后还不死，同时冲到她身边。

His gaze returned to her. He licked his lips, and Quinn knew he was judging the chances of closing the distance without taking a fatal bolt.

“你会说我们的话吗？”奎因问，“听得懂我说的吗？”

“You speak my language?” asked Quinn. “You understand my words?”

外族人看了她片刻，缓缓点头。

The outlander stared at her for a moment before giving a slow nod.

“释放她们母女二人，”奎因说，“否则我们就看看你被射中喉咙以后还能活多久。”

“Let the woman and child go,” said Quinn, “and we won’t have to see how long it takes you to bleed out from a bolt to the throat.”

大个子不屑地笑道，“你一直在追踪我们？就你自己？”他的声音低沉，口音很重。“走运的话，你能杀了我一个，但我的手下会把你撕碎。我好像不能满足你的请求。”

The big man snorted in amusement. “You’ve been tracking us? Alone?” His voice was deep and heavily accented. “You may kill me, if you are lucky, but my men will tear you apart. I do not think I will do as you ask.”

“这不是请求。”奎因说。

“I wasn’t asking,” said Quinn.

外族人咧嘴笑着，其中两颗牙是金子做的。“你是个铁骨头，德玛西亚老妹。我喜欢。”他的笑容突然消失了，“我的探子呢？”

The outlander grinned. Two of his teeth were made of gold. “There is steel in you, Demacian. I like that.” His smile dropped abruptly. “Where’s my scout?”

“还活着。”奎因说。

“Alive,” said Quinn.

“很好。他可是我弟，我老婆的弟弟。要是他被杀了，老婆肯定会发火的。”

“Good. He is my brother, by oath. My wife would be angry if I had let him get killed.”

“怎么了？”那位遗孀喊道。

“What’s going on?” the widow called up.

为首的外族人用他们的语言答了一句，不过奎因从中认出了一个词：亚丝塔。遗孀的名字。

The leader of the outlanders barked a response in his own language, though Quinn did recognize something amongst that garble of words: Asta. The widow’s name.

那个女人恳求道，“求你了，我不想——”

The woman begged. “Please, I don’t want any—”

“别说话！”首领半转过身，面红耳赤。当他再次回头看向奎因的时候，已是怒容满面。“你不应该单独一个人来拦我们。”

“Be silent!” shouted the leader, half turning, his face flushing a deep crimson. When he looked back at Quinn, his expression was angry. “You should not have tried to stop us by yourself.”

奎因的余光看到了第五个劫匪从山脊半跪着直起身，手里握着弓箭。他悄无声息地搭箭拉弓，瞄准了她。

Out of the corner of her eye, Quinn saw the fifth raider rising to his knees atop the ridge to her left, bow in hand. Quietly he nocked an arrow and drew the string, weapon leveled at her.

奎因依然与他们的首领对视，露出一个笑容，“你凭什么觉得我是单独一人？”

Quinn, still holding the leader’s gaze, gave him a smile. “What makes you think I’m alone?”

一道蓝光闪过，如同晴空霹雳，随后那个弓箭手发出被闷住的喊叫。他的箭矢在仓促之中射出，飞进了草丛里。他抓着自己流着血的手，向后躺倒。

There was a flash of blue, moving like a thunderbolt, and the bowman gave out a strangled cry. His arrow, loosed in haste, sailed into the undergrowth, and he fell back, clutching at his bleeding hand.

那位遗孀发出尖叫，所有人都行动起来。

The widow screamed, and everyone broke into motion.

其中一个战士投出飞斧，斧刃旋转着奔向奎因。她往侧面滑步，躲开飞斧，但这已经给他们的首领创造了空档。他向前冲刺，从肩膀后面摘下自己的战斧。奎因连续射出两支弩箭，第一支擦着他的头飞过，第二支则射中了他的肩膀，但没能阻挡他的冲锋。

One of the warriors threw a hand axe, sending it hurtling end over end toward Quinn. She swung aside, dodging it, but that was enough of a distraction for the leader. He sprang forward, swinging his axe off his shoulders. Quinn loosed two bolts in quick succession, but the first missed its mark, slicing harmlessly by his head. The second took the raider in the meat of his shoulder, embedding itself there, but it did nothing to slow his charge.

他一声战吼，轮着武器挥出一道夺命的圆弧。沉重的双手斧足以将奎因一分为二。她向后躲开这记猛击，然后立刻扭转动势——虽然这个外族人力大无比，但她的速度占据上风。奎因折返突刺，猎刀直插他的胸膛。这一击原本应该贯穿心脏，当场夺命，然而她的刀尖被他的锁甲卡住了，没有刺破骨肉。

With a roar, he brought his weapon around in a lethal arc. It was a heavy, double-handed axe, and the strike was meant to hack Quinn in two. She swayed back from the wild swing, then reversed her momentum—she was far quicker than the outsider, for all his power—and stabbed him in the chest. It should have been a killing blow, delivered right to the heart, but the tip of her knife caught in his chainmail, stopping it from sinking deep.

大个子又一记挥砍，奎因被迫退后，然后他将战斧高举到头顶，准备全力纵劈。奎因向侧面飞扑，躲开了战斧，随后在翻滚的同时近距离射出弩箭。箭头刺入他膝盖上方的皮肉，那名战士发出痛苦的嚎叫，跪倒在地。

The big man drove Quinn back with a swinging elbow, sending her reeling, then brought down his axe in a heavy overhead blow. Diving to the side, Quinn avoided the strike, and let loose a bolt at close range as she rolled. The bolt plunged into his flesh just above the knee, and the warrior collapsed with a growl of pain.

奎因立刻扑了上去，猎刀贴住他的喉咙。

Quinn was on him instantly, knife at his throat.

其他劫匪见状纷纷停手，他们面面相觑，不知道该怎么办。其中一人依然抱着那个孩子，只不过那个幼儿正在嚎啕大哭。

That gave the other raiders pause, and they traded glances, unsure what to do. One of them was still cradling the woman’s child, though the infant was now wailing loudly.

遗孀手脚并用着爬上前，“不，不，不，”她哭着说，“求求你，别伤害他！”

The widow scrambled forward on her hands and knees. “No, no, no,” she cried. “Please, don’t hurt him!”

奎因眨眨眼，“你……认识这个人？”她看着那个疲态尽显、泪流满面的女人问道。

Quinn blinked. “You... know this man?” she asked, looking at the exhausted, tearful woman before her.

“我当然认识，”遗孀说，“他是我哥哥。”

“Of course I do,” the widow said. “He’s my brother.”

“国王遇害的时候，我的丈夫就在都城，”亚丝塔说道，她怀抱着女儿，来回摇摆着安抚她。“他负责驻守皇宫。被法师杀害了。”

“My husband was in the capital when the king was murdered,” said the widow, Asta. She held her daughter in her arms, and was gently swaying back and forth, trying to calm her. “He was defending the palace. The mages killed him.”

“请节哀。”奎因小声说着，用布条给那个外族人首领包扎大腿。他名叫伊戈力。他前胸上的伤并无大碍——身上的锁甲发挥了很大作用。他肩膀上的弩箭已经被他自己拔了出来。

“I’m sorry for your loss,” murmured Quinn, as she bound a length of cloth around the outlander leader’s leg. His name was Egrid. His chest wound was only minor—his chainmail had saved him from worse harm there—and he’d torn out the bolt from his shoulder himself.

其他战士围坐到旁边的巨石上。其中一人手上的撕裂伤很严重，他正恶毒地盯着栖在树枝上的华洛。而那个被奎因绑住手脚的人则正在小心地揉着脑袋侧面。

The other warriors were sitting on rocks nearby. One had some ugly cuts on his hand, and was staring balefully at Valor, perched on a branch overhead, while the one Quinn had tied up was rubbing gingerly at the side of his head.

奎因身旁站着另一个眉头紧锁的人，是达林。

Standing near Quinn, a deep frown on his face, was Dalin.

“那是六夏以前，一支外交使团来到我的家乡，我在那个时候遇到了马拉克。”亚丝塔说道，“在斯卡郭恩，我是酋长的女儿，但当马拉克返回德玛西亚的时候，我作为他的妻子，随他来到了这里。”

“I met Malak when a diplomatic contingent came to my homeland, six summers back,” said Asta. “In Skaggorn, I was a chieftain’s daughter, but when Malak returned to Demacia, I came with him as his wife.”

奎因包扎完毕，坐下来查看包扎的效果。

Quinn finished tying the bandage, then sat back to inspect her work.

“你速度快，力气大，还会缝伤口，”伊戈力咧开嘴，露出两颗金牙笑着说，“嫁给我，跟我回斯卡郭恩，成不？”

“You are fast, and strong, and you stitch wounds well,” said Egrid with a grin, his golden teeth flashing. “Marry me, and come back to Skaggorn with us, yes?”

奎因不屑一顾，懒得回答他。“那你现在为何要离开德玛西亚？”她问亚丝塔，“你应该知道，这么做会给自己惹来麻烦。”

Quinn didn’t even dignify that with an answer. “But why try to leave Demacia now?” she asked Asta. “You must have known that would bring trouble down upon you.”

“我的族人从好几代之前就离开了弗雷尔卓德，”亚丝塔说，“翻过群山，在斯卡郭恩定居。但旧时候的血液依然流淌在我的体内。我的祖母是一名先知，是你们所说的法师，女巫。我没有她的力量，但如果我的女儿也开始看到未来的事呢？我听说过你们的做法。她会被夺走。寒霜使者才知道她会经历什么可怕遭遇。我不能冒这个险，所以我用鹰隼给家乡捎了信，请求他们带我们母女离开。”

“My people left the Freljord many generations ago,” said Asta, “traveling over the mountains and settling in Skaggorn. Yet the old blood still runs in my veins. My grandmother was a seer, one you would call a mage, or a witch. I do not have that power, but what if my daughter develops the sight? I have heard what is going on. She would be taken from me. The Frost-Bringer knows what would happen to her. I could not risk that, so I sent word to my family by hawk, begging them to get us out.”

“搜魔人。”奎因摇着头，狠狠地说。

“Mageseekers,” Quinn hissed, shaking her head.

她闭上双眼，捏了捏鼻梁。如果这个孩子展现出秘术能力，搜魔人就要带走她。如果她是这位遗孀，奎因恐怕也同样会带着孩子远离那群人。她并不埋怨亚丝塔的所作所为。

She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. If the child manifested arcane powers, the mageseekers would take her. Were she in the widow’s shoes, Quinn would likely have already taken her child far beyond the reach of that insidious organization. She couldn’t blame Asta for what she was attempting.

“你是知道的，我们不能放你走。”达林说，“边境全都封锁了，除非有最高议会的直接命令，否则任何人都禁止出境。只有这样才能确保叛徒塞拉斯和他的同伙不会逃脱正义的审判。”

“You understand we can’t let you go,” said Dalin. “The borders are closed. No one is allowed to leave without express permission from the high council itself. It’s the only way to ensure the traitor Sylas and his associates don’t slip away, and escape justice.”

“我的丈夫就是被他们杀死的！”亚丝塔说，“这里的一切都让我想起马拉克。没有他，我也不想留在这了。而且我们山谷中的农户个个都狭隘浅薄，他们憎恶我。他们已经认定我是女巫了。”

“My husband died fighting against the traitor!” said Asta. “Everything here reminds me of Malak. Without him, I don’t wish to stay. And the small-minded farmers of our valley hate me. They already think I’m a witch.”

“你在离开之前并没有捣毁自己的小屋，对吧，”奎因说。她的语气是陈述，不是疑问。“你也没放火烧自己的家，对吧？”

“You didn’t ransack your own home when you left, did you,” said Quinn. It was a statement, not a question. “And you didn’t set it ablaze, right?”

“什么？不，当然没有。”亚丝塔听了一下，“真有人干出这种事？”

“What? No, of course not.” Asta paused. “Did someone truly do that?”

奎因点了点头，“你女儿的小床下边，”她说，“那些记号并不是……某种巫术，对吧？”

Quinn nodded. “And the markings under your daughter’s cot,” she said. “They were not of a... sorcerous nature, were they?”

亚丝塔笑着摇摇头，“那是祈福保平安用的。在斯卡郭恩，所有母亲都会给自己的孩子画那样的记号。”

Asta laughed, shaking her head. “A blessing of protection. A mark all Skaggorn mothers make for their children.”

奎因再次点头，现在一切都清楚了。“但对于那些不知道的人，祈福的记号看上去和巫术差不多。就连我也有过怀疑。”

Quinn nodded again, finally understanding. “But that runic blessing might seem like sorcery to those who wouldn’t know any better. Even I was suspicious of it.”

“我从来都很小心，不让外人看到我的旧俗。”亚丝塔说，“但发生了这么多事……”

“I was careful to keep the old traditions to myself, but my neighbors were always wary of me,” Asta said. “And with all that’s been happening...”

现在看来，小木屋周围的第二组痕迹并不是这些斯卡郭恩战士们留下的。可能当地人前去寻找亚丝塔身为女巫的证据。如果是这样的话，或许他们看到了地板上的碳棒图案，担心它是什么危险的魔法，于是就想把一切都烧光。

It seemed clear now that the second set of tracks leading to the cabin had not belonged to any warrior of distant Skaggorn. Maybe the locals were seeking evidence of Asta’s sorcery. If so, perhaps they saw those charcoal runes, and set the house ablaze in a clumsy attempt to burn away what they thought was dangerous magic.

奎因叹了口气，摇摇头。总体来说，德玛西亚人是善良的、有荣誉感的，但如今恐惧和猜疑却像一场瘟疫一样散播，让惶恐不安的居民展露出最阴暗的一面。该适可而止了。

Quinn sighed, shaking her head. On the whole, Demacians were good, honorable people, but fear and distrust were spreading like a plague, and bringing out the worst in the kingdom’s scared citizens. It needed to end.

“我找到了一样东西，可能你应该带着。”奎因想起了她在废墟中找到的那件东西。她把那枚纪念盾章递了出来，亚丝塔双眼立刻涌出泪水。

“I found something that I think you should have,” Quinn said, remembering what she had recovered in the wreckage. She handed over the Shield of Remembrance, and tears appeared in Asta’s eyes.

“谢谢你，”她说着，将奖章贴在胸前，“我以为再也找不到它了。没能带着它离开，让我心碎难当。”

“Thank you,” she said, clutching the medal to her chest. “I thought it had been lost. It broke my heart to leave without it.”

“抱歉，但我们不能放你走。”达林说。

“I’m sorry, but we cannot allow you to leave,” said Dalin.

“我们走定了，德玛西亚老弟。”伊戈力低吼着说，摇摇晃晃地站了起来，“别拦我们。”

“We are leaving, Demacian,” growled Egrid, pushing himself unsteadily to his feet. “Do not try to stop us.”

“伊戈力，你够了！”亚丝塔厉声说，“这两位游猎手只是在履行职责。”她面向奎因说，“求求你，至少让我的女儿走吧。她不应该因为自己无法控制的事而受到迫害。让我的哥哥带她走，然后我跟你们回去。”

“Egrid, enough!” snapped Asta. “These two rangers are just doing their duty.” She turned to Quinn. “But please, I beg you, at least let my daughter go. She should not have to suffer for something beyond her control. Let her go with my brother, and I will return with you.”

达林和奎因交换了一个眼神。法律很明确。任何人都不允许离开德玛西亚，亚丝塔不行，她的女儿不行，就连这几个斯卡郭恩战士也不行。

Dalin and Quinn traded a look. The law was firm. No one was allowed to leave Demacia, not Asta, her daughter, or the Skaggorn warriors.

“恐怕这不太可能。”达林说。

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” said Dalin.

“如果我们放他们走，那我们就是罪犯。”达林悄声说。

“If we let them go, then we are the ones violating the law,” whispered Dalin.

两个游猎手跟在外族人后面，向东方跋涉。

The two rangers walked behind as the group trekked eastward.

“我们需要知道他们是如何跨过国境的。”奎因低声答道。

“We need to know how they got across the border,” replied Quinn in a low voice.

达林看上去有点纠结，但他轻轻点头，不再说话。

Dalin looked troubled, but he gave a clipped nod and fell into silence.

没多久他们就来到一处断崖，这里标志着德玛西亚的边境。斯卡郭恩一行人来到预定地点，这里刚好脱离了北方和南方哨塔的视野范围。这片断崖的每一寸都在十多座德玛西亚哨塔的监视之下，但显然这里是一个盲区。

It wasn’t long before they reached the cliffs marking the edge of Demacia. The Skaggorn party led them to a secluded location, tucked just out of view of the guard towers to the north and south. Every inch of these cliffs should have been visible to one of the dozens of Demacia’s watchtowers, but clearly this was a blind spot.

奎因附身看向下方。距离最下面有好几百尺的高度，但她从来都不在意高度。她可以看到峭壁上凿进去的岩钉。“你们是在夜里从下方爬上来的，所以才没被哨兵看到？”她问。

Quinn leaned over the edge. The drop was several hundred feet, but heights had never bothered her. She could see pitons hammered into the rock. “You approached the base of the cliff at night, so as not to be seen by the sentries?” she asked.

伊戈力点点头。奎因吭了一声，赞叹他们的勇气。

Egrid nodded. Quinn grunted, impressed.

“即使是在白天，这一趟也够险的了。”她说着，看了看大个子缠着绷带的腿。“抱歉伤了你的膝盖。你能行吗？”

“Quite the climb to make, even in daylight,” she said. She looked down at the big man’s strapped leg. “Sorry about the knee. Are you going to manage it?”

“当然了！我们斯卡郭恩人都坚强的很，”伊戈力自夸地说，“你也挺强壮的。你应该跟我们一起回去。我们俩，我们能生出许多个强壮的小战士。成不？”

“Of course! We of Skaggorn are strong,” boasted Egrid. “You are strong, too. You should return with us. The two of us, we would make strong warrior children. Yes?”

奎因一言不发地瞪他，表情令人难以琢磨。最后，他耸了耸肩转身离开。

Quinn stared at him without speaking, her expression unreadable. Eventually, he shrugged and turned away.

“不问问会后悔的。”他喃喃自语。随后他大喊一句，命令手下从附近的草丛里取回藏好的绳索。

“Worth asking the question,” he muttered. With a shout, he ordered his men to retrieve the ropes, hidden in the undergrowth nearby.

“我以为你只是想知道他们是如何偷偷进入德玛西亚的，”达林把奎因拉到一边，狠狠地说，“如果真放他们走了，我们就打破了誓言！”

“I thought you just wanted to find out how they crossed into Demacia unseen,” hissed Dalin, taking Quinn aside. “We’ll be breaking our oaths if we allow them to go!”

“强迫一个不被接纳的女人留在这里，还要她承受孩子被抓走的风险，这种事我下不去手。”她低声说，“再说，我们最高的誓言是要保护德玛西亚。”

“I’m uncomfortable with forcing a woman to stay and risk having her child taken simply because of a quirk of her bloodline,” she said, her voice low. “Besides, our first oath is to protect Demacia.”

“放走他们怎么就保护德玛西亚了？”

“And letting them go protects Demacia?”

奎因狠狠瞪了他一眼，“如果我们阻拦他们，只有两种后果，”她悄声说，“要么他们把我们杀掉，照样离开，那就意味着德玛西亚损失了两名最顶尖的游猎手。要么我们战胜他们，那就意味着德玛西亚树立了一个新的敌人，因为斯卡郭恩的人一定会知道，我们挟持了他们酋长的女儿。”

Quinn flashed him a fierce glance. “If we try to stop them, this plays out in one of two ways,” she whispered. “Either they kill us and leave anyway, in which case Demacia has lost two of its best rangers—or we defeat them, and Demacia gains an enemy, for the people of Skaggorn will know we are holding a chieftain’s daughter against her will.”

达林看了一眼那个大块头，承认了她的道理。“即使如此，放人也还是不对的，”他嘀咕道，“我们依然违反了法律。”

Dalin glanced at the big warriors, and conceded the point. “Doesn’t make it right, though,” he muttered. “And still makes us lawbreakers.”

奎因打量着他，“如果你想要的是黑白分明、简单直接，那你最好去当个普通步兵。我们游走在边缘的时候，事情总是更复杂的。”

Quinn regarded him. “If you want things to be simple, then you’d be better off in the regular infantry. Things are always more complicated out on the fringes.”

“法律可是——”

“The laws—”

“去他娘的法律，”奎因厉声说，“放他们走不会对德玛西亚造成任何损失，但如果我们要阻拦，就必定两败俱伤。”

“The laws be damned,” snapped Quinn. “It does not weaken Demacia in any way to let them go, but it will if we try to stop them.”

“可是——”

“But—”

奎因很少利用她的职权发号施令……但她现在必须这么做。

Quinn rarely enforced the power her rank allowed her... but she did so now.

“给我退下，士兵。”她低吼到，“我要放他们走。这是命令。”

“Stand down, soldier,” she growled. “I am letting them go. That is an order.”

他僵住了片刻，然后用力行了一个军礼。

He stiffened for a moment, then gave her a sharp salute.

“遵命，游骑兵长官。”

“As you will it, ranger-knight.”

太阳开始落下，斯卡郭恩一行人开始攀下悬崖。奎因看着他们彼此以绳索相连，亚丝塔的孩子稳稳地绑在伊戈力的后背上，确认他们下去后，她才转身离开。伊戈力的手下没有食言，他们攀下悬崖的同时拔除了石壁上的钉子。

The sun was starting to set as the Skaggorn party commenced climbing down the cliff. Quinn waited till they were all on their way—tied to each other, with the widow Asta’s child strapped tightly upon Egrid’s back—before she turned away. As good as their word, Egrid’s men removed the pitons they’d hammered into the stone as they descended.

奎因还有不到三天的时间赶到会合地点面见盖伦。她必须彻夜赶路才能按时抵达，但她有信心不会迟到。她整理好心情，准备迎接前方的旅程。

Quinn had less than three days to get to the meeting point with Garen. She’d be forced to run through the night to make it in time, but had no doubt that she would. She gathered herself, readying for the journey ahead.

离开之前，奎因瞄了一眼达林，他正坐在悬崖边上，里格比陪在他身边。他望向东方，没有看她。自从斯卡郭恩人攀下悬崖以后他们就没在说过话。

Before she left, Quinn paused, glancing over at Dalin, who was sitting near the cliff’s edge, Rigby at his side. He was looking eastward, away from her. They had barely spoken since the Skaggorn began their descent.

“我不指望你心甘情愿，”奎因说，“但放他们走是顾全大局。”

“I don’t expect you to feel good about it,” Quinn said, “but letting them go was for the best.”

他看着她说，“我知道，事实总是不像我喜欢的那样简单直接。”

He looked at her. “I understand,” he said. “Matters just aren’t as straightforward as I’d like them to be, I guess.”

“对于一些人来说，事实难以接受，”奎因耸耸肩说，“但我们是游猎手。”

“For some, they are,” said Quinn, shrugging. “But we are rangers.”

那位绿齿卫士缓缓点点头，然后起身为奎因送行。

The Greenfang warden gave a slow nod, then stood to see Quinn off.

“华洛，你可要好好照看她，听到了吗？”他对树枝上的蓝岩猎鹰说，“德玛西亚需要她。”

“You watch out for her, Valor, you hear?” he said, addressing the azurite eagle perched nearby. “Demacia needs her.”

华洛的锋喙发出碰撞的声音作为回答。

Valor clacked his beak in reply.

“去跟本地的兵营报告，”奎因说，“一定要让他们在这里建一座哨塔。最好确保这个漏洞被彻底堵死。”

“Speak to the local garrison,” Quinn said. “See that they build a watchtower here. Best make sure this gap in our defenses is closed for good.”

“又对我发号施令啦，老大？”

“Pulling rank on me again, boss?”

奎因不屑地吭了一声，抓挠里格比的后脑。“算是吧。”她看着卫士的眼睛说，“保重，别松懈，达林。德玛西亚也需要你。”

Quinn snorted, and scratched Rigby behind the ears. “Something like that.” She looked the warden in the eye. “Stay safe, and stay vigilant, Dalin,” she said. “Demacia needs you, too.”

随后她转过身，再次开始奔跑

Then she turned, and started running once more.