"Brooks, Terry - Jerle Shannara 02 - Antrax" - читать интересную книгу автора (Brooks Terry)

"You were told to ask me to come with you on this voyage. You were given a message to deliver, one that I was to interpret in whatever way I chose. I realized what he hadn't told you, what he was asking of me. It was clear enough. He wanted me to be your protector, your defender when danger threatened. But I was to monitor the progress of your magic's development, as well. He knew it would begin to surface, and when it did you would have to be told the truth about who you really were. He did not want to rush things, though; he wanted to keep you in the dark as long as possible so that you would not be overwhelmed by the enormity of it all. But I knew that the sooner you discovered you had the use of magic, the sooner you could find a way to come to terms with it. We differ in our approach to things, the Druid and I, and I imagine he was not happy at all with what I did to you on Mephitic."

"He was furious." Bek hesitated. "But I'm glad you took a chance on me. That you showed me what I could do. That you gave me a chance to prove myself."

The shape-shifter nodded, eyes a flicker of brightness in the shadows. "You saved us in those ruins. You have heart and strength of mind and body, boy-tools you need to manage the wishsong's power. But your skills are still raw and untried. You need time and experience before you will be the equal of your sister."

Bek studied him a moment in the ensuing silence. "Tell me the truth. You're not deceiving me about any of this, are you? Because I've been deceived more than once already on this journey."

The other grunted. "By the Druid. Not by me."

"Grianne really is my sister, isn't she? The Ilse Witch is my sister? I need to hear you say it."

The bright eyes glimmered fierce and sharp within the cowl, all that was visible of the other's face. "She is your sister. Why would I tell you otherwise? Do you think I am the Druid's tool, as the witch would have you be?"

Bek shook his head. "I had to ask."

The shape-shifter grunted, not entirely mollified. "Don't ask such questions again. Not of me." He folded his arms into his cloak. "Enough of this. What's happened to the others who went ashore with you? I've had no chance to search for them. I boarded the witch's airship during the collision off Mephitic because I thought I would be more useful there and might learn something that would help us gain an advantage. But she almost found me out, and I was forced to hide myself carefully, to wait for a chance to make my escape. She came alone in search of Walker, so I followed. She led me to that clearing and to you. But not to Walker. What's become of him?"

Swiftly, Bek filled him in on the disastrous events of the past day, of the attempt to penetrate the ruins, of the traps found waiting, of the company's decimation and the scattering of its members. With Ryer Ord Star and the Elven Tracker Tamis he had fled to the clearing where the Ilse Witch had found him. Of the fates of Quentin, Panax, Ahren Elessedil, and Ard Patrinell, he could not be certain. Tamis had gone looking for them, but she had not come back. Walker had disappeared into the black tower that dominated the center of the ruins and had not come out.

"We'll need help to search for them," Bek said. "Especially if the Ilse Witch and the Mwellrets are looking, too."

Truls Rohk rocked back slightly on his heels and gave an audible sigh. "We'll have some difficulty finding any. There's bad news everywhere in this business. Your sister used her magic to immobilize the Jerle Shannara's crew. She boarded the ship and took them all prisoner. She has locked them belowdecks, and she controls both ships. Black Moclips is anchored in the bay, where you went ashore. The Jerle Shannara is downriver, closer to the ice gates. There's no help to be had from either."

Bek felt as if the ground had fallen away beneath his feet. Whatever else had been taken from them, at least they'd had the Jerle Shannara to retreat to. Now that haven was lost, as well. They were trapped on Ice Henge. They couldn't even get word of where they were to the Wing Riders.

He thought suddenly of Rue Meridian and felt a sharp pang of terror, one much sharper than he would have expected. He took a steadying breath. "Are the Rovers unharmed and well?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

The shape-shifter shrugged. "No one was hurt in the boarding. I don't know what's happened since, but probably nothing."

"Shades! We've lost everything, Truls. You and I and maybe one or two more are all that's left, alive and free." He heard a hint of desperation creep into his voice and tried to block it away. "We have to do something. At least we have to go back and face Grianne, find a way to convince her that she's an Ohmsford, make her see that she's been-"

"Slow down, boy," Truls Rohk said. "Let's take a deep breath and think this through. There's no going back to face the Ilse Witch just yet. What's already happened is still too fresh in her mind. We need a way to reach her besides what you've already tried. Something she can't brush aside as easily as your words."

He glanced meaningfully over Bek's shoulder. The boy glanced with him and found himself staring at the pommel of the Sword of Shannara still strapped across his back. In the excitement of his encounter with his sister, he had forgotten he was carrying it.

He looked back at the shape-shifter. "You mean, I should try using this?"

"I mean, find a way to use it." The other's voice was ironic. "Not so easy to do, I'd think. Your sister isn't just going to stand there and let you use the magic on her. But if you can find a way to catch her off guard, surprise her maybe, she might not have a choice. Like it or not, she might have to face up to the truth of things. It's the best chance we have of persuading her."

Bek shook his head doubtfully. "She'll never give us the chance. Never."

Truls Rohk said nothing, waiting.

"She'll fight us!" Bek reached back to touch the handle of the Sword of Shannara, then let his hand fall away helplessly. "Besides, I don't know if I can make it work against her."

"Not against her," the shape-shifter advised quietly. "For her."

Bek nodded slowly. "For her. For both of us."