"Cecilia Dart-Thornton - The Bitterbynde 03 - The Battle of Evernight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dart-Thornton Cecilia)

Imrhien's goal was to visit the one-eyed carlin, Maeve, seeking a cure, before continuing on to
Caermelor. At her final parting from Thorn she was distraught. To her amazement, he kissed her at the
last moment.
At last, in the village of White Down Rory, Imrhien's facial disfigurements were healed. With the
cure, she regained the power of speech.
Two of her goals had been achieved. She now had a name and a face, but still, no memory of her
past.
At the opening of Book 2, The Lady of the Sorrows, Imrhien realized that Maeve's cottage was
being watched and decided to leave secretly, in disguise. With black-dyed hair, gorgeous new clothes, a
fake identity, and a new nameтАФLady Rohain Tarrenys of the Sorrow IslandsтАФImrhien arrived at
Caermelor Palace.
There, she informed the Duke of Roxburgh, Tamlain Conmor, and the Royal Bard, Thomas
Rhymer, of the treasure under Waterstair. The magnificent trove became the property of the Crown and
Rohain was richly rewarded for her part in its discovery. She was given jewels, an estate, the title of
baroness, and the services of a maid named Viviana Wellesley.
Rohain had to remain at Court until she gained an audience with the King-Emperor. The sovereign,
however, was busy with preparations for conflict with the barbarian rebels of northern Namarre. Serious
trouble was brewing there, and it was feared that the Empire itself was in danger of being attacked and
overrun.
The maidservant Viviana turned out to be a friend and ally, while Thomas Rhymer and the wife of
Tamlain Conmor, Alys, watched over Rohain. They told her tales of the Faeran, the race of powerful
immortals who long ago used to walk the lands of Erith. Another courtier, Dianella, the niece of the
wizard Sargoth, also appeared to befriend the newcomer.
To Rohain's delight she discovered that her friend Sianadh had escaped death. She told him about
her amnesia, and he advocated returning to Isse Tower in a bid to find out more about her origins. But
spiteful Dianella discovered Rohain's identity was faked, and told her to abandon her wealth and leave
Court forever, or face the broadcasting of her duplicity. Taking Sianadh's advice, Rohain departed for
Isse Tower, accompanied by Viviana.
At the Seventh House of the Stormriders all Rohain could learn was that the deformed servant she
had once been was found near Huntingtowers, a frightening place inhabited by the Wild Hunt. Rohain set
out for Huntingtowers, but her journey was cut short. On returning to Isse Tower, she was reunited with
Thorn, only to discover that he in truth held a higher status than she could have imagined.
She returned to Caermelor Palace at Thorn's side. Fearful lest her cup of happiness should break,
Rohain concealed from him the fact that she had no memory of her past life before Isse Tower. When her
lover had to depart for the conflict in the north, he left her in the safest possible placeтАФthe Royal Isle of
Tamhania. Before they parted, he gave her a golden "leaf-ring" as a token.
Tamhania was guarded by enchantments that made it inviolable to unseelie forces. During a violent
storm Rohain was tricked into kindling the great Beacon that opened safe passage into the harbor. She
had unwittingly allowed unseelie entities to breach the security of the island. Soon afterward, the
destruction of Tamhania commenced, and Rohain fled over the sea with her friends. Many boats were
lostтАФthe rest were torn from one another.
Rohain found herself washed up on a remote shore not far from Huntingtowers, along with Viviana
and young Caitri. Knowing she faced great peril, Rohain decided to assume yet another identity, and
took the name Tahquil. Using boiled tree-bark, Viviana dyed Tahquil's hair brown. Through the cindery
air, still filled with the ashes of Tamhania's volcanic destruction, the companions traveled to the caldera of
Huntingtowers. On the outskirts of the caldera, Tahquil found a gold bracelet. The sight of it triggered
memories . . .
She recalled a time long past, in the land of Avlantia, when the city of Hythe Mellyn had been
purged of a plague of rats by a mysterious Piper, who had snared the rodents with his enchanting music.
The city had not paid the Piper his due, so in return he stole away the children of Hythe Mellyn, leading