"Sara Douglass - Redemption 2 - Pilgrim" - читать интересную книгу автора (Douglass Sara)

No-one knew quite what to make of it. "We have roughly three hours after dawn, four hours between mid-
morning and mid-afternoon, and then another three hours before dusk," Zared said to Caelum and Askam
on the third morning since they had taken shelter in the Woods.
"Time enough for an army to scamper from shelter to shelter?" Caelum said, his frustration clearly showing
in his voice. "And what can an army do? Challenge Despair to one-on-one combat? Demand that Pestilence
meet us on the battlefield, weapons of his choosing? What am / supposed to do?"
.28 ┬╗


"Be patient, Caelum," Zared said. "We must wait for Faraday and тАФ"
"I am sick of waiting for this fairy woman!" Askam said. "We must move, and move now. I suggest that тАФ
"
"Faraday?" put in a voice to one side of the clearing. "Faraday?"
They all spun around.
Axis and Azhure stepped out from the gloom of a tree. Just behind them StarDrifter leaned against the
trunk of the tree, his wings and arms folded, his face devoid of any expression.
And, yet further behind him, pale shapes moved in and out of sight. Massive hounds тАФ Azhure's Alaunt.
Most settled down out of sight, but one, Sicarius, their leader, walked forward to sit by Azhure's side. Her
hand touched the top of his head briefly, as if for reassurance.
"Father!" Caelum hugged his parents tightly, relieved beyond measure that they'd arrived. All three had to
blink tears from their eyes. They were alive, and for the moment they were safe, and that meant there was
still some hope left. There must be.
Caelum nodded at StarDrifter, who raised a tired hand in greeting, then returned his attention to his parents.
"You were in the Star Gate Chamber? What happened? Did you see the Demons step through? And Drago?
What of him?"
"Caelum, enough questions!" Axis said, but his tone was warm, and it took the sting out of his words.
"Give me a moment to catch my breath and I will answer them."
He swept his eyes about the clearing, taking in Zared, Askam and Dare Wing. Together? This group that
had only days previously been committed to civil war? For the first time in days Axis felt a glimmer of true
optimism. He looked Zared in the eye, remembering the last time they'd met тАФ the heated words, the
hatred тАФ but now all he saw was the son of Rivkah and Magariz, his brother, and a man he would have to
relearn to trust.
29-
Caelum had obviously done it, and so could he тАФ and Axis knew it would not be hard. This brother was
one that, despite all the arguments and differences, he knew he could lean on when they faced a common
enemy.
"We left the Chamber before the Demons broke through," Axis said. "We didn't see them тАФ or Drago тАФ
although I imagine he came through with his demonic companions in treachery."
Axis paused, and his voice and eyes hardened. "I hope he is satisfied with what he has accomplished. His
revenge was harder than I ever imagined it could have been."
"None of us know what was in Drago's heart or mind when he fled Sigholt," Zared said. Like Axis, all
Zared's ill-feeling for his brother had vanished. Their personal problems and ambitions were petty in the
face of the disaster that had enveloped them. "And we do not know if he was the instigator or just another
victim of this disaster. Perhaps we should not judge him too harshly until we have heard what he has to
say."
Axis' face hardened, and Zared decided to leave the subject of Drago well enough alone for the time being.
"Axis," he said, and stepped closer to him. He hesitated, then took one of Axis' hands between his. "How
are you? And Azhure?"
In truth, Zared did not have to ask, for both Axis and Azhure, and StarDrifter who still lingered in the
shadows, looked as did every Icarii Enchanter Zared had seen in the past few days. They looked .. .