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

Axis recovered his balance from Faraday's attempt to push him over, drew his arm back тАФ and found it
seized from behind in sharp, murderous teeth.
Sicarius. The leader of Azhure's Alaunt. No-one had seen him move, and no-one knew where he'd come
from, but now the hound pulled Axis to the ground, and stood over him, snarling and snapping.
"Sicarius!" Azhure buried her hands in the loose skin of the hound's neck and tried to pull him off, but the
hound would not budge.
Azhure tugged desperately, unable to believe Sicarius' savage assault. What was the hound doing? To
attack Axis?
"Drop the knife, Axis!" StarDrifter yelled. "Drop the damned knife or that dog is going to kill you!"
Then, ignoring Axis completely, he fell to his knees beside Drago, adding the weight of his hands to those
of Zenith to try and stop the bleeding. He locked eyes briefly with Zenith, then turned slightly to Faraday
who was now at Drago's side also.
"What were you thinking of to enter this glade with Drago at your side?" StarDrifter hissed. "Didn't you
even think that Axis might not welcome his son home with open arms?"
Faraday shook her head helplessly, and StarDrifter made a small sound of disgust. She should have known
better.
Zenith, absolutely shaken at the violence, drew comfort from the weight of StarDrifter's hands over hers,
and hoped they would staunch the bleeding enough to give Drago a chance of life.
StarDrifter lifted his eyes to hers and, although he did not smile, the lines about his eyes crinkled slightly in
warmth.
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"I am more than pleased to see you again, beloved Zenith," StarDrifter murmured. "You are well?"
She nodded, and StarDrifter looked back to Drago. The bleeding was slowing тАФ Axis' knife must have
struck his son's clavicle rather than one of the neck veins. If he'd managed that, Drago would be dead
already, for even the pressure of a thousand hands at his throat could not have stemmed the damage.
He gestured to Faraday to help Zenith apply pressure to the wound, touched Zenith's cheek briefly in
reassurance, then slowly stood and walked over to Axis.
His son had dropped the knife, and Sicarius had retreated to sit tense and watchful several paces away. His
golden eyes flickered between Axis and Drago.
Everyone else was absolutely still, as watchful as the hound.
Azhure was down by her husband, her arms about him, supporting him into a sitting position. "StarDrifter,"
she began, "what тАФ"
StarDrifter ignored her. He thrust his right hand forward into Axis' face. It was smeared with Drago's blood.
"Look at this!" he said. "Your son's blood, Axis, by your hand!"
"Did you never see the wounds on Caelum's body once Azhure rescued him from Gorgrael?" Axis said
quietly. "Did you never see his blood? And now, look upon the blood smeared across this land, StarDrifter,
and tell me that my 'son'," he spat the word, "does not deserve to die for it."
Drago cleared his throat. "I have come back to help," he said in a hoarse whisper.
"Then die!" Axis threw back at him, pushing Azhure's arms aside and rising to his feet. "That would help
considerably."
The wound in Drago's neck had now almost stopped bleeding, and Faraday left Drago's care to Zenith. She
rose and walked slowly forward. "There has been too much death in this world, Axis, for you to want to
add to it."
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"Have you ever thought that by killing Drago now we might stop further death?" he snarled back.
In response, Faraday lifted her head and stared about at each and every person present. "I want you all to
know, and this I pledge on the blood that / shed for Tencendor, and for you, Axis and Azhure, that I will
stand responsible for Drago's actions. I trust him, and I ask that you give him the benefit of the doubt.
Drago wants to help, he can help. Let him."
"He murdered RiverStar!" Caelum said, stabbing a ringer at Drago. "And stole the Sceptre and provided the