"Ann Durand - Flight of the Gryphon" - читать интересную книгу автора (Durand Ann)

Flight of the Gryphon
Ann Durand

Prologue
"Don't take her! Please, don't take my sister."

Katera laid her fingers on the arm of Elder Torkon, but a firm hand on her shoulder yanked her back.

"Do not touch him," came the stern voice of Elder Rastonon. Katera turned around to face him. He was
squinting at her with small, black eyes. A drooping mustache and tapering gray beard tugged at the
corners of his mouth, intensifying his scowl.

"Please, if you must send one of us, send me," Katera pleaded, holding out her folded hands. "We are
identical. For twenty-four years, our own mother has had trouble telling us apart. The Master will never
know that I am not Adrella."

"Askinadon will know," Elder Torkon said, as he poured the contents of a vial into the sacred bath. "He
is the Voice. He will know. She has been Summoned, not you. If you want to be with your sister during
her last hours in Parallon, you will cooperate. The only reason you're being permitted in the elder's
bathhouse is to calm her so we can complete preparations before the sacrifice. And if you can't do that,
you will be sent away."

"No, no. Don't send me away." Katera lowered her head. "I want to be with her."

"Good," Elder Torkon said. "Then you may bring her to us. The bath is ready."

A sweet fragrance drifted up from the steamy water of the large wooden tub that dominated the room.
Katera knew the water had been scented with the attar of the white urlissin in preparation for the
sacrificial maiden. With a growing ache in her heart, she left the room to retrieve Adrella, who was
waiting on a bench outside the bathhouse. As she looked up, Katera saw the terror in her eyes and slid
onto the bench next to her, slipping an arm around her shoulder. They sat leaning into each other, as
Katera savored a few precious moments alone with her. Too soon, ElderTorkon called from inside.

"It's time."

Katera turned to her sister and scooped up her hands. Hot tears threatened to escape from the corners
of her eyes, and she blinked them away.

"AdrellaтАж"

"It's all right, Katera. I'm ready," Adrella said, in a small voice. "And please, be careful; you must watch
your thoughts. Askinadon will know them."

Katera forced a smile, and stood up offering an arm. Adrella took it, and they entered the room together.
The steam had dampened everything in the darkened room, including the elders, who were wiping their
brows. Adrella stared at the tub in the middle, a blank look in her eyes. Elder Torkon motioned her to
undress, and stood back to watch. Too shaken to protest, Adrella allowed Katera to help her out of her
garments. One by one, Katera draped each item over a chair against the wall until Adrella stood naked
and trembling before them. Katera moved protectively behind her as Adrella climbed into the tub. She
looked dwarfed inside it, like a child with her knees bunched up in front of her.