"David Eddings - The Dreamers 02 - The Treasured One" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eddings David)

All in all, though, things had gone rather well this past spring. The more I
considered the matter, the more certain I became that my decision to rouse the
younger gods from their sleep cycle prematurely and to cause them to regress to
infancy in the process had, in fact, fulfilled that ancient prophecy. EleriaтАЩs flood and
YaltarтАЩs twin volcanos had forever sealed off ZelanaтАЩs Domain from any more
incursions by the creatures of the Wasteland.

The morning sun rose in all her splendor, painting that eastern cloud-bank a
glorious crimson, and I feasted on her light. IтАЩve always found early summer light to
be more invigorating than the pale light of winter or the dusty light of autumn, and
there was a certain spring to my step as I walked on back down the mountain to the
mouth of my cave.

My little toy sun was waiting for me at the cave-mouth, and she flickered her
customary question at me.

тАШJust taking a look at the weather, little one,тАЩ I lied. She always seems to get all
pouty and sullen if she thinks that I prefer the light of the real sun to hers. Pets can be
very strange sometimes. тАШIs Ashad still sleeping?тАЩ I asked her.

She bobbed up and down slightly in answer.

тАШGood,тАЩ I said. тАШHe hasnтАЩt been sleeping too well here lately. I think he was badly
frightened by what happened down in ZelanaтАЩs Domain. Maybe you should keep your
light a bit subdued so that he can sleep longer. He needs the rest.тАЩ

She bobbed her agreement, and her light dimmed. She had been just a bit sulky
when IтАЩd first brought Ashad into our cave, but that had passed, and she was now very
fond of my yellow-haired little boy. SheтАЩd never fully understood AshadтАЩs need for
solid food rather than light alone, so she habitually hovered near him, spilling light
down on him - just in case he happened to need some.

I went on down through the twisting passageway that led to my cave, ducking
under the icicle-like stalactites hanging down from the ceiling. They were much
thicker and longer than theyтАЩd been at the beginning of my current cycle, and they
were starting to get in my way. They were the result of the mineral-rich water that
came seeping down through Mount Shrak, and they grew perceptibly longer every
century. I made a mental note to take a club to them some day, when I had a little
more time.

Ashad, covered with his fur robe, was still sleeping when I came out of the
passageway into the large open chamber that was our home, so I thought it best not to
disturb him.

I was still convinced that my decision to bring our alternates into the tag-end of
our cycle had been the right one, but it was growing increasingly obvious that theyтАЩd
brought some of their previous memories with them. I sat down in my chair near the
table where Ashad ate his meals of what he called тАШreal foodтАЩ to consider some things
I hadnтАЩt anticipated. I rather ruefully admitted to myself that I probably should have
examined our alternates a bit more closely before IтАЩd awakened them, but it was a