"Flint, Kenneth C - Gods of Eire 02 - Champions of the Sidhe UC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Flint Kenneth C)

"We may soon find out what this lot is waiting for," he told his companions. "She says there's a ship coming in now."

Gilla looked at the huge warrior skeptically. "You understood her?"

"Certainly I did," the Dagda answered indignantly. "We were married once, you'll recall. She taught me the speech. Made things much easier too."

"I can imagine that it would," said Gilla thoughtfully. "Or, maybe I can't." He flashed a broad grin. "You'll have to tell me more about your marriage sometime. It must have been quite an interesting match, so it must."

"Never mind that," the Dagda said tersely, clearly not amused. "Look. There's the ship."

They could just see the flashing speck that had appeared on the edge of the grey, rough sea. They watched it draw near, slowly revealing itself as a large, lean vessel of smooth black.-Lugh and Gilla exchanged a meaningful glance. Both had s< such a ship before.

BRES RETURNS

19

"It's come from the Tower of Glass," said Lugh.

"I've seen their like, long ago," the Dagda said, his voice darkened by a grim memory. "I told you of it, lad. When we went against the Tower those many years ago and were destroyed by the powers there. It was a fleet of such ships that came against us then."

The Morrigan crackled stridently.

"Aye," he said. "I know you were there too. And I'm certain you recall as well as I."

"But why is it here?" asked Lugh. He looked at Gilla. "Do you think it means that the forces of the Tower will join the Fomor?"

Gilla shook his head. "No. We heard that bloody iron monster himself declare that the island Fomor would have to hold Eire alone. I can't imagine Balor changin' his mind and riskin' the lives of any of his pure Tower people just to aid these poor, blighted brothers they've so kindly exiled to this place."

"Balor," Lugh said coldly, recalling the terrible one-eyed being. "If he comes, we are doomed. I watched the power of that red eye blast apart the fortress where I grew up. We could never face that."

The ship came smoothly in, its sail down, but still cutting swiftly through the waves, driving unwaveringly toward the shore, defying wind and sea with its unknown power. A large party of Fomor officers gathered from the massed forces and moved toward the water to meet it.

The ship eased up through the shallows and grounded. A gangway was run out from the side to rest on the shore. A man appeared at its head and strode haughtily down to be greeted by the officers. On the hillside above, the little band of watchers looked on with growing understanding.

"Not Balor," Gilla remarked, "but a monster nearly as bad."

"I'd hoped that he was dead!" the Dagda growled.

But he was not. Bres, once High-King to the Tuatha de Danann, had returned to Eire.

The hilltop fortress called Tara of the Kings was alive with activity.

After years of decay and apathy, it and the town below it had reawakened, preparing desperately for the coming struggle to bold on to the new freedom.

Within the enormous circling palisade of logs that crowned rounded hill, manv scores of warriors trained for battle.

20

CHAMPIONS OF THE SIDHE