"Flint, Kenneth C - Gods of Eire 03 - Master of the Sidhe UC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Flint Kenneth C)

THE TOWER

23

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In the hills above the city the band gathered to rest and make its plans. The seemingly limitless depths of Gilla's cloak supplied food and full skins of ale.

"It was a near thing, leaving that place alive," Shaglan said, shaking his head. He was now a large and very shaggy dog, an animal shape that pleased Aine and which he thus

assumed often.

"It was nothing at all," Gilla said airily. "My plan worked

as I knew it would. They always do."

"Your plan," said Aine, and laughed derisively. "We'd not have made it away without my calling in those rats."

"Of course not," Gilla readily agreed, grinning at her. "And that was part of my plan too, of course."

"You are entirely too sure of yourself, Clown," she scolded. "Someday you'll be brought up short by your own cleverness, and I hope to see it."

"Just so it doesn't kill us in the bargain," Lugh amendedv

smiling.

"Well, no matter what saved us, it's clear enough you would have died for certain if you'd gone alone," the Dagda told the young Champion. "It's good we didn't listen to you."

"I thank you for your friendship and your courage," Lugh replied sincerely. "And I knew it was dangerous to see Bres, but I had to try."

"When will you see that Bres cannot be treated as if he were an ordinary man?" the Dagda asked. "He's got the Fomor blood. He can't be changed. He's got to be destroyed."

Lugh shrugged. "Maybe. The choices are gone now, anyway. He's going to fight, and there are enough Fomor there to make it a hard battle. We have to send word to

Nuada."

He looked to the silent, black-cloaked woman, "Morrigan, you must fly to him. Tell him to bring the army here at once."

She nodded. Her voice came dry and crackling. "I will

go-"

She rose to her feet, drawing the long, thin body stiffly

up, unfurling the cloak to hold out like giant wings on either

side.

An aura of light appeared around her, causing her outlines to shimmer, grow blurred, and finally disappear within the swelling blue-white glow. The brightness of the pillar of