"Furey,.Maggie.-.Artifacts.of.Power.4.-.Dhiammara" - читать интересную книгу автора (Furey Maggie)

necessary.
"Don't worry about it," Dulsina told him. "Once we got our belongings moved from the old camp, the
rest was easy. There's dry wood enough for burning now, on the edge of the fires where the trees
are still just smolderingЧand there was no need to hunt. Lots of animals were killed by the
smokeЧif you look in the woods there are bodies all over the place." A slight catch in her voice
and her pale, strained face were the only things about her that hinted to Parric of the carnage
she had witnessed in the forest.
Now that Dulsina had mentioned it, the Cavalrymaster became aware, for the first time, of the
mouthwatering aromas of roasting meat. A short distance away from him, a rough camp was taking
shape, with primitive shelters constructed from wooden frameworks draped with blankets, cloaks,
and hides. A huge fire blazed like a beacon on the shores of the lake, with a cluster of smaller
cooking fires close by.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Parric asked guiltily.
"Yes," Dulsina told him. "You can go and comfort your friend Sangra and that poor young man you
brought with you from foreign parts."
The Cavalrymaster looked through the gathering darkness, across the sward to where Sangra and
Yazour were sitting close to the fire, deep in talk and holding tightly to one another's hands.
"It looks like the two of them are managing well enough without me," he grumbled. "Where's
Vannor?"
The deep line of a frown appeared between Dulsina's dark brows. "Never you mind about him," she
retorted firmly. "You go and help your young friends over there. I've dealt with Vannor
myselfЧinstead of letting him sit there and brood, I've sent him to talk to the Lady Eilin. The
Gods only know, someone ought to do it."
Eilin cursed and clenched her fists at her sides in annoyance as she saw the Mortal approaching.
Once her unwelcome guests had begun to set up their campЧnear the very beech
8 Maggie Furey
grove where Forral had first made his shelter, she thought, with a flash of old pain that she'd
believed to be long behind herЧthe Mage, seeking solitude, had retreated across the charred and
splintered wooden bridge to the sanctuary of her island. No one, she'd been certain, would dare to
follow her there. How wrong she had beenЧbut when Eilin's unwelcome visitor came close enough to
be recognized, she found that she was not in the least surprised.
Over the years the Mage had heard a great deal about Vannor from Aurian, during her daughter's
summer visits. More recently she had observed him through Hellorin's magical window until his rash
return to Nexis in search of his daughter, and had been impressed by the compassionate,
levelheaded way in which he'd ruled his band of rebels who had taken sanctuary in her Valley. He
had been the first to recognize that his folk were being helped, albeit by some mysterious,
invisible entityЧin this case, D'arvanЧand he had made his followers obey the strictures and
limitations that the Forest Lord's son had set about the rebel camp.
Nevertheless, despite her respect for the former rebel leader, Eilin was still irritated by his
unwelcome intrusion upon her peace. No doubt he would be wanting to discuss the details and
possible repercussions of Eliseth's attack and disappearanceЧand what of Miathan? What part had
the Arch-mage played in the drama that had occurred? What would he do next? The Mage sighed. May
the Gods forgive meЧI just can't face this, she thought. She knew that these matters were
important, and would eventually have to be addressedЧbut not just yet. She was too heartsick and
weary right now to worry about the future.

In the blood-red light of the setting sun, Eilin stepped back from the bridge and deliberately
turned away from the approaching Mortal to regard the ruins of her old home. Following the
vanishment of the Sword of Flame, the tower had returned to the Lady's islandЧafter a fashion. The
damage by wind and weather, the scarred black stone and twisted ironwork, the fallen ceilings and