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

Hellorin's mocking laughter ceased abruptly. "Weigh your words carefully, Mage. I have destroyed
beings of greater power than you, and for lesser insults."
"And did you destroy them for telling the truth? That would be like the Phaerie indeed! You
foolЧyou have no idea, do you?" The edge of Eilin's voice was whetted with scorn. "In your
insatiable lust for revenge on those who occupied the world while you were excluded from it, you
seized the poor Xandim and went charging off before the matter of the Sword of Flame could be
resolved. Haven't you even noticed D'arvan's absence? While Aurian and Anvar were distracted by
your perfidy, Eliseth tried to steal the Sword and created a rift in Time. The Mages vanished into
itЧas did Maya and your son!"
Hellorin blanched. "This cannot be true," he whispered.
"It can and it is," Eilin replied remorselessly, "and had you been here when it happened, you
might have been able to prevent it."
The Phaerie Lord's gigantic form thinned to vapor and vanished, as he dwindled back to human size.
"But how did it
16 Maggie furey
happen?" All trace of his former anger had fled from his voice. "Where have they gone?"
"Beyond our help, I fear/' Eilin told him grimly. "You are free to seek your son wherever you
willЧbut you must search elsewhere. You Phaerie are masters of bargains and debts, are you not?
Though you did not swear fealty to her, you are still in debt to my daughter, because she has
given you and your despicable kind your freedom. As Aurian cannot be here to state her terms, I
will give you mine, in her place. This Vale belongs to me. Get you gone from hereЧand never
return."
"Is that really what you want?" Hellorin demanded in amazement. "To end our friendship thus?"
Eilin regarded him stonily. "Friendship indeed. Never again do I wish to hear that word debased by
your lips? 1 saw little evidence of friendship when the Sword was found. The Phaerie idea of
friendship seems to begin and end with their own convenienceЧand their Lord is die worst offender.
I cannot end what no longer exists, my Lord."
Hellorin sighed. "Very well. It shall be as you wish." The gathered forms, of the Phaerie thinned
like windblown vapor, and vanished like a dream.
Suddenly, Eilin's knees began to shake. The Mortals all began to crowd around her, offering their
thanks and congratulations. Roughly she pushed her way through them. "That goes for you Mortals,
too. Get away from me! I want you out of here by tomorrow!"
With a curt, angry gesture she brought down her shields and, turning her back on them all, went
back across the bridge to the solitude of her island. When no one dared to follow her, it proved
to be a hollow victory.
Chapter 2
A Peculiar Quartet
Olind with terror, Iscalda fled headlong through the forest, bursting through the bushes and
twisting between the trees, oblivious of the leg-breaking tangles of roots beneath her feet, the
thorny twigs that pulled painfully at her mane and tail and scored her white hide, or the springy
branches that rebounded to lash at her with bruising force and snatch dangerously at her eyes. Her
mind was blank, save that it screamed one thought over and over: escape1. Her attention was all
behind her, straining to detect any sounds of pursuit. The Phaerie Lord must not recapture herЧshe

would sooner die than be his slave again, or go once more through the horrors of the last few
hours.
Iscalda was a warrior, no stranger to bloodshed, and Hellorin's quarry had been no friends of
hers, yet she had been unprepared for the carnage when the Phaerie had descended from the skies
upon their helpless prey. Not a single one of the human mercenaries had survived. One by
/ S M 3. gg i e Fur e y