"Maggie Furey - Artifacts of Power 1 - Aurian" - читать интересную книгу автора (Furey Maggie)

exuberant design. The chambers were filled with benches, on which
stood trays of earth planted with young seedlings that basked in
the warmth of the afternoon sunlight trapped by the crystal walls.
A fine spray, seemingly appearing from nowhere, filled the air
with moisture, and Forral's skin prickled with the thick buildup
of magic. He was positive that the plants were actually growing
before his eyes! When he finally found the Mage in one of the
upper rooms, she was too preoccupied to notice him.

"Go away, Aurian," Eilin muttered, without looking up. "I've told
you not to bother me when I'm working."

Eilin had aged, the swordsman thought. It surprised him. Magefolk,


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like Mortals, could be killed by illness or accident, but
otherwise they lived as long as they wanted, dying only
when they chose to leave the world and preserving their physical
forms at whatever age they wished. Forral remembered Eilin as a
vibrant young woman, but now her dark hair was streaked with gray
and her forehead was furrowed. Deep, bitter lines tugged at the
corners of her mouth, and she looked pale and pitifully thin in
her patched and faded robes.

"Eilin, it's meтАФForral," he called, stifling his dismay. He
stepped forward, holding out his arms to hug herтАФand recoiled as
her face twisted with rage at the sight of him.

"Get out!" Eilin snapped. She bore down on the child, and hit her
across the face. "How dare you bring him here!"

Aurian dodged behind Forral. "It wasn't my fault," she wailed.

Forral, anger boiling inside him, turned to put an arm around her.
"Are you all right?"

Aurian nodded, biting her lip, her pale face branded with an ugly
red mark. Forral saw tears in her eyes, and gave her a quick hug.
"Go downstairs and wait for me by the bridge," he told her softly.

When the child had gone, the swordsman turned back to Eilin. "That
wasn't very fair," he said coldly.

"There's no such thing as fair, ForralтАФI found that out when
Geraint died. The wretched child should have told you that I never
see anyone!"