"Lisa Goldstein - Summer King, Winter Fool" - читать интересную книгу автора (Goldstein Lisa)

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 94-
First edition: May
First mass market edition: June
Printed in the United States of America



To Doug, once again



Summer King, Winter Fool


One
^┬╗
On a cold winter night in Ettara, two figures strode toward the
palace. A loud wind blew, and the torches of first one and then the
other flared into brightness, casting their faces into light and
shadow.
One of the men was tall, with brown hair and slate-gray eyes.
But the other was taller, his hair and eyes nearly black. Their
cloaks coursed behind them in the rough wind. The lighted windows
of the palace shone before them; they pulled their cloaks closer and
hurried on.
They passed SbonaтАЩs fountain, a statue of the goddess creating
the waters with her tears. Wind gusted through the yard and sent
an icy spray of water over them. The torches guttered and nearly
went out.
тАЬCold,тАЭ Valemar said to his cousin. тАЬThey say this is the coldest
winter anyone can remember.тАЭ
Narrion said nothing. The wind blew his long black hair behind
him, and he paused to fit his half-mask over his head.
Valemar did the same. His silver mask gleamed in the dim light.
тАЬListen,тАЭ Narrion said. His tone was low, conspiratorial, though
there was no one in the courtyard to overhear him. тАЬI have some
business to attend to tonight. You can come with me or not, as you
choose. But donтАЩt ask questions, and donтАЩt hinder me.тАЭ
тАЬWhen have I ever hindered you? YouтАЩve always done as you
pleased.тАЭ
But Narrion had hurried on ahead. What business? Val thought.
He saw his cousin knock at the outer palace door and go inside.
The door closed as Val came up to it. He knocked, and the porter
opened the small spy-hole. тАЬWho is it?тАЭ the porter asked.
тАЬIтАФтАЭ Val said, his mind still on Narrion. What business?
The porter began to close the spy-hole. тАЬItтАЩs Valemar, of the house
of the willow tree,тАЭ Val said.
The outer palace door opened. A fire burned in the grate in the
entrance room and candles lit the walls; compared to the chill
outside the palace seemed almost hot.