"Greenwood, Ed - Shandril 02 - Crown of Fire_v1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Greenwood Ed)

CROWN OF FIRE
by Ed Greenwood

Sequel to the Best-Selling Novel 'Spellfire'

The action of this novel occurs in the Year of the Prince (1357
Dalreckoning), immediately after the novel 'Spellfire', and before the
Coming of the Gods.




* Prologue

Something flashed as it moved - aye, there! Brann stepped up to the
grassy crest of the hill where his flock was pastured and looked east,
shading his eyes against the bright forenoon sun. Whatever was moving
caught the light again, flashing against the dark, tree clad lower
slopes of the mountains opposite him. Out of habit, Brann looked quickly
around at his flock, counting without thought. He found nothing amiss
and peered back to the east again, looking for that moving glint to show
itself again.

The mountains stood high and dark, like a row of stone giants frowning
down on easternmost Cormyr. The "Thunder Peaks", men called them, named
for the fierce storms that often rolled and broke among them. They were
hard and grim and splendid, and sometimes Brann just sat and watched
them for hours.

Much as he was watching them now. They towered over him like a dark,
many-spired fortress wall, forever hiding Sembia from the high meadows
where he stood. Rich, splendid Sembia, a land where fat merchants lay at
ease among piles of gold coins, glittering like that spot on the
mountains. Ships full of coins from all over the Realms - even far,
sinister Thay, where wizards kept slaves, came to its shores every day.

He'd not always be just a shepherd. Someday he'd go to Sembia's docks
and meet with adventure, Brann promised himself... not for the first
time. He sighed at that thought, shook his head with a wry smile, and
glanced about at the sheep again. His count was right, and none of them
was straying, shifting, or even looking particularly awake. Brann stared
at the sheep in growing exasperation. They ignored him, as usual. Oh,
for a little excitement! Nothing here seemed amiss -- also as usual. He
sighed again, and looked east.

The sky was bright and clear, and every boulder and stand of trees on
the familiar flanks of the Peaks was as it had always been,
unchanged-except... Except for that little winking flash of light, far
away over the rolling, grass-clad hills near the Gap. Something shone
back the sun at him again, something descending through the high