"Hamilton, Laurell K - Nightseer" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Laurell K)

NIGHTSEERNIGHTSEER
by Laurell K. Hamilton
Scanned by Keleios; proofed by Nadie.
Contents
╖ Prologue
╖ 1ЧA Reluctant Dreamer
╖ 2ЧA Spell of Binding
╖ 3ЧProphecy
╖ 4ЧAn Answer
╖ 5ЧInto the Darkness
╖ 6ЧBlood Oath
╖ 7ЧDemonТs Edge
╖ 8ЧThe White Dagger
╖ 9ЧFire and Ice
╖ 10ЧThe Only Thing More Sad
╖ 11ЧChains
╖ 12ЧAlharzor
╖ 13ЧHarque the Witch
╖ 14ЧA Brass Horn Sounding
╖ 15ЧThe GuardianТs Isle
╖ 16ЧA Matter of Magic


Prologue
Prophecy begins with a childТs nightmare.
Keleios did not know the dream was prophetic; she only knew it felt different
from other dreams.
Mother, Elwine the Gentle, stood at the top of a stairway. She smiled and
beckoned with a slender white hand. Keleios, the child, ran to her. Keleios saw
her as very tall and very beautiful, as only a mother can be. A blemish appeared
on the womanТs face, a mere darkening of the skin, but it grew. The blackness
burst the skin in an oozing sore. A second blackness raised on her forehead, and
another, and another. Keleios held the white hand, saying, УMother whatТs
wrong?Ф
The woman screamed and fell to her knees, jerking her hand free from Keleios.
Her mother whispered, УRun.Ф
Keleios ran. The hallways were dark with flickering torches sending twisted
shadows in her path. And from one shadow stepped a woman. Harque the Witch
formed from the darkness. Keleios knew Harque did not like her mother, and the
child had always been afraid of the witch without knowing why. Harque said,
УWhere is the fair Elwine the Gentle? Where is she now?Ф
Keleios screamed and ran back the way she had come. She ran, but the voice kept
asking, УWhere is the fair Elwine the Gentle? Where is she now?Ф
Harque came from every shadow, she was always there. Keleios ran into a wallЧa
dead end, nowhere to go. Harque stood behind her, tall and severe. УDo you want
to see your mother?Ф
Keleios stared at her, too frightened to speak, too tired to move.
The witch repeated her question. УDo you want to see your mother?Ф
Keleios nodded and couldnТt stop herself from taking the womanТs hand. The
witchТs hand was cool to her sweating flesh. Harque led her up a narrow-walled