"Elizabeth Haydon - Symphony of Ages - Threshold" - читать интересную книгу автора (Haydon Elizabeth)

тАЬHardly worth the risk, the effort,тАЭ Petaris Flynt muttered. тАЬA score of ragged human ratsтАФfor this we
chanced boiling and splitting?тАЭ

HectorтАЩs brow darkened in the dimming light of the setting sun.

тАЬIf you rescue but one soul, it will have been worth the effort,тАЭ he said bitterly. тАЬWould that I had the
chance to do so. Take to your ship, captain, and set sail. Hurry home to whomever you love, bearing
your human cargo. Quit this place while you can.тАЭ
The captain nodded sharply. тАЬVery well. Climb aboard, then, Sir Hector, and weтАЩll be off for the
Icefields.тАЭ

Five pairs of eyes stared at him stonily through the mist.

тАЬYou misunderstand,тАЭ Anais said finally after a long and awkward moment. тАЬWe are not leaving.тАЭ

тАЬI am sworn to stay here,тАЭ Hector interrupted, waving Anais into silence. тАЬBy command of my king and
lord, I am to remain to keep order in the last days, and hold the line of succession.тАЭ

тАЬMadness!тАЭ puffed Flynt. тАЬThe king is gone, Sir Hector; the exodus has passed, and passed successfully.
There is nothing left to guard. Surely your king did not mean for you to remain to your death, now that
your duty is fully discharged! Come aboard.тАЭ

тАЬI thank you, but I cannot.тАЭ

тАЬBy the kingтАЩs command?тАЭ

тАЬBy the kingтАЩs command, yes.тАЭ

тАЬThen your king was a fool,тАЭ said the sea captain contemptuously. тАЬIf there is nothing left to guard, to
what end does a sovereign condemn good men to certain death standing watch overnothing ? What sort
of man, what sort of king, would do that?тАЭ

тАЬMy king,тАЭ growled Jarmon, his eyes blazing in fury as he elbowed his way between Anais and Hector,
stopping a hairsbreadth from the captainтАЩs face. тАЬOur king. And you would be well advised not to
gainsay him again, if you do not wish to face certain death yourself.тАЭ

тАЬThink of your family, man,тАЭ the captain said desperately, ignoring the old guard and turning to Hector
once more.

Hector leaned closer. тАЬI do, with each breath,тАЭ he said, gently pulling Jarmon back. тАЬBut I am sworn to
my king, and theyтАЭтАФhe nodded at the other fourтАФтАЬare sworn to me. I thank you for your concern,
Captain Flynt, and for your heroic efforts on behalf of the remaining population of this land. But only one
of us will be going with you.тАЭ

The captain blinked; the tension that had run in the air like steel bands a moment before vanished,
replaced with shock as the four others looked askance at each other, bewilderment on their faces.

Hector turned and signaled to his companions, nodding down the pier. Together they walked halfway
back to the dock, shaking their heads, exchanging glances of confusion, until Hector stopped out of
earshot of the captain, and pointed through the mist to shore, where the dark mountain of sandbags