"Jordan, Robert - Wheel of Time 09 - Winter's Heart" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jordan Robert)

they look for chances to take. And one whisper of a rumor of
the Horn of Valere, and youТll be lucky if only two in three
vanish overnight.Ф
Dyelin smiled a thin smile, as though she had won a point.
Oil and water were not in it compared to those two; each
managed well enough with nearly anyone else, but for some
reason they could argue over the color of charcoal. Could and
would. УBesides, Hunters and mercenaries alike, nearly all
are foreigners. That will sit poorly with high and low alike.
Very poorly. The last thing you want is to start a
rebellion.Ф Lightning flared, briefly lighting the casements,
and a particularly loud peal of thunder punctuated her words.
In a thousand years, seven Queens of Andor had been toppled by
open rebellion, and the two who survived probably wished they
had not.
Elayne stifled a sigh. One of the small inlaid tables along
the walls held a heavy silver ropework try with cups and a
tall pitcher of hot spiced wine. Lukewarm spiced wine, now.
She channeled briefly, Fire, and a thin wisp of steam rose
from the pitcher. Reheating gave the spices a slight
bitterness, but the warmth of the worked silver cup in her
hands was worth it. With an effort she resisted the desire
to heat the air in the room with the Power and released the
Source; the warmth would not have lasted unless she maintained
the weaves, anyway. She had conquered her unwillingness to
let go every time she took in saidarЧwell, to some extentЧyet
of late, the desire to draw more grew every time. Every
sister had to face that dangerous desire. A gesture brought
the others to pour their own wine.
УYou know the situation,Ф she told them. УOnly a fool could
think it anything but dire, and youТre neither of you fools.Ф
The Guards were a shell, a handful of acceptable men and a
double handful of strongarms and toughs better suited to
throwing drunks out of taverns, or being thrown out
themselves. And with the Saldaeans gone and the Aiel leaving,
crime was blooming like weeds in spring. She would have
thought the snow would damp it down, but every day brought
robbery, arson, and worse. Every day, the situation grew
worse. УAt this rate, weТll see riots in a few weeks. Maybe
sooner. If I canТt keep order in Caemlyn itself, the people
will turn against me.Ф If she could not keep order in the
capital, she might as well announce to the world she was unfit
to rule. У I donТt like it but it has to be done, so it will
be.Ф Both opened their mouths, ready to argue further, but
she gave them no chance. She made her voice firm. УIt will
be done.Ф
BirgitteТs waist-long golden braid swung as she shook her
head, yet grudging acceptance filtered through the bond. She
took a decidedly odd view of their relationship as Aes Sedai
and Warder, but she had learned to recognize when Elayne would