"Jordan, Robert - Wheel of Time 10 - crossroads of twilight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jordan Robert)

I believe. Cold tea. If they had a few birch switches, they'd be
stripping down for snow baths."
"They'll have to keep their clothes on for the time being," Itu-
ralde replied dryly, "but they might get some cold tea tonight, if
they're lucky." That brought a few chuckles. Quiet chuckles. He
had chosen these men with care, and they knew about noise at the
wrong time.
He himself could have done with a steaming cup of spiced
wine, or even tea. But it was a long time since merchants had
brought tea to Arad Doman. A long time since any outland mer-
chant had ventured farther than the border with Saldaea. By the
time news of the outside world reached him, it was as stale as last
month's bread, if it was more than rumor to begin. That hardly
mattered, though. If the White Tower truly was divided against
itself, or men who could channel really were being called to Caem-
lyn . . . well, the world would have to do without Rodel Ituralde
until Arad Doman was whole again. For the moment, Arad Doman
was more than enough for any sane man to go on with.
Once again he reviewed the orders he had sent, carried by the
fastest riders he had, to every noble loyal to the King. Divided as
they were by bad blood and old feuds, they still shared that
much. They would gather their armies and ride when orders
came from the Wolf; at least, so long as he held the King's favor.
They would even hide in the mountains and wait, at his order.
Oh, they would chafe, and some would curse his name, but they
would obey. They knew the Wolf won battles. More, they knew he
won wars. The Little Wolf, they called him when they thought he
could not hear, but he did not care whether they drew attention
to his stature--well, not much--so long as they rode when and
where he said.

G L I M M E R S OF T H E P A T T E R N 17


Very soon they would be riding hard, moving to set a trap that
would not spring for months. It was a long chance he was taking.
Complex plans had many ways to fall apart, and this plan had lay-
ers inside layers. Everything would be ruined before it began if he
failed to provide the bait. Or if someone ignored his order to evade
couriers from the King. They all knew his reasons, though, and
even the most stiff-necked shared them, though few were willing
to speak of the matter aloud. He himself had moved like a wraith
racing on a storm since he received Alsalam's latest command. In
his sleeve where the folded paper lay tucked above the pale lace
that fell onto his steel-backed gauntlet. They had one last chance,
one very small chance, to save Arad Doman. Perhaps even to save
Alsalam from himself before the Council of Merchants decided to
put another man on the throne in his place. He had been a good
ruler, for over twenty years. The Light send that he could be again.
A loud crack to the south sent Ituralde's hand to the hilt of his