"Mindy L. Klasky - Glasswright Journeyman" - читать интересную книгу автора (Klasky Mindy L)

She had bridled at his acerbic tone, but she had long ago mastered swallowing her retorts to
the old inventor. Instead, she had brought a lamp closer, and she had made out the words on
the page:

A JOURNEYMAN'S DUTY. A Journeyman Glasswright shall exhibit all the Skills learned in
his Apprenticeship. He shall show Knowledge in pouring Glass. He shall show Knowledge in
cutting Glass. He shall show Knowledge in setting Glass. He shall show Leadership in
teaching Apprentices. He shall show Obedience in following Masters. He shall contribute one
fourth Share of all his worldly Goods to his King. Only then shall a Glasswright be
recognized as Journeyman by his Guild and all the World.

Rani had read the text so many times that she had memorized the words, inuring herself to
the longing that swelled in her chest. She had once been part of a complete
guildтАФapprentices, journeymen, mastersтАФall working toward a common goal. Now, she
was the only glasswright in all of Morenia. She must prove to herself that she was ready to
advance, that she was ready to stake claim to the title of journeyman. She must prove that
she was ready to step forward in her bid to rebuild the glasswrights' guild.

After all, no other glasswrights were likely to trust their fates to Morenia. Not after the proud
kingdom's own guild had been destroyed. Not after its guildhall was torn down, stone by
painful stone. Not after its own masters and journeymen and apprentices had been executed
or maimed, the supposedly lucky ones traveling far from Morenia with only scars and
butchered hands to show for their devotion. If Rani were to rebuild the glasswrights' guild,
she would have to start on her own, vanquishing the nightmares of the past.

And so, even after the fire, Rani began each day by reading the book's exhortation, as if the
words alone would make her succeed in the face of Moren's calamity. That morning, she had
set herself to work on a new window, a window illustrating the disaster of the fire. She was
still trying to determine a strategy for cutting the piecesтАФlong tongues of red and yellow and
orange, streamers of color to commemorate the flames that had changed forever the world
that she had known. She would immortalize Moren's destruction in glass, exorcise the
memories from her own mind, and cement her claim to the title of journeymanтАж

She still did not have the skill to cut the long, flowing pieces. Instead, she would work on
tinting the glass, creating the yellow and orange from clear glass and silver stain. She needed
to determine the proper amount of gum arabic for the caustic mixture. She grunted slightly
as she reached for a lead-embossed book, the first treasure that Davin had given her. That
treatise held almost everything she wanted to know about glasswork, almost everything that
she had taught herself in the three years since she had returned from Amanthia.
From Amanthia, where she had been kidnapped and forced into an army of children,
children who were sold as slaves to further their dark king's evil goals. Rani had liberated that
army, and she had contributed to the defeat of the evil King Sin Hazar. She had learned
much on her journey to Amanthia, much about the dark power of loyalty and devotion and
love.

Rani set the new book on the table, carefully bringing her lamp near and ignoring the slight
tremble in her fingers. She was too aware of the power of fire. Before she could huddle over
the pages of tight-written script, the door to the tower chamber crashed open. "Mair!" Rani
exclaimed. "Where have you been?"