"Naomi Kritzer - Dead Rivers 3 - Freedom's Sisters" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kritzer Naomi)

CHAPTER TWO


L AURIA




Tamar,тАЭ I whispered, though I had found myself in mist and shadow and had searched for Tamar in vain.
Someone was nudging my ankle. Kyros.

тАЬWeтАЩre almost there,тАЭ he said. тАЬI thought you might like to see Penelopeia from the sky.тАЭ

I blinked and looked around. IтАЩd nodded off against the cushions of the palanquin sometime during the afternoon.
IтАЩd started out feigning drowsiness to avoid talking to Kyros, but I must have fallen asleep for real. I sat up and
stretched. The cushions under me were damp from sweat. All the curtains were drawn; Kyros feared flying and
hated looking out of the palanquin. Well. He doesnтАЩt have to. I drew the corner of the curtain aside and peered out.

We were still high up. Looking down, I could see golden fields. Farther away, something vast and dark caught
the afternoon sunlight in rippling sparkles. I caught my breath and squinted, wondering what it could be. Blowing
sand? Some sort of shiny rocks?

тАЬItтАЩs the sea,тАЭ Kyros said, though he hadnтАЩt looked out, only at my face. тАЬPenelopeia is near the shores of a sea.тАЭ

тАЬThatтАЩs all water?тАЭ I stared at the glittering expanse.

тАЬSalt water,тАЭ Kyros said. His voice was a little amused. тАЬYou canтАЩt drink it.тАЭ

Still. I looked out again. All that water.

My thoughts drifted to Thais. After the Alashi had cast me out, IтАЩd resolved to free the slaves IтАЩd returned to
slavery. IтАЩd finally found the last of them, Thais, but instead of accepting my offer, sheтАЩd raised the alarm, and
IтАЩd been handed over to Kyros. ThaisтАЩs master was one of KyrosтАЩs officers; sheтАЩd run away to be with him, and
after IтАЩd brought her back, Kyros had sold her to Casseia to punish both of them. It hadnтАЩt worked; heтАЩd found a
way to get down to Casseia and had bought her and brought her home. And IтАЩd gone to free her anyway, not
knowing, and now I was with Kyros. Come back, all is forgiven, Tamar had shouted when weтАЩd touched in the
borderland, but it was too late. We were going to Penelopeia, for me to plead my case before the magia, and

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probably be executed.

тАЬHow much farther to Penelopeia?тАЭ I asked.

тАЬWeтАЩll be there soon,тАЭ Kyros said. тАЬBefore sunset.тАЭ