"Katherine Kurtz - Camber 3 - Camber the Heretic" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kurtz Katherine)

could have done it?" Camber asked.
"He probably wouldn't even have discovered it," Evaine said.
"She's right," Rhys agreed. "And remember, we know one another's mental
touch, from working together in council. If we hadn't had that advantage, he
wouldn't have been so open." He shrugged. "But this isn't the place for further
speculation right now. I don't even want to tell Gregory what's happened until
I've had a chance to think about it some more."
Camber nodded. "A wise decision. Given all the pertinent factors, though,
how soon do you think he'll be able to ride? Cinhil thought Gregory was being
melodramatic." He chuckled as he remembered the king's outburst. "He
seemed to think Gregory was trying to steal his thunder, with all this talk about
dying, so he wants to see him."
"I can imagine," Rhys chuckled. "On the other hand," he continued on a
more serious note, "I didn't want Cinhil thinking he had to get on a horse and
come charging out here, in his condition."
"Oh, I don't think he would haveтАФ" Camber began.
"He would have, and you know it!" Rhys disagreed with a grin. "He's the
second most stubborn man I know."
"Myself being the first, I suppose." Camber smiled. "Well, you're probably
right." He sobered as his thoughts returned to Cinhil. "The trip certainly
wouldn't have done him any good, though. I don't like the sound of his cough."
He looked to Rhys for reassurance, his hope fading as the Healer did not
deny the fear he had so lightly posed. "How much time does he have, Rhys?" he
asked, almost inaudibly.
"A matter of weeks," Rhys managed to reply. "A month, at the outside. I don't
think he'll see Eastertide."
A chill slithered down Camber's spine. Weeks! A month at the outside!
And Cinhil knew, he realized, as he thought back on their last conversation.
Cinhil was aware that he was dying, and had started to tell Camber and Joram
about his concern for his sons when Rhys's message had called them both
away.
Now Cinhil was alone at ValoretтАФor, not alone, for Jebediah was with him;
and Tavis was available for the basic work of Healing. But Jebediah was not
trained to cope with what must occur before Cinhil diedтАФand Tavis must never
know!
"We must get back to him," Camber breathed, unclasping cramped fingers
and reaching for his cloak. "How soon can the two of you leave?"
He stood as Joram laid the heavy cloak on his shoulders and fastened the
clasp. Rhys and Evaine also stood, almost frightened at the intensity of
Camber's reaction.
"We need to be certain Gregory is free of any aftereffects," the Healer said.
"Under the circumstances, with he being who he is, we really should spend the
night here and plan to leave in the morning."
"So long?" Camber murmured. "God, I wish I hadn't left Cinhil! What if heтАФ"
"Father, he isn't going to die tonight!" Evaine insisted gently, sensing
Camber's increasing anxiety and knowing it to be unwarranted, as yet. "Unless
he was much worse at noon than he was this morning, he has time."
With a weary sigh, Camber clasped both their hands to his breast and shook
his head.
"I'm sorry. I know. You're right. Nonetheless, I must go back to him. We've