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

state, of course, but though he is weak and knows it, he seems resigned to
what must be done and to the possible price he may have to pay. I don't think
that even he expects to survive this night, but somehow that does not seem to
alarm him now. He is past fear."
"Past fear," Evaine whispered. "Would that we all could be. When he is
goneтАФ"
She shuddered, not with the cold, and Rhys reached blindly to his left and
took her hand, gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"Well," she said briskly, "we'd all best see about reaching that state, oughtn't
we? We knew this day would come eventually. It's just a shame it has come so
soon. Father, has he given you any idea what kind of ritual he would like, or is
he planning it himself?"
"He wishes it to take place in his private chapel," Camber replied, "and he
has given us leave to make the physical preparations. I reviewed the essential
elements of an effective ritual with him this morning, but the rite is to be of his
guiding. He made that quite clear."
"Can he be trusted to do it?" Joram asked. "He has deliberately given
himself as little experience as possible, in using his powers. Suppose he breaks
under the strain?"
"In that case, we must be prepared to step in," Camber replied. "But he is
not to know that. For as long as we can, we must let him believe that he is truly
in charge. And he may even surprise us."
Evaine nodded, then glanced at her brother. "Joram, how much has actually
been done in preparation? Is the chapel ready yet?"
"Not entirely. I had the servants give it a thorough cleaning after Mass this
morning. I was waiting for you to arrive before tackling any more specific
preparation, though. If you've rested enough, we can get started whenever
you're ready."
"Fine. It will keep us from thinking too much."
She got to her feet and cast off the extra robe she had wrapped around her
while she ate, touching Rhys's hand a final time. "Rhys, will you need any help
with the children, or can Joram and I get started with our part?"
Rhys shook his head. "I can manage. I'll see Cinhil first, to make certain he's
resting. Joram, can you meet me at the nursery-end of the passage when
you've finished helping Evaine? Shortly after Vespers will be fine. I'll let you in."
"Good enough. By the way, what about Tavis O'Neill? He's been spending a
lot of time with Prince Javan. He's never far from his side."
With a sigh, Rhys laid his hand on his pouch. "I'll ask Cinhil on that one,
but if worse comes to worst, the drugs I have will put him out of commission,
just like the other servants. But before I go drugging other Deryni and royal
princes, I intend to see His GraceтАФjust to make certain that this is what he
wants."
A few minutes later, Rhys found himself being admitted to the king's
apartments by a solemn-faced squire who bowed him in and immediately
withdrew. Cinhil was ensconced in a pile of cushions and sleeping furs before
the fireplace in his sleeping chamber, half-reclining while he perused a
well-worn scroll of devotional readings. A bank of rushlights on the floor at his
elbow cast a warm glow on his face.
At Rhys's tentative knock on the doorframe, he looked up as though brought
back abruptly from some other, more serene world, the grey eyes blinking in