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

"We stand outside time, in a place not of earth. As our ancestors before us
bade, we join together and are One. By Thy blessed Apostles, Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John; by all Powers of Light and Shadow, we call Thee to guard and
defend us from all perils, O Most High. Thus it is and has always been, thus it
will be for all times to come. Per omnia saecula saeculorum."
"Amen," Cinhil whispered, truly in union with all of them now, as he had not
been for many, many years.
He crossed himself and closed his eyes in silent prayer; was aware, through
his meditation, of the soft rustle of his companions' robes as they went about
their next tasks. He caught a whiff of incense as Evaine brought the thurible to
his right, was abruptly conscious of Alister and Joram moving into place at his
left.
He turned toward them and candlelight flashed in his eyes as he looked up,
glinting from the blade of the dagger which Alister carried across the rim of the
white-glazed earthen cup. Nervously, Cinhil took his son's shoulders and
turned him slightly away from the knife, knowing the boy would remember
none of this, yet sensitive to the fear of the present. A little self-consciously, he
pulled from his left hand a heavy gold ring set with garnets, the central
cabochon surrounded by smaller, brilliant-cut stones which caught and
fractured the candlelight into hundreds of fiery flecks which danced on his
dark robe. He could sense his son's dazed attention on the ring as he handed it
to Joram.
 "This, properly charged, will be the trigger. When I am gone and he puts on
the ring, his powers will be complete. But he will not know of them unless he
needs them, and even then, he will believe those powers his by Divine Right,
because he is king."
"A reasonable rationale, under the circumstances," Joram nodded. He
gestured toward Alister's cup with the piece of parchment he also held. "For our
part, we have chosen water rather than wine for this rite. Wine had a particular
significance for you, but we felt that water was sufficient for the children. It will
hold the charge as well тАФunless, of course, you prefer wine."
Cinhil shook his head and contained a shiver, remembering that wine, dark
and bitter, throbbing with power. With a deep, sobering breath, he took his
son's slack hands in his and met the glazed grey eyes with his own.
"Son, forgive me for what I am about to do to you," he said in a low voice.
"What I must do, I do for your good and the good of all your people. I know you
cannot understand that now, or what is happening to you, but I want you to
know, at least at some level, that despite what may sometimes appear, IтАФcare
for you greatly, and would never willingly permit you to come to ill."
Gently his thumbs chafed the two small hands resting so still within his
own, then brought the right one to his lips and kissed it. His eyes misted as he
glanced away at the parchment which Joram now held within his vision, but he
did not need to read the words penned there.
"I will declare the decree," he said, never faltering as he recited the words of
the Psalmist. "The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son: this day have I
begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance,
and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."
He glanced into the boy's eyes again, fancying he could see some
comprehension written there, then released the boy's left hand, took the
dagger from Alister and tested its sharpness against his thumb.