"Mercedes Lackey - Alta" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

v2.0 Scanned and proofed by unknown heroes.

v2.1 Reproofed by Highroller.

Made prettier by use of EBook Design Group Stylesheet.



ALTA by MERCEDES
LACKEY
INSIDE FLAP
VETCH was once an Altan serf, tied to the lands that had belonged to
his family before the devastating war with Tia usurped a third of Alta's
lands, and turned the few Altans who survived on them into virtual slaves.
But Vetch had been rescued from this unbearable fate by one of the very
dragon-riders who had conquered his country, and trained to be a
dragon-boy.

And Vetch had been gratefulтАФnow he was well fed and cared forтАФno
longer in danger of dying from exposure or starvation. But no matter how
grateful he was for this lifesaving turn of events, he could never forget the
family he had lost, the home that had been stolen from them, and the
once-happy life that was gone foreverтАФa casualty of war. A war that Tia
had won due to their superior number of Jousters and dragons.

As Vetch adjusted to his new life, he slowly came to realize that Ari, the
Jouster who had saved him, and Kashet, his dragon, were very different
than the other Jousters and dragons in the compound. Kashet was
naturally tameтАФhe didn't need the tranquilizing tala plant to make him
manageable, and Ari's relationship with him was one of mutual love and
respect. Kashet let Ari ride him because he wanted to, not because he was
drugged into submission. Ari's technique was very simple: he had raised
Kashet from the egg, rather than abducting him from the wild as was
traditional for Jousters. He had cared for him and hand fed him from the
day he hatched, and they were deeply and naturally bonded. Vetch knew
he could do the same thing if he ever got the chance.

When his opportunity came, Vetch did not hesitate: he stole a newly
laid egg and hid it in the hot sand of an empty dragon pen. But as the
weeks passed, and the egg matured and finally hatched, Vetch had no way
to prepare himself for his reaction. His dragonet was bright crimson with
golden limbs, fragile and helpless, stunningly beautiful, and completely
dependent on Vetch for her survival. Vetch named her Avatre which
meant fire of the dawn, and knew in his soul that she was, and would
forever be, the single most important thing in his life. Vetch was
hopelessly, helplessly in love. There was nothing he would not have done,
would not have sacrificed for his dragonet.

Avatre grew and matured under Vetch's loving care. Fierce, strong, and
completely loyal to Vetch, Avatre prospered in the light of Vetch's love.