"Mercedes Lackey - Last Herald Mage 2 - Magic's Promise" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

never do or say anything anymore without thinking about it. That's good for
Herald-Mage Vanyel, but I'm not entirely certain about Vanyel Ashkevron.тАЭ
There was a long silence behind him, then - тАЬThere's no joy in you anymore,
ke'chara. No joy at all. And that bothers me more than the circled eyes and
thin cheeks.тАЭ
тАЬWe've all endured too much the last five years to be able to afford to do
things without thinking. As for joy - is there joy anywhere, anymore? We've all
lost so much - so many friends gone - тАЬ
Another long silence. тАЬI don't know.тАЭ
He cleared his throat, and changed the subject. тАЬI didn't feel a third here.
You aren't teaching?тАЭ
тАЬCan't; don't have the stamina anymore. Not and be Guardian, too.тАЭ
He'd half expected that. And he half expected what quarter. тАЬSo they
made you Guardian? In whose place?тАЭ
тАЬLancir's. Shavri can't; she tried, and she can't. The four Guardians have
to be Herald-Mages. We'd hoped Healing-Gift was close enough, but she
didn't pass the last trial. I think she's relieved. It's a pity; the Guardian of the
East has always been King's Own, but - тАЬ
тАЬIn that case, the present I brought you may be handy.тАЭ He shifted so that
he could get at his pocket, and pulled out the crystal. He closed his hand
around it, feeling all the smooth planes and angles pressing into his palm.
тАЬDon't you need a Prime Focus stone of your own to set in the Web? I thought
you didn't have a good Prime to use for anything but personal stuff.''
тАЬYou do, and I put a stone there, but it was a Secondary Focus, an
amethyst, and not what I'd have-тАЭ
He raised the hand holding the crystal above his head, parting his fingers
so she could see it, but not opening his eyes or moving his head.
тАЬSunsinger's Glory!тАЭ she breathed. тАЬWhere did you find that?тАЭ
тАЬGifted me,тАЭ he said, as the weight left his hand. тАЬPeople keep giving me
things, Savil. An opal or amber I could have used - still - you can use it, so
do.тАЭ
тАЬI shall.тАЭ Her hand began to stroke his hair again, and he heard the little
click as she set the stone down on the table beside her. тАЬThat will make my
job a bit easier.тАЭ She chuckled richly. тАЬI thought I was so lucky when it turned
out my resonances worked best with rose-quartz-not like Deedre who was
stuck with topaz, or Justen, with ruby. Nice, cheap stone, I thought. Won't
have to go bankrupt trying to get a good one. Little did I know how hard it was
to find a good, unflawed, large crystal!тАЭ
тАЬLittle did you know you were going to turn out a Guardian,тАЭ he replied
drowsily.
тАЬHmm, true.тАЭ Her mind touched softly on his. Vanyel, ke'chara, you are not
well. There's more silver in this lovely black hair.:
He couldn't lie mind-to-mind, not to her, so he temporized. :The silver's
from working with the nodes; you should know that. As for the rest - I'm just
weary, teacher - love. Just weary. Too many hours fighting too many battles,
and all of it too much alone.:
:Heart - wounded?: Her Mindvoice was etched and frosted with concern.
:No, heart - whole. Just lonely. Only that. You know. I haven't time these
days to go courting a friend. Not on battle - lines. And I won't ask for more
than friendship - gods, how could I ask anyone to make an emotional