"Jay Lake - To Live Forever" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lake Jay)

Gestas watched the water snake continue its rampage. тАЬAll I wanted was to
leave this place and see the stars.тАЭ He folded the spyglass with a snap. тАЬThe
Children have responded to us. Now is the time for action. We go to the waterfront.
Dismas ... Father ... have Longines ready the fiacre. I will dress quickly.тАЭ

Leaving the spyglass on the rail of the widowтАЩs walk, Gestas trotted down the
steps into the manor house. Dismas called down to Longines, who limped in the
gardens three stories below them.

****

The two gentlemen and the smith sat in the back of the fiacre, while Longines
drove. He had harnessed DismasтАЩ two best riding horses, both unaccustomed to
draft duty. They danced out their nervous displeasure as Longines whipped them,
causing the fiacre to sway dangerously.

Gestas sat wrapped in a great black cloak, DismasтАЩ second best as his own
good one was burned. тАЬDid you see his eye, Father?тАЭ he asked Dismas quietly.

тАЬWhose?тАЭ

Gestas nodded toward the driverтАЩs bench. тАЬBleeding. Your man has been
fighting.тАЭ

Dismas changed the subject. тАЬHow quickly can you make a thousand of those
traps, sir smith?тАЭ

тАЬNever, now.тАЭ Ahasuerus shook his head as the fiacre lurched to the right.
тАЬJust the one brought a Power rampaging from the waters. We would not have time
to get many done.тАЭ

тАЬAnd if we took the coins and fled inland, to high, stony ground?тАЭ

Ahasuerus shrugged. тАЬLet us see what becomes of this day before we plan
our flight.тАЭ

тАЬWho wouldnтАЩt want to live forever?тАЭ asked Gestas from deep inside his own
thoughts. тАЬTo have that and the stars, too, would be a noble goal.тАЭ

Dismas laughed, tapping GestasтАЩ cloaked knee with the tip of his cane. тАЬThat,
my son, is the riddle of our times.тАЭ

****

Longines stopped the fiacre at the point where Kali Avenue crossed Exchange
Street. Three blocks down, the water snake sat quivering in the middle of the road.
Smoke drifted from several fires, mainly the coachworks, and the crowds were
gone, except for a few panicked cattle huddled on the porch of a fruitery.

Gestas, seated on the left, pushed open the half-door and jumped from the