"Jean Lorrah - Savage Empire 05 - Sorcerers of the Frozen Isles" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lorrah Jean)

//No Readers,// Torio told him with total certainly. //Spies in Zendi would have heard we were expected,
and then it would have been easy enough for just one person to watch Wulfston's castle to see whether
people gathered to form a retinue. And he's known for avoiding unnecessary ceremony* Besides, I
should think that since it's an alliance of Readers with Adepts that has made their life difficult as bandits,
they'd be even more distrustful of Readers than most savages.//

Lenardo smiled. //Who are the savages, Torio? Anybody who isn't us?// But he obviously didn't expect
an answer. //Get some rest. I'll Read the outlaw camp in the morning, to make sure they're not planning
to move before we can decide what to do about them.//

//All right, as soon as I've reported to Rolf what happened todayтАФWulfston's household must think
we're with you by now, unless the watchers have reported otherwise. And if they have, they'll be worried
about us.//

//Good thinkingтАФalways be considerate of those who depend on you.//

So Torio withdrewтАФand then sought the opposite direction, back to the castle where he and Wulfston
had begun their journey. It was still early evening; Rolf was just finishing a consulation with local farmers
concerning the amount of rain needed in the next week.

Rolf, like Torio, had been born blind, but with a single Adept power: control of weather. Then last
summer, with the help of Torio and Melissa, he had learned to Read. Now, although he would never
have Torio's abilities, he no longer used a stick to find his way around, nor required anyone to guide him.
Even with only limited Reading power, he was happy with his newfound independence.

At the moment, he was the only Reader at Wulfston's castle. He could never have Read to the
stonecutter's cottage where Torio was, but a stronger Reader could always contact a weaker one. When
Torio touched Rolfs mind, the other boy quickly responded, //Have you reached Zendi already?//

//No, but both Wulfston and I are unhurt.//

Only after that reassurance did he explain what had happened.

//How could anyone want to attack you and Lord Wulfston?// Rolf asked in genuine bewilderment.
//Lord Torio, you and Wulfston must not travel without a retinue again.//

//We'll worry about that some other time. What you must do now is watch for spies around the castle.
Somebody knew when Wulfston would be traveling, and that he and I would be alone. That person
probably left the area when we didтАФbut be alert for other strangers, Rolf. If one band of malcontents
could hatch such a plot, it's always possible there could be others.//

//Yes, my lord,// Rolf told him, and Torio knew security would be redoubled. So when he broke contact
and returned to his body, he was able to relax in the knowledge that he had done everything he had to,
and fall asleepтАФonly to toss and turn with nightmares that disappeared when he woke, shaking, with a
haunting sense of guilt.

When Wulfston and Torio reached Zendi the next day, everyone in their circle already knew what had
happened, and agreed that something had to be done about the outlaw band. "If nothing else," said
Aradia, "we must make an example of them, so that no one else decides we are easy prey."