"John Marco - The Eyes of a God" - читать интересную книгу автора (Marco John)

It wasn't really a lie, and it made her father's face shine. Karis patted his daughter's hand and said,
"You're special to me. You always will be. And you will always be my daughter, even when you are a
queen." The king rose from the bed, straightening his stunning tunic. "Rest for now. Tonight, when the
banquet begins, I will send for you. You will dance for King Akeela, and he will fall in love with you."
Cassandra smiled. Since she had blossomed into womanhood, every man seemed to love her. It gave
her power, the taste of which was sweet.
When her father left the chamber, Cassandra rose from the bed and went back to the window.
Outside, she could see Akee-la's little army, now just outside the city gates.
he Reecian capital rose in a splendid arc before them. Lukien had never been so close to the city
before, and as he rode beside Akeela, nearing the tall iron gates, he marveled at the simple, natural
architecture and the grace of his enemies. Hes wasn't like Koth, L├╝ria's capital. It was smaller and had
fewer tall towers, so that light fell easily on its white and brown cement, giving it a shimmering
appearance. As the sun dipped down, the city came alive with candles, blinking in the round windows
and lending the place an orange sheen. Lukien slowed his column as they neared the city gates. The
dentate portals were opened wide in welcome. Beyond them, mounted soldiers sat at attention, their
swords sheathed and their shoulders rigid. A procession of Reecian citizens stretched out behind them,
disappearing down the avenues and watching the newcomers in silent awe. Lukien heard music, the
brassy parade tunes the Reecians favored. An uneasiness grew in his stomach. Despite the obvious
welcome Hes was giving Akeela, the Bronze Knight cringed inwardly. In the five years since becoming a
full-ranked Royal Charger, he had clashed with these people dozens of times.
'You see?" said Akeela. "They welcome us. As I told you they would."
The king rode a bit faster toward the waiting city. Lukien spurred his horse to keep up.
'Slowly, Akeela," he warned. He brought his chestnut charger to a trot beside his king, steering the
beast toward its brother to block its stride. "Let me go first."
Akeela relented, checking his eagerness. He brought his horse to a halt. The winding column behind
him stopped. Lukien waved his lieutenants forward, and Trager and Breck trotted out of the mass.
'We'll go first," he told the pair. "The king will follow."
Breck nodded his red head. Trager's face didn't change. The two rode beside each other but behind
Lukien, ready to lead their king and his procession into the city. As he turned back toward Hes, Lukien
noticed a group of well-dressed nobles at the gate's threshold. Karis' counselors wore red and gold
tunics and uneasy smiles on their bearded faces. One of them, taller and more regal than the others, stood
a pace ahead of his companions, a black cape around his shoulders and sword at his side. The smile on
his face twisted when he noticed Lukien coming toward him, and soon the contagion spread through the
others. The soldiers along the avenue cocked their helmeted heads; a murmur rippled through the
crowds.
The Bronze Knight had come.
Lukien squared his shoulders. He was Akeela's herald, and that meant he needed to be fearless. His
armored horse snorted its disdain, and Lukien rode across the threshold of Hes, into the midst of his
enemies. The music grew as the musicians lining the avenues strummed their guitars and blew into their
horns, and the red flags of Reec were everywhere, hanging down from apartment windows and held aloft
by proud teenagers. Yet to Lukien's surprise the L├╝rian flag was displayed too, held by a Reecian honor
guard resplendent in crimson tunics and white gloves. As Lukien approached the nobles just inside the
city, the foursome bowed deeply, putting their hands over their hearts and lowering their eyes to the
cobblestones. They did not lift themselves until Lukien's shadow fell upon them.
'I am Lukien of L├╝ria," he declared. "Herald of King Akeela and Captain of his Royal Chargers."
The four noblemen raised their eyes to Lukien. The tall one's smile was inscrutable.
'Welcome," he said. He spread his arms wide, looking past Lukien to where Akeela waited behind
Trager and Breck. "I am Earl Linuk of Glain. On behalf of King Karis and all of Reec, I welcome you."
'Thank you," said Lukien. He remembered the name Linuk, sure that he had faced the Reecian in
combat before. As Earl of Glain, Linuk ruled one of Reec's largest territories and was one of Karis'