"Laurie Marks - Elemental Logic 01 - Fire Logic" - читать интересную книгу автора (Marks Laurie)

shoulders. The farmers must have spotted the messenger on the road, and followed him into town to hear
the news. The messengerтАЩs dirty, ragged banner hung limp from the bell tower, and Emil could scarcely
make out the single glyph imprinted on it. It was Death-and-Life, he realized finally, which was commonly
depicted on glyph cards as a pyre into which a man stepped and became a skeleton, or, alternately, from
which a skeleton stepped and became a man. It was the GтАЩdeonтАЩs glyph, carried through Shaftal only
once in each GтАЩdeonтАЩs lifetime: when the previous GтАЩdeon died and the new one was vested with the
power of Shaftal. It called the people to simultaneously mourn and rejoice. Soon, the messenger would
announce the death of Harald GтАЩdeon, who had given the land protection and health for thirty-five years,
and would name his successor.

Emil did not envy the young elemental selected to inherit that burden of power and decision. The
government of Shaftal had been in discord for some years, and the coastal regions were occupied by
foreigners who lacked the Paladin compunctions over the use of violence. This was a time that demanded
wisdom, and the new GтАЩdeon would not have much leisure to learn it.

A townswoman with a child clinging to her leg turned to Emil and said anxiously, тАЬWell, itтАЩs a pity about
Harald. But what I most want to hear is the name of his successor. It would relieve my heart to know that
the rumors weтАЩve heard are wrong.тАЭ

тАЬRumors?тАЭ said Emil. тАЬIтАЩm sorry, I was isolated all winter, and have only just come into town.тАЭ

тАЬWell, they say that even though Harald has known since autumn that he was dying, he refused to name a
successor. Surely he did it at the end, though. HeтАЩd change his mind when he felt the breath of death at
his heels. And now all this Sainnite nonsense will come to an end, at last, for a young GтАЩdeon wonтАЩt fear
to act against them.тАЭ

The bell stopped ringing. The messenger, whose road-grimy clothing had once been white, stood up on
the bell platform to speak, but he could utter only a cracked whisper that those closest to him could
scarcely hear. The people pushed a big man forward to stand beside him and listen to his broken voice,
then shout his words in a voice that carried across half the town.

тАЬHarald GтАЩdeon is dead!тАЭ

The gathered people nodded somberly.

тАЬHe vested no successor!тАЭ the big man boomed.

Some listeners groaned, and others cried out in dismay, but Emil stood silent in horror. It was
unimaginable that a GтАЩdeon would allow the accumulated power of ten generations of earth witches to
die with him.

тАЬThe House of Lilterwess has fallen in a Sainnite attack!тАЭ the big man shouted. His words were heard in
stunned silence, followed by an outcry of shock and grief that swelled to fill the square. The big manтАЩs
final words could scarcely be heard. тАЬNo one survived.тАЭ
From every quarter, the townspeople shouted frightened, frenzied questions. The messenger sank down
onto the bell platform and replied in his broken whisper, тАЬI donтАЩt know. I donтАЩt know. I donтАЩt know.тАЭ

Emil had already stripped off his silk gloves, and now handed them to a nearby librarianтАФthe same one
who had been about to admit him to the vault. тАЬWhat will become of us?тАЭ she cried.