"Boreal Moon - 02 - Ironcrown Moon" - читать интересную книгу автора (May Julian)

УHeТs right,Ф the Conservator said. УAnd this assassination that he demands as a goodwill gesture doesnТt seem particularly difficult.Ф
УIt would be quite a simple matter,Ф Beynor said, Уrequiring only a small force of Salka warriors. Perhaps only a score. I would have to lead them myself, since IТm familiar with the River Malle and the type of vessel carrying King Honigalus and his family. I also know the best escape route. As soon as the fighters and I return to Dawntide Citadel, I'll show you how to activate the Potency. You must choose who among you will bond to the Great StoneЧФ
УIt must be Ugusawnn,Ф the Conservator said. УHe is the most suitable person. Aside from his undeniable fighting prowess, his own sigil enables him to communicate with us across long distances, so we always know how his ventures are faring.Ф
The Supreme WarriorТs enormous glowing eyes widened in gratified surprise. УDo the other Eminences concur?Ф
The Judge and the Master Shaman nodded.
And Beynor thought: Perfect! My principal opponent is disarmed!
УUgusawnn will also lead the assassination party into Didion,Ф the Conservator said, Уwith the human sorcerer serving as his guide. This will not only enhance the possibility of success, but also make certain that the action proceeds withoutЕ unexpected developments.Ф
The Conservator meant BeynorТs escape. But he already had worked out a simple plan to get away from the monsters. УI would be honored to have such august company on the expedition,Ф the young sorcerer said humbly.
The Supreme Warrior glowered at him, УPrecisely where are these royal murders to take place?Ф
УAt a point on the River Malle near Boarsden Castle, where the barge is most vulnerable to attack from the water,Ф Beynor said. УThe spot is some six hundred leagues from the Dawntide Isles. Honigalus and his family will be there six days from now.Ф
УSo soon?Ф the Judge said.
УOur strongest swimmers could get there easily if we left at once Ф Ugusawnn said. He shot Beynor a look of distaste. УBut I donТt know how weТll manage to transport the groundling sorcerer without drowning him. IТm not even convinced that itТs a good idea for him to go along on this mission. What if heТs killed? WeТd never empower the Potency then.Ф
УIt would be up to you,Ф the Conservator said wearily, Уto keep him secure.Ф
УDo you still intend to oppose this scheme, Ugusawnn,Ф Kalawnn asked, Уeven when we would make you Master of the Potency?Ф
УI donТt oppose it. But I do mistrust this tricky groundling with all my heart and soul!Ф
Beynor said, УI know an easy way to transport me to Didion. When the Master Shaman so graciously offered me sanctuary, I came here from Royal Fenguard in my own barque, Ambergris, which was a gift to me from the Didionites after I did them a great favor. The ship is in a sad state of neglect now, careened in one of the coves below the citadel. But her boats should still be sound, and they are of a common type that would be inconspicuous on the River Malle. I can cross the sea in one of them, dismasted and towed along at speed by your force. When we reach Mallmouth Harbor, IТll step the boatТs mast, hoist her sail, and go innocently up the riverЧpulled more slowly and inconspicuously as needed by my Salka guardians.Ф
УIs this practicable, Ugusawnn?Ф the Conservator inquired.
УIt would probably work.Ф The Supreme Warrior spoke without enthusiasm. УBut IТd rather leave the groundling here. Let him instruct me in the details.Ф
УI wonТt agreeЧФ Beynor began to say.
УSilence!Ф The Conservator of Wisdom gave the command in a voice that was suddenly resounding and steady. УBeynor of Moss, step back from the dais and wait by the doors while we Four confer.Ф
Beynor obeyed. Numbed by the ordeal, he now felt no anxiety nor sense of anticipation as the great trolls murmured interminably among themselves. At long last the Conservator called out, УBeynor, come and stand again before us, and receive our decision.Ф
==========
Kilian. Vra-Kilian Blackhorse. Do you hear?
УYes, Beynor.Ф
WeТve won. A small Salka force will leave for Didion within a few hours, taking me with them. TheyТll be led by their Supreme Warrior, a surly savage named Ugusawnn. After slaughtering the royal family, weТre supposed to return to Dawntide Citadel, where I show the Four Eminences how to activate the Potency.
TheyТve decided to bond it to the Supreme Warrior. He intends to lead an attack on Royal Fenguard immediately, snap up VilaТs sigils, and conquer the world for the Salka.
УHeh-heh-heh! Brilliantly done, my boy. What a pack of simpletons!Ф
IТm supposed to believe that Ugusawnn will take me along on the invasion of Moss. But IТm fairly certain he intends to kill me as soon as heТs sure that IТve properly activated the Potency.
УIt would be extremely vexing if the monsters did polish you off.Ф
Ugusawnn is no fool and has serious doubts about me. Still, it should be easy enough to give him the slip once he and the others have taken care of Honigalus. They have no suspicion that IТm able to impel a small boat with my talentЧas if that werenТt one of the first tricks a Mossland magicker learns! Once IТm safely away in Didion, IТll windspeak the Eminences the revised version of the bargain. And we pray that they swallow their outrage and agree to it.
УWhy shouldnТt they? The alternative is custody of a useless dead sigil. How could the Salka possibly suspect that the Potency bonds to no one? That it can be snatched away from this Supreme Warrior and used by anyone at all without causing harm to the taker?Ф
Such a thing would never occur to them. I wonder why the PotencyТs creator made it thus? Not too sensible, was it?Е Not that IТm complaining!
УConsider this: If the Potency doesnТt bond to its activator, then it doesnТt die when the owner does. Unlike all other sigils, the Potency might very well be immortal.Ф
InterestingЧand unsettling, too. God of the Depths! How I wish there were some way of reading that last archive tablet! We need to know why the Potency was made, and why its reputation has always been so dire.
УAfter we wipe out the Salka with DarasiloТs Trove, you can return to their citadel and find out.Ф
PerhapsЕ Kilian, this conversation must end now. The Supreme Warrior is expecting me to join him. WeТre inspecting the small boat that will carry me to Didion.
УGood luck, then, Beynor. May you have a safe voyage.Ф
IСll see you in your dreams.

four
Snudge and his companions broke the first short day of their northward journey shortly before the eleventh hour after noon. The cavalcade had arrived at a little village called Swallowmere, some sixty leagues north of the capital, where there was a tavern of unpretentious but promising aspect. The horses were tired by then, but the young travelers werenТtЧnot on Solstice Eve, when every man of spirit save those constrained by holy orders was expected to celebrate High Summer.
The Green Swallow Inn proved to be well stocked with extra food and drink for the occasion. Crowded with friendly locals, it featured a three-man band of peasant musicians and plenty of lasses to dance and flirt with. Snudge, his armigers Valdos and Wiltorig, and Sir Gavlok and his squire Hanan joined wholeheartedly in the roistering.
Meanwhile Vra-Mattis, the apprentice windvoice assigned to Sir Deveron by the king, eschewed worldly pleasures as befit a novice in the Mystical Order of Saint Zeth. The night was very warm, so Mat put off his robe and settled down in the innТs forecourt in his undertunic. He ate a good supper of mutton-dumpling stew and strawberry tarts, rested his saddle-sore muscles, and finally fell into a doze on a heap of clean straw, bothered not a whit by the convivial racket coming from inside the tavern.
Sometime later, in the wee hours, the novice was jolted awake by an urgent windspoken message from the Royal Alchymist Lord Stergos, intended for Sir Deveron. Its portent was so grave that Mattis hastened to seek out his master without even donning his robe. The interior of the inn was now jam-packed with fun seekers, many of them so taken by strong drink that they could barely stand. Skirling pipes, a squawking fiddle, a thumping tabor, laughter and song fairly shook the rafters.
Mattis found his master grinning owlishly as he stomped and shuffled in a drunken round dance with three cavorting farm girls. From the sidelines, Sir Gavlok hoisted a cannikin of rustic rotgut and cheered, ignoring the frantic novice who bellowed into his unresponsive ear.
The dance finally ended to raucous applause and Mattis rushed to take Snudge by the arm and pull him in the direction of the innТs front door. Gavlok trailed along after, protesting his friendТs evacuation.
УSir!Ф the novice cried. УSir Deveron, can you understand me?Ф
УUnhand me, knave,Ф Snudge mumbled. УWanna dance!Ф He tripped over his own feet and fell to his knees in the dirt courtyard. УFeel sleepy. Time fТbed.Ф
УSir, please listen!Ф Vra-Mattis attempted without success to haul his master upright. УIТve received an important wind-message from the Royal Alchymist. His Grace the High King commands you to return to the capital immediately.Ф
УBooger the king. Booger Stergos. Go Сway.Ф Snudge rolled onto his face.