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

УWhere is she then?Ф Wix implored her.
Zimroth and the Grand Master of the Glaumerie Guild exchanged glances. He shook his head and said, УOnly the sorcery of the Great Lights could have done this to her. I know not how it was done, or to what purpose. The matter will have to be studied.Ф
УBut is she still suffering?Ф Wix asked anxiously. УOh, tell me that her soul is safe somewhere and not in pain!Ф
УI have no answers,Ф Ridcanndal said. УNever have I heard of such a thing as this happening before. She certainly has not been cast into the Hell of Ice as her mother was, since her flesh is unfrozen and her features tranquil for all their ravaged appearance.Ф
УI believe Ullanoth may be in a kind of limbo state,Ф Zimroth said. УNeither alive nor dead. We must take special care of these remains. There must be no evisceration, no packing with spices, no enshrouding, no interment in an airless crypt. Her body must be kept ready to receive her soul if it should suddenly return from its uncanny exile.Ф She looked away, thinking. УWe require a room, totally secure, where no enemy may intrude. Let her be dressed well, and her hair arranged. Lay her out on a couch as a woman sleeping. Every day, someone must look upon her in case there is a changeЕ for better or worse.Ф
УSo you think she may yet die?Ф Akossanor asked quietly.
УIf the body falls into corruption, it cannot be reanimated and we shall have to consign it to the usual funeral pyre. But I believe it will not decay so long as she remains in this peculiar state, and the possibility remains that she may return.Ф
Wix drew himself up with pride. УI take it upon myself to prepare a suitable place of repose for my beloved mistress. With your permission, IТll put her in the uppermost chamber of this tower, where tall crystal windows give a broad view of our land of Moss. There I will guard her until she wakesЧor until my own death supervenes.Ф He looked uncertainly at Zimroth and Ridcanndal. УWill she keep her sigils with her?Ф
УI think not. Even though they are still active and bonded to her, there are certain complex spells written down in the Book of Rothbannon able to annul the bonding and transfer ownership of the stones to someone else. We must not let this happen.Ф
Zimroth went to a nearby workbench and took up a pair of golden tongs. Using these, she teased the Weathermaker ring from UllanothТs skeletal finger. Cutting pliers severed the delicate neckchains and let the two pendants fall free. With the tongs, the Thaumaturge placed the three Great Stones in their velvet nests within the platinum box. This she handed to the Grand Master. УThe stones must be secured in the traditional place for ownerless sigilsЧ RothbannonТs tomb, where his ashes lie. See to it, Ridcanndal.Ф She turned to Wix and the physician. УYou two must take care of her body. And IЕФ She grimaced. УI shall announce to our people that Conjure-Queen Ullanoth lies enchanted, and until she is restored, the government of the kingdom devolves upon the Glaumerie GuildТs officers. After that, I intend to bespeak Conrig WincantorТs windvoice with this melancholy news. I will ask the Sovereign how he intends to fulfill the solemn promise he made to our queen, before she agreed to perform what was to be her final service for him.Ф
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PRINCE, RESPOND!
The generalized hail on the wind contained but two words. It was launched from the crest of the Sinistral Mountains, as Kilian and his weary party paused to rest at the top of the secret pass before beginning their descent from the divide. The alchymist hoped to minimize the possibility of being overheardЧalthough he knew there was scant hope of shutting out Beynor if he was minded to eavesdropЧso he projected the call northward, in the direction of the Lady Lakes, where he believed the intended recipient of his message to be. In that he was mistaken; and he received no reply. His next attempt was even more powerful, directed more to the east.
This time, Tesk the wizard and the Green Woman Cray, riding along the Boar Highroad behind Prince Somarus, heard KilianТs hail clearly. So did another adept, who was surprised to recognize a once-familiar signature unheard on the wind for many years. This listener found the subsequent exchange both revealing and worrisome.
PRINCE, RESPOND!
Tesk was red-eyed and runny-nosed from summer rheum, so shocked by the vehemence of the mental shout that he reacted with a great sneeze that nearly flung him from the saddle of his stocky cob. Cray, who sat astride a dapple-grey pony next to the wizard, merely cocked her head and said quietly, УDid you hear it, too?Ф
УAye. But which prince is its intended recipient?Ф
УFoolish man! A very powerful adept uttered that hail. Do you really imagine he wants to speak to King HonigalusТs infant sons?Ф
Somarus looked over his shoulder, frowning. УWhatТs all this, wizard?Ф The prince, like the others of his cavalcade save Tesk, was disguised as a simple household knight of Duke Ranwing Boarsden.
УI believe I heard windspeech intended for you, Highness. It would be best if we drew aside and stopped for a few minutes.Ф He shot a glance at Cray. УThe Green Woman heard it, too.Ф
Somarus spoke a word to Baron Cuva, riding beside him, who in turn commanded the ten knights of the princeТs escort to pull up. They had spent the previous night under the friendly roof of Castlemont Fortress and set out very early so as to reach Boarsden and the River Malle by afternoon. It was now about the third hour and the air was hot and muggy, with a faint scent of smoke. This section of the Boar Highroad crossed a treeless marshland, and the company was sweaty, midge-bitten, and short-tempered, the knights not hesitating to express their unhappiness at being made to pause where there was no shade.
Somarus, Tesk, and Cray drew apart from the others but remained mounted.
Cray said, УKing-in-Waiting, will you be guided by me in responding to this call? I sense overtones of peril on the wind. Answer this person only in general terms and with great circumspection.Ф
УIndeed! Perhaps I shouldnТt answer at all.Ф Somarus scowled. УBut what if itТs Beynor of Moss, wanting to tell us that somethingТs gone awry with his scheme? WeТd better know whatТs happening.Ф
Cray said to Tesk, УDid you determine the direction of the hail?Ф
УHard to tell with a blanket shout, but I believe it emanated from the mountains, to the southwest.Ф
УNot Beynor, then,Ф Cray said to Somarus.
УMy curiosityТs roused,Ф the prince said. УGive an answer, Tesk. Find out what he wants, but donТt name me to him.Ф The wizard covered his eyes with his hand, since it was too hot to wear a hooded cloak. УAn adept servant of a certain nobleman responds to you,Ф he spoke on the wind. УMy name is Tesk. Identify yourself and state your business.Ф
Kilian Blackhorse here! My felicitations to His Lordship and to you, Master Tesk. I am the former Royal Alchymist of Cathra and a one-time member of King OlmigonТs Privy Council. I now have the honor to be a mortal enemy of the Sovereign of Blenholme, and recently escaped from the dungeon at Zeth Abbey after instigating a notable conflagration at Cala Palace. ItТs my intention to offer my services as sorcerer and political adviser to the new King of Didion. I believe I can be of good use, assisting his nation to throw off Conrig WincantorТs detestable yoke.
Tesk repeated the communication word for word.
УWell, well,Ф said Somarus, УNot Beynor, but rather his shadowy crony! Ask Kilian why he speaks of a Сnew King of DidionТ when everyone knows that Honigalus sits the throne.Ф
Tesk transmitted the terse message and gave its reply.
After today, there will be a new king. IТve been assured of this by one who is not quite a friend, but not yet an enemyЕ to both His Lordship and myself.
УMysteriously spoken,Ф Somarus said with a cynical smile. УTell Kilian IТd already intended to keep a sharp eye on this not-quite-friend. I donТt need sly warnings popping out of thin air. I probably donТt need Kilian! Let him prove he can be of value to meЧand do it at once. Otherwise, this exchange of ambiguities is over.Ф
Poor Tesk was a simple man, but he did his best to translate the message diplomatically.
As a sample of my usefulness, suppose I reveal to His Lordship how the transfer of royal power is to be accomplished without casting suspicion upon the obvious person?
Somarus nodded. УAll right. I wondered about that myself.Ф
Of course you did. Even those who might otherwise welcome a new monarch would reject him if he took the throne through foul and dastardly means. After much thought, I found a sure way to preserve the royal personТs integrity. I myself conceived this plan, not the one who has doubtless taken credit for it! That oneЧ that not-quite-friendЧhad neither the wit nor the subtlety to consider all aspects of this pivotal situation. I did.
УTell me how itТs going to be done, then,Ф Somarus demanded. УProve youТre as clever as you say you are. All IТve heard of the affair from my own informant is a hint about a calamity on the water. I assumed some hired villains were planning a surprise attackЧalthough I must say the idea doesnТt seem especially practicable. TheЧerЧobjects of the action are very well guarded. And how could the attackers be certain of getting clean away? If even one of them were taken and tortured into confessing, the scheme would unravel. To my detriment!Ф
The ambush on the water will be perpetrated by Salka.
УThe hell you say!Ф exclaimed the prince. Tesk passed along the essence of the ejaculation.
Unimpeachable eye-witnesses onshore will see the deed done by the monsters. No human guards could possibly capture such enormous creatures, and if any are killed, it matters little. Who would ever believe that the King-in-Waiting could have coerced Salka into acting to his advantage? No, he will be held blameless, accepted as legitimate by DidionЕ and by Tarn as well.
УHow did you talk the slimy brutes into cooperating?Ф
I didnТt. This, I freely concede, was done by our friend, who has a certain influence over them because of his nationality.
УI only have your word that youТre the great schemeТs author.Ф
I have other proposals for the new kingТs advancement, equally valuable. Perhaps we might discuss them face-to-face.
УOr perhaps all three of us can talk things over! You, me, and our not-quite-friend. Then I can pick and choose.Ф
As you wish. But he may balk at a personal meeting. He much prefers dream-invasion.
УSo you know about that, do you?Ф
HeТs done it to me, as well as you. But since I know how dangerous the invasion can he to the dreamer, I always take special precautions. Otherwise, the invader may plant evil seeds in the mind of the sleeping person, compelling him to act against his will or reveal secrets. I earnestly hope you have been spared such outrages, Your Lordship.