"Julian May - Boreal Moon 2 - Ironcrown Moon" - читать интересную книгу автора (May Julian)

тАЬMadam, you donтАЩt know what youтАЩre saying.тАЭ He tried to speak calmlyтАФ for, after all, she was hardly conscious and Gossy had assured
him that she would remember none of this tomorrow. Yet he had no doubt that Risalla spoke now from deep conviction, freed by the
alchymical potion from the constraint of prudence that usually governed her tongue. It was no surprise to Conrig that the barbarous
Didionites should believe him to be in thrall to Beaconfolk magic. But if it were true that his own people gave serious credence to the
notionтАж

тАЬWho among the Cathran nobility has spoken so perfidiously?тАЭ he asked her. But she only turned away and seemed to sleep.

There came a sound of hesitant knocking. The king rose from beside his wifeтАЩs couch and opened the door. The corridor was empty
except for his elder brother Stergos, the Royal Alchymist, attired in splendid crimson vestments in honor of the festival. Although he was
five years ConrigтАЩs senior, he appeared to be much younger, with a clean-shaven round face and curly blond hair that always seemed
slightly disordered. Tonight he was obviously ill at ease and his brow was dewed with perspiration.

Stergos whispered, тАЬAllтАЩs well with Her Grace?тАЭ

Conrig nodded and the alchymist came quickly into the apartment, closing and locking the door behind him. тАЬI bespoke Ullanoth in Royal
Fenguard castle not ten minutes ago. She can ascertain nothing through her ordinary scrying, but if the unborn possesses talent, she will
be able to Send to it as she does to you and me. First, let me make certain that your lady sleeps.тАЭ With great care, Stergos lifted one of the
queenтАЩs eyelids. The iris with its dilated pupil had rolled upward. тАЬGood. Now we must distance ourselves from Risalla if the experiment
is to work. LetтАЩs go into the queenтАЩs sitting room.тАЭ

They passed through ConrigтАЩs great bedchamber and RisallaтАЩs adjacent one into the spacious solar where the queen and her ladies were
accustomed to sew, read, and break their fast. тАЬWe should be at least twenty ells away from her,тАЭ Stergos said, тАЬso our own talent is
incapable of giving substance to the Sending.тАЭ

тАЬWhat then?тАЭ

тАЬI am to bespeak the Conjure-Queen that all is in readiness,тАЭ said his brother, perching on one of the chairs near the cold fireplace. The
king took the other one. тАЬShe will attempt the Sending, while we pray she does not succeed. If Ullanoth walks through that door, it means
that the babeтАЩs talent permitted her to materialize beside Risalla.тАЭ

тАЬAnd IтАЩm futtered once again,тАЭ Conrig murmured bitterly. тАЬDamn it, Gossy! If I could but convince the Lords of the South to do away
with the impediment, then IтАЩd be safe and so would my sonsтАж What a king young Bramlow would make! Bold as a hawk and sharp as a
varg sword! You should have seen the little rogue get the better of that bloody pet monkey this evening.тАЭ He described the scene in the


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 May, Julian - Boreal Moon 2 - Ironcrown Moon


royal nursery, and Stergos had to smile in spite of his nervousness.

тАЬI punished the lad harshly,тАЭ Conrig admitted. тАЬA weekтАЩs confinement on bread and milk. He must learn self-discipline if we ever hope to
have the talent restriction lifted. The Lords of the South will never yield if they envision a wizard with overt powers sitting one day on the
throne.тАЭ

Stergos ventured, тАЬShall I windspeak the Conjure-Queen now?тАЭ

тАЬWait just a moment.тАЭ The king casually covered his mouth with his hand. тАЬI must ask your advice on another matter before we converse
with UllaтАЩs Sending. She almost never uses the Loophole to eavesdrop now because of her considerable pain-debt, and if we guard