"L. E. Modesitt - Timedivers -Timegods - 03 - Timegods' World" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

Imperial power authority. The power authority, of course, received its electricity from the
satellite links, which had been the primary reason for the Westron space effort.

By pressing my nose close against the glass, I could see most of the front walk from the
window. I pressed and looked. The walk was coated in ice, although it was beginning to
steam as the solar cells warmed the coils beneath. There were darker patches where the
ice was thinner that could have been footprints. But there was really no way to tell.

I turned and leaned against the wall, wondering which uniform I should wear to school,
and realised my posterior was sore, very sore. From what I could see, lifting the nightshirt
and craning over my own shoulder at the reflection of my backside, I had the beginning of
a nasty bruise.

So I had not been dreaming. Now I was going crazy. First, out-of-season freezing rain,
and now dreams about strange towers that left me rods from where I went to sleep.

"Sammis!"

My father's call halted any further speculation, since I had only a few minutes before I
would be expected at the table, and fewer minutes after that if I wanted a ride in the
steamer that would halve the walk to the Academy. My father did not believe in making
things easier, nor did he believe in making things artificially harder. If he were going my
way on part of his drive to work at the Imperial offices in Bremarlyn, I could ride as far as
our paths converged . . . if I were ready, and if he had no other plans.

I raced for the washroom, mine alone, and certainly one of the few advantages of being an
only child.

As I completed washing my face, I looked into the mirror. The face of my dream, the face
of the man who had looked at me through the curtains of blackness, had been my face--
older, more experienced, and unlined, but my face.

That made the whole mystery less real. How could I ever see myself anywhere? It had to
have been a dream.

Since the sun promised to warm the ice, I chose a midweight uniform, the same blue and
silver tunic over dark blue trousers, with the black boots we all had to wear.

"Sammis!"

"Coming!" I grabbed my pack and cloak and tumbled down the front stairs, taking a quick
look at the spot on the floor behind the front door. No sign of water or water damage.

Both of them were at the table. Mother was dressed to go to the city--Inequital, not
Bremarlyn--with leather dress boots, wide trousers and matching jacket. Of course, she
would be wearing the flynyx coat Father had given her for their anniversary and driving the
gold steamer. An independent woman, my mother, despite my father's importance as the
pre-eminent regional solicitor of taxes and commerce. That he could also claim to be a
descendent of the old dukes of Ronwic did not disturb her either. Nor did it seem to
impress her. Little of pomp seemed to faze her.