"Recluce - 07 - The Chaos Balance" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

аа "You need to be strong to return to Gallos," suggested Murkassa, a
glint in her eye.
аа "I cannot return," said Daryn quietly, a flush stealing over his
fair-complected face. "You know that. One of the standard-bearers of
Gallos? A single survivor? I would be suspected of treachery ... or
worse."
аа "We've been through this before," said Ayrlyn, interrupting the
teasing, straight-faced. "You certainly weren't the only survivor, just
the only one daring enough to -entice a guard. Some of the wounded in the
lower camp made their way back to Lornth and Gallos."
аа Daryn flushed again, then replied. "Most died. You know that, healer.
Those that did return reached their homes before the winter snows. After
a winter on the Roof of the World ..." Daryn shrugged.
аа "You could not have traveled. You almost died," said Hryessa.
аа "No." Daryn laughed, not quite bitterly. "It is difficult for a
one-footed man to travel the Westhorns."
аа "Almost as difficult as for a single woman to travel Candar
unmolested," added Ryba dryly.
аа A murmur of assent ran across the tables.
аа Nylan wanted to shake his head. Candar was a powerflux ready to
explode, and just by founding Westwind Ryba had started the energy
cascade.
аа "Daryn?" asked the Marshal.
аа "Yes, Marshal," answered the youth warily.
аа "What do you know about a place called Cyador?"
аа "Only what the traders tell, ser. It is the ancient home of those who
follow the white way, and filled with silver and malachite, and great
buildings walled with mirrors that catch and hold the sun. Even the
smallest of dwellings are like palaces."
аа "Exactly where is this paradise?"
аа "Somewhere beyond the Westhorns-that is all I know."
аа "What brought that up?" Nylan asked Ryba.
аа "I've been studying some of those scrolls Ayrlyn picked up, and there
are some disturbing references to Cyador, especially to how the ancient
ones channeled the rivers and built the grass hills to turn back
travelers. Oh, and about how some daughters of Cyador fled to the
barbarians." Ryba's voice turned dry. "I wonder about paradise if those
daughters fled."
аа A murmur of laughter went around the table.
аа "It must be beyond Lornth, then," said Ayrlyn. "Relyn never mentioned
it. Nor did Nerliat."
аа "Relyn's probably spreading tales about the great new ancient one,"
suggested Hryessa.
аа "That will only cause more trouble," said Ryba quietly. Her eyes
turned on Nylan momentarily, before she took a mouthful of the mint stew.
аа Not about to get into a discussion about Relyn and his efforts to
create a new religion based on what he had learned from Nylan, the smith
ate quietly, occasionally glancing at Ayrlyn, pleased to see some of the
pallor leaving her face as the healer ate.
аа "Eating helps, doesn't it?" he said, knowing it was an inane comment,