"Kerrion Empire - 03 - Earth Dreams" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morris Janet E)

Chapter One

Far back from the cave of the oracle who was
called Shebat the Twice Risen, five mounted enchanters
waited amid a stand of trees, lounging in their saddles
trapped with gold. Their fearsome black steeds cropped
grass that greened their bits and rolled blue, wicked eyes
at the sixth, riderless horse, who grazed by the cavern's
very mouth.

At first sight of them, all the folk gathered to consult
the sybil had scattered to the winds, robes hiked up,
switching their oxen dementedly while their toddlers
clutched the wagonboards and youths trotted quickly be-
side complaining wheels.

It made no difference that some enchanters now
worked their spells in the name of Kerrion and fought
those who had ruled Earth under the Orrefors banner for
over two hundred years. Innocents died daily while the
mages warred. And tonight was Halloween, no time to
attract the notice of sorcerers. So, despite the fame and
elusiveness of the oracle (come again among them as it
had been whispered by the prophets that she would), the
people had fledЧall but a scout who hid high above the
cave.

From behind a sheltering boulder, the youth whose
face and arms were smeared with mud and browned with
weather had watched while one enchanter rode straight

2 JANET MORRIS

up to the cave, dismounted, and strode within. Whatever
the hated opressors wanted with the people's oracle,
boded ill. Cluny Pope's commander would not be pleased
to hear that evil had befallen the seeress whom he had
marched his men far out of their way to consult. With
painstaking care the scout scrabbled back among the
rocks until he could round the ridgetop. Out of sight, no
longer fretful that a dislodged stone might give him away,
he sprinted for his pony tethered in the pines.

"All speed, horse," he urged it, his seat not fully
gained before he reined it about and off toward his
band's encampment. Those heroes, from south of Troy,
from west of Ilhaca, from every family in New York who
remembered honor, would not fail to rally to so desper-
ate a cause.