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

the evenly spaced rumps of five enchanters' horses:

"You've customers. Feel like prophesying?"

Shebat put her hands on her hips and stared at the
milling men until they pulled their horses up and as-
sumed a ragged formation. Behind her, she heard
Chaeron query Tempest: "Any danger?" and Tempest
reply, "Sir, a horse might be able to kick her before your
orbital hunter-killers could verify a target for take-outЧ
but not before the Marada can."

Shebat stopped listening; she had seen Chaeron's satel-
lite arrays, so much more intensive than those the Or-
refors bond had orbited about Earth. If her husband and
the intelligencer who had served his family for nearly
twenty years wished, they could destroy the whole of
Earth without ever stepping upon itЧthey did not need
to invoke her cruiser, as Tempest was hinting. Rather
than debate the matter, she walked at measured pace to-
ward the stand of trees, arms raised in salute and wel-
come, head high, a breeze stirring her curls.

Beyond the men and the trees, the sun was settling
over the Hudson, and the hilly plain sloping up into co-
balt mountains seemed grassed with fire. In two unmixed
groups, the enchanters and local horsemen trotted to-
ward her. She held her ground, waiting, conscious of
Chaeron's eyes on her, of a hawk circling off to her right,
of the cruiser Marada's thoughts brushing hers, assuring
her that Tempest was right: any who sought to do vio-
lence upon her person would not have time to accomplish

it.

Then the horses drew near, and a voice came out of
the gathering gloom, "Little mother, are you safe and

8

JANET MORRIS

sound?" It was a calm and whispery voice, laconic, and
its accent reminded her of unhappier days when she was
not "Shebat of the Enchanters' Fire" or "Shebat the
Twice Risen" or "Shebat Alexandra Kerrion" but only
Shebat, Bolen's drudge who had no say in anything, not
even her life.

"Dismount, petitioner, and see for yourself. AU of