"Melanie Rawn - Dragon Star 3 - Skybowl" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rawn Melanie)

Pol gave a startled exclamation. Tobren cried out. Goddess, what has she done? Sionell thought
frantically, and flung open the door.
The room was brilliant with light. A branch of candles over by the windows was ablazeтАФnot just the
wicks but the wax and the iron stand as well, perilously near a tapestry curtain.
Sionell sidestepped a chair and snagged the cloak draped carelessly over its back. The heavy, soft
wool was enough to smother the flames.
Catching her breath, she turned around. Pol was struggling to untangle himself from children and
coverlet on the bed. Tobren's face was white with shock; Antalya seemed only thoughtful and
curious. Meig, bless him, was curled at the foot of the bed like a kitten, sound asleep.
Jihan perched on a pillow, hands folded demurely in her lap. "You didn't have to do that, Lady
Sionell. I would have put it out myself."
"But not before you burned up half the room," Sionell responded. "It got away from you, didn't
it?"
"Well, some," she admitted unwillingly.
Pol was on his feet now, looking down at his daughter with eyes of solid stone. "Jihan."
"Yes, Papa?"
That innocent little face, those sweet blue eyes beneath tangled golden hair.... Sionell knew
precisely what was going through Pol's mind. Jihan needed a good scold and a bad
scare, but not now. Not after what had happened to her mother and twin sister.
"Don't do that again," Pol said, not gently, but not as severely as he might have. "Give me your
word."
"But, PapaтАФ"
"Your word as an athri of the High Prince."
Jihan cast a quick glance at TobrenтАФalmost defiant, almost sty. "I promise, my lord."
He nodded acceptance. "Well, then. Into bed with all of you." He scooped up Meig, who squirmed and
snuggled against him. "Sionell, does anything short of a trumpet in his ear wake this child?"


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"He'd sleep through thunderstorms. Hand him over."
She felt his forehead with her own cheek, relieved to find it cool. Four years oldтАФand already
identified as a Sunrunner? She held him more tightly to her breast, wondering dismally why her
immediate instinct was to protect him from what he could become.
The three girls shared the bed. Once they were all settled, and Sionell had reassured herself of
Antalya's well-being, Pol retrieved the scorched cloak and beckoned a maidservant down the hall to
come keep watch over the children.
As the door closed, Pol murmured, "I brought the other children in to keep Jihan company. She's
having nightmares. She's always slept with Rislyn in the room, you see."
"It's all right. I understand."
He touched Meig's tousled dark head and gave a rueful smile. "He insisted on joining usтАФand I
think I bored him right to sleep."
"He's like that. Wide awake one moment, oblivious the next."
Pol sighed wearily as they started down the corridor. "I envy him. I thought it would work with
the girls, too, butтАФit seems I can't even tell a simple bedtime story anymore without something
outrageous happening."
"Did you know Jihan could call Fire?"
"Alasen mentioned it this evening when we spoke."
"And it doesn't worry you?" Sionell asked carefully.