"Kristine Kathryn Rusch - Black Throne 02 - The Black King" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rusch Kristine Kathryn)

consciousness into the water while their bodies remained on the ship. They would contact
fish, and learn the gossip of the waters. In this area, the Ze had become the third part of
the chain that went from Sailor to Navigator, who then imparted that information to the
Captain. Other crew members would stand behind the SailorsтАЩ bodies and protect them so
that they wouldnтАЩt get lost in the sea.
No one paid Gift or Xihu any attention. The Sailors and Navigators were too focused on
the links; the remaining crew were too worried about failing to protect the Sailors after
the links were finished. Still, it felt strange to be on deck with this many people.
тАЬWhat was the Vision?тАЭ Gift asked.
тАЬIтАЩve been seeing Blood against Blood.тАЭ She was referring to the chaos that would
descend on the world if GiftтАЩs Fey familyтАФthe Black FamilyтАФfought against itself. The last
time the Blood against Blood had happened, all but a handful of Fey had died at each
otherтАЩs hands.
If it were to happen now, the effect would be even more devastating, as the Fey
Empire covered half the world.
He swallowed. тАЬI wonтАЩt attack my sister.тАЭ
тАЬIt is more complex than that,тАЭ Xihu said. тАЬI am seeing your great-grandfather.тАЭ
тАЬRugadтАЩs dead. HeтАЩs been dead for fifteen years.тАЭ But GiftтАЩs voice shook a little as he
said that. He had Seen Visions of his great-grandfather as wellтАФhad been seeing them
since his great-grandfather died near Blue IsleтАЩs Place of Power. тАЬMaybe youтАЩve been
seeing my uncle Bridge. HeтАЩs on the Isle now.тАЭ
At least, Gift assumed he was. That was where Bridge had been heading six months
ago, according to Ace.
тАЬYes, IтАЩve heard the argument,тАЭ Xihu said. тАЬIt could be you as well. There is a
frightening similarity of features among the men in your family.тАЭ
The Navigators had finished pricking fingers and pressing their own hands against
those of the Sailors. The Sailors were assuming their positions against the rail. Gift looked
past them. The mist was almost a rain now, but not worth troubling the Weather Sprites
over. He could see the Stone Guardians in the distance, growing larger as they came
closer.
тАЬTell me the Vision,тАЭ he said.
Xihu folded her hands together. She looked toward the Stone Guardians, but seemed
strangely unaffected by them. The mist dotted her face, and caught in the wrinkles, like
dew.
тАЬI heard voices first,тАЭ she said. тАЬVoices whispering that youтАЩd come to destroy Blue
Isle. Then I Saw arrows covered with blood, and I heard a womanтАЩs laughter. Then I Saw
someone who looked like you, only it was a woman.тАЭ
тАЬArianna,тАЭ he said.
тАЬWith your blue eyes and a birthmark on her chin. She had a cruel face.тАЭ
He frowned. Arianna did not have a cruel face. She had been impulsive and difficult,
but she had never been cruel.
тАЬThen she turned and sat in a throne that had a crest above it: two swords crossed
over a heart. And she laughed. She said, тАШGift will never rule the Empire.тАЩ Her eyes were
cold.тАЭ For the first time since he had met Xihu, Gift thought he saw real fear in her face.
тАЬIt was as if she had no soul.тАЭ
A breeze rose, sending shivers through him. That didnтАЩt sound like Arianna at all.
тАЬWhat else?тАЭ he asked. He knew there had to be more because Xihu was too silent.
тАЬAssassins,тАЭ she whispered. тАЬI heard the voices of assassins, looking for you, trying to
kill you to protect the Isle.тАЭ
тАЬFey Assassins?тАЭ He had heard of them, but thought they were a myth.