"Thomas E. Sniegoski - Aerie" - читать интересную книгу автора (Sniegoski Thomas E)

I've always been a sucker for dogs.

chapter two

Johiel was annoyed with Earth the moment hearrived over a millenium ago, but as the toe ofhis sneaker
caught beneath an unearthed root,and he fell sprawling, face first to the forest floor,the fallen angel felt his
simple antipathy ripen tobitter hatred. He hit the ground hard, the airpunched from his lungs in a wheezing
grunt,and slid halfway down a small embankmentbefore regaining enough of his composure tostruggle to
his feet. Yes, Johiel hated living uponthe Earth. However, the alternativeтАФfar morepermanentтАФwas
even less appealing.

He chanced a look behind him to see if they were still following. What a foolish thought.They are
soldiers of the Powers; of course they're stillfollowing.The ground beneath his feet started tolevel off and
in the distance he could hear the sounds of cars and trucks as they traveled alongthe highway. Ican make
it to the road, he thought,his mind abuzz.Perhaps I can hitch a ride andescape.

Stumbling through the darkness of thewoods, Johiel chastised himself for his rabid stupidity. If he hadn't
tried to make contact with thePowers, he would not be in this predicament. How could he have been so
foolish as to thinkthat they could be convinced to show even theslightest leniency toward their enemies,
no mat ter what was offered? But he had grown so tiredof living in fear; a constant cloud of oppression
hanging over his head, never knowing whichmoment would be his last.

The sounds of the road were closer now andhe began to think that they had grown tired ofthe pursuit.
Perhaps they decided he just wasn'tworth the effort, he thought, both relieved and alittle insulted that the
Powers wouldn't evenattempt to learn the information he wanted totrade for his life. Johiel was certain
that hisknowledge would prove valuable to their leader,and he would have given it freely for a chance to
live without fear.

The ground before him suddenly explodedin a roiling ball of fire, and Johiel was thrownbackward to the
cool, moist forest floor.

"Is it something we said, little fallen brother?"said a cold, cruel voice behind him.

"Or something we didn't say, perhaps?"asked another, equally malevolent.

Johiel scrambled to his feet and turned to seetwo immaculately dressed and smiling angelsstrolling
through the woods toward him. Heknew he had three choices, two of which wouldlikely end in his own
excruciating demise: Hecould run and be cut down like a lowly animal;he could fight and perish just the
same; or hecould carry through with his original plan. Thenotion of engaging the two Powers in conversa
tion was terrifying, but he held his ground and summoned a sword of fire to defend himself if it proved
necessary.

The warriors stopped in unison, the sparking flame of Johiel's weapon reflecting off theinky blackness of
their eyes.

"I do not understand, Bethmael," said one tothe other. "The criminal put word out that he wished to
speak with us, yet flees when weapproach. And now he brandishes a weapon?"

Bethmael sneered. "It is the world, brotherKyriel," he said, continuing to stare at the fallenangel. "They
know they do not belong here, andthe knowledge drives them mad."