"Christopher Stasheff - Wizard in Rhyme 04 - Secular Wizard" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stasheff Christopher)

Prologue




Prologue

The tall roan stallion looked up and nickered. The other horses crowded to the doors of their
stalls to watch Accerese the groom as he came into the barn with the bag of oats over his
shoulder. A smile banished his moroseness for a few minutes. тАЬWell! At least someoneтАЩs glad
to see me!тАЭ He poured a measure of grain into the trough on the stallionтАЩs door. тАЬAt least you
eat well, my friends!тАЭ He moved on down the line, pouring grain into each manger. тАЬAnd
well-dressed you are, too, not like we who-тАЭ

Accerese bit his tongue, remembering that the king or his sorcerers might hear anything,
anywhere. тАЬWell, we all have our work to do in this world-though some of us have far less
than-тАЭ Again he bit his tongue-but on his way out of the third stall he paused to trace the raw
red line on the horseтАЩs flank with his finger. тАЬThen again, when you do work, your tasks are
even more painful than mine, eh? No, my friends, forgive my complaining.тАЭ He opened the
door to the fourth stall. тАЬBut you, Fandalpi, you are-тАЭ He stopped, puzzled. Fandalpi was
crowded against the back wall, nostrils flared, the whites showing all around its eyes. тАЬNay,
my friend, what-тАЭ

Then Accerese saw the body lying on the floor. He stood frozen in shock for a few minutes,
his eyes as wide and white as the horseтАЩs. Then he whirled to the door, panic mov-ing his
heels-until he froze with a new fear. Whether he fled or not, he was a dead man-but he might
live longer if he reported the death as he should. Galtese the stewardтАЩs man would testify that
Accerese had taken his load of grain only a few minutes before-so there was always the
chance that no one would blame him for the princeтАЩs death. But his stomach felt hollow with
fear as he hurried back across the courtyard to the guardroom. There was a chance, yes, but
when the corpse was that of the heir apparent, it was a very slim chance indeed. King
Maledicto tore his hair, howling in rage. тАЬWhat cursed fiend has rent my son!?тАЭ

But everyone could see that this was not the work of a fiend, or any other of HellтАЩs minions.
The body was not burned or de-filed; the princeтАЩs devotion to God had won him that much
protec-tion, at least. The only sign of the Satanic was the obscene carving on the handle of the
knife that stuck out of his chest-but every one of the kingтАЩs sorcerers had such a knife, and
many of the guards besides. Anybody could have stolen one, though not easily. тАЬFoolish
boy!тАЭ the king bellowed at the corpse. тАЬDid you think your Lord would save you from HellтАЩs
blade? See what all your praying has won you! See what your hymn-singing and charities and
forgiveness have brought you! Who will inherit my kingdom now? Who will rule, if I should
die? Nay, IтАЩll be a thousand times more wicked yet! The Devil will keep me alive, if only to
bring misery and despair upon this Earth!тАЭ

Accerese quaked in his sandals, knowing who was the most likely candidate for despair. He
reflected ruefully that no matter how the king had stormed and threatened his son to try to


file:///K|/eMule/Incoming/8818%20sci-fi%20and%20fan...Wizard%20in%20Rhyme%204%20-%20Secular%20Wizard.html (1 of 309)16-8-2007 23:50:30
Prologue