"Kathy Tyers - Firebird 03 - Crown Of Fire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tyers Kathy)

her homeland in a chilling new light. Granted Federate asylum, she was sent to safety
on the Regional capital world of Tallis, accompanied by a female Sentinel, Filet
Kinsman.
Brennen, promoted to Field General, was ordered to oversee the Federate
demilitarization of Netaia. When Netaia fell to the Federates, the throne passed to
Firebird's reluctant sister Carradee. Meanwhile, jealous Ellet nearly let Firebird be
killed by Netaians who came to Tallis, demanding custody. Ellet then tried to
intimidate Firebird, revealing that Brennen had sensed that he and Firebird were
connaturalтАФperfectly matched to each other at the deepest level of soul and mind.
Brennen returned to Tallis to find Firebird in full-defense mode, distrustful of him yet
unwilling to let Ellet Kinsman defeat Brennen by subterfuge.
Over the next several weeks, he tried to convince Firebird that Sentinel pair
bonding was a desirable state, not the dehumanizing continuous telepathy she
feared. He also tried to induce her to ask about his faith, the worship of Ehret's
Eternal Speaker. The Sentinels lived under strict Codes, including (as divine
discipline for their ancestors' disobedience) a commandment against proselytizing to
anyone who did not inquire first. As an heir to ancient prophecies, Brennen knew he
must not marry outside his faith.
Back on Netaia, Firebird and Carradee's middle sister Phoena and her paramour,
Count Tel Tellai, schemed to throw off Federate domination and seize the throne
from Carradee. Firebird and Brennen returned to Netaia secretly, and against the
Regional command's orders, to halt Phoena's research. Firebird was captured by
Phoena, her devoted Count Tel, and the piggish Duke Muirnen Rogonin. Awaiting a
dawn execution, Firebird begged Brennen's one God to show her that such a
transcendent being really could exist. She saw and heard a magnificent vision of Him
singing the universe into reality. Immediately, she committed herself to Him as the
Mighty Singer.
Brennen laid out explosives to destroy Phoena's weaponry research lab, then let
himself be captured in order to free Firebird. Finally, she realized he would lay down
his life for her and that he was worthy of trust and love. Facing execution beside her,
Brennen detonated his explosives. They escaped in a single fightercraft. Firebird
defeated a Ne-taian pilot in aerial combat, then flew back to the Netaian capital.
Brennen knew that Firebird had barely committed herself to faith with no real
knowledge of doctrine, but after prayer, he proposed marriage and pair bonding.
Firebird accepted.


FUSION FIRE
Immediately after their wedding at the Sentinels' sanctuary, Hesed House, Brennen
was dismissed from Federate service for insubordination. They returned to his home
world, Thyrica. Eight months later, they were attacked by a Shuhr assailant. Firebird,
six and a half months pregnant, managed to give the alarm, but Brennen's brother
Tarance, his wife, and their three children had been killed. Shuhr had struck the
Caldwell family before, leaving only one male heir to a set of mysterious prophecies.
Firebird only knew that a Caldwell would supposedly destroy a "nest of evil" that
sounded exactly like the Shuhr colony world, Three Zed. Brennen could not explain
any other prophecies until Firebird was formally consecrated into his faith
community.
They retreated to a secure apartment at the Sentinel College's medical center.
Firebird was consoled for her loss of freedom by the revelation that her family, like