"Elizabeth Vaughan - Chronicles Of The Warlands 03 - Warlord" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vaughan Elizabeth)

Rafe, his skin even paler than normal was gesturing, trying to explain. His hair was dark against his fair
skin, and his brown eyes were filled with frustration.

Ander was gesturing as well, talking at the same time. The sun gleamed on his bald head, and his thick
bushy white eyebrows danced over his hazel eyes. Yveni stood as silently as Prest, tall and thin, her skin
as black as any I'd seen among the Firelander. But she'd a smile hovering on her lips. She and Ander had
replaced Epor and Isdra, who had died at Wellspring.

I heaved a sigh, and looked off in the distance.

We'd left the small village of Wellspring ten days ago, leaving behind our dead, both Xyian and
Firelander. We'd resumed our trek to the land of the Firelander, the Plains of Keir's people. Another few
days ride and I would get my first glimpse of that fabled place which lay beyond the border of the
Kingdom of Xy. Another few days ride, and the great valley of Xy would open up onto the wilds of the
Plains.

Another few days ride, and I'd be where I never dreamed of going.

I glanced over to where the army of the Firelander moved past us, in their long slow march to their
homeland. Keir had left half of his force to secure Water's Fall and Xy itself, under the watchful eye of
Simus of the Hawk. He'd brought the other half with him, to return to the Plains. It was still an impressive
sight as they would past us, all on horseback, an army of fierce warriors, both men and women.

Or at least, what was left of Keir's army, after the ravages of the plague we'd suffered outside of
Wellspring. We'd left our dead, to be certain, but there were still problems, still conflicts at the heart of
the army. Conflicts as a result of an illness sweeping through the ranks of a people who see illness as a
curse. Conflicts as a result of the presence of a Warprize in their midst and the changes that I represented
to them. Conflicts that had been set aside for the rest of this journey, to be dealt with before the Council
of Elders when we reached the Heart of the Plains.

We could have reached it sooner, but Keir had held the army to a snail's pace, claiming the need to
regain strength in the warriors, to hunt and replenish food supplies.

In truth, we were dawdling.

I didn't object. Keir and I had spent the last ten days together, making love at night and dealing with
problems during the day. How could I object to spending time with my beloved Warlord?

The silence behind me made me aware that I was the center of attention. I turned to face an angry
Marcus, who had dismounted and was glaring at me with his one good eye. "And this was your idea?"

I glared at my guards, but they all found other things to look at. I faced Marcus. "It was."

"Why?"

"Because I need to learn to protect myself." I looked at Marcus and lifted my chin. "I have to be able to
protect Keir." Inside I winced even as I spoke.

"Protect Hisself?" Marcus gave me a steady look. "How so?"