"Joan D. Vinge - The Storm King" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vinge Joan D)

He felt her somehow still watching him, measuring his response, even though
she had looked away. тАЬI came here to solve my problem, not yours. I want my own
kingdom, not a kingdom of mud-men. I need the dragonтАЩs powerтАФI didnтАЩt come
here to drive that away.тАЭ

The girl said nothing, still staring at the sky.

тАЬItтАЩs a simple thing for you to move the watersтАФwhy havenтАЩt you driven the
dragon away yourself, then?тАЭ His voice rasped in his parched throat, sharp with
unrecognized guilt.
 тАЬIтАЩm Nothing. I have no powerтАФthe Old One holds my soul.тАЭ She looked
down at the crystal.

тАЬThen why wonтАЩt the Old One do it?тАЭ

тАЬShe hates, too. She hates what our people have become under the new gods,
your gods. ThatтАЩs why she wonтАЩt.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩd think it would give her great pleasure to prove the impotence of the new
gods.тАЭ His mouth stretched sourly.

тАЬShe wants to die in the EarthтАЩs time, not tomorrow.тАЭ The girl folded her
arms, and her own mouth twisted.

He shook his head. тАЬI donтАЩt understand thatтАжwhy didnтАЩt you destroy our
soldiers, our priests, with your magic?тАЭ

тАЬThe Earth moves slowly to our bidding, because She is eternal. An arrow is
smallтАФbut it moves swiftly.тАЭ

He laughed once, appreciatively. тАЬI understand.тАЭ

тАЬThereтАЩs a cairn of stones over there.тАЭ She nodded back into the darkness.
тАЬFood is under it.тАЭ He realized that this must have been a place of refuge for the
women in times of persecution. тАЬThe rest is up to you.тАЭ She turned, merging
abruptly into the shadows.

тАЬWait!тАЭ he called, surprising himself. тАЬYou must be tired.тАЭ

She shook her head, a deeper shadow against darkness.

тАЬStay with meтАФuntil morning.тАЭ It was not quite a de-mand, not quite a
question.

тАЬWhy?тАЭ He thought he saw her eyes catch light and reflect it back at him, like
a wild thingтАЩs.

Because I had a dream. He did not say it, did not say anything else.

тАЬOur debts have balanced.тАЭ She moved slightly, and some-thing landed on the