"Kim Wilkins - The Autumn Castle" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilkins Kim)

windows.

"Dream? You think this is a dream?"

"YesтАж noтАж I'm scared that I'm lying nearly dead on some hospital bed, and the longer I stay here the
closer I get to dying."

Mayfridh shook her head. "You should never name the very thing of which you're most afraid. It's
dangerous." Then she held up her thumb. "It's because of this, you know. It's because we mixed blood as
children. Why, I'd forgotten until just now. You and I are blood sisters. Do you remember?"
"I remember. I've been remembering for two weeks, and that's why I'm dreaming about you."

"We made a bond, and somehow we've been drawn back together." She pulled gently at the fox's ears.
"Do you have any idea how that happened, Eisengrimm?"

The fox looked up. "No, Queen Mayfridh. Though I will think upon it." Eisengrimm's voice stayed the
same whichever form he took: a rich mellow tone that made Christine think of oak and honey.

"Eisengrimm is very wise," Mayfridh said to Christine. "He'll find the answer. I've never had a human visit
me here before."

"You mean you're not human?"

"Not after all these years, no. I'm a faery. Everyone you've met here is a faery."

At this, Christine felt a huge laugh bubbling up inside her. "Of course. Yeah. I'm in faeryland, right?"

Mayfridh frowned. "Our land is called Ewigkreis. Why do you laugh?"

"And this is a faery castle?"

"It's called the Autumn Castle. Why do you laugh?"

"And that thing on your lap is some kind of a faery pet?"

"His name is Eisengrimm and he's my most trusted counselor. Christine, why do you laugh? It's very
rude."

"Because this is the stupidest dream I've ever had, and I want to go home."

A strange shuddering began to move under her feet.

Mayfridh gazed at her forlornly. "But I don't want you to go. I've been so lonely."

A finger of pain crept into Christine's back. She stiffened, placed her hand there.

"What's the matter, Christine?" Eisengrimm asked.

"The pain," she said, then the turret room, and Mayfridh and Eisengrimm, all started to shimmer and pale
and she knew she was waking up. She screwed her eyes tight. Reality pressed in on her. The next time