"Roger Zelazny - Amber 05 - The Courts of Chaos" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zelazny Roger)

hoped that we had seen the last of him."
I looked away.
"There is that," I finally said. "But not for a vacant throne, or not just
for it. It is him, Random. Him. That's all."
"I know," he said. "But you have to admit he suckered Brand, which is not
an easy thing to do. He pulled a stunt I still do not understand, getting you
to bring that arm back from Tir-na Nog'th, somehow getting me to pass it along
to Benedict, seeing to it that Benedict was in the right place at the proper
moment, so that everything worked and he got the Jewel back. He is also still
better than we are at Shadow play. He managed it right on Kolvir when he took
us to the primal Pattern. I cannot do that. Neither can you. And he was able
to whip Gerard. I do not believe that he is slowing down. I think he knows
exactly what he is doing, and whether we like it or not, I think he is the
only one who can deal with the present situation."
"You are trying to say that I should trust him?"
"I am trying to say that you have no choice."
I sighed.
"I guess you've put your finger on it," I said. "No sense in my being
bitter. Still..."
"The attack order bothers you, doesn't it?"
"Yes, among other things. If we could wait longer, Benedict could field a
greater force. Three days is not much time to get ready for something like
this. Not when we are so uncertain about the enemy."
"But we may not be. He spoke in private with Benedict for a long while."
"And that is the other thing. These separate orders. This secrecy... He is
not trusting us any more than he has to."
Random chuckled. So did I.
"All right," I said. "Maybe I would not either. But three days to launch a
war." I shook my head. "He had better know something we don't."
"I get the impression that it is more a peremptory strike than a war."
"Only he did not bother to tell us what we are preempting."
Random shrugged, poured more wine.
"Perhaps he will say when he gets back. You did not get any special
orders, did you?"
"Just to stand and wait. What about you?"
He shook his head.
"He said that when the time comes, I will know. At least with Julian, he
told him to have his troops ready to move on a moment's notice."
"Oh? Aren't they staying in Arden?"
He nodded.
"When did he say this?"
"After you left. He trumped Julian up here to give him the message, and
they rode off together. I heard Dad say that he would ride partway back with
him."
"Did they take the eastern trail over Kolvir?"
"Yes. I saw them off."
"Interesting. What else did I miss?"
He shifted in his seat.
"The part that bothers me," he said. "After Dad had mounted and waved a
good-by, he looked back at me and said, 'And keep an eye on Martin.' "