"Douglass, Sara - Wayfarer Redemption 2 - Pilgrim" - читать интересную книгу автора (Douglass Sara)

"Unfortunately, mother," Caelum said, his voice heavy with sarcasm, "Drago stole the Sceptre. Took it to the Demons. Should we just ask for it back?"
"The Sceptre has ever had its own agenda," said yet another voice to the side of the clearing, "and to blame Drago for its machinations is surely pointless."
Everyone stared, voiceless.
Across the clearing stood Faraday, Zenith slightly behind her left shoulder, Drago standing by her right, his entire body tense and watchful.
Just behind them were the pale shapes of the two donkeys, their long ears pricked forward curiously.
"Zenith!" StarDrifter breathed, locking eyes with the woman, but before he could move, Axis rose to his feet.
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5
The Prodi
Axis stared, and — in a single flash of thought — remembered. He remembered the years of pain and suffering that had been needed to defeat both Borneheld and Gorgrael. The men and women who had died in order to reunite Tencendor. The lives that had been ruined by those who had thought to seize power illegally. He remembered how he and Azhure had fought to rebuild a life, not only for themselves and their family, but for an entire nation.
He remembered how they had thought themselves free of grief and treachery.
But here before him stood the son who had spent his time in Azhure's womb plotting how best to kill both elder brother and father. Here was the son who'd conspired with Gorgrael, who had murdered RiverStar, and who had single-handedly wrought the complete destruction of all Axis had fought so long and hard for.
Here. Before him. Standing as if he thought to ask for a place among them.
And beside him, Faraday and Zenith. Had both been corrupted by his evil, both seduced into supporting his treachery? His lover and his daughter — had they no loyalty for Axis either?
"You vile bastard," Axis said, very quietly but with such
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hatred that Faraday instinctively took a half-step in front of Drago. "How dare you present yourself to me?"
And then he leapt forward.
Herme stepped forward to stop him, but Axis spun about and slammed a fist into his face, knocking him to the ground. As Herme fell, Axis grabbed a knife from the Earl's weapons belt and strode forward again.
Zared jumped to his feet, but was pulled back by Caelum, and both tumbled to the ground.
"No!" Faraday cried, taking another step forward, but Axis shoved her to one side. Faraday stumbled back against Zenith who had to wrap both arms about her to prevent her falling.
Before anyone else had time to move, or even cry out, Axis seized Drago, slammed him back against a tree, and buried the knife a half-finger's depth into the junction of Drago's neck and shoulder.
One of the donkeys brayed, and both pranced nervously.
"I should have done this forty years ago!" Axis cried, and he stabbed the dagger as deep into Drago's neck as he could.
Drago gagged, uttered a low, choking cry, then sagged against the tree trunk as his father wrenched the knife out.
Axis drew it back for the final, killing blow.
Blood pumped out of Drago's neck.
Faraday jerked out of Zenith's arms and tried to grab Axis' hand or arm, but he was too strong for her, and threw her to the ground, overbalancing himself.
"Axis!" Zared yelled, scrambling to his feet again, but this time both Askam and Caelum grabbed him and wrestled him back a pace or two.
"For the Stars' sakes, Zared," Caelum cried, "let my father end this now\" He hooked a foot under Zared's leg, and toppled him to the ground.
Leagh dropped to her husband's side, shooting Caelum a hard look. At the same time Zenith knelt by Drago, her joy at seeing StarDrifter alive completely forgotten in her concern
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for her brother. She grabbed at the hem of her cloak, tearing a section free, and folded the material into a thick square, using it to try to stifle the blood seeping from Drago's throat. Everyone else stood, helpless and unsure, wondering who was right, wondering what could be done, wondering whether or not another death would truly help.
Axis recovered his balance from Faraday's attempt to push him over, drew his arm back — and found it seized from behind in sharp, murderous teeth.
Sicarius. The leader of Azhure's Alaunt. No-one had seen him move, and no-one knew where he'd come from, but now the hound pulled Axis to the ground, and stood over him, snarling and snapping.
"Sicarius!" Azhure buried her hands in the loose skin of the hound's neck and tried to pull him off, but the hound would not budge.
Azhure tugged desperately, unable to believe Sicarius' savage assault. What was the hound doing? To attack Axis?
"Drop the knife, Axis!" StarDrifter yelled. "Drop the damned knife or that dog is going to kill you!"
Then, ignoring Axis completely, he fell to his knees beside Drago, adding the weight of his hands to those of Zenith to try and stop the bleeding. He locked eyes briefly with Zenith, then turned slightly to Faraday who was now at Drago's side also.
"What were you thinking of to enter this glade with Drago at your side?" StarDrifter hissed. "Didn't you even think that Axis might not welcome his son home with open arms?"
Faraday shook her head helplessly, and StarDrifter made a small sound of disgust. She should have known better.
Zenith, absolutely shaken at the violence, drew comfort from the weight of StarDrifter's hands over hers, and hoped they would staunch the bleeding enough to give Drago a chance of life.
StarDrifter lifted his eyes to hers and, although he did not smile, the lines about his eyes crinkled slightly in warmth.
«37
"I am more than pleased to see you again, beloved Zenith," StarDrifter murmured. "You are well?"
She nodded, and StarDrifter looked back to Drago. The bleeding was slowing — Axis' knife must have struck his son's clavicle rather than one of the neck veins. If he'd managed that, Drago would be dead already, for even the pressure of a thousand hands at his throat could not have stemmed the damage.
He gestured to Faraday to help Zenith apply pressure to the wound, touched Zenith's cheek briefly in reassurance, then slowly stood and walked over to Axis.
His son had dropped the knife, and Sicarius had retreated to sit tense and watchful several paces away. His golden eyes flickered between Axis and Drago.
Everyone else was absolutely still, as watchful as the hound.