"Sara Douglass - Redemption 3 - Crusader" - читать интересную книгу автора (Douglass Sara)

DragonStar rejoined the group from the shade of an apple tree. He regarded them all carefully, and
gave each a small nod and a smile, but otherwise made no remark on their final evolution.
What will he do? thought Faraday, and then the next thought sprang almost immediately into
her mind. What will he do with us?
"Faraday?" said a small voice, and Faraday turned quickly.
Katie ran out from behind the same tree DragonStar had been sheltering under, and Faraday held
out her arms and embraced her.
"She will stay with us for the time being," DragonStar said. "But when we venture back into the
wasteland it would be safer if she stayed here in Sanctuary."
 Thank all stars and gods in existence he isn't going to expose her to danger, Faraday thought, and
planted a kiss on the girl's shiny brown curls.
"When do we go back to the wasteland?" DareWing asked, his voice thick with an emotion
that Faraday only belatedly realised was the need for revenge.
"We will all need to go back," DragonStar said, "but you and I will return first, DareWing. No, wait,
let me speak before you all bombard me with questions. Will you sit? This orchard is secluded
enough for us to talk without interruption."
They settled themselves in a circle, Katie resting with her head on Faraday's lap.
As Faraday looked up from Katie, she caught Leagh looking at the girl with an odd expression on
her face.
The instant Leagh realised Faraday had seen it she wiped her face clear of any interest in the girl.
Katie had her own destiny, as did Leagh's child, and she could do nothing to change either.
Faraday wanted to ask Leagh why she'd looked so at Katie, but before she could speak
DragonStar began to talk.
"Tencendor can be reborn," he said, "but it must first be cleared of all its corruption."
"The Demons?" Gwendylyr said. There was a tendril of black hair hanging un-neat across her
forehead, and Gwendylyr lifted a hand as if to pat it back into place, but her hand hesitated, then
dropped. Gwendylyr left the strand to its own devices.
"Yes," DragonStar said, "but also of all the crazed animals and ... and ..."
And the maniacal people crawling about, he almost said, but could not. But even with the thought
unspoken, DragonStar could see the knowledge in everyone's eyes anyway.
"Which first?" Goldman said.
DragonStar hesitated, and ran the tip of his tongue over his lips. "Ideally, the Demons first," he
eventually said, "but we, you five as well as I, need to be stronger before we can attempt their
destruction."
Katie lifted her head at the latter words and stared briefly at DragonStar, then she dropped her face
back into Faraday's lap. Her shoulders shuddered slightly.
No-one noticed her reaction, save Faraday, who assumed Katie had shivered with the gentle breeze
blowing through the orchard. She pulled a section of her skirt around Katie, far more concerned at
DragonStar's words.
Faraday and the other four had shared concerned glances. "Talk to us," Faraday said. "What do you
mean?"
DragonStar took a deep breath. "I am StarSon, and Qeteb will be my battle," he said. "But
the other Demons —"
"Ah," Goldman said, understanding, "as you will be responsible for Qeteb's
destruction, so will each of us be responsible for one of the other Demons."
"Yes. It is preordained. Five of them, five of you."
"But, how can each of us contend with one of the Demons!" Leagh said. Her face was almost
panicked, and she'd placed both her hands protectively over her belly. "I can't -—"
"Right here and now," DragonStar said, his tone and eyes gentle as he regarded Leagh, "you
can't. No, I agree. We need experience and perhaps even some more knowledge before we can