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

You and me and the other children. On our own."
"I do not like to have to lie to Qeteb."
StarLaughter could hear the uncertainty in StarGrace's voice.
"My dear," she said gently, and gathered the girl into her arms, "will you protect me? I need the
space and the peace in which to find him so that we may all revenge ourselves on him. Will you grant me
that?"
"And when you do find him?" StarGrace pulled back, but reluctantly, and StarLaughter knew it. "I
and my companions would not like to be cheated of our revenge as well."
"When I find him, I shall call. StarGrace, will you tell Qeteb you could not find me?"
StarGrace was silent a long moment, then she gave a quick jerk of her head in assent. "Find him,
and, finding him, do not fail us."
StarLaughter nodded. "I will not fail you, StarGrace, nor any of the others whom WolfStar
murdered."
Then she smiled, and leaned forward and kissed StarGrace on the cheek.
The Hawkchild pulled back in astonishment. A hug was one thing, but a kiss?
"Do you not remember what it was like to be loved, StarGrace?"
"I remember that love did not save me from a vile death."
And then StarGrace was gone, and StarLaughter had the time and space she needed. She sat down
again, folding the material of her robe carefully to display her form to best advantage, and thought. The
Hawkchilds would now work to her purpose, providing her, not only with a degree of protection
from Qeteb (damn him for all time!) but also with hundreds of eyes to seek out WolfStar.
StarLaughter frowned slightly, chewing her lip. Who else could help bring her and WolfStar back
together again? Ah! DragonStar! WolfStar would doubtless worm his way into DragonStar's camp
sooner or later, and StarLaughter would need to gain DragonStar's trust in order to get WolfStar back.
So ... how to enlist DragonStar's trust and aid? StarLaughter thoughtfully cupped one of her breasts
in her hand. Her body had tempted DragonStar once and no doubt could again ... no! She needed to
keep herself pure for WolfStar. She must use guile rather than seduction.
Ah! StarLaughter giggled. She had the perfect idea! Not only would it appeal to DragonStar's desire
to wrest Tencendor back from the Demons, and gain her WolfStar, it might also cause the Demons
enough trouble that she and WolfStar would be able to rescue their son as well.
She sighed, happy, contented, and as dreamy as a thirteen-year-old girl in love for the first time.

Chapter 14
Envy


DragonStar sat in a great circular stone hall. It was flagged and walled with cream-coloured stone shot
through with gold. Rose and sapphire glass windows rose to dizzying heights, their columns
supporting a hammerbeam ceiling of golden wood. DragonStar had wanted somewhere
quiet to sit, and Sanctuary had, as was its wont, provided him with this.
 As with most things within and of Sanctuary, the peaceful beauty of the hall left DragonStar feeling
uncomfortable. This perturbed him, not only because he was disturbed at the appearance of
Sanctuary — it reminded him too much of the worlds the Demons had dragged him through — but
because of the deep river of disquiet that ran through the peoples sheltering in Sanctuary. Stars! If they
were bored and fractious here, then how would they cope with the eternal peacefulness of the Infinite
Field of Flowers? Ah! DragonStar forcibly turned his mind away from his worries. No doubt his disquiet
was caused by seeing Qeteb not only in Spiredore but at the gates of Sanctuary itself.
And by the unsettling sight of Niah.
"What is it about you, Niah," DragonStar whispered. "What?"
He sighed, and looked down. He sat cross-legged on the floor, the Enchanted Song Book in his lap.