"Sara Douglass - The Axis Trilogy 1 - BattleAxe" - читать интересную книгу автора (Douglass Sara)

creatures sighted near the Forbidden Valley and, more disturbing, near the
village itself. There have been about five sightings over the past several
months."

"Are they . . .?" Moryson began, but Gilbert shook his head.
"Nothing like the strange creatures of ice and snow that the soldiers of
Gorkenfort report, Brother Moryson. Yet in their own way, they are just as
strange. Man-like -but somehow alien." "In what way?" asked Jayme testily.
Gi}bfJ~f y> d .to snvve) )jrt)e Jx> i)Js c}>.?jj- to fcJJaur Ae figure of his
Brother-Leader as he paced the floor from window to fireplace and 'back again.
"They are short and muscular, and very dark, making them extremely hard to
see at night. They evade the villagers rather than seek them out. Each time one
is spotted it has been carrying a child with it, and Brother Hagen reports that
although no children from the village are missing, the villager !, bolt thevt doots
md •windows fox ^t dusk. Perhaps they have stolen the children from
somewhere else."
"You said, 'somehow alien'." Jayme stopped before Gilbert's chair and folded
his arms in frustration. "What do you mean by that?"
Gilbert shrugged. "I only relate what Brother Hagen relates, Brother-Leader.
He was not specific on that point."
Jayme sighed and patted Gilbert on the shoulder. "I cannot but think the
Forbidden are moving again."
Spoken words about the Forbidden were enough to make all three men
shiver with foreboding. Every Acharite living knew that a thousand years
previously, during the Wars of the Axe, their forebears had driven the frightful
races that had once dominated Achar with their evil sorcery back across the
Fortress Ranges into the Shadowsward and the Icescarp Alps. Then, with the
help of the Axe-Wielders, the Acharites had cut down the massive forests that
had once harboured the Forbidden races, putting the cleared land under Plough
and civilisation. It was part of Acharite legend that one day the Forbidden would
seethe back across the Fortress Ranges and slither down from the Icescarp Alps
to try to reclaim the land that had once been theirs. Every parent scared their
children with the threat.
layme walked slowly over to the fire, his shoulders stooped. He raised his
cold hands to the flames until he noticed with horror that they were trembling,
and quickly bunched them into fists and hid them in the folds of his gown.
Though nothing as yet connected the two sets of reports from Gorkenfort and
Smyrton, Jayme was scared they were connected. The responsibility of his
position weighed heavily on him.
Moryson and Gilbert watched silently, both aware of the seriousness of these
reports, both glad they were not the ones who had to make the decisions.
Moryson scratched his chin reflectively. He knew dark events were upon them.
Slowly Jayme turned back to his assistants. "Tomorrow Carlon celebrates
King Priam's nameday. The celebrations will end with a banquet in the royal
palace to which Priam has extended me an invitation. He has also advised me
that we will need to meet privately to discuss the problem at Gorkentown.
Neither Priam nor the Seneschal can meet this threat alone. Achar will have to
stand united as it never has before if we can hope to survive the threat of the
Forbidden. Artor help us, now and forever."
"Now and forever," the other two echoed, draining the dregs of their wine.