"Sara Douglass - The Axis Trilogy 2 - Enchanter" - читать интересную книгу автора (Douglass Sara)

ride with his bastard half-brother rather than fight for Borneheld and the cause
of Achar. For thirty years Borneheld's jealousy of Axis had dominated his life;
now bitter resentment twisted his gut. Artor curse him, he thought, I hope he
died out there in the frozen wastes. Screaming for me to ride to his rescue,
screaming my name as the wraiths chewed the flesh from his bones.
But even that thought could not bring a smile to Borneheld's cold-chapped
face. Now, after the treachery of Gorkenfort, Borneheld trusted few. If Magariz
could turn against him, then who else might prove treacherous? Even Jorge and
Roland, riding silent and introspective further back in the column, did not enjoy
the same depth of trust as they once had. No, Borneheld truly trusted only
Gautier and Timozel. Who would have thought that such a young whelp - and an
Axe-Wielder to boot - could grow into such a loyal and devoted servant to the
Duke of Ichtar? Timozel had clearly demonstrated his worth on this march south,
proving that he could harry men into obedience as well as Gautier, and fight with
as much courage as Borneheld himself. Now he rode his horse slightly to the left
and behind Borneheld, sitting tall and proud in the saddle, the occasional flare of
his visionary eyes keeping Borneheld's own hopes alive.
Artor had graced Timozel with visions, and that meant Artor would
eventually grace Borneheld's cause with victory as well.
Borneheld's eyes slipped to the horse that followed a few paces behind
Timozel's. His wife, Faraday, clung to the saddle and toYr, as she had since her
horse succumbed to the cold three days ago. Could he trust Faraday? Borneheld
frowned under the hood of his cloak. He had thought that she loved him, for had
she not whispered words of love and devotion to him night after night, and fled
to his arms when Axis had proved incapable of protecting her? But what was it
she had murmured to Axis as they said goodbye in the courtyard of Gorkenfort?
Curse her, he swore silently. Her future would be with him, not with Axis.
She would provide Ichtar with an heir, not whatever shadowland Axis currently
ruled. He would rather see her dead than betray him as Magariz had.
The loss of Gorkenfort and, subsequently, Ichtar had hurt Borneheld to the
core of his soul. As a young boy growing up in a loveless household, deserted by
his mother, ignored by his father, Borneheld had always had Ichtar. And when
his father died and Borneheld became Duke of Ichtar at only fourteen, he finally
felt that his life had meaning. Ignored by so many when he was simply the son
of Searlas, Borneheld revelled in the power he wielded as the new Duke. Power
brought him the attention he craved, the respect he demanded, the command
that was his due, and, eventually, the woman that he desired above all others.
Now most of Ichtar was lost to him, and Borneheld felt the loss as keenly as
a physical wound. What power would he command as the man who had lost
Ichtar? What respect? Even if he could win back Ichtar — and he would - he
would still feel vulnerable. He would only feel safe if he commanded ultimate
power over all of Achar, if he sat the throne itself. As King, Borneheld would
have all the power, the respect and the love he craved. As King, he would surely
be able to flush out the traitors about him once and for all. Desperate as he was
to get it back, Ichtar was no longer enough for Borneheld.
And didn't Timozel's visions indicate that Borneheld would become King?
Yes, it was Artor's wish that he take the throne.
Now, as he approached Jervois Landing, Borneheld reviewed the forces he
still commanded. Despite the losses at Gorkentown - all of which had been the
fault of either the demon-spawned Axis or that traitor Magariz - he still controlled