"Sara Douglass - The Axis Trilogy 3 - StarMan" - читать интересную книгу автора (Douglass Sara)

Today was the first time Axis and StarDrifter had tried to teach Azhure the use of her Icarii power -
but all in the room had been disheartened with the results, including Caelum who, wide-eyed, had
watched the proceedings from his corner.

StarDrifter moved to a stool close to Azhure's side, remembering, in comparison, how easy he and
MorningStar had found Axis to train. Azhure's father, WolfStar, must not have spent the time or the
trouble training her as he had the young Axis. She had been completely ignored by WolfStar, and
StarDrifter smouldered with anger thinking how WolfStar had abandoned Azhure to her awful fate in
Smyrton.

As StarDrifter and MorningStar had once done for him, Axis now cupped Azhure's face gently in his
hands.

"Hear the Star Dance," he said.

"Yes," she replied, barely audible.

At least hearing the Star Dance had been as easy for Azhure as it had for Axis - but then she had
been hearing it for some time without being aware of what it actually was. Every time Axis had made love
to her she'd heard it; sometimes when she had suckled Caelum; sometimes when she stood at an open
window and let the wind rush about her; oftentimes at night when she dreamed of distant shorelines and
the tug of strange tides at rocks and sand.

But Azhure also heard the Dark Music, the Dance of Death, the music renegade stars made when
they left their assigned courses. Neither Axis nor StarDrifter, nor any other Icarii Enchanter, could
routinely hear that music, although they recognised it if it was wielded by someone else. StarDrifter had
heard its echo in the Chamber of the Moons the night Axis had battled Borneheld. Axis had witnessed
two of the SkraeBolds use it at the gates of Gorkentown, and both he and StarDrifter recognised its
presence the morning Azhure had used Dark Music to tear the Gryphon apart atop Spiredore.

Now Azhure put the ghastly discordant sounds of the Dark Music to the back of her mind and
concentrated on the supremely beautiful Star Dance. All Icarii Enchanters wielded the power of the Star
Dance by weaving fragments of its power into more manageable melodies, Songs, each with their own
specific purpose.

Axis and StarDrifter had been trying to teach Azhure one or two of the more simple Songs. Songs so
simple that all Icarii training as Enchanters mastered them within an hour or two. But they had been trying
to teach Azhure for almost five hours now, and she had failed to grasp a single phrase.

Azhure closed her eyes and concentrated on the Song that Axis sang slowly for her. It was a Song for
Drying Clothes, a ridiculously easy song requiring only the tiniest manipulation of power, yet it seemed
totally beyond her ability.

Axis finished, and both he and StarDrifter held their breath.

Relax, beloved. It is a simple Song. Sing it for me.

Azhure sighed and began to sing. Axis and StarDrifter winced. Her voice was harsh, utterly toneless,
and completely lacking any of the musical beauty that had, until now, come instinctively to any of Icarii