"Kate Elliott - Jaran 3 - His Conquering Sword" - читать интересную книгу автора (Elliott Kate)

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Kate Eliott
The Sword of Heaven 2
His Conquering Sword




CHAPTER ONE

Aleksi could no longer look at the sky without wondering. On clear nights the vast expanse of Mother
Sun's encampment could be seen, countless campfires and torches and lanterns lit against the broad
black flank of Brother Sky. Uncle Moon rose and set, following his herds, and Aunt Cloud and Cousin
Rain came and went on their own erratic schedule.
But what if these were only stories? What if Tess's home, Erthe, lay not across the seas but up there,
in the heavens? How could land lie there at all? Who held it up? Yet who held up the very land he stood
on now? It was not a question that had ever bothered him before.
He prowled the perimeter of the Orzhekov camp in the darkness of a clear, mild night. Beyond this
perimeter, the jaran army existed as might any great creature, awake and unquiet when it ought to have
been resting; but the army celebrated another victory over yet another khaja city. And in truth, the camp
still rejoiced over the return of Bakhtiian from a terrible and dangerous journey. The journey had
changed him from the dyan whom they all followed in their great war against the khaja into a gods-
touched Singer through whom Mother Sun and Father Wind themselves spoke.
And yet, if it was true that Tess and Dr. Hierakis and Tess's brother the prince and all his party came
from a place beyond the wind and the clouds, beyond the moon and the sun, then to what land had
Bakhtiian traveled? To whom had he spoken? By whom was he touched? And how could a land as large
as the plains lie up there in the sky, and Aleksi not be able to see it?
The stars winked at him, mute. They offered no answers, just as Tess had offered no answers before
he had discovered that there was a question to be asked.
From here he could see the hulking shadow of Tess's tent at the very center of the camp—not just at
the center of the Orzhekov tribe but at the heart of the entire army. Another, smaller shadow moved and
he paused and waited for Sonia to catch up to him.
She rested a hand on his sleeve and he could tell at once—although he could not see her face clearly—
that she was worried. "Aleksi," she said, whispering although they were already private. "Have you seen
Veselov?" She hesitated, and he heard more than saw her wince away from continuing. But she went on.
"Vasil Veselov. He came through camp earlier. He said he came to ask Niko about one of his rider's
injuries, but I don't believe—" She faltered.
Aleksi was shocked at her irresolution. "No one has seen him leave," Sonia continued. "And Ilya just
came back. ..." She trailed off and flashed a look around to make sure no one was close enough to hear,
despite the fact that they both knew that they were well out of earshot, and that no one walked this way
in any case. This part of camp, unlike the rest of the huge sprawl of tents extending far out into the
darkness, was quiet and subdued. "The guards didn't see him, but you never miss anything, Aleksi." She
waited.

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