"Jennifer Fallon - Second Sons 02 - Eye of the Labyrinth" - читать интересную книгу автора (Fallon Jennifer)

Why aren’t I screaming? Why am I not afraid?

Ateway glanced at Tovin Rill, who nodded his permission, and then stepped forward to offer the
dowager Duchess of Elcast his arm. “This way, my lady.” She didn’t know what to say to him. What
does one say when they are being led away to die? Why don’t I feel anything?

So she smiled at him.

She smiled at them all. She smiled at Tovin Rill, who had sat like a vulture for the past three years,
waiting for an opportunity like this. She smiled at her son, Rees, who wore Wallin’s face, but had
inherited nothing of the man. She smiled at her daughter-in-law, Faralan, who was just eighteen and far
too inexperienced to assume the responsibilities of a duchess. She smiled at Lanon Rill, who had once
been Dirk’s friend. She smiled at the townsfolk, who did nothing but stand and watch her being led
away. It was one of those I-don’t-know-what-to-say-to-you smiles.
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Chapter 2




Kirshov Latanya turned on his bunk with a muffled groan as the Kalarada trumpets announced rising of
the second sun. Every muscle he owned was aching, and he was sure his body must be a mass of black
and purple bruises. He pulled the pillow over his head, wishing for just a few more moments of blessed
sleep before his day began again.

All his life, Kirsh had been looking forward to joining the Queen’s Guard. He had dreamed about how
proud he would be as he rode at the side of his queen, ready to give his life for her in some noble and
glorious cause. Of course, in his dreams, the queen had been some faceless, vague and regal
figure—nothing like bossy little Alenor. And he had never had to deal with politics. The dream had been
his driving force for as long as he could remember. Reality was proving to be vastly different.

Kirsh had always reasoned that if he kept out of the political games his father delighted in, he could
somehow escape their consequences. He didn’t really care about the High Priestess Belagren, or the fact
that she and the Queen of Dhevyn were frequently at odds. It made no difference to him at all that his
father was admired and despised in almost equal measure. The power struggles between the islands of
Dhevyn and the mainlandkingdomofSenetheld no interest for him. What had happened in the past had
happened, and there was not a damn thing he could do about it. Kirshov wanted to be a soldier. He
wanted to make a name for himself so that he would be something more than a superfluous second son.
Dirk had tried to warn him, on more than one occasion, that he could not maintain such a position for
long. He’d had several heated arguments with him when they were both in Avacas, as his cousin from
Elcast had tried to awaken his political conscience. Kirsh would have none of it. He was going to join the
Queen’s Guard. He was not going to be a ruling prince, so it didn’t matter what he did. Dirk had called
him a fool. He had tried using Alenor as an excuse. Dirk had even given him several very eloquent and
logical reasons why, as prince consort, he would at least need to make an effort to understand what was
going on around him.