"Jude Fisher - Fool's Gold 02 - Wild Magic" - читать интересную книгу автора (Fisher Jude)

Altea and make his much-wished-for escape. He turned his face to the
man he called his father, who stood blocking the doorway, hands on his
hips in a most uncompromising manner.
"It is most magnanimous of my brother," he said through gritted teeth,
"to make this suggestion. If it would please you, sir, to allow me to redeem
myself thus, then I will do my best to take on this task and acquire the
skills necessary to a good soldier."
Favio Vingo looked taken aback. He had been surprised when Tanto
had advocated the idea, but had put it down to the fact that since Tanto
would never be able to don the Vingo armor and go into battle at the head
of the Altean troop as the hero he would surely be, then the next best thing
was that his brother should carry the family's honor. But he was even
more surprised at Saro's response. He had been expecting a storm of
protest from the boy who had, he knew well, little liking for such activities.
That, or downright, surly refusal. This gracious acceptance spoke of filial
responsibility, of humility and, at long last, a bit of manly pride. But while
the boy's attitude might have taken some of the sting out of his fury, there
was still the matter of attacking Tanto to be attended to.
"Since it is not in your nature to take good care of your brother, then
you shall learn that care the hard way. I do not know why Tanto should
feel warmly toward you when you have shown him such violence and
malice, but he has made a special request of me, arguing that the bond
between the two of you needs to be strengthened. So, for the weeks to
come, before, between, and after you begin your training with Captain
Bastido, you shall take over the duties of washing your brother's person,
clearing away his waste, and applying the ointments prescribed by the
chirurgeon. You will start these duties at dawn tomorrow. Tonight,
though, you shall retire to your own chamber without food or light, and
reflect upon the qualities that make for proper fraternal relations. Now, go
to your room."
Saro was appalled. To have to train for soldiering, and give himself up
to the untender mercies of Captain Galo "the Bastard" Bastido was bad
enough, for the man was a brute, and a sadistic one at that; but to have to
touch his brother with his bare hands now Tanto's thoughts were no
longer cloaked by a miasma of his unconsciousness was truly the most
horrible torment Saro could imagine.
It was with leaden steps that he made his way upstairs.


Chapter 3: Halbo

LIT from landward by the crimson rays of the fallen sun and from the
sea by the ghostly light of the newly risen moon, the king's capital of Halbo
appeared between the silhouettes of the Pillars of Sur like a mirage. Amid
the swells and folds of land which rose steeply from the narrow inlet, tiny
amber lights twinkled in strings and clusters, and a big fire appeared to be
burning down near the shore, illuminating the dark water and several
dozen ships bobbing at anchor in the inner harbor.
Then the Pillars themselves hove into full view, stretching three
hundred feet into the black air, and Katla gasped in amazement. Contrary