"C. S. Friedman - Coldfire 2 - When True Night Falls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Friedman C. S)

Revivalist tradition - and he wields it like a
shield to safeguard the last remnants of his
human identity. By that code, he explained,
he was now bound to us - against his will, it
seemed - his dark power allied to our purpose
until Ciani was freed. We were given no
choice in the matter.

Alone, I might have defied him. Alone I
might have chosen to face our enemies
unarmed, rather than ally myself to such a
malignant power. But I was not alone, and
my companions did not share my revulsion.
Never before had I been so acutely aware of
the vast gap that exists between our nature,
Church-nurtured, and that of the pagan
multitudes. And I wished I had some way to
explain to them that it is better to die with a
clean soul than persevere through corruption.
But my companions wanted that power
supporting them more than they feared its
nature, and in the end I was forced to
acquiesce to the Hunter's will.

Together we four traveled eastward to the
port of Sattin - journeying by night, because
the sun was anathema to the Hunter's undead
flesh. There, where the waters of the Serpent
became so narrow that one could almost see
across them, we found a captain willing to
brave the rugged rakhland coast. But that was
not the only danger facing us.

There is a barrier about the rakhlands
through which no Working may pass, a place
where the power is wild, utterly chaotic, and
even human senses lose their focus . . .
suffice it to say that I am still haunted by
images from that terrible crossing. We made
it across and set down on the rakhland shore
without incident, for which I give thanks to
God; it was no small miracle that got us
there.

We struggled westward along the rugged
coast, to the mouth of the Achron River.
From there we turned southward, into the
heart of the continent. The terrain was harsh
and traveling took its toll on us, as did the
growing certainty that someone - or