"David Gemmell - Wolf in Shadow" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

The stone glowed, the red-gold gleaming like an eldritch lantern, the black
veins shrinking to fine hairlines. The acolyte lifted the stone once more,
wiped it with a cloth of silk and returned it to the King before backing away
into the shadows.

A second acolyte approached the High Priest, bowing low. In his arms he
held the red ceremonial cape which he lifted over the priest's bald head.

The King clapped his hands twice and the girl's body was lifted from the
marble altar and carried down the long hall to oblivion.

'Well, Achnazzar?' demanded the King.

'As you can see, my lord, the girl was a powerful Espier, and her
essence will feed many Stones before it fades.’ The death of a pig will feed a
Stone, priest. You know what I am asking,' said the King, fixing Achnazzar
with a piercing glare. The bald priest bowed low, keeping his eyes on the
marble floor.

'The omens are mostly good, sire.’ Mostly? Look at me!' Achnazzar raised
his head, steeling himself to meet the burning eyes of the Satan lord. The
priest blinked and tried to look away, but Abaddon's glare held him trapped,
almost hypnotized. 'Explain yourself.’ The invasion, Lord, should proceed
favorably in the Spring. But there are dangers . . . not great dangers,' he
added hurriedly.

'From which area?' Achnazzar was sweating now as he licked dry lips with
a dry tongue.
 'Not an area, Lord, but three men.’ Name them.’ Only one can be
identified, the others are hidden. But we will find them. The one is called
Shannow. Jon Shannow.’ Shannow? I do not know the name. Is he a leader of men,
or a Brigand chief?’ No, Lord. He rides alone.’ Then how is he a danger to the
Hellborn? ’Not to the Hellborn, sire, but to you.’ You consider there is a
difference?'Achnazzar blanched and blinked the sweat from his eyes. 'No, Lord,
I meant merely that the threat is to you as a man.’ I have never heard of this
Shannow. Why should he threaten me?' 'There is no sure answer, sire, but he
follows the old, dead god. ’A Christian?' spat Abaddon. 'Will he seek to kill
me with love?’ No, Lord, I meant the old dark god. He is a Brigand-slayer, a
man of sudden violence. There is even some indication that he is insane.’How
do these indications manifest themselves - apart from his religious
stupidity?’He is a wanderer, Lord, searching for a city which ceased to exist
during Blessed Armageddon.’What city?’Jerusalem, Lord.'Abaddon chuckled and
leaned back on his throne, all tension fading. 'That city was destroyed by a
tidal wave three hundred years ago - by the great mother of all tidal waves. A
thousand feet of surging ocean drowned that pestilential place, signaling the
rein of the Master and the death of Jehovah. What does Shannow hope to find in
Jerusalem?’We do not know, Lord.’And why is he a threat?’In every chart, or
seer-dream, his line crosses yours. Karmically you are bonded. It is so with
the other two; in some way Shannow has touched - or will touch - the lives of
two men who could harm you. We cannot identify them yet - but we will. For now