"Stephen Goldin - Storyteller" - читать интересную книгу автора (Goldin Stephen)

Standing alone on the rooftop, the blind wizard lifted his arms to the open sky and recited a spell of great
power. He spoke slowly and in a deep voice, enunciating each syllable with delicate precision and putting
the force of his will into every word he uttered. His voice rolled across the open valleys and echoed from
the other mountains in a naked display of power.
 When he finished the spell he stood patiently and waited. Soon he could hear the flapping of wings, and
an enormous eagle, with a wingspan greater than the height of four tall men, flew down and landed beside
him. Akar felt his way, awkwardly at first, to the bird's side and climbed onto its back, while the majestic
creature raised not a cry of protest. When the wizard was securely in place he gave the eagle his
command. The huge wings spread out and the bird soared off the castle roof high up into the chilly
mountain air currents. The eagle made three long, slow circles of the area to orient itself, then turned in a
southwesterly direction and began its long, silent flight to the palace of Rashwenath.

CHAPTER 4

The Purge


In Ravan the Holy City, Ravan the Blessed of Oromasd, Ravan the center of the world, a particular blight
was spreading through its wide streets and beautiful buildings, its shaded bazaars and gilded domes. Ever
since the death of the late beloved King Shunnar, his widow Shammara had been working her wiles to
negate his last request and bring the city under her total control.

King Shunnar had willed that the crown should go to his elder son, Prince Ahmad, upon attaining his
eighteenth birthday—even though Ahmad was only his son by a concubine instead of an official wife.
Shammara's son Haroun, just a few weeks younger, would only inherit if anything happened to Ahmad.
King Shunnar's most trusted wazir, Kateb bin Salih, had been appointed regent until the new ruler was
crowned—but Kateb bin Salih was now old and infirm, and incapable of thwarting Shammara's plans.

Several times Shammara had hired rimahniya assassins to enter the Temple of the Faith where Ahmad
was being raised, but each time they were doomed to failure by the alertness of the priests of Oromasd.
But not all her plans were so unsuccessful. Forging an alliance with the wali of police, she slowly
tightened her grip on the city. Little was done without her permission, and she built slowly toward the day
she could make her rule over Ravan more overt.

Shammara sent emissaries to all the neighboring kingdoms, bribing their way into favor and making allies
for her on all sides. In particular she made a secret alliance with the weak King Basir of Marakh, finally
convincing him to betray Prince Ahmad and marry his daughter Oma to Prince Haroun instead.

And even months before Prince Ahmad left the Holy City, Shammara had been spinning her plans for
the takeover of Ravan. Shammara was a systematic person who compiled list upon list of things that must
be done and people who must be replaced, so that she would be ready when her day of triumph came.

Her first list was of those people steadfastly loyal to Prince Ahmad who could not be subverted to
Shammara's cause. This list was subdivided into three groups: those of Prince Ahmad's supporters who
would have to be assassinated; those who could be neutralized by removing them from positions of
power; and those who, while loyal, were no serious threat to Shammara's new regime.

Shammara's second list was of those people already committed to her side, and it was subdivided into
two parts: those who already held positions of power, and those who could be called upon to fill other