"Beverly Henderson - Stormcrow and The Deer" - читать интересную книгу автора (Henderson Beverly)

with her hand to make a gesture. And stopped herself, sighing guiltily. As
much as she longed to, she could not do it again - She could not warp and
twist time to suit her own desires and needs no matter how dire the future
seemed. She had kept back the morning and the pending battle for too
many nights now. He would be angry when he found out what she had
done - If he did, but she did not regret a moment of the past nights. They
had been too sweet and precious in their passion and love and too valuable
in the growth of her magic and ability to manage it.
He moaned in his sleep, the dreams filled with passion - with love. But
darkness also filled those dreams. He turned slowly, not yet awake and
calls her name. Putting her arms around him, pulling him to her breast,
she kissed his hair and shushed him softly, tears forming in her eyes, her
heart aching and heavy.
Sleep kept him still. His dreams aided in his plans for battle. Long
ancient memories of battles past, flashes of far flung future battles,
weapons capable of mass destruction.
There was a soft knock at the door, the voice of Abby outside. Sighing,
she slipped from the bed, reaching for and slipping into the blue silk robe
of the night before. Looking back at his sleeping form, she moved
soundlessly to the door and opened it but a crack, looking out at the
serving girl. " Is it time already? He has had so little rest."
Abby, with Mari behind her, softly enters the room, gently laying a tray
of fresh fruit, meat, and warm bread on the table. Mari smiled up at her
as Abby restarted the fire. Smiling, she puts a huge kettle over the fire,
warming water for the bath.
Looking guiltily at his sleeping form, curled on his side in the massive
bed, she bit her lip. Turning away, she moved to the door into her room
and intending to slip quietly through it.
“Don't leave, deer. I'm awake."
She turned to greet him and looked into his eyes. Horror flowed through
her as the Stormcrow's plan flew into her mind- He was going to use her -
Making the Queen's army believe he was still here, while behind them, he
would be driving them against the walls of the castle. His men
prepared---but wait! He plans to lose the castle!
Freezing halfway to the doorway, she closed her eyes against the vision
of wholesale slaughter she saw in her mind. Turning slowly, her eyes dark
with anticipated pain and suffering, she grasped the doorjamb and held
herself up. Most of his men would die. Some - Phillip and his five riders as
well as ten bowmen - had already escaped.
Her mind reached out to him. Knowing he had the power to stop this
dreaded Queen and her army, she asked, Why? A more powerful vision
filled her mind, a huge army on the march. A dark man on a large horse
would lead thousands here. The Kahn was already across the border!
Pain flitting across her face, she lifted her head proudly, anger flowing
through her, stiffening her backbone as well as her will. Her chin out, her
face set, the last of her innocence fled, she met his gaze with one of stony
determination.
"Very well."
Smiling proudly at her will, he rose from the bed and walked up the
stone steps to the balcony, beckoning her to join him. Trailing him,