"Naomi Kritzer - Dead Rivers 2 - Freedom's Apprentice" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kritzer Naomi)

Bantam Dell

A Division of Random House, Inc.

New York, New York



Copyright © 2005 by Naomi Kritzer

Cover illustration © 2005 by Stephen Youll

Cover design by Jamie S. Warren Youll



Bantam Books, the rooster colophon, Spectra, and the portrayal of a boxed "s" are registered
trademarks of Random House, Inc.



ISBN 0-553-58674-2



Printed in the United States of America

Published simultaneously in Canada
 To my parents,

Bert and Amy Kritzer

CHAPTER ONE



There was a crumbled spot in the wall around Elpisia. Kyros sent slaves to fix it every year or two, but
for some reason—unstable ground, a vulnerability to wind—it was always crumbling there again within a
few months. When I was a child and wanted to get in or out of town without being hassled by the guards
at the gate, I scrambled over at that spot. Half a year earlier, I had examined that point in the wall while
tracking an escaped slave.

Now, I was back, on the other side. I was climbing into Elpisia under cover of night to free one of the
slaves that I had once taken back to slavery.

I found handholds easily enough, and scrambled over. Some gravel had made its way into my boot, so I
pulled it off and shook it out. Then I wound a scarf around my face and pulled up the hood of my coat. It
wasn't cold enough for snow yet, but there was a damp wind tonight. I put my mittens back on.

Nika's owner lived quite close to Kyros, not far from the city gate. I took a roundabout route, trying to