"Ann Maxwell - Timeshadow Rider" - читать интересную книгу автора (Maxwell Ann)

pulled out a chain. A large jewel flashed and turned, suspended from the iridescent black links of a metal
that had been forged light-years and za’replacements from Za’arain. Though the jewel was black, it was
almost transparent. Marvelous colors scintillated in its depths, pure colors with no darkness, brilliant as
the Eyes had once been brilliant.
The Kiriy made a sound that could have been anger or despair or satisfaction as she watched the
pouring wealth of colors within the gem.
EVEN THE EYES OF ZA-AR COULD NOT SEPARATE YOU FROM HIM.
Sharia did not respond, because what the Kiriy was telling her made no sense.
I WAITED TOO LONG TO EXILE YOUR OTHER HALF. BUT I WEPT FOR YOU AS NO ONE HAD WEPT FOR
ME BEFORE I WAS KIRIY AND CURSED WITH THE EYES. ZA’ARAIN HAS SENT SO MANY INTO THE
DARKNESS IN ORDER THAT WE AND THEY MIGHT SURVIVE. ZADYNEEN ZADARIEN/KIRI, MY LOST-SOUL,
MY TABU SOUL. EVEN HIM I SENT AWAY, COMPELLED BY THE EYES. I WEEP FOR THE DUSTMAN WHO
WAS ONCE THE FORBIDDEN HALF OF THE KIRIY OF ZA’ARAIN.
WE HAVE FORBIDDEN TOO MUCH IN THE NAME OF STABILITY. IN THE MILLION YEARS SINCE THE
EYES PULLED US FROM THE MUCK OF ATAVISM, OUR GENES HAVE CHANGED, MORE FIVES BORN, MORE
AND MORE OFTEN, MORE AND MORE POWERFUL. BUT THE EYES ARE CHANGELESS. THE DUST IS NOT. I
HAVE SENT MY OTHER HALF INTO THE DARKNESS AND NOW IT IS COME TO ME AGAIN. CHANGED.
DISEASED.
AND IT IS DESTROYING ALL THAT WE HAVE WORKED FOR. THE EYES OF ZA’AR WILL CLOSE. THE
ATAVISM WILL BE UNLEASHED. BEWARE THE PSI-PACKS FORMING.
With a small sound Sharia went to her knees. The Eyes were all that stood between Za’arain and
unspeakable savagery: Kiri psipacks hunting human prey; Za’arain destroyed beneath an upwelling of
Kiri atavism that could only be described in nightmares.
YES. EXACTLY. A DUST RAIDER WILL COME AND TRY TO—
“Dust?” asked Sharia numbly. “I don’t—”
I KNOW YOU DON’T. HE WILL, THOUGH.
“He?” repeated Sharia, wondering if the Kiriy had succumbed to madness as well as disease.
KANAEN ZADARIEN/KIRI.
Sharia could not prevent her sudden rush of emotion at the sound of Kane’s name. Kane, who had
cherished her when every other being in the Kiri compound had shunned her. Kane, who had protected
her from her cruel four and six cousins. Kane, who had taught her to laugh and use her protean Darien
mind. Kane, whose warmth had pervaded her senses, eased her loneliness, shown her that she was alive.
Kane, who was Kiri, Darien and five. Kane, who had been exiled by the Kiriy to ensure that the
Great Tabu would not be broken. Mature five touching mature five. Catastrophe.
DO YOU WANT TO SEE HIM, CHILD OF MY SISTER?
Though Sharia’s voice was disciplined, the force of her answering “Yes” came from both her lips and
her mind.
The Kiriy flinched.
THEN TAKE THAT CURSED CRYSTAL. IN YOUR HANDS AND CALL TO HIM.
“But—”
NO. I DON’T HAVE THE STRENGTH FOR ARGUMENTS OR EXPLANATIONS. THE DUST RAIDER COMES,
THE EYES WILL CLOSE. KANE MUST COME—AND QUICKLY! YOU MUST FIND THE EYES, TAKE THEM UP
AND LIVE OR DIE. IF YOU DIE, KANE MUST TAKE UP THE EYES; FOR HE, LIKE YOU, HAS THE BEST CHANCE
OF SURVIVING THEIR TIME-WRACKED DEPTHS. HE, LIKE YOU, HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF DEFEATING THE
DUSTMAN WHO COULD HAVE BEEN KIRIY. IF KANE DIES TRYING TO WEAR THE EYES, THE DARIENS WILL
GATHER. IF ANY OTHER FIVES HAVE SURVIVED, THEY WILL BE THE FIRST TO TAKE UP THE EYES. IF THE
FIVES ARE DEAD, THE SIXES AND FOURS MUST TRY. A NEW KIRIY MUST BE FOUND. ONLY THEN WILL
CIVILIZATION LIVE AGAIN ON ZA’ARAIN AND IN THE JOINING, CHILD OF ZA’ARAIN S GREATNESS.
POOR, LOST CHILD. WITHOUT THE PLAGUE THE JOINING WOULD HAVE SURVIVED ZA’ARAIN’S
DEATH. BUT THE PLAGUE CAME, HIDDEN IN TIME AND A DUSTMAN’S BASTARD EYES.