"L. E. Modesitt - Recluce 11 - The Death of Chaos" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

not stand up when we entered.
The table wasn't that good despite all the ornamentation, and I could see where the grain
hadn't been quite aligned right in the inlays, and that the larger spooling on the front legs was
too much larger and visually unbalanced the piece, so much that it seemed to tilt forward.
I bowed.
"Order-master." She gave me a respectful nod in return. "I wish I were glad to see you, Lerris.
I have this feeling that I'll always see you either before or after some disaster." Her black hair-
shot with silver-gray-was not neat, as at functions, but unruly, and she had a black smudge above
one eyebrow. The green eyes met mine for a moment, not quite twinkling.
"I hope not.: ."I still didn't feel right not putting a title in, and my words trailed off.
"That's the problem facing wizards and rulers. No one really wants us around, and all their
troubles are our fault." She brushed a strand of silver-gray hair back off her forehead before
continuing. "Krystal has told you about Ferrel?"
"Only that you believe she is dead. We came immediately, and Krystal didn't have time to tell
me everything."
"There isn't much else. There were two survivors, lucky laggards."
"How many did you lose?"
"Two squads." Krystal rubbed her forehead. "That's just as we're finally getting back up to
strength. You can't train good troops overnight."
"Do you know how?"
Krystal and Kasee exchanged glances. Finally, Krystal spoke. "No. The two troopers who escaped
said the Hydlenese troops-or the wizard-used some sort of firebolts. They were waiting for
Ferrel."
"Did Ferrel just march down the road toward the spring?"
"No. She took a side road, not much better than a trail, according to the troopers. They were a
good twenty kays from the spring when they were ambushed. The whole thing doesn't make any sense.
Why would Berfir start something now? He's got his hands full with Duke Colaris. Colaris is
talking about reclaiming the Ohyde Valley."
Kasee took a deep breath, and I looked at her.
"Freetown and Hydlen have been fighting over the valley and the control of Renklaar for as long
as there's been history. Hydlen's held it since before the fall of Fairhaven," the autarch
explained, "but no one seems to forget. They have long memories."
"And long knives," added Krystal.
"So that's why he needs the brimstone spring? Is he going to try to use cannon against
Colaris?" I speculated.
"It could be, but he would be gambling that Colaris couldn't round up a white wizard," mused
Krystal.
"Given Colaris's reputation, that's not much of a gamble. All of the dukes of Freetown have
been rather brutal, and frugal, and Colaris is cast in the same mold," said Kasee. "But Berfir is
very practical, from all reports, and he could hang onto the spring, string us out, and finally
give it back after he got a lot of brimstone. Why deliberately start another border conflict?"
"It doesn't make sense. Not from what we know," ventured Krystal.
"I wonder if there were any vulcrows around."
"Is there anything to that?" asked Kasee. "You think this is tied up with another white
wizard?"
"I don't know, but Antonin used one to spy on me. And, remember, Antonin really didn't care who
won between you and the Prefect. He only wanted to increase his powers, just like all white
wizards."
"How did anyone ever overcome them?" asked Kasee dryly.
"I think it took about a thousand years and enough power to melt Frven," I answered.